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Hot Peppers Inhibit Intestinal Tumors

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that dietary capsaicin — the active ingredient in chili peppers — produces chronic activation of a receptor on cells lining the intestines of mice, triggering a reaction that ultimately reduces the risk of colorectal tumors.

The current study suggests one potential remedy might be spicy capsaicin, which acts as an irritant in mammals, generating a burning sensation in contact with tissue. Capsaicin is already broadly used as an analgesic in topical ointments, where its properties as an irritant overwhelm nerves, rendering them unable to report pain for extended periods of time. It’s also the active ingredient in pepper spray.

The researchers fed capsaicin to mice genetically prone to developing multiple tumors in the gastrointestinal tract. The treatment resulted in a reduced tumor burden and extended the lifespans of the mice by more than 30 percent.

-The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on “Hot Peppers Inhibit Intestinal Tumors”:

This is yet another study that confirms that plants were not only meant for our food but also for our medicine. The active ingredient in hot peppers is called capsaicin and it is shown to not only reduce the risk of colorectal cancer but also reduce tumors in mice that already have multiple tumors AND increase their lifespan by 30%. All this with just the additional of chilli peppers.

Now what if you added raw garlic in the salad, adding some ginger and also some curcumin what would the decrease in tumors and increase in lifespan be then? Are you getting the messages? “Let your food be your medicine” according to Hippocrates. Much better then letting your toxic medication with 7-500 side effects being your medicine!

What if we all would get back to simplicity. Simple food, a simpler lifestyle, less instead of more. It has been proven in health and longevity that the less an animal eats, this is calorie restriction, the longer it lives.

Now apply this principle to natural treatment for health disorders. If you are having intestinal issues why not try taking probiotics, digestive enzymes, eating some hot peppers, change your diet, drink more water, get more exercise and spend more time listening to God speak to your heart.

Wouldn’t this be a better way unless your were in an emergency state and that is when true medicine shines because it can save lives, but the problem is they cannot extend lives. The life extension task is all up to you.

At Total Health Institute we have been helping people get their health back in body, mind and spirit for the last 30 years. We have always done it the natural God designed way. You can start with some natural steps to take. We call them the 7 Basic Steps to Total Health.

This is a great first step on your journey to Total Health. Always remember it is easier to take that step now rather than waiting until you absolutely have to take that step because full blown disease has manifested in your body.

We are here to help you. If you have a condition or disease that you need to consult with someone, give us a call and myself or one of our health associates will call you back to answer your questions. We do not treat symptoms, conditions or disease but instead treat health and restore health. Our phone number is 630-871-0000

Sometimes you just need to know that your doctor truly understands the cause of your situation instead of just trying to patch up all the effects that the underlying cause has produced.

 

 

 

Total darkness at night key to success of cancer treatment

Exposure to light at night, which shuts off nighttime production of the hormone melatonin, renders breast cancer completely resistant to tamoxifen, a widely used breast cancer drug, says a new study by Tulane University School of Medicine cancer researchers. The study is the first to show that melatonin is vital to the success in treating breast cancer.

In the first phase of the study, they kept animals in a daily light/dark cycle of 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of total darkness (melatonin is elevated during the dark phase) for several weeks. In the second study, they exposed them to the same daily light/dark cycle; however, during the 12 hour dark phase, animals were exposed to extremely dim light at night (melatonin levels were suppressed), roughly equivalent to faint light coming under a door.

Melatonin by itself delayed the formation of tumors and significantly slowed their growth.

These findings have potentially enormous implications for women being treated and also regularly exposed to light at night due to sleep problems, working night shifts or exposed to light from computer and TV screens.

High melatonin levels at night put breast cancer cells to ‘sleep’ by turning off key growth mechanisms. But when the lights are on and melatonin is suppressed, breast cancer cells ‘wake up’ and start growing. The study could make light at night a new and serious risk factor for developing resistance to anticancer drugs and make the use of melatonin in, administered at the optimal time of day or night, standard treatment for breast cancer patients.

-Cancer Research

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on “Total darkness at night key to success of breast cancer ”:

This powerful study showed how the strong antioxidant, sleep hormone melatonin suppresses cancer growth. In the study when they had very dim light in the room equivalent to some light shining under the door, this was enough light to shut off melatonin’s immune stimulating effects.

What this means is if you want to boost your immune system to a very high level where it can suppress cancer cell growth then you must do two things:

  1. Sleep in total darkness so as not to suppress melatonin production.
  2. Get to sleep as early as possible (8 PM is best) because the more premidnight hours of sleep the more stimulating and effect in strengthening the white blood cells to kill cancer cells.

What this study does not imply is that everyone should take melatonin supplements. There is a balance in all things and if melatonin like all other nutritional and hormonal is too high or too low it can encourage cancer cell growth. So what is the best way to know? Have it tested. We do a complete hormonal workup on all of our patients at Total Health Institute so we know exactly who needs melatonin and who does NOT.

What I liked most about this study is that God’s way is always the BEST way if we would just get back to HIS basics for health. When did God design the human body to go to sleep? When the sun went down. When did He design the human body to wake up? When the sun came up. Very simple. Follow the rule and health will be the byproduct.

The answer to cancer is not a melatonin pill or a drug. Do not look for the quick fix, but instead get to the root of the problems so you can resolve it once and for all.Getting to sleep early and making sure the room is blacked out is just one of

7 Basic Steps to Total Health. Ask yourself these questions:

  1. Air-are you deep diaphragm breathing to oxygenate your body?
  2. Water-are you drinking 32 ounces of distilled or reverse osmosis water per 50/lbs per body weight per day?
  3. Food-are you consuming a diet of living/raw plant food which has the highest energy, bioelectricity, enzymes and bioavailable nutrient content to either maintain or restore your health.
  4. Sleep-are you sleeping 8.0 hours with at least 3.0 of them before midnight in a totally dark room?
  5. Exercise-are you exercising 30 minutes every day?
  6. Fasting-are you fasting from the normal Standard American Diet (SAD) and lifestyle?
  7. Prayer-are you taking the time throughout your day to regularly listen to the voice of God being spoken into your heart?

So the way to overcome cancer or any disease is just to live the God designed life of seven very basic step and to have a mission for which you are here. God did not bring you into this earthly realm for you to just take up space for 75 years and then die. No He sent you here for a purpose and if you search your heart you will find that purpose. Here a some helpful hints:

  • When you are doing God’s will and His purpose you will lose everything you have for the mission. This is not a place of maybes or lukewarm.
  • If He put it in your heart then nothing can take it out of your heart. The problem is too many people cover over the heart by following their mind ambitions instead of their heart’s desire.
  • If you keep praying and listening to the voice of God spoken to your heart the purpose or mission just grow stronger and stronger and finally it cannot be denied you must obey your heart and step out in faith no matter what the cost.

It is always up to you. You can choose life of death and you will received what you choose. Life if from the heart or death if from the mind.

Probiotics Decrease Fat Accumulation in the Liver

Spanish scientists have demonstrated through an experiment on obese rats that the consumption of probiotics helps diminish the accumulation of fat in the liver.

Researchers have demonstrated that the administration of three probiotic strains diminishes the accumulation of fat in the liver of obese rats.

The accumulation of fat in the liver is called steatosis and it constitutes the first stage in the NAFLD disease, which is closely related to obesity and diabetes. Given that the prevalence of these two pathologies, NAFLD has also become a health problem that affects millions of people throughout the world.

Probiotics are microorganisms (bacteria) with healthy effects upon individuals that consume them in adequate doses. They are traditionally considered to be living microorganisms.

In this current study, the probiotic strains were administered during thirty days in the diet of Zucker rats. These rats develop obesity due to a mutation in the gene that codifies the receptor or leptin, a homone that transmits a sensation of satiety to the organism.

The researchers describe that the administration of probiotics led to an accumulation of lipids (most of them triacylglycerides) in the liver which was significantly lower than that occurring in rats fed with a placebo.

This new finding went hand in hand with lower values in proinflamatory molecules (tumor-a necrosis factor, interleukin 6 and liposacarid) in the serum of rats fed with probiotics.

-PLOS ONE

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on “Probiotics Decrease Fat Accumulation in the Liver ”: 

What a powerful study to show the power of the gut in health and healing. When the intestinal flora or good bacteria are high enough it produces a multitudinous list of positive cellular and organ/gland changes. These changes start in the intestinal tract. In this study the probiotics helped reduce fatty liver. This is a type of visceral or inflammatory fat that stores in organs. The probiotics also decreased major inflammatory indicators and remember most all disease begins with inflammation at its root.

What you want to take home from this study is that:

  1. Probiotics help keep the intestinal tract healthy.
  2. With normal levels of probiotics then the body burns fat instead of storing it as inflammatory visceral fat.
  3. Probiotics are anti-inflammatory so they help prevent disease

 

This message is so simple all you have to do is take a clinically proven probiotic daily to get all these benefits.

Probiotics and proper diet, exercise and lifestyle habits are keys to maintaining or restoring health. These are part of the 7 Basic Steps to Total Health that everyone should be doing every day.

In this life you are either proactive or reactive. Proactive makes the changes that he or she knows are right before they have to make these changes. Reactive people wait until disease or other issues knock on the door of their life before they decide to make changes. Remember if you drop a ball out of your hand is it eaiser to grab it when it is six inches from your hand or six inches from the floor? The choice is always yours but for your own sake stop putting things off until tomorrow that you could and should do today.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers… Deut 30:19-20 NIV

Health Benefits and Natural Sources of Vitamin E

Vitamin E contains eight chemical forms (alpha, beta, gamma, delta-tocopherol, and also alpha, beta, gamma, and delta-tocotrienol). Tocopherol is the only form that is recognized to meet human requirements. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that halts the production of reactive oxygen species formed when fat undergoes oxidation.

According to the National Institute of Health, many foods provide efficient quantities of vitamin E. Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils are the best sources of alpha-tocopherol and significant amounts are in green leafy vegetables. A majority of vitamin E in the American diet is from the form of gamma-tocopherol from soybean and other vegetable oils. Sunflower seeds have a high amount of vitamin E along with almonds, avocados, hazelnuts, spinach, broccoli, and a small amount in tomato.

From a study examining if vitamin E intake affected the risk of developing prostate cancer, for current smokers and men who quit, supplementing with vitamin E for 400 IU/day or more was correlated with a statistically significant reduction by 71% for the risk of advanced prostate cancer. From a clinical trial of 29,133 male smokers who were randomly assigned to take daily supplements of 50 IU of synthetic Vitamin E for 5-8 years had 32% fewer prostate cancers versus subjects that did not take the supplement.

Oxygen is critical for brain and cognitive function. Researchers have hypothesized that if cumulative free-radical damage to neurons occurs over time, it can contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, that supplementing with vitamin E may provide some benefit and protection. From a clinical trial of 341 patients with Alzheimer’s disease with moderate severity, those receiving vitamin E for the 2 year duration, treatment of vitamin E significantly delayed functional deterioration and the need for institutionalization compared to the placebo.

Some studies show that vitamin E can help delay or prevent coronary heart disease. In vitro studies have found that Vitamin E inhibits oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is important to prevent atherosclerosis. Vitamin E has another key role to prevent the formation of blood clots that could lead to a heart attack or venous thromboembolism. Other studies have shown lower rates of heart disease with higher vitamin E intake from supplementation. From a study of 90,000 nurses, it was found that the incidence of heart disease was lowered 30-40% for those with higher intake of vitamin E from supplements. From a study of 5,133 Finish men and women who were followed for 14 years, higher vitamin E intakes from food, not supplements, was associated with decrease mortality from coronary heart disease.

According to University of Maryland Medical Center, those with diabetes tend to have lowered levels of antioxidants, which is a reason why researchers have theorized that they may be at an increased risk for heart disease. Vitamin E containing foods and other antioxidants may help reduce the risk of heart disease and other complications or side effects of having diabetes. Antioxidants may help balance blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but then also preventing complications of eye damage and kidney damage for those with type 1 diabetes. From a study of subjects with type 2 diabetes that took 400 IU of vitamin E daily, reduced their risk of a heart attack and of dying from heart disease. But if one has diabetes, ask your doctor if a vitamin E supplement is necessary.

As seen, Vitamin E has many functions and important factors in many systems throughout the body. Vitamin E can easily be consumed from seeds, nuts and green vegetables. It has antioxidant properties that are key for preventing disease including cancer, cognitive function, coronary heart disease, lessening complications of diabetes, and reduced risk of dying from heart disease.

 

Microwave Ovens – Trading Convenience for Cancer Risk?

Microwave OvenFor quite some time many have heard of the dangers of microwave ovens. Specifically, that the use of microwave ovens may be linked to an increased risk for cancer. Understandably, this has caused a fair bit of consternation amongst people who are trying to live healthily, and who actively take steps to protect themselves from possible cancer causing agents.

As with any controversy, there has been a lot of pushing and pulling between people ‘in the know”, with health advocates arguing against the use of microwave ovens and corporate defenders arguing for their safety. So, what is the real story, and what is the truth about microwave cooking and your health?

Microwave Cooking in a Nutshell

Most of us have a general idea of how microwave ovens work, even if we do not understand the subtle mechanics of the process. In essence, microwaves agitate the molecules within our food, thereby heating it from the inside out and reducing cooking time by as much as 80%.

Microwave cooking is based on the principles of alternating currents, with the atoms and molecules within food being forced to reverse polarity up to 100 billion times a second. This friction is what produces the “heat” of microwave cooking.

Unfortunately, while the process makes cooking convenient, it has a definite downside. This violent molecular agitation results in what is called ‘structural isomerism’, where molecules are forcefully deformed or destroyed.

Traditional cooking methods, on the other hand, rely on good old thermal dynamics – the natural transfer of heat to cold. With traditional cooking methods, food is heated slowly from the outside in.

Now, microwave defenders will argue that traditional cooking methods also damage the inherent cellular structure of foods, and they are right to some degree.

That is why raw food advocates have a leg up when it comes to health and nutrition, particularly where cancer prevention is concerned. But not everyone has adopted a raw food diet, and for those people the manner in which they cook their food needs to be addressed.

Microwave Cooking and Nutrition

Most of the arguments defending microwave ovens focus on the safety of the devices themselves. They insist that the low levels of radiation used in microwave cooking pose no health risk. That may, or may not, be true.

But, even setting aside this more technical aspect of microwave cooking, there are further health concerns that deserve our attention. If good nutrition is the secret to good health, than what does microwave cooking actually do to our food? Well, therein lies the problem. Remember the ‘structural isomerism’ that we mentioned?

This violent cell damage destroys much of the inherent nutrition in foods. Cells are deformed or destroyed, and nutrients lost. Moreover, the process of microwave cooking actually creates carcinogenic compounds. When organic matter is penetrated by microwaves, radiolytic compounds are created.

The combination of these radiolytic compounds and the damaged/deformed cells in the food forces the body’s healthy cells to abandon their normal process of cellular oxidation for an anaerobic energy production based on glucose fermentation.

Anaerobic glucose fermentation actually helps cancerous cells to thrive. So, when you microwave that meal, you are not only destroying its life giving nutrients, you are also creating compounds that encourage the survival and proliferation of cancer cells.

Defenders of microwave cooking are quick to point out that traditional cooking methods also damage cells, and that, regardless of cooking method, overcooked or burnt food will be stripped of its nutritional value. This is true.

However, in the fight against cancer it is imperative to minimize any potential cancer risk. That is why raw fruits and vegetables should always form the basis of your healthy eating and your cancer fighting diet. That being said, when foods must be cooked, slow and steady wins the day. Research has proven that boiling or slow cooker methods produce the least amount of damage to the food.

Whereas microwave, charbroiling and high heat cooking do the most damage. Microwave cooking may be quick and easy, but the results may be equally hazardous to your health and well-being. When it comes to nutrition and cancer prevention, it is always advisable to choose tradition over convenience every time.

Health Benefits of Oregano

Oregano as most know is used for flavoring, however new studies are showing that oregano has many other benefits for its use. The Greeks have used oregano for centuries for various ailments. The 19th Century had herbal doctors recommended oregano for general well-being. Constant studies are being performed to generate more uses for increased health benefits of oregano.

Oregano does not contain cholesterol and contains dietary fibers which aid in the control of levels in blood cholesterol. Oregano contains Vitamins A and C, calcium, fiber, iron, manganese, Niacin, Omega fatty acids, Vitamins E and K, Riboflavin, Thiamine and Carotene. Oregano contains minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc.   The Vitamin K, magnesium and calcium in oregano is important for the promotion of bone growth and bone density maintenance. Vitamin K is also important for the production of blood clotting proteins. Potassium aids in controlling blood pressure and heart rate and iron aids in the prevention of anemia.

Oregano is very high in antioxidants and is also considered an antiviral which aids in the protection of cells against free radicals and aids in the protection of fighting infections. Oregano contains properties that also allow it to be considered an antiparasitic and can also be found in some bug repellants.

Oregano oil contains the essential compound called carvacol which makes the oregano oil a very antimicrobial product. Other oils contained in oregano would be caryophyllene, limonene, ocimene, and pinene. Researchers from Britain and India have found that the essential oil from oregano is strong enough to kill MRSA, which is a hospital superbug. Another group of Portuguese researchers have found that oregano oil was effective against Listeria and 41 other strains of food pathogens. The carvacol is also being used for continuous studies as showing that oregano contains components that may prevent the spread of cancer and/or slow down cancer cell growth especially for those with breast cancer. Additional studies are currently being done for the use of oregano and its carvacol properties for prostate cancer. With the addition of thymol, oregano becomes a powerful antibacterial as it can increase the protection of bacterial diseases and infections to include colon and the urinary tract.

Oregano has been used as an antifungal product and it may aid the prevention of candida growth. German scientists found that a key ingredient contained in oregano called beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP) could be effective in the treatment of osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis.

Other uses for oregano have been for respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, coughs, and croup. Oregano for treatment can also be included for headaches, menstrual cramps and heart conditions. External application of oregano oil has been used in the treatment of acne, canker sores, rosacea, warts, varicose veins and psoriasis. Heartburn and bloating are other gastrointestinal disorders which oregano can be used for.

Additional research is being completed on the effects of oregano for the management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It is always best to use raw, fresh oregano that is very green in color with firm stems.

Let your medicine be your food first and foremost.

Sweet Wormwood – Scientists (Re)Discover an Herbal Ally in the Fight Against Cancer

Sweet Wormwood
Wikimedia Commons license via Fabelfroh

It’s no secret that the natural world holds many surprises, and this has never been more true than in the ongoing fight against cancer. As scientists and researchers study the underlying causes of cancer, searching for treatments and cures for this dreaded disease, they often find themselves turning to the very foundation of life itself – nature.

The plants and herbs that are part of God’s design often hold the key to many advances in the fight against cancer. Embarrassingly, many of these plants and herbs were well known to our ancestors, and they formed the basis of many natural healing techniques.

Over the centuries, as science and progress marched ever faster into the future, these healing herbs were ignored and forgotten and drugs with many side effects took their place. It is only recently that research into cancer treatments and cures have rediscovered the healing power of these herbs and plants.

The latest of these recent rediscoveries is Sweet Wormwood, an herb used by the ancients to treat malaria. But recent studies are showing that Sweet Wormwood may be an even more effective treatment for a variety of different cancers.

What is Sweet Wormwood?

Sweet Wormwood, or to give it its Latin name – Artemisia Annua, is a plant that is native to Asia and Eastern Europe. The Chinese have used it as a healing herb going back as far as the 2nd century AD.

In fact, in the 1970’s archaeologists excavating the tomb of a Han Dynasty prince found a stone tablet describing the use of Sweet Wormwood as a treatment for malaria. This sparked interest in the herb, and in its use in natural healing.

Researchers found that the extract from Sweet Wormwood, Artemisinin, was indeed a successful treatment for Malaria. This prompted scientists to explore further, and to investigate Sweet Wormwood’s other healing properties. What they found was surprising, to say the least.

Cancer, Iron, and Artemisinin

All cells within the body require the presence of iron for division and replication. To attract the necessary iron, cells have what are called ‘transferrin receptors’.

Now, one of the fundamental characteristics of cancer is its abnormal process of cell division and replication. Cancerous cells typically divide and replicate at greater speeds than healthy cells.

To accomplish this, cancer cells need greater stores of iron, and so develop a greater number of ‘transferrin receptors’. For example, breast cancer cells have 5 to 15 times more ‘transferrin receptors’ than normal healthy breast cells, and thus accumulate greater stores of iron.

Researchers into the effects of Sweet Wormwood on cancer cells found that they could increase the amount of iron in cancerous cells by using a compound known as ‘Holotransferrin’.

Now, this is where it gets interesting.

The Artemisinin extract of the Sweet Wormwood plant is a natural enemy of iron rich cells, which is why it is such a successful treatment for Malaria. Boosting the iron levels in cancer cells causes the Artemisinin to bind with the cell, halting its division and replication, and forcing it to self-destruct.

The research proved that Artemisinin killed more than ¾ of the cancer cells, while leaving the healthy cells untouched.

What this Means for Cancer Patients

Studies into the effectiveness of Sweet Wormwood as a cancer treatment are ongoing, but the outlook is good. The research indicates that this treatment may be particularly effective for more aggressive forms of cancer, where cell division and replication is more rapid and the cancer cells will be more dependent on iron to survive and thrive.

While the current research is concentrating on breast cancer, all indications point to Sweet Wormwood therapy being effective against a wider range of cancers, including pancreatic cancer and leukemia.

Once again it seems that the natural world holds the answers to restoring, and maintaining, our total health. Sweet Wormwood is just the latest rediscovery that illustrates how much we have forgotten about the nature of natural healing.

The plants and herbs that form the garden of God’s creation hold the secrets we need to remain healthy and cancer free.

6 Tips for Natural Prevention of Prostate Cancer

It’s said that men make the worst patients, and that they are prone to ignore their health until forced to confront it head on when they become extremely ill. Whether it’s something inherent in the male psyche, or the result of centuries of social training, this simple axiom does appear to hold up to closer scrutiny.

That being said, this unhappy trend is slowing beginning to change. Today, men are becoming more aware of their health, particularly when it comes to their prostate and the possibility of cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer affecting men, with 233,000 new diagnoses predicted for 2014. Of those, more than 10% will result in death. The statistics are staggering, so it is all the more important for men of all ages to learn how to protect themselves from this debilitating disease.

So, without further ado, some all natural tips to help men reduce their risks for prostate disease and prostate cancer.

#1 – Eliminate the Negative

The first step to all natural cancer prevention is to eliminate that which makes us vulnerable to the disease. Diet plays a large part in the development of all cancers, and prostate cancer is no exception.

To reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer later in life, men of all ages should eliminate the following from their diets.

  • Meat, particularly highly processed meats and meat and poultry fed on chemical feeds and raised on factory farms.
  • Most fish and seafood, due to the high levels of mercury and other carcinogenic chemicals.
  • Pasteurized dairy products.
  • Carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, most notably white bread, pasta, and anything containing high levels of refined sugars.

Once you have cleaned up your diet, it’s time to look at what you can add to your nutritional plan to help prevent prostate cancer.

#2 – Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a powerful ally in the prevention of prostate cancer, and studies have shown that men with high levels of Vitamin D in their blood streams 50% less likely to develop an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

While Vitamin D can be taken as a supplement, and can be obtained through some vegetables, the best source is the sun itself. As little as fifteen minutes a day, basking in the sunshine, can greatly reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

#3 – Selenium

This powerful little mineral is instrumental in the prevention of a number of different types of cancer. Studies have shown that men that include selenium rich foods in their diet are 67% less likely to develop prostate cancer, 58% less likely to develop colon cancer, and 45% less likely to develop lung cancer. Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, and garlic.

#4 – Omega -3 Fatty Acids

While most diets recommend that you reduce your intake of fats, there is one that you don’t want to scrimp on. Omega-3 fatty acids lower the levels of free radicals in the body, and augment the power of antioxidants in the blood stream. Omega-3’s have a number of health benefits, including combating heart disease, alleviating asthma symptoms, and fighting depression.

More to the point, however, they help guard against the early stages of prostate cancer. Omega-3’s can be taken as a supplement, but are best obtained through a diet rich in flax seed, hemp seed, pumpkin seed and walnuts.

#5 – Boron

Boron is a mineral found in many foods. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells, while encouraging the growth of healthy cells. Recent studies have shown that Boron as a supplement can reduce the risk for prostate cancer by as much as 50%.

Good sources include: almonds, avocados, hazel nuts, Brazil nuts and walnuts.

#6 – Vitamin K

One of the lesser known vitamins, Vitamin K can be found in a variety of vegetables and herbs, most notably collard greens, spring onions, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus.

In addition to helping to prevent prostate cancer, Vitamin K is essential to maintaining strong bones and a healthy cardiovascular system. Recent studies are also indicating that Vitamin K may help to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Whether men are squeamish about talking about their health, embarrassed, or merely stoic, the fact remains that the prevention of prostate cancer should be upper most in their minds. Prostate cancer is all too common, and while highly treatable if caught early, it can still be deadly.

These natural tips for prostate health should help steer men toward a healthier lifestyle and longer life free from cancer. They should also encourage an open and confident assessment of their personal health.

Sleep Well – Examining the Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Cancer

Lack of SleepA bad night’s sleep. Nearly all of us have experienced it at some time or another, and typically when it’s most inconvenient. You know the sort of thing I mean. You’ve trudged through a long hard day at work, come home for a light meal and the promise of an early evening, only to find yourself tossing and turning in your bed. The clock keeps ticking away the minutes, and before you know it your well intentioned good night’s sleep has turned into a short nap. The bed clothes are in an awful state, and quite frankly, so are you. But up you get, and off you go, to push through the lack of sleep and to see to the new day’s business. But have you ever stopped to wonder what that lack of sleep may be costing you? Because, it may be costing you dearly.

Sleeplessness and Your Health

We all understand the general effects of a sleepless night. We feel sluggish and run down, tired and anxious. Most of us can also spot the effects of sleep deprivation on our general health. We are more prone to common ailments like cold and flu when we are tired and run down. But recent studies are showing that prolonged bouts of sleeplessness can have an even greater effect on our long term health, and may actually be linked to the increased risk for developing certain cancers. Chronic sleep loss has been linked to a disruption in the body’s production of melatonin, a natural hormone that is an integral part of the body’s self-repairing mechanisms. Deprived of adequate levels of melatonin, the body cannot successfully repair itself at the DNA level. Prolonged bouts of sleeplessness have also been linked to insulin resistance, which in turn has been linked to obesity, a common factor in the development of many cancers.

Sleep Loss and Men’s Health

A recent study at the University of Iceland tracked the health of 2100 adult men, all of whom were cancer free at the beginning of the trial. Of these 2100 test subjects, more than 8% identified as having moderate to severe sleep disturbances. At the end of the five year study, more than 6% of the test group showed early signs of prostate cancer. Discounting major cancer markers like family history and smoking, by far the most common factor among the men who tested positive for signs of prostate cancer was chronic sleeplessness and insomnia. While studies are ongoing, it would appear that chronic sleep disorders may be underlying causal factor in the development of prostate cancer. Moreover, the research shows that chronic sleeplessness may be a contributing factor to the increased risk for colorectal cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as well.

Sleep Loss and Women’s Health

Recent studies haven’t focuses solely on men’s health, and chronic sleep disruption has also been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers in women. A recent study at University Hospitals Case Medical Center surveyed more than 400 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The results drew a direct correlation between the quality and duration of the subjects’ slumber, and the aggressiveness of the their disease. The same study also saw a direct link between chronic or recurring sleep loss and the recurrence of cancer in women whose breast cancer had gone into remission. The study concluded that women who were able to improve the quality of their sleep, as well as its duration, were less likely to develop aggressive tumors, had a better recovery rate, and decreased the risk of seeing their cancer return.

We all look forward to a good night’s sleep, so we can feel rested and ready to go in the morning. But recent research is showing that sleep may be more important to our total health than we realized. It is important that we all take steps to ensure are sleep patterns are uninterrupted, and ultimately productive. Eat a healthy diet, take regular exercise, and keep to a regular sleep schedule. Avoid those weekend sleep-ins that can so easily disrupt your sleep routine.

Remember, sleeping well is not only about feeling rested in the morning. It is also an integral part or maintaining your body’s total health.

Antioxidants are Good and Free Radicals are Bad? Think Again

Most people today have been educated in the health field to understand that anti-oxidants are good and the more you have the healthier you will be and the longer you might live, right? No, not all the time. Researchers at McGill University have found that free radicals actually increase longevity.

What did the researcher find that is the key to aging more slowly and living longer? Well the winner was not antioxidants. What was found was how free radicals promote longevity. It was found that free radicals or oxidants let the cell know to self destruct.This programmed cell death, or apoptosis which is the scientific term, is a process by that causes damaged cells to kill themselves.  Why would a cell want to kill itself?  Well it would do this to avoid becoming cancer cell, or to avoid turning on auto-immune disease, or to kill a virus infected cell.  The researchers found that apoptosis could be triggered by free radicals, and properly timed apoptosis can increase lifespan.

The lead researcher stated that it is thought that free radicals are damaging and cause aging, but this is incorrect.  This new research has shown that free radical production increases during aging because free radicals actually counter instead of cause aging. Their research showed that as the free radicals increased it equaled a significant increased lifespan.

 -Cell

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on “Antioxidants are Good and Free Radicals are Bad? Think Again”:

It is so interesting when paradym shifts occur in the world. This is when something we always thought was true turns out to be the opposite of what we thought. This latest research was yet another “shift” in our thinking on health, life and aging. What does this mean to you? Well it means that God designed the body to know whats best and it will always try to produce health inspite of what we do to it. Does this mean taking antioxidants is bad? No, still take them but do not take them thinking they will prolong your life and do not take them thinking you will not have to eat living and raw vegetables,  seeds, nuts, fruit (avocado), sea vegetables and sprouts. This is where the most powerful nutrients that really work in your body on a cellular level are found.

What we have found at Total Health Institute in the 30 years that we have been seeing patients is that physical steps toward improving or hurting your health count as one fold positive or one fold negative whereas mental and emotional changes count as tenfold positive or tenfold negative so in the big picture of your total health is it more important to focus on your stress and how to live more fully in the moment as God created you to instead of worrying about the future or the past? Yes absolutely yes. But does that mean that it does matter if you eat well or get to sleep by between 8-9PM, or if you get some exercise or drink enough water each day? No absolutely not. All it means is that things that affect the mind are ten times more influential in effecting either a positive or negative change in your total health. So what is the answer? Work on your whole being. Eat well, get to sleep early, drink enough water, exercise daily and keep your eye fixed on HIM who created you and sustains you instead of the things of the world.

We cover this in these three teachings:

7 Basic Steps to Total Health

How to Know You are Healed

The Seven Stages of Energetic Healing 

A powerful word from is:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. NIV

And what should you be thinking about? Should you be thinking about how to heal a disease, about how to get a job, about how to fix a relationship? No, you should be thinking about HIM and HIS kingdom within you which is in your heart:

… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. NIV

To Your Total Health Always,

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec

 

The Curious Link Between High Fructose Corn Syrup and Cancer

People concerned with protecting themselves from cancer and other chronic diseases should be well aware of the importance of diet and good nutrition. For example, we should all know by now that sugar, and its abuse, can be directly linked to a number of life threatening disorders such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

However, there are different types of sugars. While we may successfully limit our intake of common sucrose (table sugar), we may be unaware of our regular and often unintentional exposure to high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). High Fructose Corn Syrup is an alternative sweetening agent that can be found in a wide range of processed foods, and recent research has shown that it may present an even greater risk than common sucrose.

Once considered a healthier alternative to sucrose, HFCS is now being linked to a number of chronic diseases, not the least of which is cancer. Perhaps even more troubling than the inherent health risks of high fructose corn syrup is the fact that its consumption by Americans has risen by more than 100% over the last thirty years.

The Growing HFCS Epidemic

The USDA estimates that the average American consumes more than 65 pounds of high fructose corn syrup each year. That’s a staggering amount, and the numbers continue to rise despite all efforts to curb the nation’s sugar addiction. One of the major problems with HFCS, is that it is absolutely everywhere. Because high fructose corn syrup is so much cheaper than cane sugar, food manufacturers have chosen it as their go to source for a sweetener and general food additive. You may have barred sugar from the family pantry, but HFCS can be found in the most surprising places. Consider the following list of common food stuffs that contain HFCS:

  • Soft drinks
  • Sport drinks
  • Breads and baked goods
  • Salad Dressings
  • Jams and jellies
  • Frozen prepared meals
  • Canned fruits and vegetables
  • Frozen fruits and vegetables
  • Sweet and savory snack items (including chocolates, peanuts, potato crisps, etc)

The list goes on and on, and even many packaged foods that claim to be healthy alternatives are laced with high fructose corn syrup.

HFCS and Cancer

Recent research into the link between high fructose corn syrup and cancer has revealed some startling information. All cells within the body depend on glucose for the energy they need to reproduce. But it would appear that cancer cells can distinguish between natural glucose and fructose, and although it will feed off of any available sugar, when fructose is present it can grow and proliferate more quickly. It appears that cancer cells actually thrive better on fructose, and when available will use it as a primary source of fuel allowing them to reproduce at a greater speed than cells feeding on natural glucose.

HFCS also contains trace amounts of mercury, a recognized carcinogen. When you combine the presence of mercury and the inherent health risks of HFCS with the ravenous appetite cancer cells have for fructose you get an ideal scenario for the growth and proliferation of many different types of cancer. Because cancer cells can more readily metabolize fructose, and will actively choose fructose over glucose as a fuel, there is a greater opportunity for altered cell growth, increased inflammation, DNA damage, and an increased production of free radicals. All of which create the perfect environment for cancer to develop and thrive.

Avoiding High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup presents a very real health hazard, and its links to diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer are well documented. Because HFCS is so prevalent in the American food supply, it is important for consumers to take active steps to eliminate it from their diet. As we have seen, high fructose corn syrup is an ingredient in most prepackaged food stuffs, so the first step is to eliminate as many processed foods from the family diet as possible. Even the most innocuous of prepackaged foods may contain HFCS, and that includes many of the so called ‘organic’ or ‘healthy’ packaged meals.

Now, more than ever, it is important to build your diet around fresh fruits (avocados being the most important) and vegetables, and to make it a point to prepare your own meals out of the best ingredients available. Only then can you have total control over what you, and your family, are consuming.

Are Genetically Modified Foods a Threat to Your Health?

GMO FruitsWe are trying to eat healthier and live better, and for many of us that means passing up the frozen food aisle, ignoring the meat section of our neighborhood grocery stores, and simply saying no to the rows of prepackaged foods that clutter up the supermarket shelves. For most of us, eating healthier means fresh fruits and vegetables, and the safe haven of the produce section or local green grocer. But the healthy eater may find trouble here as well. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables are quickly gaining ground in supermarkets and grocery stores around the country. GMOs (genetically modified organisms/foods) are becoming more prevalent every day. Which begs the question, “Are genetically modified foods safe for you and your family, or do they increase your risk for cancer and other diseases?” It is a question which needs to be answered. Because if eating healthier and fighting cancer is our goal, than it is vitally important that we have a better understanding of the foods we eat.

What are GMOs

GMO stands for genetically modified organism, and refers to any living organism whose genetic material has been altered, or modified, through the use of genetic engineering. Genetically modified foods are not really new, and have been the goal of food scientists and large food corporations for many years. However, GMOs are becoming much more prevalent as genetic engineering techniques have become more sophisticated. The purpose of genetically modified foods is, according to the corporations and their food scientists, to increase yield, standardize production, and ensure a longer shelf life. This all sounds very good, even altruistic to some degree. But there is a problem, and it’s a big one.

The Trouble with Genetically Modified Foods

GMO TomatoScientists and corporations want us to believe that GMOs are no different than the age old practices of animal husbandry and cross pollination of plants. They argue that genetically modifying food is simply the next step in an ongoing process. But the scientists are being more than a little disingenuous here. The cross breeding of fruits and vegetables has been going on for thousands of years, and is a natural process – whether it is instigated by man or by the natural world itself. That is why there are so many different varieties of any given fruit or vegetable.

Take the tomato as an example. There are more than 80 different varieties of tomato, from heirlooms to the modern beefsteak. But genetically modified tomatoes are different. There basic genetic structure has been altered, far beyond the common considerations of hybridization, creating a food stuff that is alien to the human system. With a genetically modified tomato you may get a vegetable that will grow more plentifully, travel better, and survive longer on the store shelves; but you also get a vegetable that the human body was not designed to consume. The subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, genetic alterations make it difficult for the body to absorb the life giving nutrients it needs from the vegetables and grains we consume. More to the point, changing the natural genetic structure of the food we consume may lead to an unforeseen rise in diseases, not the least of which is cancer.

GMOs and Cancer

Recent studies in Europe and South America are indicating that there is a direct correlation between genetically modified crops and an increased risk for many chronic diseases. The causes for this are twofold. First, the genetic modification of the food itself presents a problem when it comes to digestion and the extraction of nutrients. Second, these genetically modified crops have been designed to withstand, and flourish under, the use of certain pesticides. These bio-toxic pesticides are known carcinogens, and while the scientists and corporations may insist that they pass harmlessly from the body, research is showing that that is simply untrue. A research study at the University of Caen in France found that mice fed on a steady of diet of GMO corn face an onslaught of serious health risks, including:

  • Premature aging
  • Liver damage
  • Lung damage
  • Immune deficiency
  • Cancer

In fact, this study demonstrated that the test subjects fed on GMO corn were much more likely to suffer from premature death than those fed on wholly organic corn.

Protecting Yourself and Your Family

Genetically modified foods are already in the American food chain, and are difficult if not impossible to identify. Europe and South America strictly regulate GMOs, and all modified food stuffs must be clearly labeled. Unfortunately, in the United States GMOs can be sold right alongside natural healthy fruits and vegetables, with no indication of their inherent hazards. To protect yourself and your family from the potential dangers of genetically modified fruits and vegetables make it a point to buy only certified organic fruits and vegetables, and whenever possible from a local farm store or co-op. Make it a point to know where your food is grown, and the farming procedures used to produce those crops. Genetically modified foods present a very real health hazard, and until the USDA agrees to regulate and label GMOs it is important to always choose the certified organic option.

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Cinnamon comes in two different forms. One is called Cassia cinnamon and the other is called Ceylon. Ceylon cinnamon is generally more expensive, lighter in color, it is more of a finer powder, smells sweeter and will be imported from either Brazil, Caribbean, India, Madagascar or Sri Lanka. Cassia cinnamon is imported from China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea or Vietnam. Cinnamon is used not only in flavoring drinks, foods or used as aroma therapy it’s bark and flower from the Cassia cinnamon plant has been used for medicine and has been one of the oldest remedies in traditional Chinese medicine.  Cinnamon is available in powder, oil or in stick forms. Cassia cinnamon contains higher levels of the natural compound coumarin which is a natural blood thinner. Most active traits of cinnamon are located in the water-soluble portion but not in cinnamon oil because it is mostly fat soluble. Cinnamon has a 3-5% effect on blood sugar which would make cinnamon a good option for those with either pre-diabetes or diabetes. Research has shown that cinnamon oil is a leading essential oil against three strains of Candida or yeast overgrowth. Cinnamon research also indicates that it can be used as an anti-bacterial for those with salmonella and E-coli and can also be used as that of a natural disinfectant. Cinnamon research indicates it will aid in digestion. Another research may indicate that cinnamon may aid in treating tumors, gastric cancer and melanomas by slowing cancer cells. The chemicals cinnamaldehyde and eugenol have been studied in the development of nutraceuticals that aid in the fight of Human cancer cells as cinnamon may aid the starvation of cancer cells of sugar that is required to grow cancer cells.

There has been much research on the effects of cinnamon with various symptoms and diseases. Research has shown that cinnamon may reduce serum glucose in those with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon can also aid in the reduction of cholesterol totals and triglycerides. Recent studies are indicating that just 6 grams of cinnamon at breakfast can lower blood sugar levels by 25 percent in a two hour period. It appears that Cassia cinnamon has more benefits in the treatment of various conditions such as muscle spasms, diarrhea, vomiting and even erectile dysfunction. Cassia cinnamon list of benefits include: assist in flatulence (gas), loss of appetite, reducing inflammation, be an antioxidant, fight bacterial and fungal infections. Tel Aviv University researchers have found that the extract in cinnamon bark may aid in preventing Alzheimer’s. Another study has shown that cinnamon can aid against HIV and Multiple Sclerosis. Other uses for cinnamon include bed wetting, menstrual issues, symptoms of menopause, cramps, chest pain and kidney disorders. Dietary fiber, calcium, iron and manganese are also found in cinnamon, which are an added bonus of the health benefits of cinnamon.

Cinnamon is yet another one of God’s foods that are medicine. Our food was always designed to be our medicine and if we remember this then we might be more likely to reach for food to heal our bodies instead of drugs to temporary patch an area knowing that in the end it will have between 7- 500 side effects meaning other systems, organs, glands and tissues that it negatively affects. So take the drugs to save your life in a crisis and take God’s food all the rest of the time and for all of the rest of your health needs.

BHA – Is Cancer Lurking in Your Food?

Take a quick look into your refrigerator or kitchen cupboards, and grab something random off of one of the shelves. Ignore, for a moment, the fresh fruits and vegetables which should be taking pride of place in your kitchen. Just grab something common and right to hand, say a box of cereal, loaf of bread, or even some butter or yoghurt. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Found something? Good. Now take a look at the list of ingredients. Anything there you find troublesome? Because you should. In all likelihood, whatever you have grabbed from your kitchen shelf has a long list of ingredients, many of which you need a PhD in biochemistry to recognize. One of these is BHA, a chemical used as a preservative in many prepackaged foods. If you don’t know what BHA is, and food manufacturers hope you don’t, it’s time to get brought up to speed on this hazardous food additive.

What is BHA and Why is it in Your Food?

BHA, or to give it its full name butylated hydroxyanisole, is a petroleum based chemical additive that is commonly used in the manufacture of prepackaged foods, cosmetics and over the counter medicines. It is used primarily as a preservative, retarding the natural oxidization of oils in order to prevent organic based products from spoiling or going rancid. Manufactures use BHA to give their products a longer shelf life, as well as a more uniform color and texture. BHA can be found in everything from lipsticks to aspirin; from yoghurt to canned peaches. But there is a problem with BHA, and it is a big one. BHA is a confirmed carcinogen, and it has been directly linked with an increased risk of developing cancer.

BHA and Cancer

BHA is a fat soluble chemical, that when ingested is broken down by the body. Ultimately, everything we ingest will have either a positive, or negative effect on our health. In the case of BHA, the effect appears to be a negative one. While scientists and food manufacturers assert that BHA is safe, ongoing research is proving otherwise. Recent ongoing studies into the effects of BHA are showing a verifiable link between prolonged exposure to this chemical additive and cancers of the stomach, liver, and kidneys. These same studies are also demonstrating a definite link between BHA exposure and irreversible damage to the thyroid gland.

BHA, the FDA, and the Rest of the World

In the United States, the FDA has classed BHA as “generally recognized as safe.” Hardly a ringing endorsement. Moreover, because the FDA has classed BHA as “generally recognized as safe”, it has not had to undergo a pre-market review. Subsequent independent reviews have supported the FDA’s claims, with the caveat that uncertainties still exist and further research is required. But other countries recognize the danger that BHA presents and have banned its use as a food additive. Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have all taken steps to ban the use of BHA. Surely, these countries wouldn’t ban BHA unless it was deemed hazardous to the health of their citizens.

Avoiding BHA

Unfortunately, BHA is so commonly used by American manufacturers that it is hard to avoid. As we have seen it is in everything from breakfast cereal to cosmetics. That being said, there are steps you can take to limit your exposure. All foods containing BHA must be clearly labeled, and as a consumer you should make it a point to read the labels of products you are purchasing. Avoid those products that list BHA as an ingredient, and beware of general labels that list things like “other preservatives” or “preservatives add for extra freshness”. In general, foods containing BHA are not healthy choices in and of themselves, so avoiding these should be easy. Second, whenever possible choose fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Look for minimally processed foods that are clearly labeled as “free from additives”. For the most part, these are healthier choices anyway and should be a growing part of your health and nutrition strategy.

BHA may be an uncommonly common food additive in the US, but that doesn’t mean that you have to expose yourself to it. While the FDA may refuse to acknowledge the harmful effects of BHA, as consumers we can take steps to limit our exposure and protect the health of ourselves and our families. Buy certified organic products whenever possible and remember the more ingredients on a label that you cannot pronounce or that looks like chemical, they usually have a negative effect on your overall health.

4 Food Additives That May Increase Your Risk for Cancer

We should all be trying to eat better, and to make healthier lifestyle decisions for ourselves and our families. Not simply to feel better and look better, but to protect ourselves from serious disorders. Diet and nutrition play a very large role in our overall health, and what we consume can have either a positive or negative effect. But in the modern world, it has become more and more difficult to control our food supply.

Over the last hundred years or more, our national food basket has become contaminated with a myriad of unnatural food additives. These food additives offer no nutritional value, and are used merely to enhance the appearance of food or to lengthen the shelf life of certain prepackaged food stuffs. Unfortunately, beyond offering no nutritional value, many of these commonly used food additives may actually be detrimental to our health. Moreover, some of these food additives have been linked to a variety of chronic health disorders, not the least of which is cancer.

So let’s look at a few of the more common food additives that have been linked to an increased risk for cancer and other diseases.

#1 – Food Dyes and Artificial Coloring

Artificial coloring is the most common food additive used in the United States. Food dyes are present in many different processed foods, including soft drinks, salad dressings, and condiments. Indeed, artificial coloring can be found in some surprising places, such as flavored yoghurts, low fat butter alternatives and cheeses. Certain commonly used food dyes have been linked to a number of different disorders. For example, FD&C Yellow No. 5 has been linked to hyperactivity in children, and has been found to be a significant trigger for asthma sufferers. Artificial food dyes are typically made from petroleum based chemicals, and have been linked to brain cancer, immune deficiency and nerve-cell deterioration. The hazards of artificial food dyes are so pronounced, that most have been banned in the UK and Europe.

#2 – Aspartame

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener, first introduced to the marketplace more than 25 years ago. It was designed to be a substitute for saccharine, another artificial sweetener that had come under fire for its own health hazards. Originally used in low calorie diabetic food products, aspartame has since been more widely marketed as a low calorie alternative to sugar. Aspartame is marketed under a number of different brand names, including NutraSweet, Equal, and Amino Sweet. The effects of Aspartame have been a health concern since its original introduction, and the artificial sweetener has been linked to chronic headaches, mood disturbances, and impaired mental acuity. Recent studies have also linked Aspartame to an increased risk for leukemia, lymphoma, and brain cancer.

#3 – Sodium Benzoate

Sodium Benzoate is used as a preservative in wide range of prepackaged and processed foods. Food manufacturers rely on Sodium Benzoate to give their products a longer shelf life, and therefore to reduce losses and increase revenue. The problem with Sodium Benzoate is that it reacts with vitamin C to produce Benzene, a recognized carcinogen. An FDA test in 2006 found that many popular soft drinks contained Benzene levels that were in excess of the US standards. Those soft drinks have since been reformulated, but the message is clear – Sodium Benzoate is a dangerous food additive that should be avoided whenever possible.

#4 – Potassium Bromate

Potassium Bromate is a food additive that is found in processed flour and many baked goods. It is used primarily to reduce baking times, standardize production, and increase yield. Home bakers who use prepackaged mixes will sometimes find it listed in the ingredients as Brominated Flour. While Potassium Bromate does reduce baking times, it also presents a serious health risk. Potassium Bromate has been linked to kidney disease, nerve damage, and a variety of cancers. Potassium Bromate is so hazardous, that it has been banned in Canada, China, and the European Union.

Food additives are a continual stumbling block for those who are trying to eat smart and maintain our optimal health. Too often, we fail to consider what might be lurking in the foods we choose to stock our pantries. But food additives present a real and present danger, and it is important to read the labels on everything we buy to ensure that we reduce our exposure to these cancer causing agents. The secret to a healthy lifestyle is to shop smart, eat smart, and always choose the all-natural alternative.

Crohn’s Disease- A Natural Approach

Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease (self-attacking on one’s own immune system) is defined by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract anywhere from the mouth to the anus with primarily affecting the lower portion of the small intestine. Nearly 500,000 Americans are affected with usual age of diagnosis between 15-30 years old. Crohn’s disease can develops due to defects in the barrier lining of the small intestine causing mucosal lining issues but is enraged due to an out of control immune response to the antigens attacking the lining.

A compromised small intestine is often seen with those who have Crohn’s disease. An Italian study found that those who supplemented with Zinc three times a day decreased the occurrence of small intestine increased permeability or leaky gut. The intestinal barrier improves in those who supplement with Zinc.  Zinc is a double edged sword because if it is too low or too high it causes immune dysfunction so it is best to have an alternative medicine doctor test and make recommendations. Some food sources of zinc include sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and cashews.

Vitamin D is very important for immune system function. It has been shown to stimulate certain genes and proteins in immune system cells. Several studies have shown strong links between Vitamin D deficiencies and susceptibility to Crohn’s disease as well has ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, eating fruit (avocados are the best) and vegetables, lowering saturated and hydrogenated fat and sugar intake may reduce developing Crohn’s disease. A low fiber diet may be one risk factor for developing Crohn’s, along with certain foods that may aggravate symptoms, such as dairy products, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol and processed wheat items. All foods in the diet should be tested regularly to make sure they are not a source of inflammation.  Omega-3 fatty acids help fight inflammation and reduce the chances of recurrence. The best source of omega-3 is flax and hemp seeds.

Probiotics have many benefits, especially digestive health. Several clinical trials show benefits in the treatment of Crohn’s disease including blocking the effects of harmful bacteria in the gut, by producing antibacterial substances to fight off the bad bacteria. Probiotics compete with harmful bacteria and toxins. Probiotics also have inhibited certain inflammatory proteins and heal the epithelial layers of the intestines, then strengthening the mucosal lining.

Crohn’s disease if not properly managed with natural alternative healing methods can cause chronic inflammation that may lead to small intestine or colon cancer. The key is to completely correct the condition rather than maintaining it with medication. When you treat the cause which are the systems of the body out of balance, then the effect which is the disease can resolve.

Crohn’s disease can be a tremendous burden on one’s health. It can be well controlled and put into remission if the right steps are taken early in the disease. By supplementing with probiotics, food source Zinc and Vitamin D, committing to a plant-based, nutrient rich diet, especially those with rich Omega-3 foods, one can take back control of their health and life. It is important to be pro-active in achieving remission from Crohn’s and knowing ones triggering foods.

Pre-diabetes, diabetes almost 200% Increase

New research done at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has shown that diabetes has increased from 6 percent to 10 percent in the last twenty years and pre-diabetes went up an estimated three times higher. Current estimates of pre-diabetes range up to 30 percent in the population.

Total diabetes in African Americans increased as compared to whites (15% vs. 9%). Mexican Americans were next highest for diabetes compared to whites (12% vs. 9%).

Hemoglobin A1c is the most accurate indicator of diabetes because it looks at blood sugar levels average over the last three months. For those diagnosed with diabetes who are currently taking medications, only 52% of African Americans and 43% of Mexican Americans had HbA1c levels less than 7.0% compared with 57% of whites.

-Annals of Internal Medicine

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on Pre-diabetes, diabetes almost 200% Increase:

This is an outrage. Diabetes can be completely reversed with diet and lifestyle changes. In our 30 years of treating patients at Total Health Institute most every patient who has diabetes gets off their medication. How do we accomplish this?

We balance the systems of the body with treatments and we teach The Seven Basic Steps to Total Health lifestyle. This includes eating a living/raw plant based diet.

Why is diabetes and prediabetes doubling?  Because Americans has given into to their tastebuds big time. Why is this higher in certain ethnic groups? They will blame it on their genes. That is a lie. Genes do not dictate your destiny but the environment you make around your genes dictates which genes turn on and which ones turn off and you are in control of the environment that you make. If you keep eating starches, sugars, soda pop, french fries, pizza and bread you are going to keep causing insulin to rise which make your cells insulin resistant meaning they see so much insulin they do not even respond to it anymore. This is the boy who cried wolf one too many times and then no one listened anymore. All you have to do is start cutting out the sugars and starches, start exercising every day and get to sleep between 8-9PM. Why does sleep matter? When you do not get enough premidnight sleep you stress your system and this causes the stress hormones to be secreted and these cause your blood sugar to rise getting ready to run away from a tiger.

These big three of Food, Sleep and Exercise are covered in the The Seven Basic Steps to Total Health

Remember it does not matter how much you have failed in the past, today is a new day, today is the day that the LORD has made, so rejoice and be glad that His Holy Spirit will empower you to rise higher than you have ever been. In your strength you will always fail eventually. In His strength you cannot fail because He is doing it through you.

 

To Avoid Allergies Avoid Stress

Stress doesn’t cause allergies, but easing your mind might mean less allergy flare-ups this spring. Allergy sufferers with persistent stress experience more allergy flares.

“Stress can cause several negative effects on the body, including causing more symptoms for allergy sufferers,” said lead study author. “Our study also found those with more frequent allergy flares also have a greater negative mood, which may be leading to these flares.”

Researchers from The Ohio State University analyzed 179 patients for 12 weeks. Thirty-nine percent had more than one allergy flare. This group had higher stress than the group without allergy symptoms. Of this group, 64 percent had more than four flares over two, 14 day periods.

While there were no significant findings between allergy flares and stress on the same day, a number of sufferers reported allergy flares within days of increased daily stress.

“While alleviating stress won’t cure allergies, it may help decrease episodes of intense symptoms.”

Allergy sufferers can help alleviate stress by:

• Meditating and breathing deeply

• Reducing things that may be responsible for stress and learning how to cope better (i.e. not turning to smoking or caffeine which can do more damage than good)

• Asking for help whether from a social worker, family member or colleague

• Making time for fun and relaxation

• Adopting a healthy lifestyle by eating right, getting enough sleep and taking care of health conditions

-Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology,

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on Avoid Allergies Avoid Stress:

What is an allergy? It is a hyperimmune response to an environmental stimulus. In essence your body over reacts to something in the environment whether it is a spore, pollen, mold, dust or a food. Why do allergies occur? Because the immune system has been thrown out of balance, being stuck in the hyer reactive mode. If this is not healed then the immune system will continue to over react and produce autoimmune disease which includes: rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Grave’s disease, Crohns, hepatitis, nephritis, vitiligo, alopecia and Menieres.

What causes the immune system to go out of balance in the first place? One of the systems starts to become over stressed and it leads to compensations in all the other systems. For example if you eat food that you are reactive to but don’t know it then a condition called Leaky Gut developes. This causes large food particles to enter the blood where the immune system sees them as foreign invaders so it attacks them and sprays inflammatory chemicals to kill and digest the food particles. This causes your immune system to get over stressed because now it is not only handling the bacteria, viruses, parasites, yeast, fungi and cancer cell formation that is part of its daily routine but now you just added a tremendous work load to digest your breakfast, lunch and dinner.  So what happens is eventually the immune system becomes hyer reactive and this shows up as allergies or autoimmune disease.

What is the answer? It stated it in the last sentence in the research article “Adopting a healthy lifestyle by eating right, getting enough sleep and taking care of health conditions”.

This is what we call the The Seven Basic Steps to Total Health

Don’t ever think about how do cure a symptom, condition or disease but instead only think about how to be all that God created you to be in body, mind and spirit. This is what we call Total Health.

Multiple Sclerosis May be Linked to an Increased Risk for Cancer

Multiple SclerosisRecent studies in Taiwan and England have been producing disturbing results for people suffering with Multiple Sclerosis. The study in Taiwan is showing a direct link between chronic MS and an increased risk for developing certain types of cancer. England is found a genetic variation that links MS to a specific type of cancer. Both of these new studies appear to refute past research which had indicated that there was no observable link between the two disorders. While this may appear to be bad news for people suffering with Multiple Sclerosis, a better understanding of these two diseases, and how they interact with one another, is a step forward in prevention and treatment.

What is MS?

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects more than two and half million people worldwide. The causes of MS remain undiscovered, although recent studies do indicate that the combination of a genetic predisposition and certain environmental factors may increase the risks for developing the disease. Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disorder in which the immune system incorrectly attacks, and damages, tissues in the central nervous system. Over time, MS strips away the protective myelin sheath which covers the nerve cells. Ultimately, this leads to a decreased, or interruption, of the nerve signals sent throughout the body. The symptoms of MS are many and varied, but the most common are chronic fatigue, loss of visual acuity, abnormal sensation, and impaired mobility.

MS, Cancer, and a History of Misdiagnosis

One of the reasons the link between cancer and Multiple Sclerosis has been ignored for so many years, is that the most common symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis mimic the earliest symptoms of the onset of many types of cancer. Consequently, many MS patients who are in the earliest stages of cancer often go undiagnosed, with their symptoms being attributed to their chronic autoimmune disorder. Ultimately, when the cancer fully manifests itself, investigation into the cause of the cancer is secondary to treatment.

Earlier Studies Contradicted

The most recent research into the connection between autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and cancer would seem to contradict earlier studies. Previous researchers found no direct link between autoimmune immune disorders and an increased risk for cancer. However, Dr. Sun, head of the research project in Taiwan, explains that this could be due in part to the nature of the cohort groups examined in his team’s studies. Asia, and Taiwan in particular, has a lower incidence of Multiple Sclerosis as well as cancer. Consequently, the cohort groups assemble for the Taiwanese studies offered researchers the opportunity to examine people who apparently had fewer genetic and environmental predispositions for either disease. This led to a cleaner, and possibly more revealing, cohort group.

The European Discovery

While the recent studies in Thailand show a distinct link between Multiple Sclerosis and cancer, they have yet to isolate any causal factors. As mentioned, researchers in Great Britain may have found a genetic variation that links MS to a specific type of cancer – namely, Hodgkin Lymphoma. Researchers in London studied the DNA of a group of 12,000 volunteers. What they found, were two genetic variants that are linked with the increased risk for developing Hodgkin Lymphoma. Both of these genetic markers are also linked to the development of the immune system. These variants have been linked to the gene that helps to develop cell-mediated immunity. This same gene is known to be indicative of a higher risk for Multiple Sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders. The researchers in London posit that this might explain why Hodgkin Lymphoma, and other cancers of the blood, seem to occur in clusters in certain family groups. While this is only a first step in discovering the link between autoimmune disorders and cancer, it points the way to new research which could soon provide more of the answers researchers seek.

The links between Multiple Sclerosis and cancer remain unclear. However, recent studies are showing that the assumptions made by earlier research teams may have been wrong, and that there is a definite link between MS and other autoimmune disorders and the development of different types of cancer. More research into the link between Multiple Sclerosis and cancer will have to be completed before we fully understand how the two diseases may be linked. But knowledge is power, and the more we learn about these two diseases the closer we come to being able to prevent, and successfully treat, both Multiple Sclerosis and cancer. It is most important to know that your health is not controlled by your genes but by the environment the cells are exposed to. Change your environment and you will change the genetic outcome. Genes are turned on and off by the environment.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Skin Cancer

Skin CancerNow that spring is here, we are all looking forward to getting back out in the new sunshine. But the sun, in all it’s glory, can pose health risks for some people. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting people in the United States, with more than one million Americans being diagnosed with some form of the disease each year. Fortunately, when caught early, most skin cancers can be effectively treated, and patients can experience a full remission. However, the key to treating any cancer is in early detection. So, as we move into the spring and summer months it seems an appropriate time to talk about the warning signs of skin cancer and the attendant early symptoms. It is often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If that is true, than early detection of skin cancer must be worth at least a good ¾ of a pound.

Skin Cancer and Self Examinations

Skin cancers most commonly develop on the parts of the body that are routinely exposed to the sun and the elements. The hands and arms, legs and upper torso, and face and scalp, are the most vulnerable areas of the body when it comes to skin cancer. There are three primary types of skin cancer – basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Each has distinctly different symptoms and warning signs. Regular self-examination is the key to detecting skin cancer early, so that treatment can begin and healing and recovery can ensue. Self-examinations should be performed regularly, at least once a month. A typical self-examination should take no more than ten minutes or so, and should be performed after you get out of the bath or shower. Look for changes in the texture or appearance of the skin. Suspicious spots, or changes in moles or freckles, should be closely monitored. These may signal the early signs of one or more of the most common forms of skin cancer.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, and generally presents on the areas of the body that have been overexposed to sunlight or UV radiation including tanning beds. Early signs of the disease appear as flat and scaly reddish patches, often with a brownish border. They may also present as hard scar-like lesions on the skin. In some cases, Basal Cell Carcinomas may appear as waxy bumps on the skin, often presenting with visible blood vessels throughout the tumor. Basal Cell Carcinomas are often itchy, and in some cases may bleed or become ulcerous.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The second most common form of skin cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, typically occurs in skin damaged by sun, radiation, toxins, or injury. Early signs of Squamous Cell Carcinoma may present as rough, scaly, patches on the skin. Squamous Cell Carcinomas may also appear as crusty red nodules, or as flat, crusted, skin abrasions. In some cases, Squamous Cell Carcinomas may take the appearance of small volcano shaped blisters surrounding a hard inner core. In advanced cases, these lesions may become itchy, and may bleed and become ulcerous.

Melanoma

Melanomas can occur anywhere on the body, though they tend to present most frequently on the upper torso, head, neck, and lower extremities. Melanomas may also develop on the palms and soles of the feet, and around the fingernails and toenails. Melanomas typically present as pigmented posts or streaks on the skin, usually with an irregular border. They may also take the form of moles that change, over time, in shape, color and size. Melanomas may also take the form of brownish spots, or bluish streaks or lesions. Amelanotic Melanomas are rarer, but no less dangerous, and often take the form of pinkish or flesh toned lesions. These are much harder to identify and diagnose, as they often go unnoticed in a typical self-examination.

One of the keys to successful cancer treatment is early detection. Skin cancer remains the most common form of cancer in the West, and the number of diagnosis grows every year. While it is highly treatable, and recovery rates are good, much depends on early detection. Make it a point to begin regular monthly routine of self-examination. Know your body and learn to identify any changes in skin tone, texture, and blemishes. Catching skin cancer early is the best way to ensure a total recovery.

The most important aspect of preventing skin cancer is being healthy. If you have chemicals and toxins stored in the tissues including the skin then when the sun hits the skin this causes the chemicals and toxins to react in the skin and can trigger a potential skin cancer. Remember native people who live their whole life in the sun but eat natural, raw food that do not get skin cancer. Skin is a reflection of what is going on inside the body. If the body is unhealthy so is the skin and more prone to cancer. Keep your body healthy and the chances for skin cancer are greatly decreased.