Category: Immune System Cancers and Diseases

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 19^th 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.

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.

Recent 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.

Throughout the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, Doctors Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron conducted extensive research into the efficacy of vitamin C as a treatment for cancer. They concluded that high doses of vitamin C could be used as both a preventative protocol to protect the body from the development of cancer, and as an auxiliary treatment for patients treating an existing cancer. It should come as no surprise that the conventional medical community of the day refused to countenance such findings, and ultimately labeled the results inconclusive while calling Pauling and Cameron quacks.

Pauling, of course, was a two time Nobel Prize winner. Hardly what you might call a quack. Still, Cameron and Pauling published their findings in a book called “Cancer and Vitamin C”, and their research went largely ignored for the next half a century. But some scientists and natural health practitioners did take note, and recent research along the same lines may be bearing out Pauling’s and Cameron’s original findings. Vitamin C can play an effective role in the prevention and treatment of many different types of cancer.

Vitamin C and the Immune System

The body’s immune system is the first line of defense against cancer and other diseases. When the immune system is functioning at peak efficiency, it sends out lymphocytes (white blood cells) to combat illness. One of the three primary lymphocytes that the immune system can deploy is the NK, or natural killer, cell. NK cells target abnormal or mutated cells, in other words cancerous or pre-cancerous cells, and targets them for destruction. Research has proven that NK cells are only active when they contain large stores of vitamin C. Additionally, PGE1, the chemical that regulates the production and function of NK cells, is itself dependent upon vitamin C. Studies into the effectiveness of vitamin C as a treatment for cancer have shown that patients taking 5 grams of vitamin C orally for three consecutive days saw the number of lymphocytes in their bloodstream double. Further, patients taking 10 grams of vitamin C per day saw their lymphocyte count triple. Extrapolating from these findings, researchers deduce that the high doses of vitamin C increased the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.

Vitamin C as an Antioxidant

It is well understood that free radicals are one of the underlying causes of cancer. Free radicals pull electrons from otherwise healthy cells, leaving them damaged and prone to mutation. This is what is known as oxidative stress, and it is one of the primary causes of cell mutation and cancer. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, cleaning up free radicals and neutralizing them before they can damage any healthy cells. High doses of vitamin C have also been show to neutralize environmental toxins that can lead to oxidative stress. The vitamin C acts as a lure, giving the toxins something to consume and distracting them from otherwise healthy cells. Eventually, those same toxins are excreted as natural bodily waste.

Vitamin C and the Recommended Daily Allowance

The USDA has established a recommended daily allowance of 75 milligrams. An average, healthy, person can absorb and utilize between 4,000 and 15,000 milligrams of vitamin C per day. The USDA’s recommendation is purely arbitrary, and is based on the absolute minimum amount of vitamin C a person needs to avoid certain illnesses such as scurvy. Vitamin C is unique, in that the body will take what it needs and excrete the excess, making it an ideal daily supplement.

Research continues into the effectiveness of vitamin C as a cancer therapy. But it is clear that this common vitamin offers a many health benefits. In addition to fighting cancer, it is also a powerful virucide and micro-biocidal, and can help to protect the body from a wide range of infections and toxins. While conventional medicine may continue to ignore the life giving attributes of vitamin C, it clear that Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron were on the right track, and that vitamin C may prove to be one of the more powerful weapons in the fight against cancer.

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, autoimmune diseases plague about 50 million Americans or about 20% of the US population. This is a serious epidemic of many proportions with numerous diseases. Most American Physicians prescribe steroids or other prescription medications which can have numerous side effects. There are countless plants and vegetables that can decrease inflammation in the body naturally. The following information and studies go through details of healing autoimmune diseases.

According to the World Health Organization, 63% of the deaths in 2008 were attributed to non-communicable chronic diseases; certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes in which poor diet was contributing factor. Yet, people that live in societies that eat healthy, plant-based diets rarely have these ailments.  Research studies have long indicated that a high consumption of plant foods is associated with lower incidents of chronic inflammatory diseases. William W. Li, M.D., President and Medical Director of the Angiogenesis Foundation in Cambridge, Mass., stated that all individuals should look at their diets as if food is the medicine necessary to maintain healthy, disease-free lives. “Prevention is always better than a cure,” stated Li.

There are many anti-inflammatory items to help those with autoimmune diseases ease symptoms.  Some foods that may help prevent cancer and other chronic auto-immune diseases include:

• artichokes
• avocados
• black pepper
• cinnamon
• garlic
• lentils
• olives
• pumpkin
• rosemary
• thyme
• watercress
• hemps seeds
• chia seeds

Hemp and chia seeds are very nutritious and have numerous benefits. They contain a high amount of protein, 35% of Omega 3 and 6’s (including alpha-linolenic acid) and 2 tablespoons provide nearby 25% of recommended daily dietary fiber. They contain plenty of vitamins and minerals from calcium, boron to help calcium absorption, potassium and iron.

These seeds can help fight against numerous diseases and keep the immune system stronger with aiding fat soluble vitamin absorption. At the University of Southern Queensland, there was a study done which has found regular consumption of chia seeds, which contain ALA, induces lipid redistribution associated with cardio-protection and  liver protection.  Another great benefit includes relief from diabetes or arthritis, as it absorbs sugar improving insulin sensitivity.  With Chia seed’s high fiber content, they help cleanse the colon and can help the body expel toxins, thus decreasing the body’s inflammation especially in proximity to the liver.

A study done in Mexico showed that diets rich in avocados appear to manager hyper-cholesterolemia. This study was well designed with high avocado consumption which showed significant lowered total cholesterol, LDL-C levels and increased HDL-C with a small decrease in triglycerides compared to those with a low-saturated fat diet.

Food can either bring health and life or sickness and death. Autoimmune disease is a hyperimmune response to stresses placed upon the body and mind. Change the stress physically and mentally and you will change the outcome.

 

 

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), more commonly known as Lupus, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system becomes over-active and begins to attack the organs and tissues of the body.

It is currently estimated that SLE affects nearly two million people, though that number could be significantly higher. The wide range of symptoms associated with lupus often make diagnosis difficult, and it is likely that many more people are suffering with the disorder than is commonly believed. Conventional treatments for Lupus largely depend on drug therapies. Corticosteroids are used to suppress the hyperactive immune system, while a series of anti-inflammatory medications are prescribed to reduce the swelling of tissues and joints.

There is currently no known cure for Lupus, and conventional treatments can only work to alleviate the patient’s symptoms. The most commonly prescribed drug therapies for SLE can have devastatingly unforeseen effects upon the patient’s body. Many Lupus sufferers are beginning to look to natural therapies to help manage their symptoms, and to find relief from this often debilitating disease.

Causes and Symptoms of Lupus

While the precise cause of Lupus remains undiscovered, there does appear to be a genetic component that makes certain people more prone to the disorder. SLE appears to be more likely to occur in those people who have a family history of the disease. Certain environmental factors are believed to be triggers for Lupus, including an over-reliance on sulfa drugs and antibiotics. Lupus also appears to be triggered by viral infections, prolonged periods of exhaustion and physical and emotional stress. The most common symptoms of Lupus are:

• fatigue
• skin lesions and rashes
• unexpected weight gain or weight loss
• joint pain
• chest pain
• hair loss
• depression

While there is no known cure for SLE, many of these symptoms can be relieved with all natural treatments that are designed to restore the body’s balance to optimum performance levels. Rather than manage these symptoms with drugs, natural therapies concentrate on reducing and eliminating Lupus symptoms through diet, nutrition and meditation.

Diet and Lupus

Dietary choices appear to be linked to the occurrence of Lupus symptoms, as well as to their severity. In fact, many Lupus patients find that their symptoms are triggered by previously undiagnosed food allergies. It is recommended that Lupus patients keep a food journal, taking note of flare-ups and when they occur in relation to daily dietary choices.

People diagnosed with Lupus should begin to transition to a low calorie, low carbohydrate diet. Foods high in animal fat and carbohydrates, have been shown to trigger Lupus symptoms, and should be removed from the diet. A new emphasis on a vegetarian based diet can help to reduce the occurrence and severity of Lupus symptoms, and will improve the patients overall health. Refined sugars and highly processed meats and grains should be eliminated, and foods rich in Omega-3, such as flax seeds, walnuts, chia seeds and hemp seeds should be introduced to the patient’s diet.

Certain nutritional supplements can also be taken to help reduce the symptoms of SLE. Many Lupus sufferers have been found to have lower than normal stomach acid levels. Regular doses of vitamin B complex can help to correct that imbalance. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids have been proven to help reduce the inflammation that typically plagues Lupus patients if they are taken in the proper form and ratio. While the best source for these fatty acids is diet, all-natural supplements can be taken to help boost the patient’s daily intake.

The Mind Body Equation

One of the major triggers for Lupus is stress, both physical and emotional. Research has shown a direct link between episodes of intense stress and the occurrence of SLE. By learning to manage their stress levels, Lupus patients can begin to reduce the severity and re-occurrence of their symptoms. Deep breathing exercises can help to reduce daily stresses that can trigger Lupus symptoms, and are easily integrated into the patient’s daily schedule. Neuro-feedback and biofeedback can also help Lupus sufferers to relax, and to manage the pain that typically accompanies their disorder.

Mental and spiritual well-being plays a large part in the overall health of the body, and daily prayer and meditation have been shown to be of great help to Lupus sufferers. Setting aside a part of the day to pray, and to meditate on God’s word, helps to ease both physical and emotional stresses while eliminating the depression and anxiety that is so common among Lupus patients. Regular meditation on God’s word, whether individually or with a prayer group, can provide more than comfort for Lupus patients. It can help to recharge the body, and to energize it with the Lord’s healing power.

People diagnosed with Lupus often feel that their lives, and their health, have moved beyond their control. But by making some key nutritional choices, and by focusing on what God is speaking to their heart instead of what their mind and the world system is speaking into their head, Lupus sufferers can take charge of their lives and can return to the path of total health.

Meditation can strengthen your immune system.

University of Wisconsin researchers found that people who did eight weeks of meditation training produced more antibodies to a flu vaccine. They also showed signs of increased activity in brain areas related to positive emotion than people who didn’t meditate.

The study, is the first to link meditation to changes in brain activity associated with positive feelings. It’s also the first to demonstrate that meditation can affect immune function.

The study included 48 people. Half of them received weekly meditation training and were encouraged to meditate at home for an hour a day, six days a week, with the help of instructive audiotapes. All the people in the study received a flu vaccine.

The researchers recorded electrical activity in the left and front portions of the brains of the study participants. These areas of the brain become more active when a person experiences certain forms of positive emotion and reductions in anxiety.

Brain activity was measured at several points through the study as the subjects rested or wrote about positive and negative emotional experiences from their lives.

The researchers also tracked immune responses among the people in the study by measuring the level of antibodies produced by the flu vaccination.

The study found the people who did the meditation had more electrical activity in the targeted brain areas and also had higher levels of antibodies than those who didn’t receive the meditation training.

“Our findings indicate that a short training program in mindful meditation has demonstrable effects on brain and immune function,” said researcher Richard J. Davidson.
-Health Behavior News Service

 

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec’s comments on Meditation Boosts the Immune System:
These studies were very interesting for a number of reasons.

First, it showed what meditation or stilling the mind can do for not only adults but also children—help heal their body and maintain the health of their bodies. Whether it be blood pressure, or balanced immune system or decreased pain and inflammation, when one stills their mind, they are going to become healthier.

The other point that is of note in the children’s study is the fact that teaching them to do a physical activity of stilling their mind and focusing on their breathing had a positive impact on their health. On the other hand, when they tried to just fill their mind with knowledge of healthy living by having them go to weekly health classes, their blood pressure actually went up. Why would this be? The answer is simple, if you fill the mind with just facts it does nothing (actually can harm) but when you physically show a person a practical physical step they can physically do everyday of their life, their health will improve.

Let this be a lesson to all of us.

“Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”

If we want to change the world’s health, we must change our own health first. Once we know how to be in total health of body, mind and spirit, we can give it away to others by showing them the action steps they can take.

Remember, it is for more powerful to teach someone to sow and reap than to just give them a meal.

Your immune system is the first line of defense against illness and cellular degeneration. When your immune system is strong, and operating at peak efficiency, your body is better able to stave off infection, battle illness, protect against cell damage and prevent cancer formation. The immune system can be adversely affected by a number of different factors. Toxins, aging, wounds, trauma both physical and mental/emotional and chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cancer all diminish the power and efficiency of the immune system. But there are many natural ways to boost your immune system, and improve the body’s inherent power to defend itself against disease. These immune system boosting techniques are easy to implement, and the results can be life changing.

Diet

The first and most basic method of improving one’s immune system is through diet. For all of the luxuries and benefits of modern life, it must be said that our diets have suffered greatly in the last hundred plus years. Fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides or genetically modified, meat and dairy products are filled with hormones and chemicals and most people drink much more soft drinks and alcohol than clear clean water. All of these toxins end up in the body, causing lesser and greater degrees of damage. Beyond the damage caused by these toxins, is the loss of nutrients that should be provided by a balanced diet. In effect, modern men and women are suffering from malnutrition, even as they eat the “best” and most expensive foods available. An immunity boosting diet should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains seeds, nuts and avocados that are grown organically meaning they are free of pesticides and chemicals. Herbs contain powerful phytochemicals that greatly enhance immune function and can easily be implemented into your daily diet routine. These include fresh organic garlic, onions, curcumin, turmeric, ginger, basil, rosemary, clove, cayenne pepper, fennel, anise, coriander and cilantro. By adhering to a sensible diet, it is possible to boost the immune system while improving your overall health.

Exercise

Equally as important as diet in strengthening the immune system is a regimen of regular exercise. As much as people hate to hear it, the truth is we have become a predominantly sedentary culture. Many people get little or no exercise on a regular basis, leaving them feeling fatigued and leaving their systems vulnerable to viruses and bacteria that should be easily fought off by a strong immune system.  Regular exercise helps to reduce stress and releases toxins that would otherwise be stored in the fat cells and tissues of the body, impeding the healthy functioning of all of the body’s system. People taking regular exercise have been proven to suffer much fewer instances of cold and flu, and are generally in a better position to stave of many common illnesses.

Stress

Stress reduction also plays a large role in keeping the immune system strong and healthy. Day to day stress is a fact of life, and while you may not be able to eliminate stress at it’s source, you can learn ways to manage that stress. Meditation and prayer are the best ways to release stress and balance the mind and body. Another powerful way to decrease stress is to live more fully in the moment instead of the future or the past. Studies have shown that people under stress, whether it be day to day aggravations or high stressers like moving house or changing jobs, are more susceptible to illness.   Stress acts upon the immune system, retarding it’s function, and allowing the everyday exposure to germs and viruses to cause illnesses that the immune system would otherwise be able to fend off. Stress management, and a regular healthy sleep pattern can do wonders to keep your immune system operating at it’s peak.

Supplements

Finally, taking natural supplements can help to boost your immune systems function. Vitamins, minerals and herbals supplements can have a great effect upon a person’s health. Vitamins A, B6, C and D are particularly useful in boosting both your general health and your immune system. Mineral supplements such as zinc and selenium are also recommended. It is always best to get your vitamins and minerals from your food for example eating just two Brazil nuts a day give you your daily allowance of selenium. Herbal supplements, like echinacea, goldenseal, and garlic can also have a profound effect on the health of the human body. These herbs not only boost the immune system, but have anti-cancer and anti-microbial properties, effectively helping to avert any number of diseases in and of themselves. In addition to the proper vitamins and herbs, regular doses of Omega-3 fatty acids can be taken as supplements to a healthy diet.

The human immune system is an awesome creation of God. Throughout your life it protects your body from viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and cancer cell formation and also helps to fight off illnesses and diseases of all types. Your immune system also aids in the day to day protection and repair of cells throughout the body.  With age, or chronic disease, the immune system may begin to weaken. But with a healthy diet, sensible exercise and the right mix of natural supplements you can help your immune system to continue to help you. These natural methods can boost your immune system and keep it operating at optimal levels throughout your life.

People suffering with Graves disease know how disruptive the  disorder can be to their daily lives. While Graves is rarely life threatening, women and men  suffering from it’s effects can find the symptoms highly debilitating. Anxiety, irritability, weight loss, and tremors are only a sampling of the more common symptoms Graves sufferers must face on a daily basis. In more severe cases, patients can experience  a bulging of the eyeballs (exophthalmos), extreme hypertension, heart arrhythmia and atrial fibrillation. With successful treatment patients often find the disease will ultimately go into remission, but treatment can be a long process, and the right choice of therapy can mean the difference between managed pain and a life free of symptoms.

Conventional Treatments for Graves Disease

Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes the thyroid gland to overproduce the hormone thyroxine. As part of the endocrine system, a healthy thyroid plays a vital role in keeping the body functioning at optimal levels. When Graves strikes, sufferers find themselves at the mercy of a body that is systematically out of balance, leading to both physical and emotional discomfort.

Traditionally, patients suffering with Graves disease, as well as with other forms of hyperthyroidism, have been forced to balance the desire to manage their symptoms against the often invasive treatments that have been available. Chemical and drug dependent therapies seek to relieve the overall symptoms of Graves disease, but the side effects are often extremely unpleasant in themselves. Lethargy, mental fatigue and weight gain are a poor trade for relief from the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Moreover, these treatments only relieve the general symptoms of Graves disease, and fail to address the overarching cause of the disorder.

More extreme treatments for the hyperthyroidism brought on by Graves disease often include radiation therapy to shrink the thyroid, or radical surgery to remove the thyroid gland altogether. The result of these more intense treatments is a dependence on prescription drugs to compensate for the loss or damage of the thyroid. Patients will need to continue a lifelong regimen of hormone supplements to compensate for the loss of their naturally occurring thyroxine.

These conventional treatments are indeed effective, and remain the most commonly prescribed therapies for cases of hyperthyroidism and Graves disease. However, many patients are finding that alternatives to these traditional treatments can offer as much, if not more, relief. These holistic treatments can help patients avoid the many unwanted side effects that accompany chemical therapy, all while maintaining the overall integrity of the body.

Alternative Treatments for Graves Disease

Holistic physicians and clinicians approach any disease or dysfunction by first considering the body as a whole. No part of the human body works in isolation, and every system is dependent upon the health and well being of it’s counterparts. Therefore, any course of treatment must take into account all aspects of the patients health. Diet, stress, physical fitness and exposure to environmental toxins must all be considered as causes of, or exacerbating influences upon, a patient’s overactive thyroid.

The first, and most basic, treatment for Graves disease is to make dietary adjustments that will reduce, or eliminate, any foods or toxins that may be acting as a trigger for the disease. While the underlying cause of Graves disease is still undetermined, recent research shows that certain foods, toxins and chemicals can act as a trigger that instigates the hyperthyroidism. By eating foods that are higher in selenium, zinc and vitamins A and D, along with some supplementation, clinicians can reduce the levels of toxins in their patient’s systems and subsequently relieve, and limit, the instances of Graves related symptoms. This treatment can be taken in conjunction with traditional drug therapies, although the ultimate goal is to become drug free by treatment’s end.

As we have seen, Graves disease is an autoimmune disorder that targets the thyroid gland. The whole body approach to treatment includes therapies that are designed to regulate the patient’s immune system, and return to it to optimal performance. Conventional treatments attempt to suppress the immune system with drugs, but with the judicious use of customized diet therapy, herbal and vitamin supplements the dysfunctional immune system can be regulated and returned to a healthy and balanced state. Foods high in omega 3 fatty acids like green vegetables, flax, chia and hemp seeds and wild salmon along various vitamins and natural anti-inflammatories are effective in treating many autoimmune disorders. Patients undergoing treatment for Graves disease will want to work with their  clinicians to design a therapy that addresses their individual needs, bearing in mind that no two patients will respond to the same treatment.

Graves disease  has no conventionally recognized cure. Currently, traditional medicine concentrates on managing the symptoms with drugs, and waiting for the disease to go into remission. For patients suffering from Graves disease that can be a long wait indeed. The whole body approach to health and well-being offers a more natural relief from the symptoms of hyperthyroidism and Graves disease by attempting to restore the patient’s immune system to an optimal balance. Through natural supplements, dietary and lifestyle changes, the symptoms of hyperthyroidism can be greatly reduced, and when balance and harmony are restored the patient can live their life free of the debilitating effects of Graves disease.

Watching a comedy appears to improve blood vessel function, which may help explain why having a good laugh appears to have numerous health benefits. In contrast, investigators found that when viewers watched a disturbing scene from war movies, their blood vessel function appeared to deteriorate, suggesting that mental  stress can take its toll on the body. Something “that is easy to do, economical, never been shown to hurt you, is something we should do every day, that is to laugh,” according to Dr. Michael Miller of the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
Previous research has linked laughter to a series of health benefits. For instance, a group of researchers in Japan found that people with type 2 diabetes– the most common form of the disease — had a smaller rise in post-meal blood sugar when they watched a comedy show than when they listened to a humorless lecture. Still other research found that simply looking forward to having a good laugh can boost the immune system and reduce stress.

For the current study, Miller and his colleagues measured blood vessel functioning in 20 non-smoking, healthy participants. Almost all of the volunteers (95 percent) experienced increased blood flow while watching the funny movie, while three quarters (74 percent) had decreased flow while observing the ravages of war onscreen. Overall, average blood flow increased 22 percent while laughing and decreased 35 percent during mental stress. The magnitude of the changes was similar to the benefit that might be seen with aerobic activity, Miller said. That’s not a reason to trade laughing for exercise, he added; the ideal would be to do both.

It’s not clear why laughter had this beneficial effect, but Miller has some ideas. “The endothelium has endorphin receptors so what may be happening after a good laugh is these endorphins are released and activate the receptors, causing an interaction or perhaps just an independent dilation of the endothelium,” he said. Endorphins are “feel good” chemicals with morphine-like properties. It’s also possible that mental stress may lead to the release of stress hormones such as cortisol, which may then reduce the release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells. This, in turn, could result in constriction of the vessel. “The healthier the vessel, the more it opens up,” Miller said in an interview. For instance, healthy blood vessels are less likely to form clots, he noted. If people have poor endothelial health, they are more likely to experience a worsening of heart disease, Miller added. He explained that when our bodies are stressed, we produce hormones that may cause changes in the endothelium. Previous research suggests that the effects of stress last around 45 minutes, but if stress is unrelenting, it may help permanently alter the blood vessels, Miller said. – American College of Cardiology.

Dr. Keith & Laurie Nemec comments on Laughter Boosts Immune System and Helps Fight Cancer:

It is amazing how the simple things in life have the greatest benefits. Like getting to sleep by 8:30 p.m. and waking by 6 a.m. which will tremendously boost your immune system and help to balance your nervous and hormonal system. Laughter is important in any alternative cancer treatment program.

Another simple but very effective way to boost your immune system and balance your hormonal system is to laugh. Isn’t it interesting how our mind affects our body? When people watch comedies, their blood flow increases by 22% and when they watched graphic war movies, their blood flow decreases by 35%. The studies in Japan even show a more balanced blood sugar in diabetics when they watch comedies and laugh. So purchase some “I Love Lucy” DVDs and start improving your health today. Research has shown that the average child laughs hundreds of times and the average adult less than 20 times per day. Could this be tied into aging? Norman Cousins wrote in his book “Anatomy of an Illness” how he healed himself of a chronic degenerative disease by watching comedies and laughing hours each day.