Powerful natural elixer

What if there was a powerful natural elixir that can relieve indigestion, make you more energetic and preserve youth... has been taken around the world by scores of people for thousands of years... and costs a whole lot less than expensive pharmaceuticals.  
It's for real, and available at your local grocery store. What is it?
 
Good old-fashioned apple cider vinegar (ACV)! 

This tart tonic has been used for centuries in many different countries, for a variety of uses and conditions. And the good news is that the science behind it is sound. 
 
Apple cider vinegar helps with many modern-day diseases and conditions, including:

• Clearing up stubborn acne
• Giving relief to persistent allergies
• Improving insulin levels for folks with diabetes
• Reducing inflammation and gout
• Giving instant relief to cases of the hiccups
• Lowering high levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad variety)
• Banishing nighttime leg cramps and providing more restful sleep
• Relieving sinus or other infections

As revealed in a study published in Diabetes Care, researchers discovered that Type 2 diabetes patients who took two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime showed favorable changes in blood sugar levels the next morning.

In a study published in a foreign medical journal, scientists found an apple cider vinegar-enhanced diet may increase in HDL (good cholesterol), and reduce levels of triglycerides – a harmful type of blood fat. 

When you consider the benefits of  apple cider vinegar listed from thousands of years of history, this is a natural remedy worth considering. Here are even more benefits!

• Gives you more energy while decreasing recovery time from workouts. ACV has compounds that counteract lactic acid buildup in the muscles after exercise.
• Gargling with ACV can kill bacteria in your mouth and gums and give you whiter teeth.
• If you have diarrhea caused by bacteria, sipping water with ACV can be just what the doctor ordered. The apple pectin can also soothe intestinal spasms.
• To cure a case of the hiccups, take a teaspoonful of pure ACV. The sour taste will stop it in its tracks. 
• To prevent indigestion or heartburn, take a teaspoon with a glass of water 30 minutes before your meal.
• Nighttime leg cramps can be relaxed when you add two tablespoons of ACV with honey to a glass of warm water.

Good ACV will look dark and murky, with a cobweb-like substance floating in it known as the "mother" (or the culture). This contains a number of beneficial living enzymes, which are responsible for most of the health benefits from apple cider vinegar.

When you take ACV with a 12-16 ounce glass of water, you can add honey, lemon, and/or Stevia for taste. Once you experience the health benefits of apple cider vinegar – higher energy levels, better digestion, or relief of leg cramps at night (getting longer, less interrupted sleep) – you'll actually look forward to making apple cider vinegar a part of your daily health routine.

Are there any side effects to taking this natural supplement?

Not really.

Since it's a natural product, the health risks of taking apple cider vinegar are very low, especially when compared to the possible side effects of synthetic pharmaceutical drugs. If it can possibly help one or more health ailments... and there's very little downside... why not give good old apple cider vinegar a try?

While ACV isn't a panacea, it has the potential to relieve a variety of medical conditions. It's a versatile, inexpensive remedy that can improve the quality of your health and life.

Natural antiobiotics in your pantry

Here are 5 items you should always keep in or near your kitchen. They're useful for everyday tasks, but in an emergency they do double-duty.

Vinegar: You can use vinegar to keep your home clean and sanitary. In any sort of a breakdown, hygiene and a clean home become more important than ever – it's the first line of defense against disease, which often follows in the wake of a disaster or social breakdown. You can use vinegar to clean sink drains, to clear away mildew, and to deodorize just about anything. You can make sure produce is safe to eat by washing it in a mix of vinegar and water. Adding four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of water makes a sanitizing wash that's good for fruits and vegetables – it will remove pesticides and nasty germs. You can also use vinegar to treat mild ailments. Dabbing a cotton ball soaked in vinegar on minor burns or insect bites relieves pain and itching. Mix equal parts vinegar and honey and take a tablespoon every four hours to relieve a sore throat and cough. Vinegar is cheap and lasts a long time in storage. Stock up! Honey: This sweet, golden substance can be a real lifesaver when it comes to health issues. During any sort of social breakdown that makes it more difficult to get medical care, infection becomes an important concern. Honey can help. It works as a natural antiseptic. You can apply honey to cuts and abrasions to prevent infection. You can also use honey to treat the symptoms of many mild illnesses. For example, mix honey with lemon juice to help soothe a sore throat. It's an unpleasant topic, but during times of unrest, you're also more at risk of picking up parasites. Drinking honey mixed with vinegar and water can clear most parasites out of your system. Bleach: Bleach is excellent for sterilizing surfaces, which can keep your food safe to eat. But more than that, you can use bleach to make water safe to drink. Add 1/8 of a teaspoon of chlorine bleach to a gallon of clear water (1/4 teaspoon if the water is cloudy), and allow it to stand for at least 30 minutes. Then it will be safe to drink, cook with, or clean with. Like vinegar, it's cheap and easy to store. Baking Soda: Baking soda works well as an antacid. In the event you have an upset stomach, stir ½ teaspoon of baking soda into a half a cup of water and drink it. Repeat every two hours as necessary, but don't take more than seven glasses in the course of a day. Limit your doses to three if you're over sixty. Apply a paste of baking soda and water to poison ivy or other rashes for nearly instant relief. In a pinch, you can also use baking soda as a fire extinguisher. Pouring baking soda on a small fire will quickly suffocate it.                     Salt: Few pantry items are more common and everyday than salt. But this favorite food seasoning can be a lifesaver during turbulent times. First, your body needs salt to survive. In the modern American diet, too much salt is more typical than too little, but that can change and change fast during a breakdown. Having plenty of salt on hand not only makes your food reserves more palatable, but also keeps this critical nutrient as part of your daily diet. That's not all, though. Salt is one our earliest ways of treating wounds and staving off infection. To this day, a saline wash is a typical first-line treatment for cleaning wounds or eye injuries. You can dissolve 1½ tablespoons of salt in one cup of water to make a 10% saline rinse that you can use to clean small cuts and abrasions. This is one more household item you can use to prevent infection. Salt is also an excellent food preservative. You can pickle and can a number of foods with salt and you can even preserve meat with it, should you be without power and looking for ways to make your food last longer. Coating raw meat completely in coarse salt and storing it in a cool place (around 59 degrees) can keep the meat safe to eat for up to three weeks. And, it makes it taste good when you cook it, too. Avoid eating meat that takes on a bad smell during this process – it's a time-tested means of preserving meat, but that doesn't mean it's 100 percent foolproof, so use your common sense. Between these five items, a few rolls of duct tap, and several packs of zip-ties, you'll be prepared to deal with minor illnesses and injuries, to keep your food supply safe, to treat water if needed, and to keep your environment clean and safe. That's not too shabby using just a handful of things that don't cost much and that you probably keep on hand anyway.

Mistletoe - the next cancer killer

When you see a sprig of mistletoe hanging in a doorway, your first thought is probably of giving your special someone a smooch.

Scientists in Australia recently found that mistletoe has the power to actually kill cancer cells, and they're even talking about it as a future alternative to chemo.

In Europe, mistletoe extract is authorized for treating colon cancer. We are not quite so lucky in the United States. But with evidence like this, it's definately getting harder to ignore the power hidden in this festive plant.

The recent research shows that the most effective mistletoe extract comes from a species called Fraxini. Not only is it a cancer cell killer, but it's also much more friendly to the healthy cells in the intestines.

That's because the extract targets and kills just cancer cells. This is in stark contrast to chemotherapy, which kills both healthy cells and cancer cells without discrimination. Extracts from the two other species of mistletoe tested were also more harmful to healthy cells...so Fraxini is unique.

In Europe, it's easy to choose mistletoe extract for cancer therapy. Here in the States, there are companies that sell mistletoe extract online, but it's very important to work closely with a doctor skilled in natural medicine if you want to explore this option yourself.

Not only is mistletoe making cancer-fighter news, along comes calcium.

A new study has shown that getting more calcium in your diet could mean a lower risk of prostate cancer. Researchers compared men who had positive biopsy results with those whose results were negative and healthy men who didn't need a biopsy. They found that increasing calcium intake from food was linked to a lower risk of high-grade (more likely to spread rapidly) prostate cancer among all races.

So what are the best sources of dietary calcium?

Well, despite what you may have heard steer clear of milk. The list of reasons is long. To name just a couple, it's been linked to lower sperm count and contains bacteria that could cause Crohn's disease. A few good calcium-rich bets are leafy greens, broccoli, figs, and almonds.

Two very good supplements for calcium are Enriching Gifts Coral Life and Enzyme Research Products Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Plus. 

Holiday stress and your waistline

A new study in the journal Sleep finds that forgoing a full night's sleep could sabotage your efforts to stay slim.

Normal-weight men and women were studied under two conditions: getting a short amount of sleep (4 hours--which I sometimes get) and normal sleep (9 hours--oh, if only!).

The researchers found that, in men, short sleep led to a spike in levels of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates hunger. In women, short sleep reduced the hormone (GLP-1) that makes you feel full.

So, getting too-few hours of sleep had different effects on men (increased appetite) and women (reduced feelings of fullness), but with the same result: a tendency toward overeating.

Of course, during the holidays that's particularly dangerous. So looking around your what do you see: a gift tin of holiday popcorn right now and on the counter, a box of chocolates. There are all sorts of holiday food temptations right now. And it turns out that our reduced head-on-pillow time is increasing our chances of being hit.

The obvious solution is to get more sleep. But that's just not always realistic. So here's a strategy for fighting those munchies: loads of cut, easy to grab, veggies in the fridge; a full bottle of water by your side at all times; and taking the stairs when you come back from those shopping trips (bonus--that "step" could actually add a few years to your life). 

If you're concerned about what the holiday season could be doing to your waistline, these tips might be just what you need to sidestep those extra holiday pounds.

If you need something natural to help you sleep, click here.

Dangerous tap water

Put down that glass and step away from the sink. It turns out that pesticides in your tap water could be causing food allergies.

So now it's not only flouride that's floating in your tap water...but pesticides as well. But this new link to allergies is making even the mainstreamers sit up and take notice.

Worst of all this isn't some accidental exposure. They're actually dumping this stuff into the water on purpose. Specifically, researchers say it's a kind of chlorine called dichlorophenols used to kill bacteria in water that could also be killing the "good guy" bacteria that live in your gut. And when that happens it could cause food allergies.

The researchers also said that exposure could come from eating fruit and drinking fruit juices. (I can't help but wonder if these are some of the same "experts" that tried to convince us that buying organic is a waste of money.)

Always eager to cover for conventional farming, mainstream sources are saying that there's only an association, and that it's not yet clear that the pesticides are actually the culprit.

But we know better, don't we? The link between food allergies and pesticides has long been established and you already know how important it is to choose organic foods. But to tackle this newly revealed threat...and avoid pesticides in your drinking water...you'll also need to invest in a reverse osmosis water filter.
For more information on probiotics, click here. 
To rebuild healthy gut-flora click here.

Vitamin D and it's fight against cancer

A "new" cancer-fighting discovery really isn't that new after all. I'm talking about vitamin D.

A team of Canadian researchers has just found that the vitamin may block the growth of cancer cells and slow down the progress of cancer from pre-malignant to malignant. 

It finally explains--on a molecular level--just how it is that vitamin D has been so successful at fighting cancer, including breast cancer, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer. This news makes it hard it ignore or even say that vitamins are a useless waste of money.

Basically, vitamin D targets a protein that cancer depends upon for cell division. This protein, called cMYC, is active at elevated levels in more than half of all types of cancer. Vitamin D slows it down, while at the same time boosting the production of substances that can outright shut it down. As one of the researchers said, vitamin D "puts the brakes on cMYC function" and therefore puts the brakes on the spread of cancer.

This is one of those times that "more research is NOT needed". In this case the researchers are so sure of their findings that they said they hope their research will "encourage people to maintain adequate vitamin D supplementation."

The preferred method of getting natural vitamin D is spending 20 minutes in the sun with your face and arms exposed. A general daily dose for adults is 4,000 IU, which can be achieved by spending 20 minutes in the sun with your face and arms exposed.

If you can't get enough from the sun (especially now that it's December and sunny days are few and far between), cod liver oil is a good source of D. Or check out this excellent vitamin D supplement here.

Resveratrol and prostate health

You probably already know that the resveratrol in wine is great for your heart and could help prevent metabolic syndrome. It also may help you manage your weight, and protect against breast cancer.

But now comes something important if you're a guy.

A researcher at the University of Missouri has discovered that resveratrol could help fight prostate cancer. More specifically, for people who have made the choice to go with conventional therapies, resveratrol could increase the effectiveness of those therapies.

Researcher Michael Nicholl found that resveratrol can make prostate tumor cells, even in aggressive tumors, more susceptible to radiation. Previous studies have shown a similar effect with chemotherapy.

Resveratrol appears to target two proteins already present in the tumors--proteins that cause the tumors to self-destruct. Using the wine compound led to up to an amazing 97 percent of tumor cells dying after radiation treatment. This is a vast improvement over the percentage tackled using just radiation, and it worked on all types of prostate cancer cells.

The only drawback is that the dosage of resveratrol needed to have this effect is very high. While not much is needed at the site of the tumor for it to work the body processes resveratrol very quickly, so a person would need to take a great deal of it to make sure there's enough left to get to the tumor.

This research is still in the early stages, but no side effects have been described in studies of resveratrol, so it's a safe (and possibly very effective!) possible addition to a cancer fight.

For general long-term use of resveratrol a suggested dose ranging from 30 to 100 mg per day. You should consult with a doctor skilled in natural medicine to determine the right course of action and the right dose for your body and situation.

More information on resveratrol here.

Three safe solutions for high blood pressure

When it comes to natural blood pressure control, you have a lot of options. You don't need to turn to drugs with dangerous and debilitating side effects. You can look to the foods you eat and the kinds of exercise that you do.

1. Go for a walk. Going for a brisk walk every day can lower your systolic blood pressure by as many as 8 points, and it can curb your diastolic pressure by 6 points.

Aim to walk one to two miles at a pace that gets your heart rate up. This is a simple, effective workout that you can do anytime and that really works when it comes to lowering blood pressure.

2. Another way to control blood pressure is as easy as breathing. For five minutes twice a day, make it a point to breathe deliberately, slowly, and deeply. Use your abdominal muscles to draw in each breath. Exhale by relaxing your muscles completely and allowing the breath to leave naturally. This kind of practiced breathing reduces stress hormones that are linked to increases in blood pressure.

3. A third way to reduce your blood pressure is to cut down on wheat, corn, and sugar. For as many as one in three people, these foods have a very aggravating effect on the body, triggering low but still unhealthy levels of chronic inflammation and inducing chronic stress. In clinical settings, many people see their blood pressure fall by as many as 40 points after cutting out these foods. That's a dramatic change!

I know cutting down on the above foods is tough, but if you're struggling with high blood pressure, try it for a month and see what happens. You may be so pleased by the results that you find it easy to make the change a permanent one.

High blood pressure ages your brain rapidly. So, if you're 40, you can expect to start having the same kind of memory and cognitive issues that a 50-year-old has. And if you're 60 and have high blood pressure... well, your brain is going on 70.

In the most dramatic situations, high blood pressure can cause mini-strokes or full-blown strokes that can leave you permanently disabled or event dead. But high blood pressure can also lead to:

• Dementia: Narrow, partially blocked arteries caused by high blood pressure lead to difficulties thinking, speaking, solving problems, and remembering things.
• Cognitive Impairment: Milder than dementia, cognitive impairment is still alarming. You forget things more easily, have a more difficult time reasoning through problems, and are at much higher risk for full blown dementia.
• Stroke: A stroke happens when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted long enough that your brain cells begin to die off. It's a common and often tragic situation that can permanently impair your ability to walk, talk, and reason.

In addition to these potentially devastating conditions, high blood pressure prematurely ages your brain. In a research study, scientists examined the affects of blood pressure on brain mass. They found a strong correlation between jumps in blood pressure and a decline in brain mass similar to what's expected with aging.

You can turn things around, though, with these simple solutions. Walking more, breathing deeper, and cutting back on wheat can put the brakes on your skyrocketing blood pressure and help you keep your brain young and sharp.

If you've got high blood pressure, then your brain is aging faster than you are and your quality of life is on the decline. Find out more on high blood pressure here.

Important vitamins during pregnancy

Here's a crucial reason to make sure vitamin D plays a starring role in pregnancy.

Research published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry reveals that getting enough vitamin D may cut the risk of the unborn child developing multiple sclerosis (MS).

Researchers looked at data on about 152,000 people with MS. Then, they compared it with expected birth rates for the disease. What they discovered speaks volumes about the benefits of vitamin D.

From October to March, less of the ultraviolet light that lets our bodies make vitamin D reaches the skin. Researchers connected this with a significantly greater risk for MS among people born in April and May. On the other hand, the risk for MS was lowest among people born in October and November...right after their mothers had spent a summer soaking up the sun.

The researchers concluded that vitamin D supplementation while pregnant is very important for preventing MS.

The second piece of news is about another powerhouse vitamin: vitamin C.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen found that not getting enough vitamin C during pregnancy can put the unborn child's brain in serious danger.

Even "marginal" vitamin C deficiency affects the memory center of the brain, stunting its development by 10 to 15 percent. This, of course, sets the child up for learning difficulties later in life. And once the damage is done, it can't be corrected after birth by giving the child extra vitamin C.

Let expectant moms know that the best way to find out if they're getting enough of these vitamins is to work with a doctor skilled in natural medicine to find their optimal levels, which may be different while they're carrying that precious cargo.

Here are some excellent sources for vitamins.
Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Multi Vitamin
Liquid Multi Vitamin

Foot massage and cancer (reflexology)

Michigan State University researchers have recently uncovered strong evidence that reflexology (a special type of foot massage) can help cancer patients better manage their symptoms and go about their daily lives.

This was the first large-scale, randomized study of reflexology's use along with standard cancer treatment. And it's the first time the benefits of reflexology--beyond simple relaxation-- have been documented. The results are strong enough that the lead author is hoping they represent a step toward moving reflexology out of the fringe and into the mainstream.

Reflexology has been practiced since the days of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt. The idea is that certain points on the feet are linked to specific organs and other parts of the body. Stimulating those points on the feet is thought to help those organs and body parts function better.

In the study, 385 women with advanced-stage breast cancer and being treated with chemo or hormonal therapy were assigned randomly to three groups. One group received treatment from a certified reflexologist. The second received a "regular" foot massage. The third had no foot treatment.

When the researchers checked in with the patients at the five-week and 11-week marks, they found that the women who received reflexology had significantly less shortness of breath. This is a common symptom in breast cancer patients. Daily tasks like grocery shopping and getting dressed were also easier for the women receiving reflexology.

The lead researcher was surprised that the effects seemed mostly to be physical rather than psychological. She had been expecting more changes in the anxiety and depression that can go along with breast cancer.

She was also surprised that the "placebo" massages reduced patients' fatigue, while reflexology did not.

In a follow-up study, the researchers plan to explore how the benefits of reflexology-type massage done by a patients' friend and family stack up against those done by certified reflexologists. If they show the same kinds of benefits then at-home reflexology treatments could turn out to be a simple and free way to help women deal with some of the most troubling symptoms of their battles with breast cancer.

If you're undergoing treatment for breast cancer, or know someone who is, and are interested in learning more about the benefits of reflexology, you can find a reflexologist through the Reflexology Association of America.

Holiday favorites

'Tis the season for showing your family how much you love them. Show them by piling your holiday buffet high with delicious cancer-fighting foods?

Cranberries. These tart little fruits are packed with benzoic acid. This can block the growth of some types of leukemia as well as lung cancer and colon cancer. Buy them fresh now. They're at the peak of their nutritional value, and you can capture that power by freezing them to use later. The jellied can version can't hold a candle to the real thing.

Try to avoid loading it with sugar. While a little sweet is needed to cut the sour, I have found that you can cut more than half of the sugar out of the recipe on the back and still have a great side dish. I've also had luck substituting agave or stevia (avoid Truvia).

Apples. Another season favorite  that could help prevent several types of cancer. They contain quercetin, which protects your cells' DNA from the kind of damage that can lead to cancer. This nutrient can also slash your stroke risk by more than 50 percent.

Of course, you may be tempted to take that as permission to cut yourself a giant piece of apple pie. If it's a very occasional indulgence, go for it--I mean, it IS Christmas time after all! But if you really want to get the most out of your apples, eat them raw with the skin on. Here's a great raw apple crisp recipe from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The color orange. Make sure there's plenty of the color orange featured in your holiday spread. Squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkins contain carotenoids, which have been associated with prevention of cancers of the colon, prostate, breasts, and lungs and have also been linked to shedding abdominal fat.

Food that packs a powerful disease-fighting punch is great and knowing that you are taking care of your freinds and family at the same time is fabulous!

Is your couch a killer?

It's only natural to want to make your house a safe space for you and your guests.

You've probably already cleared out all the harmful household products and made sure sharp edges are smoothed and hard surfaces are softened.

But you've probably never given your couch or carpet a second glance. After all, they're perfectly safe, right?

Unfortunately, these seemingly safe parts of your home may be anything but. The culprit is a class of chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Funny thing is they were supposed to make your home safer: manufacturer's started applying them as flame retardants in the 1970s.

Sadly the scientific community has known for a long time that PBDEs may disrupt the endocrine system. This latest study is simply the largest one to look specifically at the development of the brain and nervous system.

Once researchers started uncovering the dangers of PBDEs, many states did the right thing and banned the chemicals. But if your couch or carpet was made before 2004, it may contain PBDEs.

The truth is, a full 97 percent of us have the chemicals in our blood thanks to decades of exposure. And they're still clearly affecting kids.

If you bought your couch in the 80s or 90s, or if your carpet hasn't been updated in a while, your home could be exposing the children in your life to PBDEs. This is especially true if your sofa is made of foam, which will release more of the chemicals as it disintegrates.

If you don't have the money to replace your furniture and carpeting, the researchers suggest sealing any tears in furniture and cleaning regularly to keep levels of dust down. They also suggest making regular hand-washing a household policy.

If you're on the market for a new couch, choose cotton, wool, or polyester over foam that's been treated with chemicals. You can also look for household products that are free of flame retardants.

Preventing Alzheimer's

It's the most common form of dementia in the United States. And it's the sixth-leading cause of death.

Since we have lost loved ones to demetia, we are always on the lookout for natural ways to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

And this one is really easy!

Research published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease shows that antioxidants could play a major role in fighting Alzheimer's disease.

The study was conducted in Germany, where 74 Alzheimer's patients and 158 people without the disease between the ages of 65 and 90 were studied. Through a series of tests, the researchers found that people with mild dementia had much lower concentrations of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene in their blood than did the healthy volunteers in the study.

The team says that more research is needed. But they did find the results promising--and for good reason. Oxidative stress contributes to Alzheimer's. This means that antioxidants could, in fact, protect the brain against developing the disease.

Another study, this one on green tea, supports these findings. Inflammation is a culprit in several different diseases--heart disease, cancer, and of course Alzheimer's. The green tea study found that the catechins in green tea combat the free radicals that lead to inflammation and play a role in the development of Alzheimer's.

The best part about this news is that it couldn't be easier to pack your diet with antioxidants.

Of cource there are great antioxidant supplements available as well.
Enriching Gifts Metabolic Complete
Enriching Gifts Red Heart Algae
Enzyme Research Products Vitamin C
FEBICO Natto Complex
Wellgenix Resveratrol

Indoor living hazardous to your health

Winter is that time of year that we start spending a lot of time indoors.

But indoor air pollution can cause a host of short-term health problems. It can give you headaches, cause dizziness, and lead to nausea. It's a common cause of fatigue. It's well known that poor air quality can trigger allergies and lead to respiratory problems. It can even cause diseases like bronchitis.

Research shows that air pollution levels can have a big impact on your heart health. In fact, if you have heart disease and have already suffered an event like a heart attack or stroke, the level of pollution in the air you breathe could be setting you up for a second dangerous incident.

Subjecting yourself to high levels of air pollution may actually increase your risk of a second heart attack or stroke by a full 43 percent. Researchers on the project say that level of increased risk probably underestimates the true impact of air pollution on heart health.

The quality of air you breathe also affects your mind. It can impair cognitive function, reducing your attention span and impairing memory function.

Fine particulates in the air you breathe may form deposits in your lungs and brain. The higher the levels of fine particulates in the air, the greater the impact on your cognitive function.

High levels of carbon dioxide that build up in indoor spaces – especially in energy-efficient buildings with lots of people, like your average office building – also impair your cognitive abilities. The decision-making abilities of people working in such circumstances tend to suffer under even moderate exposure to carbon dioxide. So, if you ever wonder why so many people at your work make dumb decisions, it might literally be something in the air!

Particularly at this time of year, when we seal our homes up tight against the weather, the quality of the air can drop rapidly and that can have serious consequences for your health, both in the short term and for the long haul.

Your home should be a safe space... somewhere you can breathe easy, knowing that nothing threatens you. But the air quality in your home could be a threat your health.

The Environmental Protection Agency lists indoor air pollution as one of the top give environmental public health concerns. Common sources of indoor air pollution include mold, bacteria, dust mites, pollen, animal dander, cigarette smoke (if anyone in your home smokes), chemicals left behind by cleaning products, and byproducts produced from heating your home and cooking.

The average person spends nearly ninety percent of their time indoors, and many studies estimate that indoor air in the typical home or building is at least 25 times more polluted than the air outside. The American College of Allergists states that half of all diseases are either caused by or aggravated by poor indoor air quality.

Fortunately, cleaning up the air quality in your home isn't difficult or expensive to do.

1. Check your ventilation. Today's energy efficient homes tend to trade high efficiency for poorer air quality. Not enough air from outside enters the home to dilute pollutants and not enough air escapes to allow the pollutants to leave. One of the easiest ways to improve air quality is to simply crack a window or two for a couple of hours each day. The downside is that your furnace will have to work a little harder to heat your home during the day, but your home's air will be much healthier.

2. Keep your floors clean. Most pollutants settle out of the air when left undisturbed. But, then people walking through the home, the furnace kicking on, the front door opening and closing – these can all stir up those pollutants making them easier for you and your family to breath in. Not good.

If you clean your floors regularly, you'll trap many of the particulates and get rid of them. That's good news for the air you breathe. Use a vacuum fitted with a HEPA filter that you clean regularly. Mop at least once a week. And put down welcome mats for people to wipe their feet on before entering your home. These three easy steps can dramatically reduce the indoor pollution in your house.

3. Test for radon. Radon is one of the most dangerous indoor pollutants – it's a leading cause of lung cancer. You can pick up a radon testing kit on Amazon for under $30. The test is easy to do, and can help you identify whether or not this dangerous pollutant is a problem in your home.

4. Switch to natural cleaners. A lot of chemical cleaners leave behind harmful compounds in the air. Something as innocent as a plug-in air freshener, for example, can release more than 20 kinds of volatile organic compounds into the air.

Using cleaners and air fresheners that use mostly natural ingredients can be a big help in terms of air quality. Seventh Generation products are a good choice for natural cleaning supplies. When it comes to freshening the air, try bringing a small pot of water to a simmer. Drop in a couple of cinnamon sticks and apple slices. The scent will beat the socks off of artificial air fresheners and it's better for you, too.

5. Change your HVAC filters often. Many folks procrastinate or forget about this obvious way to reduce allergens in the air. You can even install ultraviolet lighting within the furnace which helps kill bacteria as they circulate through the system.

6. Pay attention to the humidity in your home. If you air is too dry or too moist, it can create conditions that increase the pollution in your home. Try to maintain humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent for the best air quality.

Breathing is important. So, take control of your home's air quality. You and your family will spend less time suffering from colds and allergies, you'll have more energy and better cognitive function, and you'll reduce your risk of heart disease while you're at it.

Olive Oil - Up's and Down's

Olive oil is among the healthiest, most versatile dietary oils in the world.
 
Here are seven ways that olive oil supports good health.
 

Olive oil is high in fat, but that does not mean it's bad for you. We still hear from people who think a low-fat diet is the goal. It's not... going too far in the low-fat direction puts you at risk for blood-sugar problems and chemical imbalances that can contribute to heart disease and Alzheimer's. Your body needs fat! It just needs the right kind of fat to thrive. And olive oil falls into that category.

You've heard that eating too much fat can give you high cholesterol. But olive oil actually improves your cholesterol levels because it contains primarily monounsaturated fatty acids. These fats can bring down your total cholesterol levels and lower your LDL cholesterol – that's the "bad" cholesterol associated with heart disease. 

Research also suggests that olive oil helps keep your body's clotting mechanism in balance. It's one more way that olive oil can help you avoid a heart attack.

The healthy fats in olive oil may also help protect you against type 2 diabetes. And if you already have type 2 diabetes, olive oil may help you keep your condition from progressing by regulating both insulin response and blood sugar levels.

Olive oil contains high levels of oleic acid. This level of oleic acid has been associated with lower risks of some cancer.

Olive oil is a great natural source of vitamin E. A tablespoon contains almost 25 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance. Vitamin E supports healthy cell membranes and healthy skin. It's also a good source of vitamin K, which promotes good bone health and helps to protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease.

Another compound in olive oil helps control blood pressure and improve the health of the arterial lining – both important factors in reducing heart disease risks. Polyphenols actually reduce your risk of heart disease on a genetic level. They affect genes linked to heart disease risk in a positive way.

But with all of it's benefits, olive oil has a dark side.

Don't wreck the health benefits of olive oil. Olive oil is fairly fragile. It can begin to break down because of light exposure. Store your olive oil in a dark bottle in the cupboard or pantry. It may look pretty on your windowsill, but the sun will make it taste funny and weaken the nutritional impact. When stored in a cool, dark place, olive oil will keep for a year, but you'll never have a year-old bottle sitting around if you make this superfood part of your regular diet.

Don't cook at high temperatures with olive oil. Use it for salad dressings and in other cold foods. You can also do a quick sauté with olive oil. When olive oil reaches high temperatures, the fats begin to oxidize, creating free radicals, and they also hydrogenate, creating harmful trans fats. For cooking at higher temperatures or for a prolonged time, choose coconut oil, another oil with big health benefits, because it can stand up to the heat.

Most olive oil sold in the store is a total waste of money. The bulk of it doesn't contain the polyphenols and other compounds in the levels needed to enjoy the full health benefits. What you want is extra-virgin olive oil that has a harvest date on the package. The oil will stay at full potency for two years, but look for the freshest olive oil you can find.

Besides freshness, a number of factors affect the quality of the olive oil you buy. Harvesting methods, the ripeness at which the olives were picked (green olives have more polyphenols than ripe olives, but the oil is easier to extract from ripe olives), and processing methods can all change the nutrition profile of olive oil.

UC Davis tested a variety of extra virgin olive oil brands for quality and found these brands to be consistently the best: Corto Olive, California Olive Ranch, Kirkland Organic, Lucero, and McEvoy Ranch Organic.

Fresh, extra-virgin olive oil packs a powerful punch when it comes to health benefits. But it's easy to get fleeced into thinking you are getting benefits when you're actually wasting your money on standard-issue oil being passed off as something it's not.

You can enjoy high-quality olive oil that tastes great and is known to significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's. Just know what to buy first!

I can't see!

Recently, many eye care professionals have reached agreement on an important innovation in combating vision loss.

Wait for it ...

This "innovation" is putting "an emphasis on healthy lifestyle, healthy diet, and the addition of dietary and nutritional supplements."

But wait, there's more. They also now agree that essential fatty acids are essential to the health of your vision.

All I can say is "wow"!

The American Academy of Optometry recently had their annual meeting. There, they discussed how essential fatty acids play a role in ocular health. Later, in an interview, the doctor who presented about EFAs at the meeting remarked on the "recent interest" in omega-3 fatty acids.

This is nothing new.

For years we've been making sure to get plenty of omega-3s for ages. We've been loading up on our fatty fish and flaxseed oil...top sources of omega-3s...for a long time now. We didn't have to wait around for the final results of more than 20,000 studies--studies that now have confirmed how important they are for our health--to recognize a good thing when we saw it.

But if you are just now hearing about this, start working on your supplentation. A couple of great options are:

Bright Eyes from FEBICO and an herbal supplement called Eyebright from Oregon's Wild Harvest. 

Energy trap

As we rush around in our day to day life, it's sometimes hard to find the energy to get through the day.

Don't fall into the trap of reaching for a can of soda in the afternoon for a little energy boost? According to a new study out of Japan, this little habit could be downright deadly.

Women who indulged in a sugary soft drinks almost every day were at a much higher risk of ischemic stroke. That's the kind of stroke that involves plaque buildup in the arteries. And we're not talking about a small risk here. If soda is a regular part of your diet, you could be a stunning 83 percent more likely to have an ischemic stroke, according to the study.

While the study doesn't prove that soda itself causes stroke, it goes along with other studies that have drawn links between consuming a lot of sugar and clogged arteries. And with the mounting evidence it seems pretty safe to say that sodas may play a role in having a stroke.

The study involved almost 40,000 people who were split into four groups according to how often they drank soda: rare drinkers, those who indulged in one or two cups a week, those who drank three or four cups a week, and those who downed a soft drink almost every day. "Soft drinks" were defined as sodas and sugar-sweetened juices.

Diet sodas were not included in this study, but we already know those are linked to stroke and other heart problems (in one study people who have a diet soda a day were found to be 44 percent more likely to suffer a stroke) 

The American Beverage Association down played the study stating that it "does nothing to educate people about the real causes of heart disease or heart health issues." Really. That's the best they could do?

While increased stroke risk is among the more serious potential dangers of drinking soda, it's just one item on a long list. Sugar in sodas has been linked to obesity and general poor health.

The best way to make sure you have boundless energy throughout the day is also the easiest... simply get enough sleep. Combine that rest with a healthy diet, getting some regular movement, and drinking plenty of water and you have a winning combination for feeling great.

And if you need a little variety in the beverage department, try one sweetened with stevia. Stevia has zero calories and tastes great. The stevia drops we carry come in a multitude of flavors.

Sources:
“Coke says obesity grew as sugary drink consumption fell,” USA Today (usatoday.com)
“Coke executive answers questions about sugary drinks,” USA Today (usatoday.com)
“What Happens to Your Body If You Drink a Coke Right Now?,” Bliss Tree (blisstree.com)
“Correlates of beverage intake in adolescent girls: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study,” Pub Med (pubmed.gov)
“Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis,” The Lancet (thelancet.com)
“Evidence for sugaraddiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake,” Science Direct (sciencedirect.com)
“Implications of an animal model of sugar addiction, withdrawal and relapse for human health,” Ingenta Connect (ingentaconnect.com)

One simple trick to living longer

People who don't do this one thing nearly double their risk of acute heart attack. And they more than double their risk of dying of any cause!

So what's the trick to living longer?

It's simple: stay fit.

In a recent study presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions, men who lost more than 15 percent of their cardiorespiratory fitness over the course of 10 years dramatically raised their risk of heart attack as well as death from any cause.

So while many look to drugs to keep our hearts pumping and protect our bodies as we age, one of the most effective things you can do is simply keep moving. 

Some days it seems like it's a lot easier said than done--but making the effort to unstick yourself from the couch and get in some regular gentle movement will greatly benefit you. In fact, even after researchers adjusted their findings for BMI, smoking, diabetes, and other factors, they found there was a definite risk related only to fitness.

As we age, our cardiorespiratory fitness levels go down at a rate of 5 to 15 percent every decade (between the ages of 20 and 80). Many people chalk this up to aging, and call it a simple fact of life. They couldn't be more wrong. But maybe you should be calling it a simple fact of death instead.!

The researchers found that maintaining your cardiorespiratory fitness will prevent premature death from all causes. However unless there's a specific reason, many doctors don't measure cardiorespiratory fitness.

But that doesn't stopy you for asking this be done at your next check up. The tests are inexpensive and many of us think we're more fit than we actually are, and a rude awakening is better than a surprise heart attack.

If you have trouble staying fit, take advantage of Groupon and Living Social deals for a variety of group fitness classes. It's a fun way to get fit and get to know people in my neighborhood.

It's never too late to start exercising, and every little bit counts. Check out an amazing product specifically for life extension called Telezyme.

Easy Ways to Protect Yourself during Cold and Flu Season

Frequent hand washing is your number one defense against the flu. You generally catch the flu one of two ways – by breathing in the same air as someone who is already sick or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your face. So, wash your hands often: after using the restroom, before you eat, when you get home, and at work after handling things that everyone in the office also touches, like the copy machine.

Give sick people a wide berth. If you come within three feet of someone with the flu, you breathe in the air that they are breathing out and that means you're taking in their flu germs. If you notice people are sick, politely decline to get too close to them.

Stay warm. Being cold can't cause the flu, but if you've been exposed to the flu virus, letting your body get cold may drop your defenses enough for the virus to gain a foothold, causing you to get sick

Run a humidifier indoors. Dry winter air can irritate your airways and impair your body's natural defenses against viruses like the flu. Meanwhile, higher humidity actually reduces the number of germs in the air. So adding moisture into the air in your home can help in multiple ways.

Exercise can help protect you. Getting regular exercise gives your immune system a boost. But don't exercise for hours on end – that can stress your body and actually compromise your immune system. If you're already feeling symptoms from a cold or flu virus, go ahead and exercise if all you have is a stuffy or runny nose, headache, or sore throat. If the symptoms extend below your neck – coughing, achy joints, or a fever – rest is your best medicine.

Use your common sense. Eat well, drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep, and find healthy ways to counter stress. Do these four things and you'll keep your immune system functioning at its peak, which means even if you get exposed to the flu, you may never develop symptoms... your body will sweep it away before you feel any ill effects.

Take your vitamin D. During the winter months, your body is not as able to convert sunlight to vitamin D – the sun's rays are just too weak. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in your immune system, so if you're running low on this critical nutrient, you're running the risk of getting sick. Take at least 400 IU of vitamin D3 every day during the winter. An excellent source is Wellgenix D3 Genix.

Powerful spice useful against many maladies

Researchers in Munich recently presented some very exciting news about a spice that's already known for numerous health benefits.

It may protect your heart after surgery. It can help fight obesity. And it could even help ward off Alzheimer's.

And what is this spice with all these benefits? Turmeric!

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric that's gives the spice its cheery color, is known for fighting inflammation. But, now we know it fights more than just that--it may also stop cancer tumors from forming. This is crucial because prostate cancer is often diagnosed only after metatastic tumors have formed in other organs. Three percent of the time, the metastases are deadly.

In the current study, researchers wanted to find out how well curcumin could prevent prostate cancer from spreading. In prostate cancer...as in breast cancer... the tumor cells promote inflammation. The research shows that curcumin decreases the expression of two proteins (cytokines) that are pro-inflammatory.

The researchers found that, in mice, this ability to reduce inflammation went hand-in-hand with fewer tumors. It turns out that because the cytokines promote the spread of the tumors, dampening their effects with curcumin helped to halt the process.

The same researchers previously found in an animal study that curcumin significantly reduced the formation of lung metastases in advanced breast cancer.

One of the best things about curcumin is that it's well tolerated. Unlike chemo and radiation there are no reported side effects. This means that it can safely be used to both prevent cancer as well as to suppress the spread of the disease when it's discovered.

In fact, the researchers believe that curcumin can be used in preventing both breast and prostate cancers as well as to reduce the metastasis or spread of the cancer. And because it's so well tolerated, they say it can be recommended to anyone who has a higher risk of tumors.

You can take up to 8 grams of curcumin daily safely. If you have prostate problems, talk to your doctor about adding curcumin to your daily supplement regimen. And if you're a woman who has a family history of breast cancer you may wish to do the same.

Turmeric from Oregon Wild Harvest.

Lower stomach cancer risk

Looking for an easy way to lower your risk of stomach cancer. You may want to, considering that it's the fourth most common type of cancer and the second most deadly.

All you have to do is eat a moderate amount of a certain kind of food.

In a new study out of Europe, researchers found that women who ate higher amounts of foods with flavonoids were half as likely to develop stomach cancer as were women who ate the smallest amounts. Women who ate more than 580 mg of flavonoids per day had a 51 percent lower risk of developing stomach cancer than women who ate 200 or less mg per day.

So, what foods contain flavonoids?

Look for plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, nuts, and legumes. Tea's also on the list. And this should brighten your day. So is chocolate and wine.

The researchers state that eating more flavonoids and cutting back on red and processed meat can be an effective one-two punch in reducing your risk of stomach cancer. Other risk factors for stomach cancer include smoking, drinking, and obesity.

So there are plenty of reasons to eat flavonoid-packed foods. They can help strengthen veins and have strong antioxidant properties. They can also dramatically reduce your risk of stroke.

So, enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables, and go ahead and indulge in a little wine as you unwind at the end of the day. You'll be getting some serious health-boosting nutrients while you do. 

If you find that you may need good antioxidant support, check out Enriching Gifts Red Heart Algae, Enriching Gifts Metabolic Complete, FEBICO Natto Complex or Wellgenix Resveratrol.

Brain food - what not to eat

Amazingly the key to keeping your brain firing on all cylinders as you get older may have been in your kitchen all along. No. Not a superfood. It's a food you should avoid at all costs.

New research from the Mayo Clinic finds that eating a lot of carbohydrates and sugar puts you at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment as you age. That translates to problems with memory, thinking, and judgment. Mild cognitive impairment is also considered an early sign of Alzheimer's.

The study included 940 people between the ages of 70 and 89. At the beginning of the study, all of these folks were clear of cognitive problems. Within four years, though, 200 of them were starting to show signs of mild cognitive impairment. 

Study participants who ate the most carbs were about twice as likely to have mild cognitive impairment compared to those who were relatively carb-free. The highest sugar intake was associated with being 1.5 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment.

But, when fat, protein, sugar, and carbs were considered together, the people with the highest carb intake were 3.6 times more likely to develop cognitive impairment.

Scientists believe the raised risk that comes from carbs and sugar could be because carbohydrates affect glucose and insulin metabolism. Too much sugar can actually keep the brain from using fuel properly. It's basically the same effect you see with type 2 diabetes.
 
When you start cutting those carbs and sugars, replace them with good fats (coconut oil, etc.) and healthy proteins. People with the highest intake of fat were 42 percent less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than people who ate the least. And those in the group with the highest intake of protein were 21 percent less likely.

Some people may develop mild depression when first making the switch. You can overcome that down feeling by maintaining adequate levels of vitamins B-12 and D.

Flu shots - part deux

 Recently we mentioned that the press is worried about us because we are not getting in line, rolling up our sleeves and getting a flu shot.

Last year, only 29 percent of people aged 18 to 49 got the vaccine and roughly 42 percent of the population gave in to vaccination.

The good news is that no matter how hard they push, we still have a choice. Unless you are a health care worker in Colorado. And if these folks are losing their health freedom--is ours next?

Last year, a full third of health care workers across the country decided not to get the flu vaccine. Now shouldn't that tell us something? If they are refusing it, isn't it worth following their example?

The Alliance for Natural Health points out that health care workers who refuse the flu shot do so because of several concerns. The flu shot still contains mercury, which has been linked to Alzheimer's. It's never been proven safe or effective. A study that shows that people who got the flu shot were more likely to be infected with H1N1 than people who skipped it. Also they know there are much safer ways to fight the flu, including immune-system boosters like vitamin D.

Back in Colorado, these health care workers aren't being trusted to make their own decisions based on their own research and observations. Nope--if they don't get the shot by the end of this year, they're fired. Yep. You heard it right. Fired. Either line up like sheeple to have an iffy drug injected into your bloodstream, or lose your job.
Big Pharma want's us to believe that "protecting" health care workers means "protecting" us all.

And don't ask Uncle Sam for help. They just dumped $400 million into the hands of vaccine makers like Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline to pump out drugs under the guise of "preparedness protection." Not only that, they have even set up laws to to protect manufacturers from lawsuits in case someone has an adverse reaction.

So the end result is that  Big Pharma comes out the major winner--and we all come out major losers.

This is an attack on civil rights. The hospital has already made allowances for people with medical reasons to avoid the shot: They can wear a mask.

So why not extend that to all people who don't want to be vaccinated?

Probably because paper masks don't make Big Pharma any money, do they?