Saturday, August 30, 2014

Antibiotic Failure



With all the news about Ebola people are starting to become aware of the failure of antibiotics. Most of them think they have no choice but to take whatever the doctor prescribes them, then come back for more when that one doesn’t work. On top of that there are side effects to antibiotics. These can range from diarrhea to allergic reactions and even heart attacks.

Unlike Ebola which is still isolated to Africa there are ‘superbugs’ that are just as dangerous on the streets within the United States and other developed countries. Most of them can be found in any hospital. Some of them are just as deadly as Ebola. The term ‘superbug’ has come to mean any disease that antibiotics won’t kill. Most viruses would fall into this category because antibiotics are useless against viruses, always have been and always will be.

What are some of these superbugs?

MRSA - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, found in most hospitals      
KPC - Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneuTmonia
CRE - carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. This is part of the family that includes E-coli.
Salmonella
Clostridium difficile, an intestinal infection that is linked with IBD.

All of these are becoming stronger, spreading easier and doing more damage to those they infect.  The problem is that the cleaner hospitals try to make themselves using standard methods the worse things are getting. With every known chemical antiseptic and antibiotic there are always some bacteria that survive. Over time they truly become immune to the chemicals.

So what is a body to do?

Where nature can become immune to chemicals nature doesn’t seem to become immune to nature. So when chemicals are failing us we need to return to nature to fight bacteria. Most of these natural things are also antiviral, so you are covered either way. You don’t need to name what is making you sick, and you don’t need a prescription for nature either.
            Local Honey
            Garlic
Ginger
Echinacea
Oregano Essential Oil
Olive Leaf Extract
Goldenseal

Most of these can be used topically as well as internally. Some of them can be used preventively if others in the household are sick.  Whenever you use an antibiotic internally always follow up with fermented foods and a good probiotic. This recharges your good bacteria before the bad ones can multiply and supercharges your immune system.

Sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/046021_antibiotics_superbugs_drug-resistant_infections.html
http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/5-powerful-antibiotics-dont-require-prescription.html#
http://www.naturalnews.com/046375_natural_antibiotics_disease_prevention_herbal_medicine.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/046440_superbugs_antibiotics_CRE.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/046640_sudden_heart_failure_antibiotics_deaths.html

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Are Your Kids Being Diagnosed With ADHD?



More and more kids each year are being diagnosed with learning disabilities. There are some that think that the screening for these is too tight. Others believe that the parents and teachers have lost their tolerance for healthy and active children. Still others believe that there truly is an increase due to the increase in sugar, food additives, antibiotics and hormones in our foods. Along this same line there are those that would say the lack of nutrition in the standard American diet plays a huge role. 

What if they are all right? 

What if there is a combination of all of these factors?  Getting to the cause of these issues is the best way to deal with any problem. It gets harder when there are multiple factors in play.  

If you are a normal parent and you are concerned about your child your first impulse is to find out if there is something really wrong with them. What happens if your doctor can’t find anything wrong, but puts them on a medication ‘just in case’? This seems to be happening a lot in our world today. 

The problem is that those medications have not been proven effective, and come with a host of huge side effects. Typically when side effects occur doctors are reluctant to remove medications, they just add more to cover the side effects.

Those side effects include things like strokes and heart attacks, high blood pressure, slower growth rate, seizures, increased heart rate and eyesight changes or blurred vision. The most disturbing side effects are worsening of behavior and thought processes, new or worsening of bipolar symptoms, new or wore aggressive behavior or hostility, hearing voices and/or acting on those voices, mania, and suicidal tendencies. If the side effects are the same (or worse) than the original problem how can we be sure they are ‘helping’ the child? Parents are being asked to risk the lives and futures of their children with drugs that are inconclusive as to if they work.

What if parents worked on the children’s diets before they opted for drugs? 

What if they took a few classes in behavioral management to teach themselves and their kids how to cope with the behaviors that were being considered unacceptable in the home and classroom?

Nutritionally we always seem to focus on what needs to be taken away. 

In this case it may be a really good place to start. The first thing would be sugar, in all its forms. This includes both foods and beverages, including those so called healthy fruit drinks. Secondly would be all processed foods. Yes, I know that parents have very little time to actually cook, but it doesn’t take that much more time to hand your kid an apple than it does a cookie.  These two things alone would make a huge impact on most kids.

Then we need to look at what might be missing.   

If they have been eating mostly processed foods they are probably missing nutrients, enzymes and fiber. These are actually pretty easy to supplement. Fish oil supplements containing DHA have been shown to have an impact on behavior. So have probiotics and fiber supplements. Eating organically and taking a plant based vitamin and mineral supplements have been shown to help as well. If digestion is suffering a plant based enzyme supplement may also be called for. Probiotics are also a must.

What else could be missing? 

If they are the typical modern child then fresh air and exercise are definitely missing. It is understandable that people in dangerous neighborhoods don’t want their children to be running around outside without supervision. Recess and PE in our schools used to help, but budget cuts have eliminated a lot of them. Parents may have to get creative in order to combat the television and video game culture our children are being indoctrinated with. This may even be the hardest part of the formula for healthier kids, both physically and emotionally.

Sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/040160_DHA_fish_oil_impulsivity.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/040355_ADHD_scam_psychiatry.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/20/drugging-children.aspx?e_cid=20130720_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130720
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/29/adhd-drug-emergencies.aspx?e_cid=20130829Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20130829Z1
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/10/03/antidepressant-side-effects.aspx?e_cid=20131003Z1_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20131003Z1
http://www.naturalnews.com/042555_ADHD_learning_disabilities_myths.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/042948_amphetamines_children_schedule_II_drugs.html

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Acne Solutions are All Natural



Acne is an annoying problem to have. One reason is that everyone can see it. The other reason is that many people think it is caused by dirty skin. But, there are a lot of homeless folks that go around with visible dirt, and they don't have acne.
Science has now found a link between acne and dirt, but it is the dirt inside your body, not on the outside. One of my instructors stated that all skin eruptions are caused by the body trying to push toxins out through the skin. Some people claim that hormones are to blame. This can be linked to the toxicity concept if you think of the body trying to get rid of excess hormones through the skin.
Over the counter medication and antibiotics do nothing for the toxicity level in the body. At best they simply keep the breakouts from becoming infected, therefor they heal faster and aren't as obvious.
Preventing the breakouts is a different matter altogether. The first step includes cleaning up what you put in and on the body by detoxifying the body. The biggest food culprits are sugars and grains. No wonder teenager are plagued with acne, this is what most of them are surviving on. The other things to consider is what you are putting on the skin. Antibacterial soaps, petroleum based moisturizers and most available makeup are full of toxins. They are adding to the problem, and blocking the pores so the breakouts are bigger and deeper.
Once you quit putting garbage in you can think about getting the built up garbage out of your system.
Thyme can be used topically for both healing the eruptions and detoxifying the skin. Another topical treatment is a combination of mint and turmeric. Juice the mint and mix it with the turmeric, then spread it on the breakouts. It can be rinsed off in just a few minutes. Another topical mix to rinse off is garlic and cayenne pepper. I don't think this one would smell quite as good as the mint and turmeric, but the concept behind it is the same. Echinacea is an herb that has been found beneficial both when eaten and applied topically.
Many people with acne actually have dry skin. Coconut oil makes a great moisturizer because it is antibacterial, so it will keep any breakouts from becoming infected. Some people like to use 'toners' to tighten their skin and give it a really clean feel. Apple Cider Vinegar that has been diluted with water makes a great toner. It is also antibacterial, and well as being slightly drying to get rid of that oily feeling.
Sometimes getting a really good handle on great skin means getting some good bacteria into your system. This can be done through eating some fermented foods. I am not talking about the yogurt in the grocery store. Most of those have so much sugar they would actually make it worse instead of better. I am talking about homemade yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and other homemade fermented foods. If you want even more, or can't stomach the fermented foods there are probiotic supplements that can be helpful.
Sleep, sunshine, exercise, water, Omega 3 fatty acids and reducing stress have all been shown to be helpful in the fight against acne. The funny thing is that they have all been shown to be helpful in having a healthy body as well. Maybe we ought to think of the health of our skin as an indicator of the health of our overall body. If the skin is showing signs of toxicity it is telling us that the levels are high enough to be causing problems inside our bodies as well.

Sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/040419_thyme_acne_treatments_benzoyl_peroxide.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/042314_acne_treatments_quick_results_natural_home_remedies.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/042617_skin_conditions_acne_environmental_toxins.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/045105_home_remedies_acne_skin_care.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/06/16/food-causing-acne.aspx?e_cid=20140616Z1_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20140616Z1&et_cid=DM47793&et_rid=555067937