Did you know that inflammation is the cause of much of our pains, achiness, fatigue and overall general malaise as well as chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease? Lots of things can cause inflammation. It is actually a protective devise, a way for our body to fight off harmful pathogens. It is when the inflammation doesn’t go away when the “fight” is over that we end up the victim of our own body’s protective devices.

Start by eliminating some foods to which you have a sensitivity or allergy to see if you end up feeling better when not indulging. Foods like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are called “nightshade” plants and can cause arthritis. This won’t be easy to do but a couple of weeks without any of these foods (or tobacco since it, too, is a nightshade plant) could revive your health. Remember that potato and tomato ingredients, especially, are used in many other products, such as potato starch, modified food starch, vegetable starch, tomato paste, ketchup, etc. and you will want to totally eliminate these nightshade ingredients from your diet while testing their relationship to your pain. Look for these products in prepared foods like sausages, mock crab, meatballs, French fries and anything cooked in the same vegetable oil as the fries. Then, look for pepper ingredients (any/all peppers like cayenne, green, red, chipotle , dried pepper flakes) added to foods. Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, luncheon meats, salad dressings usually contain some form of pepper. Also check out any over-the-counter drugs for modified starches used as a filler. If you notice a difference in your wellbeing after a couple of weeks, then consider eliminating these foods permanently from your diet.

Now consider introducing or adding back into your diet an ingredient that cuts inflammation and lowers your risk for heart disease and macular degeneration; that is, nuts. It only takes a small handful of fresh, raw (and protected from the air) almonds, macadamia, filberts, etc. per day to get the benefits of mono and polyunsaturated oils and vitamin E to protect against inflammation. Since nuts can become rancid rapidly, buy small quantities and freeze until use. Peanuts are not actually nuts, by the way; they are legumes. Peanuts that come from organic soil will not contain the harmful chemicals that are used in the soil when peanuts are grown as an alternative crop to cotton, one of the most highly chemicalized materials grown. When cooking use nut oils. They will add wonderful aroma and flavor to your meals.

Include plenty of antioxidants in your diet. Fish oils, coconut oil, omega 3 oils lubricate joints and reduce inflammation.

Supplement your diet. Buy a good quality multivitamin/mineral supplement to improve your daily nutritional intake. After all, none of us eats a perfectly nutritious meal every time we eat! Make sure that the supplement includes vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium and magnesium of equivalent mg because too much calcium can contribute to arthritis if it stays in your joints and it needs magnesium to move it. Glucosamine sulfate is a natural anti-inflammatory agent and you may want to include this as well

We have heard since the 1950’s that calcium is needed for strong bones. The milk industry has consistently increased their ads towards the health benefits of milk and milk by-products over these intervening years. Milk and strong bones have almost become synonymous. According to the advertisers, milk is good for growing children and for adults, especially women. However, milk alone is the not the whole picture.
In the last decade, the idea of including magnesium in the equation of strong bone health has increased slowly. Health food advocates have helped point out that magnesium works with calcium and actually moves calcium into the bones. These advocates also include a good diet of whole grains, beans, dark green vegetables, nuts and seeds, and tofu and soy products. However, our Standard American Diet (SAD) does not follow this good diet and instead consumes far more meat and dairy products than this diet suggests. Perhaps we should reconsider the calcium/magnesium ratio of 2/1. Why? Because our diet provides lots of calcium but not as much magnesium so we are not getting that ratio from our diet; and, accordingly, supplementing with a 2/1 ratio does not balance out the proper amounts that we should consume.

Nan Kathryn Fuchs, PhD, of Advanced Bionutritionals, suggests the secretion of a hormone called calcitonin and a hormone called parathyroid “PTH” “regulate the levels of calcium in the bones and soft tissues and are related directly to osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. PTH draws calcium out of the bones and deposits it in the soft tissues, while calcitonin increases calcium in the bones. But the optimum execution of these two delicate functions is dependent upon having sufficient magnesium.”

Pusan National University also found that supplemental magnesium may reduce blood pressure in people with elevated blood pressure, as published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. High blood pressure (hypertension), defined as having a systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) greater than 140 and 90 mmHg, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

These findings suggest that magnesium supplementation may help prevent the progression of hypertension in normo-magnesemic non-diabetic overweight people with higher blood Pressure. The study adds to findings from epidemiological studies which reported that more magnesium, potassium and calcium may reduce the risk of hypertension in certain populations although mechanisms of counter-regulation preventing further blood Pressure increases remain to be studied further.

So, it appears that we need to look at our diets again and judge for ourselves if we are taking in the proper amount of calcium and magnesium based both on the foods we eat and the supplements we are taking.

It’s spring! It’s time to enjoy the outdoors and indoors! Time to make our space clean and comfortable!

Part of our springtime is spent cleaning the grime and grit of winter from our walls, windows, floors, fabrics and everything in between. How about using some common, natural household items that you probably have in your cupboards already? Check out these “other” uses for your regular household staples.

Basic Ingredients and Uses
• Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) neutralizes acid, softens fabrics, as well as deodorizes, cleans and polishes metals, plastics or your teeth
• Borax deodorizes, prevents mold and mildew, and removes stains
• Washing soda or borox (sodium carbonate decahydrate) removes grease, and cleans laundry
• Cornstarch cleans windows and carpets, and polishes furniture
• Isopropyl alcohol disinfects
• Lemon juice deodorizes, cleans glass, and removes stains
• Mineral oil polishes furniture
• Vinegar removes mildew, grease, and wax; deodorizes; cleans windows, brick, and stone
• Hydrogen Peroxide (3% that can be bought at your local pharmacy/drug store) can be used as a mouthwash (BUT, DO NOT SWALLOW), cleans kitchen or bath counters. (There is another variety that can be used to treat medical problems, but this requires knowledge for proper handling and proper dosage and a mistake can be fatal, so I don’t recommend it without a LOT of homework.)

Natural Cleaning Products You Can Make
• Air freshener: Place shallow plates of vinegar in rooms to absorb odors; sprinkle ½ cup borax in the bottom of trash cans or diaper pails to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold that cause odors
• All-purpose cleaner: Place 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water and shake well.
• Disinfectant: Mix ½ cup borax into 1 gallon of hot water.
• Drain cleaner: Pour ½ cup baking soda down drain, add ½ cup white vinegar, and cover the drain. Wait 15 minutes and then pour 1 gallon of hot water down the drain.
• Metal cleaner and polish: For stainless steel, use undiluted white vinegar; for tarnished copper, boil the item in a pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar.
• Oven cleaner: Moisten oven surfaces with water and sprinkle baking soda on them. Scrub with steel wool.
• Toilet bowl cleaner: Mix ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into toilet, let set for 5 minutes, then scrub with brush.
• To clean counters, tables in the kitchen or bathroom, apply, in sequence, vinegar and then hydrogen peroxide (or vice versa). Just use a spray bottle. The combo is bactericidal for food-born illnesses and a fair viricide (an antiseptic which reliably deactivates or destroys a virus).so using one after the other, is an effective solution that is better than a plain Clorox solution.-

Years ago, Type 2 Diabetes was called “Adult Onset Diabetes” because the average age for coming down with the problem was 40 or older. It is generally caused by what you eat. An historical (familial) predisposition for diabetes does not mean that you have to have the problem at all, just that you should be more careful with your diet.

Children at a younger and younger age are now experiencing problems with Type 2 Diabetes!. The decline toward diabetes can begin in the womb. Pregnant mothers who eat high fat, unhealthy foods are sending the results of such poor eating habits directly to their unborn child increasing the possibility of developmental complications. After birth, these children are then given the same unhealthy, high fat foods at an early age by the same mothers who continue poor eating habits.

In addition to becoming overweight, or obese, this problem poses big medical problems. Diabetes is being linked to many health issues including blindness and cognitive complications, such as memory fogginess after meals, or actual memory decline. This memory loss can be devastating. Older adults may experience Alzheimer’s or another dementia; children may suffer from slow learning problems or an inability to learn complicated functions impairing their lifelong abilities to function effectively as an adult.

Changing the diet is crucial. Eating vegetables and fruits, lean cuts of meat, and cutting back drastically on prepackaged foods and especially snack foods and drinks containing lots of sugar, hydrogenated oils or salt is vital. In addition, adding good whole food supplements can improve the body’s ability to rid itself of toxins and improve the blood sugar level. Research is showing that antioxidants like beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium can maintain mental capabilities even while high fat meals are still being consumed although it is not recommended. A change of diet is still the best and most important direction to go in.

Detoxification of the body is a great way to jump start a new healthy lifestyle. Check out natural detoxification programs that provide nutrition to keep you healthy while you detoxify. Take a look at the Organica ad on the right sidebar for a quality detoxification program.

All of us should detoxify our bodies periodically. After all when you think on it, we detoxify or change out the oil in our cars periodically so that they will continue to run efficiently. Why shouldn’t we clean out our bodies so that our bodies will continue to work efficiently!

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is one of the best starts you can give your body. Exercise is also helpful in a couple ways. Sweating is one of the means your body has to rid itself of toxins that each of us takes in from our surroundings, like those of air pollution or chemical compounds from our food or drugs either prescribed or over-the-counter. Exercise also helps the body’s natural elimination process to move on a regular basis.

Detoxifying doesn’t mean fasting although fasting is a method of detoxifying and can feel exhilarating. It does mean that we watch carefully what we eat, eat less, drink lots of water and/or clear liquids and eat wholesome foods while making sure to increase the fiber that will help clear the body.

No, detoxifying doesn’t mean diarrhea. When done well, regular, but controlled elimination takes place.

Starting slow is definitely acceptable especially if you’ve never participated in a detox program before. Decide to eat and drink only fruits and vegetables for a weekend, for instance. If this gives you the jitters or a headache because it is too different a program for your body, then add some brown rice to the diet. Be sure to taper off your caffeine if you are addicted otherwise you’ll end up with a headache almost certainly. This will help you feel better and give you the incentive to work at a longer lasting detox program later.

Start by preparing for your new journey. It is important that good quality vitamins and minerals are included in the detoxification program in order to help keep up your strength, energy and vitality during the process. Bring your own lunch to work so you can control exactly what you have to eat and drink. This may take effort and will take preparation. Eliminate any and all packaged foods and any and all high sugar and high fat content foods and drinks. Stay away from fast food places. Instead eat and drink only fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains while detoxifying.

Natural methods of detoxifying include using herbs which are known to help the body rid itself of toxins and waste products. What not give a natural method a try? Check out the natural energy greens drink from IVL, for instance.

I know you’ve heard before what I’m about to suggest.  Healthy food is like the oil in your car; it lubricates the system and keeps everything running smoothly.  Both toxins and waste clog the system making your body sluggish and creaky.  Toxins help grind down the needed cushioning that keeps the joints running smoothly.  Waste that remains in the system too long begins to decay that which surrounds it.  Not good!  How does your body react to this?  Like a car that limps, you begin to slow down and feel pain.

Are you willing to change your diet?  Has an attitude of persisting in not changing your diet improved how you feel?  If you continue to eat the way you’ve always eaten and you continue to be in pain isn’t it worth trying something new to help yourself?  After all, you are worth the effort it will take.

It doesn’t take much effort if you start slow.  Look at all the dark, green, leafy vegetables and the cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli or cauliflower, (using fresh vegetables, not canned or frozen) and pick one that you will make a point to include in your diet on a regular basis.  Check out several recipes and use at least three of them.  Make the one that you like best a part of your regular menu planning.

Once you have gotten used to eating that vegetable try another one and repeat the process.  Add recipes as you become accustomed to the taste of the vegetable so that you are using a particular vegetable in more than one way, like sautéing, steaming or baking.  Continue this method until at least three new vegetables have been added to your regular food intake.

Next get adventuresome and put some of these new vegetables together with each other or with other ingredients that you have been eating all along.  Include fresh fruits in this method of improving your diet in a slow, steady pace.

It will take time for your body to become accustomed to the new procedure, but the new diet will improve how your body is able to eliminate toxins and waste and you will gradually notice a lessening of arthritic pain.  And remember, that you are worth the effort!

In addition to other factors, weight is a cause of arthritis. The ankles, knees and lower back especially must carry the full measure of your weight. Take a look at the size of your knees for example and picture them carrying 150, 200 or 300 lbs. or whatever you weigh. Yuh, it’s a lot to carry! The more the weight the heavier the load, and the quicker that cartilage will wear down (the cushioning substance that adjoins bones).

Do you take antibiotics regularly? Antibiotics don’t know the difference and eliminate the good flora as well as the bad bacteria, so don’t overdue your antibiotic intake.

As we age, our hormones change and women, especially, can find themselves out of balance as they go through peri-menopause. When a body is out of balance, many different kinds of illnesses can erupt, one of them can include arthritic symptoms.

There are natural means for cutting into the pain caused by arthritis. Hydrotherapy is one that you can easily do at home, according to Dr. Marcus Laux, ND. Take a warm shower for 1 minute, then change the temperature to cool for 30 seconds. Turn the temperature again to warmer than before, again for 1 minute. Then, again, turn the temperature down to cooler than the time before for 30 seconds. Repeat both steps above. Make the shower gradually warmer to as hot as you can handle each time you raise the temperature and then cooler to cold each time you change the temperature. End with the cold shower and be amazed how much better you feel. Dr. Laux states to make sure to end the process with the cold shower because it “contracts the blood vessels which forces both blood and lymph fluid to move along. It’s like having your blood vessels, lymph nodes, and pores working out with aerobics!”

Arthritis is painful! Joints like your fingers or knees hurt, the back hurts and it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. You may have osteoarthritis as an aging issue or because of a previous injury suffered years ago. The first happens as the body gradually wears and tears cartilage (the cushioning substance that adjoins bones); the second happens because of an old sports injury or accident that healed but is remembered by the injured site and pops up again because of continued wear and tear over time.

Has your MD told you that it’s incurable but suggested that you take “this drug” to help alleviate the pain? Let’s examine a possible other cause of your pain.

Check out your diet. Sometimes allergies cause pain in other places besides your stomach or head. Write down everything you eat (everything includes snacks, cough drops, etc.) for at least one full week or up to a month. Include in your notes how you are feeling when you get up out of bed and before you eat, and again after you eat each meal. Make a note of what products are included in the meals, such as fresh, frozen or packaged foods, or like milk, peanuts, wheat, processed foods containing hydrogenated oils or margarine, like those found in potato chips, etc. As the week or month progresses watch for a pattern. At the end of the week have you noticed that your pain is more prevalent after eating certain foods? Some allergies can take days to show up after consumption of the product, so examine the entire week or month.

Talk to your doctor and get an allergy test if any pattern does show up or you are left with questions or possibilities. This test will verify your suspicions and keep your doctor informed of your needs. Eliminating foods that you are allergic to can make a huge difference in your overall well-being, and you may find out that eliminating foods to which you are allergic will also eliminate your arthritic pain.

Since weight is a major problem in our country, I thought I’d provide a few small suggestions for getting back to a normal weight.

THINK THIN.  It may sound funny but what you are thinking about yourself makes a big difference on what you do or how you act.  Think of yourself as already being your ideal weight.  Converse with yourself about how you are thin, at a perfect weight, ideal just the way you are.

Believing that you are thin will actually help you control your desire for the wrong foods.  If you are thin, you don’t need or want the candy, cake, cookies or cheesy snacks.  Tell yourself that a perfect body doesn’t desire such items and then walk away from them.

Stay away from temptation as much as possible.  Don’t go to the snack isles in the grocery store when shopping.  Stay out of the kitchen unless you are preparing a meal or eating one.  Do not allow eating in any other room other than your kitchen or dining room.  Drink your coffee in another room where there are no candy dishes or snacks on the counter or in the refrigerator. Cut down on sugary drinks including diet sodas that contain sugar substitutes and added salt that actually increase habitual drinking.

Try some natural substitutes for some of the foods you currently eat.

Organic cane sugar is sweet and nutritious and satisfies sugar cravings without the negatives of refined sugars, like white, sucrose or fructose sugars.  Eat nuts instead of candy.  Add more natural grains to your diet so you won’t feel hungry between meals.  Try foods that help you lose weight like lean, red meat, hot cayenne pepper and regular yellow mustard that help boost metabolism.

Start one good habit, just be persistent and don’t worry about the times you fail.  It is the times you get it that count, a little each day will improve the habit by sticking to it.  IDEA:  Make it a habit to have a glass of water (or at least a half glass of water) before you allow yourself to eat any snack or drink any other drink (especially one with sugar or a substitute sugar ingredient).  Lots of times we are actually thirsty, not hungry, when we feel the desire to snack.