Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Scar Tissue

Your body doesn't know what to do with endometriosis. Misplaced body tissue is basically a foreign invader as far as your body is concerned. The body's response is to try and cover it with scar tissue. Unfortunately, that doesn't help your endometriosis out or your body for that matter.  Soon your insides have a spider web effect of scar tissue binding your insides together. This can be disastrous and painful.

One way to help turn tough scar tissue into softer more pliable body tissue is to rub Wheat Germ Oil on your abdomen. Your skin will absorb the Wheat Germ Oil and get right to work on that scar tissue.

Wheat Germ Oil has to be refrigerated. Pour a little out of the bottle and rub between your hands to warm it a little and then massage into your abdomen. Consider buying a reliable brand like NOW available through Super Supplements in-store or online.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Liver Health

Five herbs your liver will love - detox, boost function and more

The liver is the largest solid organ in our bodies. It can be adversely affected by poor diet and lifestyle choices, alcohol consumption, acetaminophen, non-prescription pain killers, and the myriad of toxins in our environment.

It is responsible for filtering blood from toxins and converts waste products from metabolic functions into urea to be eliminated by urine. It creates bile to help digest fats and carbohydrates.

It also filters out toxins from the blood stream and synthesizes glutathione, the master antioxidant that also helps recycle other spent antioxidants. It also helps balance blood sugars and creates red blood cells.

As our liver goes, so goes our overall health. A poorly functioning liver can push one into diabetes. Acute liver dysfunction includes hepatitis A, B, and C, which are considered infectious, viral inflammations caused by interpersonal contact, sexual contact, or blood.

Not everyone agrees to the viral aspect of hepatitis, especially hepatitis C, but everyone agrees that inflammation is the issue. Cirrhosis of the liver is usually from too much alcohol consumption. But the latest large surge in liver disease comes from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Mainstream medicine is quick to jump on serious interventions, such as liver transplants, if they perceive too much damage for the liver to recover.

Fortunately, under the right conditions, the liver can remain very healthy or be healed regardless of the affliction because it can self-repair cell damage.


Herbs that will benefit the liver regardless of its condition
The more serious the liver problem is, the more of these herbs can be utilized. For maintaining liver health, one or two are worth considering.

Herbs (1) through (4) can be purchased in bulk to make your own tinctures or extracts. Here's a DIY (do it yourself) recipe for any tincture or extract: http://www.naturalnews.com/032298_herbs_tinctures.html

When using root chunks of any herb, don't exceed the one-third point in a large jar with the alcohol-water solution. Use even less in smaller jars. Those little root chunks swell up more than leaves, powders, or seeds.

(1) Milk Thistle (silymarin): This is the most recommended herb of all for liver ailments and/or protecting a normal liver from daily toxins. Milk thistle is available in capsules or extracts, sometimes it's called silymarin, which is the active ingredient that's in the seeds.

Milk thistle is a flowering plant of the daisy family indigenous to Europe, North Africa, and the Mid-East. It has been clinically proven to improve liver function and repair liver damage. Standardized 80 percent silymarin is recommended in either pill or extract form with dosage amounts ranging from 100 to 1,000 mg.

It's common for people with liver issues to take 300 mg three times daily. Whether the liver needs healing or protection, milk thistle can be used for as long as someone wants. It's best to use milk thistle seeds for DIY tinctures.

(2) Dandelion: is another safe liver herb sometimes mixed with milk thistle in capsules, an excellent combination. Some prefer extracts or even teas made from dandelion. Those weird looking weeds with small yellow flowers that many complain about when they pop up in their lawns are dandelions.

In addition to being a good source of most major vitamins, the plant provides iron, potassium, and zinc. Its most cherished function is stimulating the production of bile and its flow between the gall bladder and liver to improve liver function and overall health.

Use bulk root chunks for DIY dandelion liver tinctures.

(3) Burdock root: also purchased as rough cut root chunks that can be easily made into teas. This is a favorite blood purifier among Ayurvedic medicine doctors.

It also stimulates bile flow while helping a weakened liver by purifying the blood and restoring damaged cells. Small burdock root chunks are ideal for DIY tinctures. Allow for swelling during the soaking process.

(4) Artichoke (cynarin): This herb also assists bile production and flow. It helps prevent gallstones and can also dramatically curb jaundice. Dried leaves or dried leaves and flower buds combined are used for tinctures. A DIY tincture can be made without concerns for root chunk swelling.

(5) Turmeric (curcumin): This is the most clinically tested and written about herb for any and all inflammation. Since most liver ailments are inflammatory, it's wise to include it in a liver healing protocol.

Curcumin capsules are readily available. But to ensure maximum absorption, get those that include piperine, an active ingredient from black pepper that helps extract nutrients from foods considerably.

Some also suggest emptying the curcumin capsule contents into a little extra virgin olive oil and downing it. Traditionally, turmeric is mixed with a heated fat, such as gee, milk, or coconut oil to enhance the bio-availability of turmeric's curcumin.



Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041944_liver_function_detox_medicinal_herbs.html#ixzz2e71Y0Trx

Saturday, September 7, 2013

4 Natural Liver Cleansing Foods

Liver health is directly tied to your overall health, and poor liver health could very well be the root cause of many diseases that currently affect millions of people worldwide. Often assaulted with toxic substances like high-fructose corn syrup, which can ‘overburden’ the liver and subsequently lead to complications, it is very likely that your liver has experienced at least some degree of damage due to dietary and environmental factors. In fact, the only way to avoid the buildup of toxins in the liver would be to eat a nearly perfect diet free of additives, fillers, modified ingredients, or chemicals — virtually the opposite of the average American diet, which critically lacks any liver cleansing foods.

Thankfully, it is very possible to repair your liver naturally and help release excessive toxin buildup through the power of healing foods. Here are 5 natural liver cleansing foods:

1. Cleanse Your Liver with Avocados
Avocados have been shown to naturally protect and repair your liver. Containing a high amount of glutathione-producing compounds, avocados can actually help boost the ability of the liver to cleanse itself. Astonishing research has even shown that consuming one or two avocados per week for as little as 30 days can make a serious difference in the state of your liver health. The best part? Avocados can be enjoyed with virtually any meal, and are available throughout the world. Try adding in some fresh, organic avocados with your next meal to reap the benefits of liver cleansing foods like this one.

2. Garlic
The superfood garlic, which is known for its ability to fight against cancer and infections naturally, is also among the many great liver cleansing foods as it is very useful in repairing a compromised liver. While the benefits of garlic for liver health and beyond are many, one reason for its superior effects have to do with the fact that garlic contains numerous sulfur-containing compounds that are known to activate the liver enzymes responsible for expelling toxins from the body. Another lies in the presence of both allicin and selenium, two important nutrients that play an integral role in the protection of the liver from damage.

3. Turmeric
Turmeric can uniquely assist the enzymes that are responsible for flushing out known dietary carcinogens. The result is enhanced protection against liver damage, and even regeneration of affected liver cells. Turmeric is also notably responsible for improving the health of the gallbladder as well. These benefits are in addition to the shocking ability to turmeric to combat cancer in a number of studies. Researchers at the UCLA also found that curcumin — the ‘key’ compound within turmeric — exhibits cancer-blocking properties. The lab found that the enzymes in the patients’ mouths responsible for promoting cancer spread and growth were inhibited by curcumin supplementation. The ingestion of curcumin intake even blocked the spread of the malignant cells.

4. Lemon and Lime
While not exactly one of the liver cleansing foods, warm water with lemon or lime each morning could be one of the simplest and most advantageous methods of improving the health of your liver. High in vitamin C and potassium, lemons can help regulate biological functions. Some experts, such as A.F. Beddoe — who wrote the book Biological Ionization as Applied to Human Nutrition, have also stated that the liver produces more enzymes in response to water with lemon than to any other food.

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/liver-cleansing-foods/#ixzz2coK0ltS7

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Food and Your Thyroid

full article here

Foods That Nourish the Thyroid

Coconut oil. For many people, the simple act of eating more coconut oil is enough to raise their body temperature and supply them with natural energy, which indicates the powerful role coconut oil plays in thyroid health. Buy high quality coconut oil online here.

Cod liver oil. The bioavailable vitamin A in cod liver oil (mainly the quality kind found here) is especially supportive of healthy thyroid function, because the thyroid depends on plenty of natural vitamin A.

Butter. With its plentiful supply of vitamin A and iodine, butter remains a thyroid food that nourishes the whole body.

Eggs. Similar to butter, eggs are a rich source of vitamin A and iodine. Plus, they are en excellent source of protein. Getting plenty of natural amino acids through protein is good for your thyroid.

Seafood. The richest source of natural iodine, seafood played an important role in traditional Asian cultures. These people ate soy (highly fermented, of course) on a daily basis, but also ate plenty of iodine-rich seafood to counteract soy’s anti-nutrients. Sea vegetables like kelp and dulce are especially nutritious, and so is genuine fish broth.

Foods That Damage the Thyroid

Wheat and other grains like rye, barley, millet and oats. There has been some evidence of the link between gluten-sensitivity and poor thyroid function. If your thyroid isn’t in great shape, you’ll probably be better off restricting your intake of gluten. Millet contains goitrogens, and should be avoided if you’re concerned about your thyroid.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, turnips, brussels sprouts and kale. These veggies are known for their thyroid-suppressing properties because they contain goitrogens. Thorough cooking deactivates these to some extent. You don’t have to eliminate these vegetables from your diet, but it would be wise to reduce your intake if you’re concerned about thyroid health.

Soy in its many forms. Soy is a powerful food. Even a small serving of soy each day is enough to suppress thyroid function. So give your thyroid a break and ditch the soy.

Soy. Yes, I am including this one twice because it’s one of the worst foods for your thyroid. Don’t underestimate how damaging this food is to your metabolism.

Coffee. Caffeine overstimulates the thyroid and interferes with the absorption of nutrients that could benefit thyroid health. It’s best to limit your consumption of caffeine-laden beverages like coffee. ***(UPDATE Dec. 2012: My original ideas about coffee and thyroid may be incorrect. As it turns out, coffee may be beneficial to thyroid health in addition to providing other important benefits. Read my latest post on coffee here.)
Remember that regardless of what you are or aren’t eating, not eating enough is a surefire way to interfere with natural thyroid function. Dieting and under-eating are top contributors to thyroid imbalances, so make sure you are eating plenty of real food for your activity level and lifestyle.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Fighting Estrogen Dominance

Besides avoiding estrogenic foods (listed in the Endo Diet) you can also try eating raw carrot. 
“What is so special about raw carrots? Raw carrots contain a special fiber that binds to estrogen in the digestive tract and helps move it out of the body. Hormone researcher Ray Peat found that consuming a raw carrot for just three days in a row significantly reduced estrogen levels.”
from Quit PMS
Another supplement I just learned about is Ca-D-Glucarate. It is known to help remove excess estrogen.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The Stages of Endometriosis

American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and it categorizes Endometriosis into four stages. Classifications are based on:
  • The amount
  • The location
  • The severity
  • Presence and severity of adhesions
Surgeons further classify Endometriosis as superficial or deep:
  • Superficial endometriosis lies more on the surface
  • Deep endometriosis implants are deeper than 5 to 6 millimeters
The four stages of endometriosis have the following general descriptions:
    • Stage I: Minimal – Superficial lesions and isolated incidents of endometrial tissue growth outside the uterus. Possibly a few adhesions.
    • Stage II: Mild - All the above and some deep lesions. Several small implants and a few small areas of scar tissue or adhesions.
    • Stage III: Moderate - All the above, plus presence of endometriomas on the ovary and more adhesions. Superficial and deep implants. Several prominent areas of scar tissue or adhesions.
    • Stage IV: Severe - All the above, plus large endometriomas and extensive adhesions. Many superficial and deep implants as well as large adhesions. Common symptoms includes infertility.