The benefits of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is a flowering plant that is part of the daisy family. It gets its name from its bristly and prickly nature and the “milky” sap that oozes out of the plant. The leaves, fruits, and seeds of milk thistle have been used for centuries as a natural medicine. Milk thistle is one of the world’s most powerful liver detoxifying agents.

Milk thistle was used by medical herbalists in the late nineteenth century to treat varicose veins and liver, spleen, and kidney disorders. Today, it is primarily used to improve the function of the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal system. Many individuals have seen dramatic improvement using milk thistle for health issues such as psoriasis, menstrual problems, jaundice, and poor circulation.

Milk Thistle and Liver Health

The active antioxidant compound within milk thistle is the flavonoid complex called Silymarin. This anti-oxidant is one of the most powerful liver detoxifying agents. It helps to boost glutathione and superoxide dismutase which are two the body’s master super antioxidants. One study found that silymarin increased glutathione content in the intestines and liver by up to 50%. Boosting glutathione helps protect the intestines from inflammatory damage that leads to ulcers and colitis.

Milk thistle guards the liver’s numerous hepatic cell membranes and slows the rate at which toxins can be absorbed into the liver. Research has shown that silymarin enhances protein synthesis to enhance liver cell regeneration and counteract the effects of poisons on the liver. It has been used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver, cirrhosis-liver poisoning, and viral hepatitis.

Silymarin and Kidney Health

Silymarin concentrates in kidney cells where it helps repair and regenerate protein enzymes and DNA. One study indicated that it increased kidney cell replication by 25-30% over control groups. This is extremely important for individuals who have suffered mild-to-severe kidney damage from infections, kidney stone formation, or environmental toxins.

The kidneys are one of the major organs that are damaged by chemotherapy agents. Research has shown that the major compounds in silymarin protect the kidneys from these dangerous drugs. In particular, they protect the cell membrane of the kidney, cells allowing for healthy cell receptor activity.

Silymarin is considered to be 10 times as potent as vitamin E and increases the activity of the powerful antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) in red and white blood cells in patients suffering with liver disease. This increases oxygenation and immunity.

Studies have shown that the major compounds of silymarin are silybin and silychristin. These compounds have a low absorption rate at about 20-50%. It is better to use milk thistle in a standardized extract. Milk thistle can also be fermented in an organic acid base for optimal digestion and nutrient assimilation.

Milk Thistle as a Demulcent

Milk Thistle is a demulcent that improves the health of the body’s mucous membranes. This reduces inflammation within the skin cells, sinus and respiratory tract, and kidney and bladder wall lining. It also reduces inflammatory stress in the bile duct and inhibits the formation of gall stones. This improves the functionality of the gall bladder and allows for complete bile release.

Milk Thistle also helps soften and improve the moisturization of the skin, This is especially helpful for individuals with acne and exzema and other skin impurities. It has also been shown to improve the overall glow and radiance of the skin quality.

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Cure Gout Naturally

Gout is a disease in which uric acid levels accumulate and cause massive damage and swelling to various joints of the body. The uric acid is caused by poor dietary habits and metabolic stress. Specific lifestyle strategies can help reduce the symptoms of gout and restore proper metabolic function to beat gout naturally.

When uric acid accumulates it forms sharp crystals called urates which penetrate and irritate the joints. The most common areas to be effected by urates are the big toe, feet, ankles, wrists, knees, and elbows. Gout is extremely painful and most physicians are unable to treat it effectively without dangerous medications.

For years doctors have been telling us gout is caused by a disruption in purine metabolism. Purines are molecules that are formed by a grouping of nucleic acids that are prevalent in foods such as red meat, organ meats, seafood, and alcohol. Organ meats such as kidney and liver contain the most purines by far.

Gout and Fructose Metabolism

Recent research has linked gout formation with elevated fructose consumption. This second biochemical pathway indicated that fructose triggers the body’s production of uric acid from an important energy molecule, adenosine triphosphate.

In New Zealand, the Maori people rarely encountered gout. Now, ten to fifteen percent of their population has gout symptoms in their lifetime. Seafood seems to be the major trigger for these Pacific islanders; however, they have always eaten a lot of seafood. These people eat fifty times more sugar and fructose (much like typical Americans) than they did 100 years ago.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrated that individuals who drink one fructose-rich beverage a day are 74% more likely of developing gout than those who drink the same beverage once per month. Individuals who drank two or more fructose sweetened beverages are 97 percent more likely to develop the disease.

Fructose is a form of sugar molecule that is most often found in corn, fruit, and many plant based sweeteners such as agave nectar and honey. It is important to reduce fructose consumption by avoiding anything with high fructose corn syrup and minimizing the consumption of fruit juices, agave nectar, and honey. Minimize the use of all fruit other than low fructose fruits such as berries, avocados, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

Anti-Gout Nutrition Plan

The typical diet for individuals with gout should be low in sugar and grains. Instead, focus on anti-oxidant rich vegetables and healthy fat sources. The best fat/protein sources include coconut products, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, and sprouted nuts and seeds. Healthy protein sources include 100% grass-fed beef in moderation, 100% raw grass-fed cheese, organic poultry, and wild fish.

Individuals with gout do much better when they stick to an 80% raw diet. Any cooked food should be reserved for the evening meal. The daytime meals should be liquid in the form of shakes, cacao avocado mousse, and vegetable juices. Salads, guacamole with veggies or raw, sprouted seed crackers are also great. Before any cooked food is eaten, a digestive enzyme with lipase, protease, and amylase should be used to enhance digestion. Lots of clean water should be consumed during the day and intermittent fasting for periods of 16-24 hours is encouraged to help detoxify the kidneys, liver, and colon.

Individuals with gout should use apple cider vinegar and fresh squeezed lemon on salads, grains, and meat. This helps provide organic acids and more enzymes and anti-oxidants to help pre-digest the meal. Fermented foods such as non-processed sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, amasai, and coconut kefir are also very helpful.

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The Top Apps Helping People Live Organically

In pursuing a healthy, grounded lifestyle, you might be tempted to distance yourself from the technology that is becoming so ubiquitous in our lives. Consider though that as much as a tablet or a smartphone can sap our energies and squander our time, they can also be as much a blessing as they are a curse. It’s all about finding balance. Use your technology thoughtfully and it can even become an instrument of positive change in your life and help you live more organically.

There are now scores of tablet and mobile device apps designed to help people live, eat, play and work more consciously. When it comes to living an organic life in particular there are so many amazing and mindful apps out there. Here are some of the best we’ve found:

Organic Life

Finding shops and businesses that share your commitment to living organically isn’t always easy – especially when you’re new to an area or traveling. This app automatically pinpoints your location and creates a custom list of organic retailers and restaurants so you can shop and eat mindfully anywhere in the country. From there, you can get directions, download coupons, read and write reviews, and share your favorites with loved ones.

GoodGuide

Making wise decisions about how you live your life requires understanding what kind of environmental, health and social impact the products you use are making. The GoodGuide database features thought-provoking ratings of more than 170,000 products and companies, making it easy to be socially responsible and safe. Scan barcodes or search to instantly find out if what you’re buying is in line with your core values.

Fooducate

The food you eat should nourish not only your body, but also your mind, heart and soul. Fooducate lets you make more conscious decisions about how you nourish your whole self by helping you find foods that are cleanly and minimally processed, rich in macro and micro nutrients, and natural antioxidants. Each product you scan is given a score along with information about how that score was derived and when called for, healthy alternatives.

Locavore

It’s been said that there’s nothing healthier for people or the earth than locally grown seasonal food. This app lets you take an organic, mindful approach to eating by locating the closest farmers’ markets and farms, listing what is in season in your area, and providing thousands of seasonally appropriate recipes. You can even inspire your tribe to eat locally by sharing your favorite farm finds on Facebook.

Organic Spa Magazine’s Skin Care Guide

What you put on your body can be as important as what you put into your body, which is why Organic Spa Magazine developed an app that highlights the leading skin care and cosmetics companies devoted to helping people find natural, healthy, eco-friendly beauty solutions. Never forget you can look your best without sacrificing your values.

The Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides

You’ve no doubt heard of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen, but it’s often easy to forget what vegetables and fruits appear on which list. The Environmental Working Group has created a duo of apps that bring their definitive guides to uncontaminated eating to your tablet or smartphone. You’ll never again forget which produce should be on your ‘always buy organic’ list and which are okay when conventionally grown.

Organic Gardening Planting Planner

Your dedication to organic living doesn’t end where your backyard begins, which is why Organic Gardening magazine created an app to make conscious garden management easier. Create an amazing biodynamic garden of flowers, herbs, or food by selecting what you want to grow. The app generates the best dates for seed starting and outdoor planting, as well as optimal harvesting, based on your GPS location.

Remember, there is nothing inherently out of balance about technology. It’s how we approach it that determines whether it becomes a distraction or empowers us to live more authentically and as watchful stewards of Mother Earth.

The SuperFood Power of Blueberries

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond their nutrient value are considered Superfoods. These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids. Blueberries contain an extraordinary amount of unique phytonutrients and impressive anti-oxidant scores that make them a superfood.

Blueberries are a native plant to North America. They grow in shrubs from from 8-10 inches tall up to 5-6 feet tall. Maine is considered the largest low bush blueberry producing country. Michigan produces the most high bush growing blueberries.

This summer superfood is loaded with antioxidant phytonutrients called anthocyanidins. These nutrients powerfully neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues. In addition, anthocyanins have been shown to improve capillary integrity and enhance the effects of Vitamin C.

Blueberries Boost Brain Function

The anti-oxidant power of blueberries has been shown to be particularly useful in stabilizing brain function and protecting the neural tissue from oxidative stress. Studies have shown improvements in memory and learning while reducing symptoms of depression. Blueberries also contain other major phytonutrients including pterostilbene, resveratrol, flavonols and tannins. All of these have been shown to inhibit the development of cancer cell growth.

The riper the berries the more anti-oxidant power they contain. To assess the ripeness of the berries look at the color. Riper berries are a darker blue. Blueberry season is mid-late summer, June – August. Most frozen berries are picked at maximal ripeness and frozen.

Very Important to Buy Organic Blueberries:

Purchase organic blueberries due to the high amount of petrochemical pesticides that are used on conventional varieties. In June of 2011, the Environmental Working Group labeled non-organic blueberries a significant concern. Blueberries grown in the US ranked 10 out of 53 of the most pesticide laden fruits and vegetables tested. They have made the list of the “Dirty Dozen” with this finding.

The term “wild” is considered a marketing term that producers of low bush blueberries have used to help sell their blueberries. Wild blueberries may or may not be organic. One should always check labeling and certifications.

Frozen blueberries are fantastic in shakes and smoothies. Blueberry seeds are significantly smaller than that of other berries such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. The small size makes them less challenging to digest and more palatable in a shake than other berry seeds.

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Beat Alzheimer’s Disease Naturally

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the fastest growing diseases in the industrial world. It is characterized by massive degeneration of the brain that causes disruptions in memory, cognition, and personality. Ultimately, Alzheimer’s results in death. Approximately, 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to go up to 15 million by the year 2050. Take action now to prevent and reverse Alzheimer’s disease with natural strategies.

Alzheimer’s disease cripples the brain to the point where new memories cannot be formed. In end stage Alzheimer’s, those afflicted cannot take care of their most basic needs. Most individuals survive for 5-10 years.

Alzheimer’s Disease Creates a Massive Economic Burden

These individuals need constant caregiving which creates a massive economic burden on the family. New reports show there are more than 15 million Americans providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s. This is a tremendous financial, physical, and emotional burden. The average caregiver taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s encounters over $50,000 in out of pocket expenses each year.

Research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease development and progression is highly influenced by lifestyle factors. A recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease confirmed earlier reports that Alzheimer’s is characterized by chronic inflammation and insulin resistance in the brain. Researchers have titled this pathophysiological pattern type-3 diabetes.

Poor Blood Sugar Signaling

These researchers found that as blood sugar signaling patterns are disrupted, it leads to elevated blood sugar and the formation of Advanced Glycolytic End Products (AGE’s). AGEs are highly inflammatory and they cause massive destruction throughout the body and have an affinity for neurological tissue. The AGEs destroy cell membrane function and damage insulin receptor activity creating a vicious cycle of elevated blood sugar and inflammatory stress.

The brain is primarily water, fat, and cholesterol. These are all key building blocks for promoting healthy brain function and rebuilding a damaged brain. The proper diet to beat Alzheimer’s is rich in phytonutrient dense vegetables, healthy fats, and clean protein sources. Healthy fat sources such as coconut, avocados, olive oil, and sprouted nuts and seeds must take a central role in the diet to promote healthy brain function.

Clean Proteins and SuperFoods

Healthy proteins include wild-caught fish, grass-fed red meat and organic chicken, turkey, and eggs. Grass-fed beef is loaded with long-chain omega 3 fatty acids, saturated fat, cholesterol, vitamin B12, and conjugated linoleic acid, which are all necessary for healthy neurological function. Additionally, grass-fed beef contains carnosine, wild salmon contains astaxanthin, and organic pasture-fed eggs have retinol, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These fat-soluble anti-oxidants protect the brain and neurological tissue from AGEs and other damaging free radicals.

100% grass-fed raw, fermented dairy products such as amasai, kefir, cheese, and whey are packed full of brain building nutrients and they protect the gut and de-inflame the body. Superfood herbs like turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, rosemary, thyme, ginger, basil, boswellia, etc. should be used as much as possible.

Regular Exercise & Vitamin D3

Regular exercise and sun exposure are extremely critical factors to boost oxygenation, anti-aging hormones, and vitamin D3 levels. Vitamin D3 supplementation of 10,000 IU daily is often needed. Whole food based multivitamins, extra B complex vitamins, zinc, and selenium as well as probiotics and purified omega 3 fatty acids should be used as well.

Individuals at risk for Alzheimer’s have sleep challenges throughout their lives and have reduced melatonin signaling systems in their brain. Establishing regular sleep cycles, going to bed early, and getting 8 full hours of sleep is essential. Using certain teas with herbs like valerian root, chamomile, and passionflower can be especially useful.

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Health Benefits of Avocados

The Anti-Aging Power of Avocados

Foods that have an incredible array of health benefits that go well beyond just their nutrient value are considered superfoods. These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids. Avocados are one of the best anti-aging superfoods to consume.

Avocados are native to Central America and were a favorite food of the Aztec Indians. The avocado plant is part of the flowering plant family Lauraceae, which includes camphor, bay laurel ,and cinnamon. Avocados are considered a fruit. They are cultivated in tropical climates throughout the world, including southern Florida and California.

Avocado’s Have a Long, Rich History

The oldest known evidence of avocado use as a food was found in a cave in Puebla, Mexico. The dates of the writings are thought to be from around 10,000 BC. The two major types of avocados are the Hass Avocado and Florida Avocado. The Hass avocado was named after Rudolph Hass who developed an avocado farm and obtained a patent for the avocados he was growing.

The Florida avocados are significantly larger than the Hass avocado’s but are lower in overall fat and calories. The Hass avocado is more dense in monounsaturated fatty acids than the Florida avocado. The Hass avocado averages between 18-30% fatty acids while the Florida avocado has about 3-5% fats. This equals out to the Florida avocados being about 25-50% of the total fat content found in the Hass avocados.

Avocados Rich in Healthy Fats & Anti-Oxidants

This amazing fruit is very high in healthy oleic acid. This is a monounsaturated fat that helps increase fat metabolism. It is also rich in the powerful carotenoid anti-oxidants lutein and zeaxanthin as well as Vitamin E (tocopherol).

These anti-oxidants decrease oxidative stress and allow for a healthier cellular environment. Other critical components include ionic potassium and folate. These elements are alkaline forming in the body, helping to buffer acidic wastes that accumulate within the human tissue and bloodstream.

Avocados Enhance Nutrient Assimilation

Avocados are a terrific complement to a vegetable based meal. Most vegetables, particularly in their raw state, contain a high amount of carotenoid based anti-oxidants. Studies have shown that these anti-oxidants are lipophilic (fat-loving) and are absorbed best in the body when combined with a healthy fat such as oleic acid.

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition in March 2005 showed that adding avocados to salads increased absorption of alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and lutein 7.2, 15.3, and 5.1 times higher, respectively, than the average amount of these carotenoids absorbed when avocado-free salad was eaten.

Hass avocados have been found to be the most densely concentrated variety of the avocado fruit. They contain the highest content of lutein and zeaxanthin and other fat-soluble nutrients. Both types of avocados are terrific for the digestive system as they contain a good variety of both soluble and insoluble fibers.

Avocados’s Have Anti-Aging Nutrients

Avocados are one of the best anti-aging foods that prevent wrinkles and skin aging. The D-manno-heptulose sugar that is found in avocados has been shown to improve the skin’s epidermis by boosting collagen formation. Avocados also contain specific amino acids and carotenoid anti-oxidants that reduce age spots, soothe inflammation, and heal scars and burns.

When looking to find a ripe avocado, it is best to feel the consistency rather than judge them off of their color. Ripe avocados that are still good are typically firm but have slight give to them. Any sort of mushy consistency is a warning sign that the inside meat is oxidized and rotten.

Refrigerating your avocados will increase their shelf life while putting them in a bag with an old banana peel will make them ripen faster.

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How to Detoxify Bad Estrogens

Aging and high levels of physical, chemical, and emotional stress are associated with the loss of progesterone in women and testosterone in men. When these key hormones are depleted, it causes a state of estrogen dominance. This state of estrogen dominance is one of the major factors associated with degenerative disease processes.

“As a species, we`re on a fast track to extinction,” says Ori Hofmekler, author of The Anti-Estrogenic Diet. “In the past few decades, men have lost 50% of their sperm count and within only one generation, the average man’s sperm count and testosterone have dropped by 20%. Women are no better. Staggering figures show that most women today are suffering from female disorders and three out of ten women between the ages of 35 to 60 will develop breast cancer.”

Xenoestrogenic Chemicals

Most conventional food products and modern lifestyle habits are estrogenic in nature. The over reliance on highly processed, chemically-laden industry based goods and products seems to be the major culprit. Xenoestrogens are artificially made compounds produced by industry. These differ chemically from archiestrogens (naturally occurring) produced by living organisms.

Xenoestrogens mimic the effects of true estrogen and interact with cellular receptor sites. This process contributes to estrogen excess and blocks the effects of true estrogen. To make matters worse, these endocrine disruptors lodge in fat cells where they are resistant to breakdown. Many of these chemicals will act in a synergistic effect when combined with other endocrine disrupters. This synergistic process exponentially enhances their effects within the body causing major problems at the cellular level.

Overburdened Liver

This excessive bombardment of artificial hormones taxes the liver, which desperately tries to break down the excess to effectively eliminate it from the body. Over time, the hormone is stored in fat cells. Chronic liver stress causes severe problems with toxicity, digestion, metabolism, and inflammation among other things. The symptoms of this include high cholesterol as well as lowered energy and immunity.

Poor liver function causes an inadequate breakdown of older hormones, allowing them back into the bloodstream in an even more toxic form than when they originally entered the liver. The toxic form of estrogen dramatically increases the risk for breast cancer, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, cervical dysplasia, prostate issues, menopause, andropause (male menopause) and thyroiddisorders.

Estrogenic Foods & Environmental Sources

Certain foods are full of estrogenic molecules and chemicals. These include conventional meat and dairy, which are loaded with hormones and antibiotics from animals that were also fed a diet rich in estrogenic grains. Soy isoflavinoids are highly estrogenic as are sugars, additives, preservatives, and processed foods and beverages. Grains and beer (fermented barley) are highly estrogenic as well.

Major environmental sources of estrogenic substances include plastics and canned goods. Personal care products, oral contraceptives, pharmaceuticals, Styrofoam products, pesticides, and herbicides are highly estrogenic. Be sure to avoid typical laundry and dishwashing detergents, household cleaners, and air fresheners which are all loaded with estrogenic chemicals.

Anti-Estrogenic Foods

There are many great foods that help the body detoxify estrogen. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts , and cabbage contain several powerful nutrients that detoxify bad estrogenic molecules. These nutrients include Indole-3 Acetate, Indole-3 Carbonyl and Diindolylmethane. These cruciferous veggies also include sulfur, containing nutrients such as Sulfuraphane and Phenyl Isothiocyanates that enhance liver detoxification processes and destroy cancer cell formation.

Anti-inflammatory foods that are rich in saturated and omega-3 fatty acids such as 100% organic, grass-fed beef and dairy, organic poultry, wild-caught salmon, and wild game are anti-estrogenic. Plant based fats such as avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil are all powerful anti-estrogenic superfoods. Raw nuts and seeds such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, chia, and hemp seeds are rich in anti-estrogenic plant sterols.

Anti-Estrogenic Herbs

Onions, garlic, and scallions are rich in sulfur containing amino acids and the powerful anti-oxidant quercetin that both help the liver detoxify at a higher level and reduce the production of estrogen. Herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, and turmeric are loaded with volatile oils that promote liver detoxification. Turmeric has a potent ability to destroy estrogen receptor positive cancer cells which are the most commonly found cells in breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancer.

Using organic acids is an advanced strategy for liver and gut health that enhances the body’s ability to remove these unwanted estrogenic molecules. Squeeze fresh lemon, which is rich in citric acid, in water and on salads, veggies, meats, and other dishes. Apple Cider Vinegar contains acetic acid; fermented raw dairy from grass-fed cows contains lactic acid. There are other products that contain fermented superherbs in an organic acid base that are extraordinarily powerful for enhancing detoxification processes and neutralizing bad estrogen metabolites.

Sources For This Article Include:

http://www.drjockers.com/2009/11/estrogen-balance/
http://www.naturalnews.com/029720_hormones_health.html
Hofmekler, Ori. “The Anti-Estrogenic Diet.” North Atlantic Books. 2007.