The first scientific study to test the effects of food preservatives on beneficial bacteria has been published, and the results do not bode well for our health. Researchers from the University of Hawai‘i Maui College have found that sulfites in food preservatives, generally recognized as safe for consumption at levels of 5000 ppm (parts per million) or less, killed or inhibited the growth of beneficial bacteria at levels of 3780 ppm or less. In the words of lead researcher Dr. Sally V. Irwin,

Studies show a significant increase over the past 40 years in food allergies, obesity, and metabolic disorders that have a direct correlation to disbiosis, or changes in the microbiome…In trying to understand what in our environment may be causing this change, the use of many food preservatives and their effects on beneficial bacteria came to mind.”

What They Found

Sulfites are a food preserver found in dried fruits, wine, beer, bottled lemon and lime juices, processed meats, canned goods, and occur naturally in sauerkraut and its brine. Common sulfites include sulfur dioxide, potassium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, and sodium bisulfite. They are frequently used to stop fermentation, which is why they are most commonly associated with fermented beverages like wine.

Related: The Gut-Brain Connection – How it Affects Your Life

For this study, researchers chose four known beneficial bacteria, Lactobacillus species casei, plantarum and rhamnosus, and Streptococcus thermophilus, and tested their reactions to two different preservatives, sodium sulfite and sodium bisulfite. The sulfites were in concentrations from 10 to 3780 ppm and exposed to the bacteria for six hours. After only two hours of exposure to sulfites concentrated at 250-500 ppm, all four types of bacteria tested showed no increase or a substantial decrease in cell numbers when compared to the sulfite-free control.

Related: Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease

These results should not be surprising, as this is what sulfites are designed to do. They are added to stop fermentation, the development of bacteria. Many modern innovations do what they are designed to do, but there is often a resistance to believe that what they do could also be harmful. Antibiotic-resistant superbugs are on track to kill more people than cancer by 2050, a result of our indiscriminate love affair with antibiotics, that miracle of modern medicine.

The Implications

This is a preliminary study in that its subjects are lab-grown bacteria and were exposed to the sulfites for a fraction of the time that occurs during real-world digestion. Yet the damage to that beneficial bacteria was clear.

Related: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

We depend on our beneficial bacteria. Without it, we are more vulnerable to serious infections, autoimmune disease, obesity, and numerous other damaging health conditions. This study solidly links what is in our food with one of the most serious health issues we face – the decline of our gut microbe diversity. It’s also the only study directly dealing with the effect of food additives on beneficial bacteria.

But there used to be one guy talking about the damage antibiotics do. Now we have a wealth of information confirming just how much damage messing with the gut microbiome can do.

Sources:

• UHMC Study: Common Food Preservatives Kill Beneficial Bacteria – Maui Now
• Sulfites inhibit the growth of four species of beneficial gut bacteria at concentrations regarded as safe for food – Plos One
• Gut Bacteria in Health and Disease – NCBI
• Probiotics, Bacteria, and Our Health – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

There are a variety of things that can impact a man’s sex drive: stress, performance anxiety, relationship problems, health conditions, and food consumption are just a few.

Some libido inhibitors are difficult to manage, but fortunately, the majority of situations call for quick, simple, and natural methods to increase sexual appetite.

For example, a couple of changes to your diet can greatly enhance your libido.

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

How Food Affects Sex

Food has a very powerful influence on our bodies. It can either help or hinder the body’s functionality.

When it comes to sex, there are a couple of significant ways your diet will impact your performance:

• Blood flow: Erections are caused by relaxed muscles that allow for greater blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it is important to look for foods that increase, not decrease, blood flow.
• Testosterone: Testosterone is one of the primary ingredients in a man’s libido. Any foods that impact hormone levels will also impact sex drive.
• Emotions: Stress and anxiety often inhibit libido. Foods that have a calming effect on the brain will improve the quality of sex.

Foods That Increase Libido

If you are looking for a natural way to ignite the spark, add these delicacies to your shopping cart.

Related: The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them

Food	How it Helps
Spinach	Spinach has an abundance of magnesium. By decreasing blood vessel inflammation, magnesium helps increase blood flow.
Peppers	Spicy peppers increase your metabolism, which makes your heart beat faster and pump more blood.
Ginger	Ginger greatly improves artery health, improving blood flow.
Bananas	Bananas are high in potassium. Potassium is needed to balance out an abundance of sodium, which decreases blood flow.
Potatoes	Potatoes are another food with significant amounts of potassium, aiding blood circulation.
Fatty fish	Omega-3 fatty acids found in foods like wild salmon, sardines, and tuna increase dopamine production. Not only does dopamine improve circulation, but it also makes you feel more relaxed—and sex more enjoyable.
Dark chocolate	Dark chocolate increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, which makes you happier and less anxious.
Pumpkin seeds	The tryptophan in pumpkin seeds also increases serotonin production, meaning the decreased stress makes your performance even better.
Oysters	The zinc in oysters increases testosterone levels and enhances physical performance.
Pesto	The pine nuts in pesto are rich in testosterone-producing zinc.

Foods That Decrease Libido

If you want the most healthy sex life possible, avoid these foods whenever possible.

Related:

Food	Why it’s Bad
Diet soda	The aspartame in diet soda decreases serotonin production—and libido.
Microwave popcorn	The acid found in the lining of the popcorn bag can kill your sex drive and cause long-term damage to your prostate.
Alcohol	Alcohol is a well-known depressant that inhibits the ability to establish and maintain an erection.
Soy	Soy can decrease sperm count and negatively impact libido.
Sugar	Sugar can deplete testosterone levels, causing your interest in sex to wane.
Licorice	The glycyrrhizic acid in licorice also decreases testosterone production.
Mint	Menthol is another inhibitor of testosterone production.

Eating a nutritious diet is essential for maintaining overall health, and sexual health is no exception.

What are your favorite libido-enhancing foods? What do you try to stay away from? Sound off in the comments section!

Related:

• Reversing Erectile Dysfunction Naturally
• Increase Libido and Treat Erectile Dysfunction with Natural Methods
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Sources:

• 20 Foods to Supercharge Your Sex Drive – Eat This, Not That!
• Low Sex Drive? Hair Loss? Fatigue or Muscle Mass Loss? – Low T Medical Clinic
• The Cancer Risk of Microwave Popcorn – Livestrong
• Soy foods ‘reduce sperm numbers’ – BBC News
• Licorice reduces serum testosterone in healthy women. – US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health
• Foods that are killing your sex drive – Fox News

We are watching the end of the antibiotics era, and experts are busy examining all of the usual suspects, but in looking at all of the overprescribing from doctors and veterinarians we’re ignoring another source of antibiotic saturation – the dental industry.

The Quiet Ones

A recent study from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) found that 36 percent of dentists report prescribing antibiotics in situations not recommended by the American Dental Association. In 2015, dentists general and specialist combined to issue more than 24.5 million antibiotic prescriptions. Dentists most commonly prescribe penicillin, amoxicillin, and other related antibiotics in that family. Many of these antibiotics are already ineffective against several major bacteria, including E. coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Related: Heal Cavities, Gum Disease, Naturally with Organic Oral Care – Toothpaste recipes included

The consequences of antibiotic overuse are one of the most serious health problems facing the world today, but not everyone recognizes that. Most studies and articles concerning antibiotic resistant-bacteria fails to mention dentists as a factor in that. That is also reflected in the MDH study, where 34 percent of people who recently received antibiotics from a dentist did not have those pharmaceuticals listed on their medical charts. Another worrying trend? Dentists appear to be increasing their rate of prescribing these treatments.

Recommended: How to Kill Fungal Infections

Is Anyone Listening?

As a kid, no one wants to go to the dentist, and it’s clear as an adult that a visit to the dentist for mouth problems is likely to end in a prescription for antibiotics. Dentists are usually ignored or pushed to the side when it comes to discussing health. They are their own insurance category, have an entirely different governing body to report to, and have easily been able to separate the health of the mouth from the health of the rest of the body. We now know that separation does not exist. Holistic dentistry is on the rise but until it’s more accepted, getting a dentist to listen to your concerns about how antibiotics and other procedures could impact your overall health is like…pulling teeth (lolz!).

Related: How to Detoxify From Antibiotics and Other Chemical Antimicrobials

So what do you do?

• There are two things that all dentists recommend that are essential: brush and floss. Stop cheating. Routine is your friend.
• Look up oil pulling and start doing it. At first, this is easier said than done. The oil feels slimy, and the average person’s jaw is simply not ready for twenty minutes of sustained swishing. Work up to it.
• Getting in front of an infection is super important. If you’re feeling any kind of pain, assume it’s an infection and chew on raw garlic for as long as you can before spitting it out. Even if you don’t technically have an infection yet, a round or two of that will knock it right out.
• Sugar does not cause cavities. But sugar feeds the less desirable bacteria in the mouth and gut, allowing infections to more easily take root. Replacing sugar with fresh raw produce feeds the beneficial bacteria and maintain a healthy homeostasis. Diet is the key to holistic health, and we often forget to include the mouth in that.

Health Comes First

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria will kill 10 million people a year by 2050 if things stay the same. Many medical journals, doctors, and researchers are sounding the alarm. Though dentists don’t seem to be as concerned, they are the issuers of 24.5 million antibiotic prescriptions a year, and they need to be part of the conversation.

Related: How to Detoxify From Chemotherapy and Repair the Body

Sources:

• Antibiotics for dental procedures linked to superbug infection, study shows – Eureka Alert
• Superbugs could kill more people than cancer, report warns – CBS News
• Heal Cavities, Gum Disease, Naturally with Organic Oral Care – Toothpaste Recipes Included – Organic Lifestyle Magazine
• It’s time to break down the wall between dentistry and medicine – Stat News

A new study presented in San Diego of 140 premenopausal women in Bulgaria who found that urinary tract infections (UTIs) were reduced by half with when their water consumption increased by 1 and a half liters. The women included in the study previously had experienced UTIs more than three times a year. After dividing the test subjects in half, researchers found that the group who increased their water intake by 1 and a half liters (6 cups) averaged 1.6 infections a year and the group who did not drink more water reported an average of 3.1 infections.

Drink more water. Experience fewer UTIs. Is it really that simple? The answer is yes and no. UTIs don’t magically develop because you’re not drinking enough water, though a dehydrated body is more susceptible to infection and any number of ailments from headaches to constipation to depression to acid reflux. Consider these health issues. Consider the time, money, and effort that goes into treating these ailments. Why aren’t we putting as much effort into preventing the UTI as we are into treating it?

The Very Beginning

Conventional medicine says that a urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra. The belief is that the bacteria comes from the rectum, and studies show that 80 to 90 percent of bladder infections are caused by E. coli, an intestinal bacteria. Many holistic health practitioners suspect that leaky gut may also be a common cause of UTIs. The E. coli bacteria has a long, hair-like appendage with the protein FimH at the end of it. That protein forms a tiny hook. The hook helps the E.coli hang on and gives it a chance to grow and irritate the urinary tract. The urinary and intestinal tracts are composed of the same mucosal tissue and much like the gut, the E. coli that end up in the urethra can be balanced by beneficial bacteria, particularly lactobacillus. If there isn’t enough lactobacillus to balance the E. Coli, the risk of UTIs increases. Other common UTI risk factors include:

• Sex
• Holding in urine for too long
• Feminine products
• Hormone shifts
• Dehydration
• High blood sugar or uncontrolled diabetes
• Kidney stones

Recommended Reading: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

While physiology makes UTIs are more easily noticed in women and much of the literature on them is geared towards women, they do affect men as well. In fact, older men are most likely to be hospitalized for serious kidney and bladder infections, usually the next phase of an untreated urinary tract infection. Rates of emergency visits for people with UTIs remain highest among the elderly, although there is a bump among women 15-25 years old. Fifty to sixty percent of adult women have experienced a UTI in their life, and that familiarity could explain why women are less likely to be hospitalized than men. Being able to recognize UTI symptoms quickly and deal with them effectively can be the difference between a mild inconvenience and a serious bladder or kidney infection. Some of the ways to spot a UTI are obvious (it burns when you pee), but other signs of a distressed urinary tract are equally important. These include, but are not limited to:

• A constant need to urinate
• A burning sensation when you urinate
• Cloudy, foul-smelling urine
• Pain or pressure in the lower abdomen
• Feeling tired
• Fever and chills
• Back or side pain

Regular lower back pain is a sign of a sluggish renal system. A sluggish renal system allows pathogens to colonize. Fluid gets stale, it doesn’t move as it should, and pathogenic activity increases. The organs become swollen and put pressure on the hip and lower back joints. This can make it difficult to stand up straight and elongate the back. If the pain decreases after urination, this is the sign that none needs to detox the urinary tract and the liver and gut.” – Michael Edwards

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, how can you stop a UTI from going any further?

Treatment Options

Once you realize that you have or could soon have a UTI, time is of the essence. If you decide to go the conventional medicine route, you’ll be given antibiotics. UTIs are the second most common reason to prescribe antibiotics, but this method harms more than it helps. Yes, harmful bacteria like E. coli are eliminated, but the slow-moving lactobacillus necessary to keep the harmful bacteria in check are also destroyed. Without those beneficial bacteria to balance the vaginal ecosystem, antibiotics have turned a simple UTI that research now tells us could have been resolved with drinking more water into a breeding ground for a potentially recurring infection.

Recommended Reading: How to Cure Lyme Disease, and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally

It is naive to think that a bladder or urinary tract infection should attempt to be cured just by simply drinking more water. But this study also proves that there are other potential treatment methods out there that haven’t been properly explored due to how easy it is to prescribe antibiotics. Many of these methods also have the benefit of strengthening your overall body ecosystem and preventing future infections. In addition to drinking lots of water, other common holistic treatment options include:

• Cranberry – According to Web MD, cranberry juice, extract, or supplements help about as much as taking antibiotics to prevent another UTI. It is most effective when paired with higher PH urine or a balanced microbiome. The tannins in cranberry make it effective against E. coli and prevent it from colonizing the urinary tract. Cranberry also supports the kidneys, making waste elimination more efficient. All cranberry is not created equal, though so make sure you use unsweetened cranberry juice, not from concentrate. The taste can be gnarly, so do yourself a favor and check out this lemonade recipe. The recipe makes it easy to add cranberry to your everyday routine.
• Probiotics – Good bacteria are needed to manage harmful bacteria overgrowth. Without them, E. coli and other disruptors are able to flourish. For a UTI (or anything really), it’s important to pick a probiotic that makes it to the problem area. Lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, or kim chi are great sources of beneficial lactobacillus, but it remains to be seen if they make past the stomach acid. Your best bet is looking for a probiotic with an acid-resistant capsule.
• Garlic – Garlic has some fantastic antimicrobial properties and is effective in eliminating a range of bacteria and fungus, including candida. The properties are a result of the compound allicin which occurs when a sulfur-based compound called alliin, and the enzyme alliinase in garlic come into contact. To take full advantage of the allicin, leave the garlic for a few minutes after it has been chopped. This allows the alliin and alliinase time to create more allicin. Keep your garlic raw to get the most benefits, but swallowing raw garlic by itself can cause nausea. Raw, chopped garlic on salads is an especially effective deployment of the herb.
• D-Mannose – Of all of the remedies listed, D-mannose has received the most attention from researchers. In a 2014 study of its efficacy, D-mannose was more successful than nitrofurantoin, an antibiotic, at reducing recurring UTIs and had fewer side effects. D-Mannose is related to glucose and derived from cranberries, peaches, and other berries.
• Vitamin C – Vitamin C enhances the immune system, improves liver function, and inhibits the growth of E. coli. Pregnant women experiencing vitamin c treatment for three months experienced fewer urinary infections, according to a 2007 survey. It acidifies the urine, limiting bacteria growth. Vitamin c does come in supplement form, but many of those are derived from corn. Your best bet to increase your vitamin c intake to eat more produce, as it’s found in oranges, kale, peppers, and a multitude of other beneficial goodies.
• Oil of Oregano – Active against all of the clinical strains of bacteria tested (including E. coli), oil of oregano acts like an antibiotic without contributing to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.It does this with extremely high levels of antioxidants and is antiparasitic, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. It is a powerful, indiscriminate killer that can reset the microbial environment in the intestines. It can be very harsh to irritated or sensitive skin, so capsule form is likely the easiest way to use it.

None of those actually fix the root cause of UTIs, though. Environment matters. Many people don’t have complete control over the pesticides sprayed on their food or what is happening with the waste produced by the chemical company down the street or 15 miles away. There is, however, another environment that you can and should exert control over in the quest to be healthy – your gut environment. This is where it all starts. When you have a UTI or bladder infection, something has gone wrong with the gut. Diet is crucial.

Recommended Reading: How to Kill Fungal Infections

Bad bacteria will always be there, but infections occur when the good bacteria are no longer able to keep them in check. Good bacteria are slow moving globs of protection that crowd out and starve off pathogens. Cultivating this good bacteria is essential to balance the pathogenic bacteria. Diet builds and nurtures beneficial bacterial colonies. Bad bacteria thrive on sugar and other refined foods, and it’s no coincidence that our most beneficial gut bacteria prefer to live off of a variety of beneficial raw veggies, fruits, and herbs.

We Need Fewer Antibiotics…Start Now

Antibiotic resistance is here. By necessity, we must look somewhere other than antibiotics, and there are other options that conventional medicine is not considering. If reducing UTIs by half is accomplished with a treatment as simple as drinking more water, what do we even need them for? For years, medicine has pushed for a cure rather than prevention. As margins for error in health keep decreasing, choosing to treat and support your body with diet and lifestyle before you get sick is the best way to never get sick.

Fast UTI Protocol

Cranberry juice is the secret. But not just any cranberry juice will do, it must be 100% cranberry juice with no other juices or sweeteners added. Conventional cranberry juice with high fructose corn syrup or table sugar will more often than not feed a urinary tract infection.

Lakewood is a common brand of cranberry juice that is available in the U.S. It is pasteurized but it is not reconstituted (not from concentrate). If you can find cranberry juice that’s unpasteurized at your local farmers market, or make it yourself, even better. If you cannot find the cranberry juice get a cranberry supplement. For those with recurring UTIs. have both on hand if possible.

At the first sign of kidney problems, like slow, shy, or otherwise difficult urination, take a gulp of cranberry juice straight, and then make a gallon of cranberry lemonade. This will help detoxify the kidneys, liver, gallbladder, and to a smaller extent the gut. If the infection has set in, SF722 and a probiotic would be in order. For chronic urinary tract issues, taking SF722 daily and always having nettle leaf and this kidney tea (or tincture) on hand is advised.

Related Products:

• Cranberry
• Probiotics
• Urinary Tract Formulas

Must Reads:

• CBD Oil – A Comprehensive Guide To Cannabidiol
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

Sources:

• To Reduce Risk Of Recurring Bladder Infection, Try Drinking More Water – NPR
• Top 12 Natural Home Remedies for UTI – Dr. Axe
• Urinary Tract Infection – How Bacteria Nestle In – Science Daily
• What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections – Body Ecology
• 8 Most Common Causes Of UTIs – Prevention
• Women suffer most from urinary tract infections, men more likely to be hospitalized – Science Daily
• Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections – Topic Overview – Web MD
• Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

Monsanto halted the launch of NemaStrike, a chemical designed to be applied to crop seeds. On November 1st Monsanto pulled the launch, following reports that it caused skin rashes on people. NemaStrike, is designed to protect corn, soybeans, and cotton from worms that reduce yields. The company said it conducted three years of field tests across the United States in preparation for a full launch and that more than 400 people used it this year as part of a trial.

Monsanto called NemaStrike a “blockbuster product”. It’s another setback for the company that has been battling to keep other products on the market lately.

Monsanto said it conducted three years of tests across the U.S. in preparation for the product’s launch. They say more than 400 people used the chemical, and some of the people reported skin problems.

There have been limited cases of skin irritation, including rashes, that appear to be associated with the handling and application of this seed treatment product.” – Brian Naber, U.S. commercial operations lead for Monsanto.

Recommended:

• Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• PCBs, Roundup, and Dicamba – Monsanto’s Current Problems
• Monsanto Wants the Omega-3 Fatty Acids Market

Sources:

• Monsanto halts launch of chemical after users complain of rashes – Reuters

Cannabis, marijuana, weed, pot — no matter what you call it — it contains CBD. Although it won’t get you high, this plant compound can take your health to the next level.

What is CBD and CBD Oil?

Cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, is one of over 60 compounds called cannabinoids that are most commonly found in the cannabis plant. Most cannabis plants contain less than 4% CBD, so the only way to get a good amount of this cannabinoid is from pure CBD oil. Most CBD oil is extracted from industrial hemp, which usually has a higher CBD content than marijuana. After extraction, the CBD is added to a carrier oil and sold at many different potencies to be used in a variety of different ways.

However, before we go deeper into the uses of CBD oil, we need a better understanding of what sets it apart from other cannabinoids. For example, you might already be familiar with another popular cannabinoid found in cannabis called THC. THC is infamous for being the reason why we get high when we smoke or consume “edibles,” but it also has a non-psychoactive form called THCA that is present when cannabis is in its raw form. CBD, on the other hand, plays many different roles in the body and never gets you high regardless of how much you smoke it.

The Difference Between THCA, THC, and CBD

Industrial hemp (a popular variety of the cannabis plant) tests out at less than 0.3% THC. THC rich cannabis in its raw form is non-psychoactive. “Raw” THC is actually THCA. What we call “Marijuana” is cannabis that tests out with THCA between 5 and 35%.

THCA is beginning to demonstrate immense therapeutic qualities. Some people add THCA-rich cannabis leaves and flowers to their salads and smoothies, others consume with a tincture.

Related: How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

THCA becomes the psychoactive THC through a chemical process called decarboxylation, which occurs with heat and time. The delivery methods for THC are smoking, vaporizing, and consuming “edibles.” Drying and curing cannabis will cause some decarboxylation to occur. Cured cannabis flowers will often test for small amounts of THC along with THCA. THC is fat soluble (and not water soluble). THC infused cooking, from pesto to chocolate, is made by heating ground up THCA rich cannabis with oil at 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 Celsius) for 30 to 45 minutes. THC rich treats are commonly referred to as “edibles,” and they typically have massive amounts of sugar btw!

THCA’s Therapeutic Properties

THCA is the most abundant cannabinoid in a plant, depending on the time at when it is tested. THCA has been seen to have many benefits in a limited number of studies. Studies have found THCA to be anti-inflammatory, neuro-protective, anti-emetic, and anti-proliferative. There is plenty more this compound can do, and there are other cannabinoids, like the many varieties of terpenes and THCV, all proving to have some similar and some very different effects, and many of which are proving to be medical viable in very different ways.

The science on all of these other cannabinoids is in its infancy. The cannabinoids that we know most about, however, are CBD and THC.

The Relationship Between CBD and THC

In particular, the effect that CBD can have when ingested with THC has garnered significant interest. What research has found so far is fascinating.

For example, when active THC is ingested alone, it increases pulse rate, disturbs time tasks, and induces strong psychological reactions in some people, but when CBD is ingested with the THC, it blocks most of these adverse effects.

CBD also has been found to decrease the anxiety component of a THC “high” in such a way that the study subjects reported more pleasurable effects when CBD was included with the THC. This evidence suggests that it is better for our health to have a higher percentage of CBD in or with our cannabis if we decide to ingest the plant in any form.

The Dark Side of Cannabis

It is an even better idea, however, to rarely consume THC unless you have a medical condition that has been proven to be helped by a combination of THC and CBD. When we look through the research, you will see why I am making such a cautionary statement about THC.

In a scientific paper on the current state of cannabinoid research, the authors found that the current trend for preferring higher THC content in cannabis carries significant health risks, particularly to those who are susceptible to its harmful effects. For example, Morgan and colleagues carried out a study on 120 current cannabis users, which included 66 daily and 54 recreational users, whose hair analyses revealed their THC and CBD amounts. The study found that higher THC levels in the hair of the daily users were associated with increased depression and anxiety, as well as weaker performance on memory tasks. On the other hand, higher CBD levels in the hair were associated with lower psychosis-like symptoms and better memory.

Epidemiological studies also point toward an association between the use of cannabis and the increased risk of developing a psychotic illness, in a dose-dependent manner. In other words, what this study found is that you are more likely to develop a mental disorder as your THC consumption increases. On top of that, they also found that increased cannabis use is often accompanied by symptoms of depression and anxiety.

However, this is only epidemiological evidence, so it should only be used to inform further experimentation on THC’s effects. The truth is that only a small minority develop a full-blown psychotic illness in the form of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The majority of cannabis users, ranging from 15% to 50%, will only experience transient psychotic symptoms of brief duration, for a couple of hours to up to a week, and will usually recover without requiring any intervention.

These “transient psychotic symptoms” may be experienced in the form of an auditory hallucination like hearing voices or by having increased anxiety or paranoia for hours to days after the THC high wears off.

Whether you experience unpleasant side effects from THC use or not, it is best for anyone who has a family history of psychosis or anyone who has had symptoms of psychosis in the past to avoid THC altogether. On the other hand, CBD rarely causes side effects, and when it does, they are relatively minor.

The Side Effects of CBD oil

CBD oil is well tolerated by most people, but there are some potential side effects — especially at higher doses. According to a review in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, the most common side effects include:

• tiredness
• diarrhea
• changes in appetite
• weight gain or weight loss

Another review of the potential side effects in humans found that CBD rarely causes issues with dosages of up to 1500 mg/day (orally). The good news is that most people won’t even need to take half that dose to reap the benefits of CBD.

The Benefits of CBD Oil

Although the research regarding CBD’s effects on the body is in its early stages, it has already been found to affect the body in various ways.

Preliminary evidence suggests that CBD oil:

• modulates the immune system
• reduces inflammation
• decreases seizures
• relieves muscle tension and stress
• improves mental health
• protects brain cells from damage and inflammation
• prevents nausea and vomiting
• regulates bowel motility
• lowers heart rate
• decreases blood pressure
• has anti-cancer properties against gliomas and lung cancer

To follow up on these promising effects, researchers conducted more studies. As a result, we now have relatively convincing data that backs up these following benefits of CBD oil:

Anxiety Reduction

Both animal and human studies indicate that CBD has anti-anxiety properties. In fact, in a recent double-blind study carried out on patients with generalized social anxiety disorder, it was found that CBD significantly reduced their anxiety.

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Anti-psychotic effects

As we discovered earlier, CBD can actually decrease the psychotic effects that THC can have on the body. Without the presence of THC, CBD can further help reduce symptoms of psychosis.

Decreased Inflammation

CBD has potent anti-inflammatory properties throughout the body and brain. In fact, it is such a powerful inflammation reducing agent that one study suggests that CBD may decrease inflammation too much in some people. This could put the body at a higher risk of illness and infection. However, when CBD is used at lower doses or in people who have chronic inflammation, it can be highly effective at improving immune system function.

Cancer Growth Inhibitor

CBD has been found to slow the growth of lung cancer, as well as trigger apoptosis (cell death) in brain and spinal cord tumors. This makes CBD oil a promising supplementary treatment for certain types of cancer. Hopefully, it will garner enough evidence to become the first line of treatment for cancer.

Helps Reduce Seizures

Both THC and CBD have been found to reduce the severity and frequency of seizures, but CBD is clearly a better option. This because it has shown better results than THC, and it doesn’t seem to negatively influence the brain in any way.

 Arthritis Pain Reduction

A study in the European Journal of Pain used an animal model to see if CBD could help people with arthritis manage their pain. Researchers applied a topical gel containing CBD to rats with arthritis for four days.

Their research found a significant drop in inflammation and signs of pain, without additional side effects. This indicates that people using CBD oil for arthritis may find relief from their pain, but more human studies need to be done to confirm these findings.

Improved Quality of Life for People with Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the entire body through the nerves and brain.

Muscle spasms are one of the most common symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. Studies have found that short-term use of CBD oil can reduce the spasms.

The results are modest, but many people reported a reduction in symptoms. More human studies are needed to verify these results.

Pain Relief

CBD can also be used for general chronic pain. After compiling the results of dozens of trials and studies, researchers concluded that there is substantial evidence that cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic pain in adults.

Related: What Causes Chronic Inflammation, and How To Stop It For Good

Improved Sleep Quality

Research has found CBD to be more effective than a common insomnia drug at improving the length of sleep. This finding suggests that CBD can be helpful for people with sleep disorders like insomnia.

How CBD Works — The Endocannabinoid System

At this point, you may be thinking that CBD sounds too good to be true. How could a random little plant compound have all of these seemingly unrelated effects on the body? Well — you can thank your endocannabinoid system for that.

Each one of us has an endocannabinoid system that receives and translates signals it receives from cannabinoids in the body. Unfortunately for many cannabis consumers out there, we do not have this system because we’ve evolved to smoke weed every day. The purpose of the endocannabinoid system is to regulate various systems throughout your body with the cannabinoids that your body manufactures.

Even though our knowledge about the role of the endocannabinoid system is still evolving, the available evidence indicates that this system has multiple regulatory roles in neuronal, vascular, metabolic, immune and reproductive systems. Because of its involvement these systems, endocannabinoids affect functions such as cognition, memory, motor movements, pain perception, inflammation, body weight regulation, cardiovascular health, stress response, appetite, and sleep.

How CBD and THC Interact with Our Endocannabinoid System

Cannabinoids from plants like THC and CBD have such a massive impact on our bodies because they mimic the cannabinoids that we make inside our bodies. For example, when we get “high” from THC it is because that cannabinoid is interacting directly with cannabinoid receptors in our cells that end up triggering the experience of feeling “high.”

As you might have alright assumed, CBD interacts a bit differently with our endocannabinoid system than THC. Instead of acting directly on the receptors, CBD activates or inhibits other compounds in the endocannabinoid system.

For example, CBD stops the body from absorbing anandamide, an endocannabinoid in our body that is associated with regulating pain. Increased levels of anandamide in the bloodstream may reduce the amount of pain a person feels.

The distribution of the endocannabinoid system in the brain is also something to take note of.  If you look closely at the brain cells in areas of the brain that go awry in various mental disorders, you will find endocannabinoid receptors. This points us in the direction of a mechanism that explains why THC is linked with psychosis and why CBD mitigates these effects. Perhaps CBD prevents THC or our own cannabinoids from triggering mental health issues.

This is a fascinating hypothesis, but it is beyond the scope of this article. Instead, let’s take our discussion to a practical place to find out what dose we need to experience the benefits of CBD.

How Much CBD Oil Should You Take?

Below are some general CBD dosage guidelines:

• General Health: start small at 2.5-15mg CBD by mouth daily and increase until you feel positive effects
• To treat anxiety disorders: oral doses ranging from 300 to 600 mg (supported by multiple studies)
• To treat chronic pain: 2.5-20 mg CBD by mouth daily (anecdotal suggestion)
• To treat epilepsy: 200-300 mg CBD by mouth daily with antiepileptic medication (backed by research)
• To treat sleep disorders like insomnia: 160 mg CBD by mouth daily (supported by multiple studies)

The right dose of CBD varies from person to person. Generally speaking, larger individuals may prefer a higher dose of CBD than smaller people.

If you are not sure how much to take, then start with a smaller dose and scale it up a few milligrams at a time to meet your personal needs. Also, those that have a medical condition should always consult with their healthcare professional before consuming CBD.

Other Considerations When Taking CBD Oil

Using CBD oil can make the medications that you may be taking more or less effective. For example, CBD may improve the effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs such as valproate and clobazam, while being negatively impacted by other antiepileptic drugs like carbamazepine and phenytoin. For this reason and because of how little we know about how CBD interacts with different medications, it is crucial that you discuss CBD oil supplementation with your healthcare professional and make adjustments to your dosages in small increments.

Another thing to consider is the long-term effects that CBD has on hormones and other aspects of health. To this day, there are no studies that examine how CBD oil supplementation impacts the body over extended periods of time. However, current studies suggest that CBD oil is safe at the dosages recommended above in the short and long term.

It should also be noted that all of the studies we explored in this article were performed using either adults or animals. The safety of CBD oil in children and pregnant women is not well understood. We do know, however, that the endocannabinoid system is an active player in the placenta, impacting fetal development. Future research may find that CBD oil can help improve the health of the mother and the fetus during pregnancy, but at this point, there is no evidence to back up that assumption.

Key Takeaways & Recommended CBD Oil Sources

Although the research on CBD oil is scarce, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it can help a wide range of people with a variety conditions.

Research indicates that CBD can help people with:

• anxiety disorders
• insomnia
• psychosis
• chronic pain
• arthritis
• epilepsy
• chronic inflammation
• cancer
• multiple sclerosis

Even if you don’t have one of these conditions, CBD can be helpful for improving general health by reducing stress, pain, and inflammation. Just make sure you get your CBD oil from a trustworthy source because CBD oil — like every other supplement — is not well-regulated.

Related Products:

• CBD Oil – Green Lifestyle Market

Recommended Reading:

• How to Cure Lyme Disease and Virtually Any Other Bacterial Infection, Naturally
• Candida, Gut Flora, Allergies, and Disease
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Hypothyroidism – Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid

Sources:

• Cannabis, a complex plant: different compounds and different effects on individuals — NCBI
• An Update on Safety and Side Effects of Cannabidiol: A Review of Clinical Data and Relevant Animal Studies — NCBI
• Cannabidiol: Pharmacology and potential therapeutic role in epilepsy and other neuropsychiatric disorders — NCBI
• Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders — NCBI
• Table 1. Effects of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol — NCBI
• Does CBD oil work for chronic pain management? — Medical News Today
• Cannabidiol in Humans—The Quest for Therapeutic — NCBI
• Therapeutic Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids — NCBI
• What Is The Difference Between THC And CBD? — The Maven
• CBD vs. THC: Why Is CBD Not Psychoactive? — Leafly
• What Is Decarboxylation, and Why Does Your Cannabis Need It? — Leafly
• What is THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid)? — Leaf Science
  

The best way to remove chemical residue from fruit has been found, and it’s peeling them. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst tested three different liquids to soak apples in for 12-15 minutes, the bleach solution that farmers dunk fruit in after harvest, a liquid slurry of baking soda, and plain old tap water. The baking soda was the best option for receiving surface pesticides. Even though the baking soda was effective, researchers concluded that peeling is the best way to avoid fungicides and pesticides as it’s the only way to remove some of the chemicals the fruit absorbs.

Things to Be Concerned About

Twenty percent of the fungicides and four percent of the pesticides scientists treated the apples with soaked into the flesh of the apple, and the only way to remove that is to peel it. For this experiment, the apples were soaked in fungicide for 24 hours. This is not a faithful recreation of conventional apple growing practices, and it’s likely that real-world apples have absorbed even more fungicide than those used in the experiment.

Of the three solutions, the one used by the agricultural industry is unlikely to have any effect at all. The positive baking soda results took 12-15 minutes to manifest. Apples are washed in a Clorox bleach solution for 2 minutes post-harvest, but researchers found that it did not effectively remove any pesticides. Organic produce can also use pesticides, and there’s no way to truly eliminate them, nor do standard industry practices suggest that considering consumer health is a priority.

Take it Off…

The solution offered again and again? Peel your fruits and vegetables! But this is problematic from a health viewpoint. That’s where a lot of the nutrients are, including much of the all-important fiber. Fiber is a critical component in fruit, as it’s the fiber that slows down the body’s absorption of the fruit’s natural sugars.

Fiber is not the only nutrient you reduce when the apple is peeled. A peeled apple has less potassium and vitamin C. It’s also missing compounds called triterpenoids that kill cancer cells and prevent the new cancer cells from growing. The peel also includes antioxidants that help prevent the oxidation of polyunsaturated fats.

Most Options Are Not Great Options

Don’t want any agricultural chemicals on your food? Only buy organic…but even that isn’t a failsafe. Organic food is still sprayed with approved pesticides, and our environment is so saturated with glyphosate that the likelihood of your organic apple coming into contact with it is quite good. Other solutions take away as much as the help. Peeling can eliminate a greater amount of pesticides, but it comes at the expense of health benefits. Safe food options are disappearing. Are we worried yet?

Recommended:

• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

Sources:

• How to wash pesticides off apples, according to science – The Verge
• Effectiveness of Commercial and Homemade Washing Agents in Removing Pesticide Residues on and in Apples – Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
• Does the Apple Skin Have the Most Nutrients? – Livestrong
• Glyphosate Found in 93% of Urine Samples – Organic Lifestyle Magazine