Gluten Free Rainbow Fruit Tart

This past summer we had a lot to celebrate with a number of friends buying homes, getting engaged and getting married. My favorite way to celebrate? Have the gang over for a big boozy brunch and toast with champagne! A few weeks ago one of my favorite couples moved into a new house – that’s...

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Soak Up Sweet Orange Oil’s Health Benefits

What Is Orange Oil?

Orange (Citrus sinensis) belongs to the Rutaceae family. The fruit comes from a small grayish-brown bark tree, which is almost similar to a shrub. Its branches grow to a regular hemisphere shape with oval-shaped foliage that sprouts to at least 3 to 4 inches.

Its flowers are distinguished by its aromatic characteristic, and the circular fruit is rougher and darker in comparison to other varieties of citrus. It is said to be first obtained from a native tree in China, but  has also been cultivated widely in the Mediterranean region, France, North and South America and Portugal.

Orange oil is extensively utilized in aromatherapy as it helps soothe tensed muscles and aids as a mood lifter. It can also be blended with a carrier oil and used as a fragrant lotion or cream or your skin.¹

Uses of Orange Oil

Orange oil is commonly used as an added flavoring to beverages, sweet meats, chocolates, biscuits and confectionery and baked goods. Industrially, it is utilized as a concentrate for room fresheners, deodorants, soaps, body lotions and creams.

I believe that orange oil can provide a lot of benefits to your health. It has anti-inflammatory,² antiseptic,³ antidepressant⁴ and antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.⁵

As a tonic, orange oil can help curb inflammation in the body by reducing pain and irritation. It also has a carminative property that helps expel intestinal gas, which induces chest pains and indigestion, by relaxing the stomach and anal muscles.⁶

Some organic nutritionists believe orange oil may help treat muscular and nervous spasms. In aromatherapy, it aids in relieving anxiety, anger and depression and is beneficial in promoting a healthy wellbeing as it detoxifies your body and boosts your immunity.⁷

Composition of Orange Oil

Orange oil is made of up various chemical properties such as alpha pinene, citronellal, geranial, sabinene, myrcene, limonene, linalool and neral.

The most significant property is the limonene, or D-limonene, which can play an important role in your home by repelling insects. Simply spray or wipe it in different places of your house.

D-limonene extracted from the rind of orange can be used as a cleaning agent both in household and industrial settings. This chemical may also be utilized as a replacement for acetone, toluene, glycol ethers, fluorinated and chlorinated organic agents when used as a straight solvent.⁸

Benefits of Orange Oil

Orange oil is beneficial in improving digestion and relieving constipation. It also was found to inhibit angiogenesis, metastasis and cell death in human colon cancer cells in a study, prompting the researches to say that the oil from blood oranges “may offer great potential for prevention of cancer.”⁹

This essential oil is also good for nourishing dry, irritated and acne-prone skin when mixed with a carrier oil and used as a cream or ointment. It also may be used effectively for a refreshing treatment of calluses on your feet.

The orange promotes a feeling of happiness and warmth when used in aromatherapy. It helps in the elimination of toxins in the body and deals well with digestive problems. It helps in stimulating lymphatic action to promote balance in water processes and results in detoxification of your body.¹⁰

How to Make Orange Oil

The traditional method of extracting essential oil from citrus is known as expression or cold pressing. It is done by soaking the rind of the orange in warm water then pressing against the rind to absorb the essential oil.

The sponge will be then filled with the fluids extracted from the fruit. After that, the sponge will be pressed over a container to collect all the extraction and allow the separation of oil from the juice.¹¹

However, it must be noted that extracting oils through distillation is different from the cold pressing method. Though distillation is a common method of obtaining oils, it has a negative effect on citrus oils. The heat from the steam reduces the citral content of the fresh oil, causing the essential oil to lose its therapeutic quality.¹²

If you’re not familiar with the cold compress method, there is a homemade technique to extract the essential oil from orange:¹³

What You’ll Need

• Orange peels

• Glass jar or container with tight lid

• Vodka or undenatured ethyl alcohol

• Coffee filter or cheese cloth

• Paper towel or cheese cloth

Procedure:

1. Let the orange peels dry naturally in direct sunlight. It will take about two days, depending on the humidity.

2. Cut the orange peels into smaller pieces and place them inside the jar.

3. Pour the vodka or alcohol until the all the peels are covered.

4. Screw the lid of the container tightly and shake it for a couple of minutes.

5. The longer you shake and leave the peels to soak in the vodka, the more oil will be obtained from it.

6. Filter the orange peels by using the coffee filter or cheese cloth.

7. Cover the container with a paper towel or cheese cloth. Let the residue sit inside the container until the alcohol has evaporated and the essential oil has remained.

How Does Orange Oil Work?

Orange oil can be used in various ways. It can be used as massage oil on the different areas of the body.

A few drops of the oil can be added to a warm bath or body wash — but be careful to always use it with a carrier oil, as it can be irritating to the skin, as well as phototoxic, if you use it directly on your skin. If you do use it topically, be sure to stay out of the sun for at least 12 hours.¹⁴

It also works as a great room freshener — just mix it with water in a spray bottle and squirt it lightly into the air. The orange oil is effective when used in vapor therapy as it immensely helps in relieving tension and stress. The fragrant scent helps induce sleep in children, especially at night.

When added in creams or lotions, it stimulates the lymphatic system and helps detoxify your skin. It also serves well as a general skin tonic. The essential oil works great especially when blended with black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, frankincense, sandalwood and vetiver.

Is Orange Oil Safe?

The orange oil is normally safe when used. However, one should avoid sunlight after applying it as it may cause phototoxicity. When consumed in large amounts, orange oil may result in vomiting and nausea. If you are pregnant, epileptic or have other medical problems, I advise you to consult first with a professional aromatherapy practitioner before using it.

Side Effects of Orange Oil

When using the orange oil for therapeutic needs, please dilute it with a base oil or lotion. I don’t recommend using the essential oil in high concentrations as it may cause dermatitis or skin inflammation. Albeit orange oil has many health benefits, I still advise you to consult first with a medical professional before applying it.

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How to Talk to Strangers

Soft Bronze Smokey Eye Tutorial // La Mav Organic Vegan Eyeshadows

Today’s tutorial is a soft bronze smokey eye using organic vegan eyeshadows from La Mav. I’ve also added soft peach to the lips, one of my favourite colour combinations for Spring. I hope you enjoy the video! Please don’t forget… Continue Reading →

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La Mav Meets: Kim Batley from Oh Goodness Me

A cup of tea with Kim Batley from Oh Goodness Me

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This week, we had the pleasure to share a cup of chai tea with the lovely Kim Batley, founder of our favorite Australian luxury vegan beauty boutique -  Oh Goodness Me. We chatted about the importance of cleaning your life and your mind of things you don't really need; how amazing vegan food is; how much we love yoga; her favorite makeup and skin care products and much more. Join us - let's meet Kim!

1. I am Kim and I love.. stormy weather, creating delicious vegan meals, alternative music, jumping into a freshly made bed, cups of herbal or chai tea, being a voice for the animals, composing images for Oh Goodness Me, a glass of wine, supporting locals, the rain on the roof when I drift off to sleep, where I live, a shower after a long day, a simple approach to living and my beautiful husband.

2. I trust in.. man-kind and that we can evolve into being just that. Kind to the planet, kind to the animals and kind to ourselves.

3. I find it hard to.. maintain my balance with some of the  yoga poses we do in class. I am working on that core strength though :)

4. I feel frustrated when.. I hear people say, “Oh that is just how I was brought up”, like it gives them an instant pardon for bad choices. I do believe we are able to educate ourselves and discover new things as adults. This knowledge is what separates us from that child version of us that people refer too when they make this statement. The world would not evolve without it and we would just keep repeating the same mistakes if we all took on this statement.

5 .I am thankful for.. all the amazing vegan food blogs that are around now because they have given my husband the confidence and ideas to create yummy meals for us. He has turned into my kitchen super hero and whips up lots of his own creations and even does the grocery shopping. It is such a blessing when I am working a lot and I am more than thankful.

6. When I wake up in the morning.. have a glass of water with lemon, then I jump into a warm shower, spend some time making breakfast, catch up on emails or social media and then start my working day.

7. When I go to bed, I think about.. how much I actually love my bed and how blissful it is at the end of the day:) I actually don't think about much once I am there because I have learnt that nothing gets solved in those times when you are tired. I would rather write it down and deal with it the next day refreshed. Much like meditation, I try and clear my thoughts and listen to my breathing.

8. If I could give advice to my 18 year old self, I'll.. tell her not compare herself with others and enjoy being her own unique self because people will love, be drawn to and admire you for those differences. I would also tell her to start using anti-aging products earlier.

9. I have chosen to support the natural/organic beauty trend because.. I have realised that there are far safer, healthier and kinder alternatives that are available to us. I am happy to support those who are making those conscious choices. I truly believe that nature delivers the best ingredients and the people who are creating these products are essentially creating the world they want to live in and I support that.

10. My favorite makeup item is.. my BB and CC creams. I love these multitasking products because they give my face a hint of colour, hydrate my skin, correct the colour, protect me from  sun damage and they have the added anti-aging benefits I need.

11. The skin care item I can’t live without.. these days is a good face serum. My skin really enjoys that pampering of love before I go to bed. I let the natural goodness do its work while I sleep. There are so many natural skin food blends being created for all skin types and issues these days. We are truly lucky.

12. When I have to do my makeup in less than 5 minutes, I always apply.. my CC or BB cream, a quick dusting of Natural Mineral Makeup, cheek balm, lip balm or lipstick, eyeliner, eye shadows and mascara. It generally only takes me 5 minutes to do my makeup most days. I may spend a little more time if I am going out.

Formulated with the purest natural minerals and infused with Vitamin C & Rosehip Oil, our Organic BB Cream will nourish, hydrate and protect your skin. It will allow you to achieve flawless finish, effortlessly, and will restore your natural glow!

Order It Here

13. I am obsessed with.. simple living and minimalist design. The last few years I have looked more closely at what really is important and I came to conclusion that I do not need a lot of “stuff” in my life. I have never been a very materialistic type person but the last few years there has been a lot more talk about minimalism. I decided that I didn't want to live in a museum so I donated or gave away things we did not use. I also decided less was more with my wardrobe and started looking into Capsule Wardrobes for inspiration. The Project 333 challenge is a great place to get started. I have also incorporated these thoughts into other areas of my life and find my mind is less cluttered.

14. I want to.. spend more time doing healthy pursuits like Yoga. It makes me feel more centered, happy and able, so I am going to devote much more time in my week to making that a reality.

15. And I don’t want to.. miss out on what there is to come in life. I want to experience all I can while I age so I have adopted the healthiest approach possible. I want to grow old with my husband.

16. My mantra for happiness is.. I have everything I need.

17. Beauty is.. not a measure of attractiveness but more an inner radiance that some people have. Of course there are some things in life that are just aesthetically pleasing but it really is deeper than that. Beauty can be seen and heard in the way we treat others, how we hold ourselves, being confident in our choices and most importantly it is being true to our unique self.

18. Don’t forget to.. take some time out for yourself each day. Whether it is doing some yoga or meditation, having a bath, reading a book, going for a walk, doing some art or just listening to your favourite music while you drive through the day. 

For more from Kim and Oh Goodness Me, follow her on Instagram and Facebook!

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Unprecedented Number of Overdoses Points to Growing Public Health Emergency

Simple Home Remedies May Stop an Earache

Gluten-Free Diets Are Beneficial for Many — Not Just Those With Celiac Disease

By Dr. Mercola

In recent years, the benefits of a gluten-free diet have become widely recognized and, according to recent research, people are embracing gluten-free in ever-growing numbers, even though the number of Americans diagnosed with celiac disease has not increased since 2009.^1,2,3,4

In 2009, an estimated 0.5 percent of Americans were on a gluten-free diet. By 2014, that number had more than tripled, to 1.69 percent. Meanwhile, the number of people diagnosed with celiac disease remained fairly steady, declining only slightly, from 0.7 percent to 0.58 percent.

Gluten-free diets are particularly popular among Caucasian women and younger adults between the ages of 20 and 39 — many of whom do it simply because it makes them feel better.

It's well worth noting though that while gluten-free has many advantages, just because a food is gluten-free does not automatically make it healthy. There are plenty of gluten-free junk foods out there.

Just because a food is gluten free doesn't make it a health food, just as a food sold at Whole Foods does not make it a health food. There are plenty of lousy fake foods in both categories.

For most people, drastically cutting down on your net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) is the key to optimal health. This includes but is not limited to grains (not just wheat, as all grains will spike your insulin levels and contribute to insulin and leptin resistance).

Doing this will help your body burn fat rather than carbs as its primary fuel, which helps optimize your mitochondrial function and boost weight loss.

Is Going Gluten-Free a Pointless Fad?

Some doctors dismiss gluten-free as a mere fad,⁵ fueled by celebrity endorsements and an increasing number of books linking wheat and gluten to a wide range of health problems, from gut dysfunction and allergies to neurological diseases and autoimmune problems.

This includes The New York Times Best Seller, "Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar; Your Brain's Silent Killer," written by Dr. David Perlmutter, a neurologist, in which he reveals how processed grains contribute to dementia.

My own book on this subject, "The No-Grain Diet," was published in 2003. While still in medical practice, I recommended eliminating gluten as a first line intervention before I would further fine-tune a patient's diet to address their specific health problems.

As the title of my now 13-year-old book indicates, I believe most everyone would benefit from avoiding all grains, not just gluten, as doing so well help you burn fat much better. Plus, healthy fat is a far cleaner and more efficient fuel for your body.

Despite the prevailing skepticism, studies are now confirming that many people do indeed experience adverse reactions to gluten even if they test negative for celiac disease. This suggests gluten-sensitivity is a real problem,⁶ and that gluten-free diets may benefit many — not just those with celiac.

Celica Disease Versus Wheat Allergy and Gluten-Intolerance

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder. People with celiac suffer severe gastrointestinal (GI) reactions and malabsorption of nutrients in response to gluten found in wheat and other grains, and a strict 100 percent gluten-free diet is critical for these people.

Celiac disease is typically diagnosed by measuring the presence of autoantibodies such as transglutaminase 2 (TG2), which is thought to be the most sensitive marker for celiac.

Many others have wheat allergy or some level of gluten intolerance or sensitivity, and fare better on a gluten-free diet even if they don't have celiac disease. If you're allergic to wheat, consuming it will result in an immune reaction that can be diagnosed by measuring antibodies called IgE and/or other immune system markers.

Food intolerances, on the other hand, are typically related to a lack of a specific enzyme to break down the food in question. Food intolerances tend to generate fewer symptoms that are slower in onset, and can therefore be more difficult to diagnose.

Diarrhea or constipation, bloating, headache, anxiety and fatigue are common symptoms of a food intolerance, but may not appear until hours or even days afterward. Gluten sensitivity IS real though, researchers say, and may affect up to 6 percent of the population.

Gluten Sensitivity Is Real

As reported by WebMD:⁷

"Some people suffer changes within their bodies after eating gluten that are separate and distinct from those that accompany either celiac disease or wheat allergy …

'We don't know what is triggering this response, but this study is the first to show that there are clear biological changes in these individuals,' said senior researcher Armin Alaedini [Ph.D.] … an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City.

'Based on our findings, we hope there would be greater recognition of this condition. This is a real condition. There are individuals who may not have celiac disease or wheat allergy, but still have a sensitivity to wheat,' Alaedini said."

The study, published in the journal Gut, found that:^8,9

"Individuals with wheat sensitivity had significantly increased serum levels of soluble CD14 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein, as well as antibody reactivity to bacterial LPS and flagellin.

Circulating levels of … a marker of intestinal epithelial cell damage, were significantly elevated in the affected individuals and correlated with the immune responses to microbial products …

These findings reveal a state of systemic immune activation in conjunction with a compromised intestinal epithelium affecting a subset of individuals who experience sensitivity to wheat in the absence of [celiac] disease."

In short, people who reacted to gluten despite not having celiac disease were found to have leaky gut, which is likely what caused the immune activation.

CD14 and LPS-binding protein are microbial markers, so elevated levels suggest microorganisms from the gut are leaking into the blood stream. The presence of microbes in the blood is what causes your immune system to ramp up an inflammatory response.

Gluten Sensitivity and FODMAP Reactions

While wheat allergy is a reaction to certain proteins in the wheat, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance can be related either to a reaction to the proteins, or to poor absorption of carbohydrates called fermentable oligo-di-mono-saccharides and polyols (FODMAPs).¹⁰

FODMAPs (which include fructose, lactose, galactans and polyols) are sugars that are either poorly absorbed in your small intestine or completely indigestible. They can cause symptoms very similar to those of gluten sensitivity, and FODMAPs are often found in things that contain gluten, making the two problems a bit tricky to separate.

While FODMAPs are typically beneficial for your gut microbes, in those who are sensitive to them, such as those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), FODMAPs can cause severe GI distress, and many who are diagnosed with IBS are urged to follow a low-FODMAP diet to manage their condition.

Gluten Sensitivity May Affect a Majority of People

Gluten is a protein made up of glutenin and gliadin molecules, which in the presence of water form an elastic bond. Gluten can be found in grains other than wheat, including rye, barley, oats and spelt.

Gluten can also hide in processed foods under a variety of names, including but not limited to¹¹ malts, starches, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and natural flavoring.

If you do a search of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, you will find that gluten-containing grains have been linked to dozens of adverse health effects¹² and adverse modes of toxicity. Topping this list is neurotoxicity, and in his book, "Grain Brain," Perlmutter specifically looked at the neurological impact of gluten (wheat) and casein (dairy) on both our brain and autoimmune diseases. He also believes gluten sensitivity may be involved in most chronic diseases, because of how gluten affects your immune system.

According to Dr. Alessio Fasano, director for Celiac Research and the chief of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition at Massachusetts General Hospital, gluten sensitivity may be far more prevalent than previously suspected.¹³ He estimates virtually all of us are affected to some degree, because we all create something called zonulin in the intestine in response to gluten.

This protein, found in wheat, barley and rye, makes your gut more permeable, which allows proteins to get into your bloodstream. This sensitizes your immune system and promotes inflammation and autoimmunity. In the press release announcing the publication of his new book, "Gluten Freedom," Fasano said:¹⁴

"We've shown now that gluten sensitivity actually exists. It's moved from a nebulous condition that many physicians dismissed to a distinctly identifiable condition that's quite different than celiac disease. Gluten sensitivity affects six to seven times more people than celiac disease."

How Wheat Affects Your Health

Wheat is one of the most widely grown crops in the Western world. But the wheat of today is vastly different from the wheat our ancestors grew and ate, and these differences help explain the rise in gluten intolerance:

• Hybridization has increased the proportion of gluten protein in wheat. Until the 19th century, wheat was also typically mixed with other grains, beans and nuts; pure wheat flour has been milled into refined white flour only during the last 200 years. The resulting high-gluten, refined grain diet most of you have eaten since infancy was simply not part of the diet of previous generations.

• Glyphosate contamination may also play a distinct role in the development of celiac disease, wheat allergies and wheat sensitivity. The use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup, has dramatically risen over the past 15 years.

According to Stephanie Seneff, Ph.D., a research professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), glyphosate use on genetically engineered (GE) corn, soy and conventional wheat is strongly correlated with the rise in celiac disease.

Her initial findings were published in the journal Entropy¹⁵ in 2013, which was followed by a second paper¹⁶ linking glyphosate to celiac disease specifically. Glyphosate destroys the villi in your gut, which reduces your ability to absorb vitamins and minerals. Also, wheat contains gliadin, which is difficult to break down.

Normally, a reaction takes place that builds connections between different proteins in the wheat, but glyphosate gets right in the middle of that process, resulting in wheat that is highly indigestible. The end result is gut dysbiosis, (a condition of microbial imbalance in your intestines that can lead to gut inflammation and leaky gut) and an overgrowth of pathogens.

Additionally, your gut produces serotonin in response to tryptophan. Wheat is a good source of tryptophan, but when the wheat is contaminated with glyphosate, your gut cells go into overdrive and begin producing too much serotonin, which in turn produces many of the common symptoms of celiac disease, such as diarrhea.

• Wheat proteins can cause leaky gut and associated health problems. Glutinous proteins called prolamines increase the permeability of your intestinal tract, thereby sensitizing your immune system.

As gaps develop between the cells that make up the lining of your intestines, undigested food, bacteria and metabolic waste products can leak into your blood stream, hence the term "leaky gut." These foreign substances challenge your immune system and increase inflammation in your body.¹⁷

Gluten can also contribute to health problems you might not immediately associate with gut dysfunction, such as acne,^18,19,20 atopic dermatitis,²¹ recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS — a type of mouth sore)²² and vitiligo, a skin condition that results in the loss of pigment.²³

Gliadins Are Responsible for Many Adverse Health Effects

Two of the substances found in wheat responsible for many of the associated cellular problems you face are gliadin and lectins. Gliadin is the primary immunotoxic protein found in gluten and is among the most damaging. In celiac disease, gliadin triggers a genetically mediated immune process that ultimately causes an inflammatory reaction that results in the destruction of the intestinal villi.

Gliadin gives wheat bread its doughy texture and is capable of increasing the production of the intestinal protein zonulin, which in turn opens up gaps in the normally tight junctures between intestinal cells (enterocytes).

Elevated gliadin antibody levels have been linked to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. In one such study,²⁴ the blood work of 950 schizophrenics was compared to that of 1,000 healthy controls. The odds ratio of having anti-gliadin IgG antibodies was 2.13 times higher in schizophrenics. The discovery of antibodies to gliadin in the blood of both celiac disease patients and schizophrenics implies that undigested gliadin can act as antigens, provoking an antibody-mediated immune response.

The presence of gliadin in the blood also indicates intestinal permeability, and gliadin has been shown to up-regulate zonulin in the gut regardless of whether the person has celiac disease or not.

Gliadin may also provoke your immune system to attack your nervous system, thereby contributing to neurological problems such as neuropathy, seizures and neurobehavioral changes.²⁵ Besides schizophrenia, gliadin may also play a role in autism. A 2004 study found that autistic children tend to have elevated antibodies against gliadin.²⁶

Many children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also do not respond well to most grains, especially wheat. The psychological and behavioral symptoms of ADHD are similar enough to those of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity that researchers suggest celiac disease should be included in the ADHD symptom checklist.

This suggestion was prompted by a 2011 study,²⁷ which found people with ADHD who tested positive for celiac disease improved significantly after following a gluten-free diet for six months.

Psoriasis has also been linked to gliadin. In a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, participants with psoriasis who tested positive for antibodies to gliadin improved when they were placed on a gluten free diet.²⁸ The National Psoriasis Foundation also recommends those with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity adhere to a gluten-free diet to reduce or eliminate their symptoms.²⁹

How Lectins Affect Your Health

Lectins are a key mechanism plants use to protect themselves and perpetuate the plant species. They are found in highest concentration in their seed form, and are known to cause digestive irritation. Lectins can withstand degradation through a wide range of pH and temperatures, so neither sprouting, fermenting nor cooking will negate its ill effects.

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), which is not eliminated through sprouting and found in higher concentrations in whole wheat, is particularly tough, as it's formed by the same disulfide bonds that give strength and resilience to human hair. Because lectins are so hard to digest, they can bioaccumulate in your body and interfere with biological processes. WGA is particularly troublesome, and studies have shown it has a number of health-harming characteristics and activities, including the following:

✓ Pro-inflammatory: WGA stimulates the synthesis of pro-inflammatory chemical messengers (cytokines) in intestinal and immune cells, and has been shown to play a causative role in chronic gut inflammation.30	✓ Immunotoxicity: WGA induces thymus atrophy in rats,31 and anti-WGA antibodies in human blood have been shown to cross-react with other proteins, indicating that they may contribute to autoimmunity.32
✓ Neurotoxicity: WGA can cross your blood-brain barrier33 through a process called "adsorptive endocytosis," pulling other substances with it. WGA may attach to your myelin sheath34 and is capable of inhibiting nerve growth factor,35 which is important for the growth, maintenance and survival of certain target neurons.	✓ Excitotoxicity: Wheat, dairy and soy contain exceptionally high levels of glutamic and aspartic acid, which makes them all potentially excitotoxic. Excitotoxicity is a pathological process where glutamic and aspartic acid cause an over-activation of your nerve cell receptors, which can lead to calcium-induced nerve and brain injury. These two amino acids may contribute to neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Huntington's disease and other nervous system disorders such as epilepsy, ADD/ADHD and migraines.
✓ Cytotoxicity: WGA has been demonstrated to be cytotoxic to both normal and cancerous cell lines, capable of inducing either cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death (apoptosis).36	✓ Endocrine disruption: WGA may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance and leptin resistance by blocking the leptin receptor in your hypothalamus.
✓ Cardiotoxicity: WGA has a potent, disruptive effect on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, which plays a key role in tissue regeneration and safely removing neutrophils from your blood vessels.37	✓ Adversely effects gastrointestinal function by causing increased shedding of the intestinal brush border membrane, reducing the surface area and accelerating cell loss and shortening of villi. It also causes cytoskeleton degradation in intestinal cells, contributing to cell death and increased turnover, and decreases levels of heat shock proteins in gut epithelial cells, leaving them more vulnerable to damage.38

How to Treat Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease

The treatment for celiac disease and gluten intolerance is a gluten-free diet, which means abstaining from any food that contains gluten. In August 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a standard for gluten-free labeling. According to the rule, in order for a food to bear the label "gluten-free" it must be:

• Naturally gluten-free. Naturally gluten-free grains include rice, corn, quinoa, sorghum, flax and amaranth seed.
• Any gluten-containing grains must have been refined in such a way to remove the gluten. The final product may not contain more than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten.

A blood test can verify whether or not you actually have celiac disease. If you do, you'll need to be extremely vigilant, as exposure to gluten could make you severely ill and threaten your long-term health and longevity. If you're gluten intolerant, you do not need to be as strict with your diet and you may eventually discover your own tolerance level to gluten.

For example, one piece of bread may not result in any discomfort, but two pieces, or bread two days in a row, might. Typically, avoiding gluten for a week or two is enough to see significant improvement. Considering the many potential culprits at play, be it wheat hybridization, gluten, other wheat proteins, FODMAPs or glyphosate contamination, it's not surprising that wheat and other grains cause such problems for so many.

In my experience, nearly everyone benefits from avoiding grains, even whole sprouted grains, whether you have a gluten intolerance or not, and that's because grains have high net carbs and avoiding them will help improve your mitochondrial function. Impairing mitochondrial function can exacerbate health problems related to insulin resistance, such as overweight, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and more serious problems like heart disease and cancer.

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Affordable Natural Baby Care Products You Can Find Around Town

“It wasn’t until I had a baby of my own that I started to really pay attention to buying non-toxic products.”   I can’t tell you how many times I’ve... Read More

       

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Judging The Glammy Awards: The Best Natural Products of 2016

It was such an honor when Glamour Magazine asked me to be a Judge for The Glammy Awards!! Not only were they adding a natural products section to their nomination process this year (yaaay!), Glamour asked influencer’s and celebrities alike to weigh in – SO cool!! This is a huge honor for me because I’ve been [...]

The post Judging The Glammy Awards: The Best Natural Products of 2016 appeared first on The Organic Life.

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The Only Wedding Registry You’ll Ever Need:

It’s been awhile since I did a wedding update! To be honest, I have NOT been the best at this Bride-To-Be thing the last few months. When people asked me where we’re getting married, I shrugged. When they asked me what the date was, I laughed. When they tried to pin me down about dress shopping, [...]

The post The Only Wedding Registry You’ll Ever Need: appeared first on The Organic Life.

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Best Herbs to Help With Insomnia

Why These Federal Agencies Should Be Abolished

By Dr. Mercola

The use of marijuana for medical purposes is now legal in 25 states and, as of this writing, two additional states (Arkansas and Florida) have pending legislation or ballot measures to legalize medical marijuana.¹ 

Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and the District of Columbia have also legalized recreational use of marijuana for adults, while 16 states have decriminalized certain marijuana possession offenses.²

According to estimates, between 85 and 95 percent of Americans are in favor of medical cannabis, and nearly 60 percent support complete legalization of marijuana. And, contrary to what you might think, doctors overwhelmingly agree.

A 2013 survey found a majority of physicians — 76 percent — approve of the use of medical marijuana.³ CNN’s chief medical correspondent and neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta also made a highly publicized reversal on his marijuana stance after the production of his two-part series “Weed,” which aired in 2014.⁴

Despite this trend, many families are still unable, legally or otherwise, to obtain this herbal treatment. Families with a sick child are being forced to split up, just so that one parent can live in a place where medical cannabis can be legally obtained in order to help their child.

A major part of the problem lies at the federal level, where marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance⁵ — a category reserved for the most addictive and dangerous of drugs, including heroin and LSD.

Marijuana Does Not Meet Criteria for Schedule 1 Controlled Substances

According to the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, Schedule 1 drugs are defined as those having a "high potential for abuse" and "no acceptable medical use in treatment." Research to date shows that marijuana meets neither of these criteria. For example, studies have shown medical cannabis:

• Stimulates appetite in AIDS patients
• Reduces neuropathic pain and spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Treats chronic pain
• Reduces (and in some cases eliminates) epileptic seizures
• In Israel, doctors use marijuana to treat cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome and many other conditions

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has spent the last five years deliberating whether it should reclassify marijuana to a Schedule 2 substance — a class that includes both cocaine and methamphetamines; dangerous drugs that nonetheless have some accepted medicinal use.

DEA Rejects Petition to Lower Classification of Marijuana

Earlier this month, the agency delivered its verdict: Marijuana will remain a Schedule 1 substance. As reported by Newsweek:⁶

“The decision is the DEA's response to a 2011 petition by two former state governors who had urged federal agencies to reclassify marijuana as a drug with accepted medical uses.

In a letter to the petitioners, the DEA said it had asked the Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] for a scientific and medical evaluation of the issue.

‘HHS concluded that marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no accepted medical use in the United States and lacks an acceptable level of safety for use even under medical supervision,’ the letter said.”

This really challenges logic on many fronts. For starters, in October 2003, the HHS actually obtained a patent for marijuana as a “neural protectant,” claiming it can protect your brain against stroke and trauma.⁷

How can the HHS own a patent for the medical use of marijuana on the one hand, while concluding that “marijuana has no accepted medical use … and lacks an acceptable level of safety for use even under medical supervision” on the other?

DEA and HHS Should Be Abolished

With this decision, the DEA and HHS have completely lost all credibility, proving they will act AGAINST the public good if it means protecting corporate interests. The hypocrisy is so blatant it’s infuriating.

Because who actually benefits from marijuana being a banned? Primarily drug companies, privatized prisons — which make millions of dollars from incarcerating non-violent marijuana users — and law enforcement, including police and prison guard unions.^8,9

In 2011 alone, 850,000 people in the U.S. were arrested for marijuana-related crimes.¹⁰ As noted by Opensecrets.org:¹¹

“The revenue from waging the war on drugs has become a significant source of financial support for local law enforcement.

Federal and state funding of the drug war — as well as the property police forces seize as a part of drug raids — have become significant financial supplements to local forces’ budgets …

One of the largest for-profit prison companies, Corrections Corporation of America, even stated in a regulatory filing that keeping the drug war alive is essential to its success as a business:

‘[A]ny changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances … could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them.’”

Current Scheduling of Marijuana Ignores Scientific Evidence

As noted by Carl L. Hart, Ph.D.,¹² a researcher of behavioral and neuropharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs and the department chair of the psychology department at Columbia University:¹³

“[T]herapeutic benefits … have compelled citizens to vote repeatedly over the past two decades to legalize medical marijuana at the state level … And yet Federal law still technically forbids the use of medical marijuana …  

As a scientist and educator, I am worried that we have lost credibility … with those seeking treatments for a variety of medical conditions because our current scheduling of marijuana ignores the scientific and medical evidence.

When we make decisions based on factors other than the available empirical evidence, we are less than objective, which means we are no longer acting as scientists.”

Hart also points out that the glaring inconsistencies between the Federal law and so many other state initiatives — not to mention mounting scientific evidence demonstrating the medical benefits of cannabis — really undermines peoples’ trust in federal agencies.

I strongly concur, especially as it relates to the DEA, which really seems more interested in protecting the profits of prisons and drug companies than anything else.

DEA Vows to Make Marijuana Research Easier

In response to rising demand from scientists, the DEA has agreed to loosen restrictions around the growing of marijuana for research purposes. In April 2014, 161 scientists were registered to study marijuana. As of March 2016, there were 244.

At present, the University of Mississippi is the only federally legal grower of cannabis, and researchers who want to study the herb must jump through a number of bureaucratic hoops in order to receive approval from the HHS, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the DEA.

The DEA has agreed to raise the amount of marijuana it will allow to be grown for research purposes. It will also allow other facilities to grow marijuana for research. Many other time-consuming and costly hurdles will remain, however.^14,15

Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, has pushed for looser restrictions on marijuana research. He told STAT News:¹⁶

“The main holdup for researchers is the scheduling, not the ability to obtain the product, which is a secondary issue. This change is a positive one, but will do relatively little to advance our scientific understanding.”

Indeed, while all Schedule 1 drugs must gain FDA approval, researchers studying marijuana must undergo additional review processes by both the HHS and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that no other drug must go through.¹⁷

Moreover, there’s no deadline for the HHS/NIDA review, and no formal appeals process should the study be rejected. As a result, marijuana research is easily stifled, delayed or prevented altogether. 

Synthetic Pot Drugs Approved While Marijuana Remains Banned

Ironically, while acting DEA chief Chuck Rosenberg states that “no drug product made from marijuana has yet been shown to be safe and effective,” he admits that two synthetic tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) medicines — Marinol and Cesamer — have recently received FDA approval for sale as, you guessed it, patented drugs.

Rosenberg took over as acting director of the DEA in May 2015, taking over the role after scandals drove out Michele Leonhart.¹⁸ Leonhart was harshly criticized for opposing the legalization of marijuana, yet Rosenberg is following in the exact same footsteps.¹⁹

Earlier this year, Rosenberg even referred to the concept of medical marijuana as “a joke.” Somehow, I don’t think the manufacturers of these synthetic THC drugs would agree with him. In fact, the very approval of these drugs should be sufficient to prove marijuana has medical applications. Why else would they be approved for the treatment of nausea? These synthetic THC drugs are listed as Schedule 3 and 2 respectively, meaning they have acknowledged medicinal value.

THC is a subclass of cannabinoids, the general category of active chemical compounds found in marijuana. Cannabidiols (CBD) is another subclass.²⁰ Cannabinoids produce biological effects because, just like opiates interacting with your opiate receptors, cannabinoids interact with specific receptors located in your cell membranes.

The therapeutic and psychoactive properties of marijuana occur when particular cannabinoids activate their associated receptors, and the effects depend on the areas of your body and brain in which they interact. Some cannabinoids are psychoactive, whereas others are not. THC is the most psychoactive, the one that produces the “high” associated with smoking pot.

Why Are DEA and HHS Ignoring Human Endocannabinoid System?

Cannabinoid receptors can be found on cell membranes throughout your body — in fact, scientists now believe they may represent the most widespread receptor system in the human body.²¹ Two receptor types have been identified:

• CB1: Cannabinoid receptors that are extremely prolific in your brain (excluding your brain stem), but also present in your heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and other parts of your body
• CB2: Cannabinoid receptors primarily found in your immune system

Your endocannabinoid system is thought to help regulate nearly every physiological process and plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis, and yet this is not taught in medical school. We’ve shared this important system with all vertebrate species and even sea squirts for more than 600 million years. Science to date suggests that your endocannabinoid system is integral to the following biological processes, and chances are we’ve barely scratched the surface.²²

✓ Immune function	✓ Inflammation (especially tamping it down)	✓ Energy intake and storage
✓ Appetite control and cravings	✓ Nutrient transport	✓ Cellular communication
✓ Emotional balance	✓ Reproduction	✓ Pain sensation
✓ Sleep	✓ Bone growth	✓ Memory

Why Big Pharma Hates Pot

Were marijuana decriminalized nationwide, the drug industry clearly would take a big hit. Not only would people have access to a far less expensive, more effective and natural version of the synthetic CBD and THC drugs currently selling at a premium, many would also turn to marijuana to relieve their aches, pains, nausea, sleep problems, anxiety, depression and more.

The sad fact is that drug companies are fighting to shut down the legalization of marijuana in order to maintain their drug monopoly. For starters, the opioid painkiller market would be severely threatened by marijuana legalization.

Narcotic painkillers have been identified as the new gateway drug to heroin, and even government officials have publicly acknowledged that these drugs have become the No. 1 drug problem in the U.S., addicting and killing people in record numbers. More than 28,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses in 2014 — more deaths than any other year on record according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).²³

The number includes deaths from both heroin and prescription opioid pain relievers, but the latter accounted for at least half. Yet little is being done to curb their use. Instead, agencies like the DEA, FDA and HHS are fighting against marijuana! It’s illogical at best. Then again, profit has nothing to do with logic, and this is how you know that many federal agencies have ceased working for the public good.

Why Won’t Senate Release Its Opioid Report?

In 2012, as opioid overdoses continued to rise, two senators — Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) — began an investigation into financial ties between the drugs’ makers and the medical organizations setting guidelines on opioid use. The targets of the investigation were Purdue Pharma (maker of Oxycontin), Endo International plc (Percocet) and Johnson & Johnson (Duragesic) along with five organizations, including the Center for Practical Bioethics and the American Pain Foundation (APF).

Senate staffers spent a year working on the investigation and subsequent report, but its results have not been made public (the report is sealed in the Senate Committee on Finance's office).²⁴ Due to changes in position, it’s now Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), current chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who stand to get the opioid report released.

In 2015, public health advocates requested the release of the findings, noting that many of those targeted by the report continue to “promote aggressive opioid use and continue to block federal and state interventions that could reduce overprescribing.” Still, the report remains sealed. The question is why. What did they find that they don’t want anyone to know?

Drug Companies Downplay Addictive Nature of Opioids

The attorney general of New Hampshire, Joseph Foster, is trying to prove five drug companies — Actavis, Endo, Janssen, Teva and Purdue Pharma — broke the law when they marketed their opioid painkillers. He believes false marketing has contributed to rising abuse of illicit drugs like heroin. According to Foster, these companies are stifling his investigation and refusing to cooperate with the state’s attorneys. In a recent NPR program, Foster said:²⁵

“If they are continuing to mislead the public, we're going to continue to improperly create addicts in our state. Four out of 5 folks who turned to heroin were addicted to prescription opiates first.”

Chicago, two California counties and Mississippi have already filed lawsuits against one or more of the same companies currently under investigation in New Hampshire. James Boffetti, New Hampshire’s lead attorney on the case told NPR:

“We're in a mess. You know, we have a country that's addicted to opioids that move to heroin. So we need to solve this problem, and part of it is we need to figure out what the drug companies did, if anything, to create this problem … [But] I've yet to receive one piece of paper from any of these drug companies. And you've got to ask yourself, why? Why are they fighting so hard?”

DEA Has Impeded and Rejected Science for 40 Years

Like the drug industry, the DEA has spent decades fighting AGAINST that which is right. As noted by Drugpolicy.org:²⁶ “The DEA has existed for more than 40 years but little attention has been given to the role the agency has played in fueling mass incarceration, racial disparities, the surveillance state and other drug war problems.” It goes into further detail in its report, “The DEA: Four Decades of Impeding and Rejecting Science.”²⁷ The report highlights the following five case studies:

• DEA Obstructs Marijuana Rescheduling, Part One 1973-1994
• DEA Overrules Administrative Law Judge to Classify MDMA (synthetic cannabinoids) as Schedule I, 1985
• DEA Obstructs Marijuana Rescheduling: Part Two, 1995-2001
• DEA Overrules Administrative Law Judge to Protect Federal Monopoly on Marijuana for Research, 2001-2013
• DEA Obstructs Marijuana Rescheduling: Part Three, 2002-2013

According to the report, “These case studies reveal a number of DEA practices that work to maintain the existing, scientifically unsupported drug scheduling system and to obstruct research that might alter current drug schedules.” Failing to act in a timely fashion, overruling DEA administrative law judges and creating regulatory Catch-22s are among the agency’s most common tactics.

Unfortunately, with its recent decision to reject the petition to reclassify marijuana, it’s apparent that the agency is still playing the same old game. Meanwhile, families and individual lives continue to be destroyed by a nonsensical drug policy that targets marijuana users — even when the herb is used to treat terminal illness for which there are few other safe options.

It’s hard to understand how federal policy makers can sacrifice the lives of so many, including children, to protect corporate profit centers. But that’s what they’re doing.

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Battered Bees and the Threat to Our Food

The Antibiotic Apocalypse Advances

By Dr. Mercola

The featured video is a fascinating visual demonstration of how bacteria develop resistance to increasingly high doses of antibiotics. In this experiment, E. coli bacteria develop increasing resistance, ultimately surviving antibiotics at a dose 1,000 times higher than they could initially survive, and they do so in a matter of 11 days!

Tami Lieberman, Ph.D., an evolutionary microbiologist at MIT who developed the experiment, told NPR:¹

"Getting more people to understand how quickly bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance might help people understand why they shouldn't be prescribed antibiotics. The drug resistance is not some abstract threat. It's real."

Indeed, an estimated 23,000 Americans die each year from drug-resistant infections, and the death toll will continue to rise until or unless the underlying causes are properly addressed.

Sobering Report Predicts Startling Increase in Deaths From Drug-Resistant Illness

According to the largest, most thorough review of the drug resistance problem to date, by 2050 antibiotic-resistant disease will claim the lives of 10 million people around the world each year. As noted by The Atlantic:²

"The report's language is sober but its numbers are apocalyptic. If antibiotics continue to lose their sting, resistant infections will sap $100 trillion from the world economy between now and 2050, equivalent to $10,000 for every person alive today ...

[R]oughly [1 person will die] every [3] seconds, and more than currently die from cancer.

These are conservative estimates: they don't account for procedures that are only safe or possible because of antibiotics, like hip and joint replacements, gut surgeries, C-sections, cancer chemotherapy and organ transplants.

And yet, resistance is not futile. O'Neill's report includes 10 steps to avert the crisis ... seven of his recommendations focus on reducing the wanton and wasteful use of our existing arsenal. It's inevitable that microbes will evolve resistance, but we can delay that process by using drugs more sparingly."

Factory Farms Are Hotbeds for Dangerous Pathogens

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) significantly contributes to the development of drug-resistant pathogens, which can then migrate into the human population via a number of exposure routes.

One route of exposure is water contaminated with runoff from CAFO manure, which is commonly applied to fields. As noted by the U.S. Geological Survey:³

"Animal manure harbors not only animal-specific pathogens but also zoonotic pathogens (HEV, Campylobacter jejuni) capable of infecting humans …

Increased concentrations of indicator bacteria after manure application that exceeded Iowa's State bacteria water quality standards suggest that swine manure contributes to diminished water quality and may pose a risk to human health."

The study looked at how the application of manure from swine CAFOs impacted the occurrence of bacteria, protozoa and viral pathogens in the South Fork Iowa River — an area that has an estimated 840,000 hogs.

An "abundance" of HEV and other pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., Salmonella sp. and Staphylococcus aureus, were found in the water and bottom sediment collected.

Since these same pathogens were also found in the hog manure, the scientists say this is "evidence that such swine manure applications may play an important role in the spreading of zoonotic pathogens to the surrounding environment."

Pathogens Blowing in the Wind

Drug-resistant pathogens incubated in CAFOs are also spread by winds. As noted by Texas Monthly:⁴

"After Texas Tech Researchers discovered that windstorms may be spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria from local feedlots, public health experts stood up and took notice."

Nearly 80 percent of the cattle raised in U.S. feedlots — some 8.2 million cows — are congregated on the Southern Great Plains.

Contaminated manure not only runs out into holding ponds the size of lakes in some instances, it can also make its way into nearby waterways and watersheds. Whatever is left to dry on the ground also gets swept many miles in whatever direction the wind blows. 

Tests showed genes from bacteria that are resistant to tetracycline antibiotics were an astonishing 400,000 percent more prevalent downwind than upwind, and in some locations 100 percent of air samples were found to contain drug-resistant microbes.

Antibiotics are but one danger here. CAFO cattle are also routinely given steroids, and scientists have found that when steroids get blown into the surrounding environment, they can disrupt the endocrine systems of aquatic wildlife.

FDA Admits Failure

The FDA issued a long-awaited guidance on agricultural antibiotics in December, 2013. However, it didn't go nearly far enough.

The agency simply asked drug companies to voluntarily restrict the use of antibiotics that are important in human medicine by excluding growth promotion in animals as a listed use on the drug label.

They said this would prevent farmers from legally using antibiotics such as tetracyclines, penicillins and azithromycin for growth promotion.

But the number of loopholes in the guidance made it clear it would not be an effective strategy, and data shows that between 2009 and 2014, sales of medically important antibiotics — 70 percent of which are thought to be used in agriculture — increased by 23 percent.

Now the FDA has decided to try to close at least one of the loopholes it left wide open. As reported by STAT News:⁵

"The [FDA] has signaled it wants to take action to plug a major loophole in the rules governing antibiotic use in livestock to try and slow drug resistance.

The agency published a request for comments on a plan to establish treatment time limits for a number of antibiotics that currently do not come with any instructions on how long they can be used …

That lack of guidance leads some analysts to fear producers may be dosing their animals for substantially longer than they need to.

The FDA document notes some of the labels say 'feed continuously' or 'feed continuously as the sole ration.' … Karin Hoelzer, who works on antibiotic resistance and food safety issues at the Pew Charitable Trusts [says] 'They can be used indefinitely … It's a big problem.'"

A number of advocacy groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), are also petitioning the FDA for additional restrictions on the antibiotics that can be given to livestock, pointing out the agency's failure to quell their use with its voluntary program.⁶ How long it will take for the FDA to finally take meaningful action remains to be seen.   

Infection Rates Remain Poorly Monitored

While it's become quite clear that antibiotic-resistant disease is taking its toll on human health, the U.S. is still dragging its feet when it comes to monitoring the situation.

A heart-breaking Reuters report⁷ reveals an increasingly common situation: Parents take their child to the hospital, where the child succumbs to a drug-resistant infection and dies. One of the more common infections spread in hospitals is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Last year, a MRSA outbreak in the neonatal unit at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, infected nine infants before the outbreak was curtailed. Yet strangely enough, the children's death certificates do not even mention MRSA.

"[A]fter being contacted by Reuters earlier this year about the outbreak, [Shala] Bowser went to Virginia's Division of Vital Records to get a copy of Josiah's death certificate," Reuters states. "The cause of death: 'Sepsis due to (or as a consequence of): Prematurity.'

Sepsis is a complication of infection, but there was no mention of MRSA. 'My heart hurts,' Bowser said, sobbing. 'I saw what this did to him. And then they just threw a bunch of words on the death certificate' …

Fifteen years after the U.S. government declared antibiotic-resistant infections to be a grave threat to public health, a Reuters investigation has found that infection-related deaths are going uncounted, hindering the nation's ability to fight a scourge that exacts a significant human and financial toll."

According to Reuters, tens of thousands of deaths from drug-resistant infections, plus tens of thousands of illnesses from which the individual eventually recovers, go uncounted. Federal and state agencies simply aren't tracking them. Not even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tracking antibiotic-resistant infections, and as Ramanan Laxminarayan, Ph.D., director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy, told Reuters:

"You need to know how many people are dying of a disease. For better or worse, that's an indicator of how serious it is."

How Does One Address a Health Crisis With Guesswork?

According to Reuters, the CDC statistic of 23,000 Americans dying from drug-resistant infections is actually more akin to a guess opposed to hard data.

"Reuters analyzed the agency's math and found that the estimates are based on few actual reported deaths from a drug-resistant infection. The agency leaned heavily on small samplings of infections and deaths collected from no more than 10 states in a single year, 2011. Most didn't include populous areas such as Florida, Texas, New York City and Southern California.

From those small samples, the CDC then extrapolated most of its national estimates, introducing so much statistical uncertainty into the numbers as to render them useless for the purposes of fighting a persistent public health crisis. Describing the estimates to Reuters, even CDC officials used words like 'jerry-rig,' 'ballpark figure' and 'a searchlight in the dark attempt.'"

New Superbug Emerges

Meanwhile, a strain of E. coli resistant to not just one but two of our last-resort antibiotics has now emerged in the U.S. The sample was collected from a patient in 2014 but was not tested and identified until 2016, when a larger analysis of hospital germs was performed. The E. coli in question is resistant to colistin and carbapenem, two antibiotics used when all other alternatives have been exhausted.

I've previously written about the emergence of mcr-1, a bacterial gene that convers resistance to colistin; the gene blaNDM-5 is similar in that it confers resistance against carbapenem. As reported by STAT News:⁸

"Researchers and health officials have feared the joining of these two genes in a single bacterial strain, as it could set the stage for the rise of superbugs that can't be treated with our current arsenal of drugs. The combination has been detected before in other countries, including Germany, Venezuela, and China, but until now, it has never been seen within the United States.

Fortunately, although the E. coli in this case was resistant to carbapenem and colistin, the strain was susceptible to some other antibiotics … But finding mcr-1 and blaNDM-5 together is still concerning. Each gene is carried on a separate bacterial plasmid, a segment of DNA that has the potential to hop around between bacteria of different strains. Detecting the combination once in the United States means there's likely more out there."

United Nations to Hold Global Summit on Superbug Explosion

Antibiotic resistance is not just an American problem. Far from it. There are no borders when it comes to drug-resistant bacteria, and they can spread far, fast. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drug-resistant pathogens are now present across the globe. They're everywhere and no one is safe.

Recognizing the situation as a global threat of massive proportions, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly will hold a special meeting to discuss antimicrobial resistance on September 21 in New York City.⁹ Health topics have only been the focus of a General Assembly meeting three times in the UN's history. Previous topics were HIV, non-communicable diseases and Ebola. As reported by Scientific American:¹⁰

"The meeting 'is a clear recognition that this is a worldwide threat to everyone and worldwide action is what we need to address it,' says Ezekiel Emanuel, [Ph.D.], chair of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania …

'The fact we are so concerned about colistin resistance is a sign of how desperate we are,' says Lance Price, [Ph.D.], a microbiologist and director of the Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at The George Washington University. 'It's a shitty drug. It's toxic and doctors don't like to use it, but now they have to use it because it's the only thing that treats some of these drug-resistant infections' …

Yet the actions that are hoped for as a result of the meeting remain meager. No binding agreement is expected. What may be more realistic … is a political declaration of commitment to coordinate further on this issue."

Triclosan Banned for Use in Soap

Besides agricultural and medicinal use of antibiotics, common household products containing antimicrobial ingredients also contribute to growing drug-resistance. Triclosan is one such ingredient, and I recommended avoiding triclosan for many years before the media picked up on it. 

Now, after a four-decades' long delay, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally decided to ban the chemical from use in commercial soaps, citing potentially harmful side effects (drug resistance and hormonal effects) and lack of proven effectiveness.^11,12 In a September 2, 2016, press release, the FDA said:¹³

"Companies will no longer be able to market antibacterial washes with these ingredients because manufacturers did not demonstrate that the ingredients are both safe for long-term daily use and more effective than plain soap and water in preventing illness and the spread of certain infections …

This final rule applies to consumer antiseptic wash products containing one or more of 19 specific active ingredients, including the most commonly used ingredients — triclosan and triclocarban. These products are intended for use with water, and are rinsed off after use. This rule does not affect consumer hand 'sanitizers' or wipes, or antibacterial products used in health care settings.

Triclosan Ban Does Not Go Far Enough to Protect Human Health

Unfortunately, while this is a step in the right direction, it's an exceedingly small one. Triclosan and other antimicrobial chemicals will still be permitted in a great number of other products, including Colgate Total toothpaste,¹⁴ deodorants,¹⁵ dishwashing liquid, laundry detergents and much more.

In fact, triclosan and triclocarbon are so ubiquitous these chemicals show up in household dust — and according to researchers, this dust may also contribute to the drug-resistance problem. According to UPI:¹⁶

"The chemicals triclosan and triclocarbon, as well as four other antimicrobial chemicals, were found in house dust by researchers at the University of Oregon, Harvard University and Arizona State University, according [to] a study¹⁷ published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, suggesting their use in cleaners is contributing to antibiotic resistance …

The researchers then studied dust microbes, finding antibiotic resistance genes, which can be passed between bacteria, linked specifically to the six cleaning chemicals detected in the initial analysis. Samples with higher amounts of triclosan … had higher levels of genes linked to bacteria resistant to multiple drugs … "

How You Can Help Stop the Spread of Antibiotic-Resistant Disease

In light of the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant disease, it would be wise to employ techniques and strategies that will not only reduce your own risk of falling victim, but also help curtail the spread of antibiotic resistance in general. While the problem of antibiotic resistance really needs to be stemmed through public policy on a nationwide level, the more people who get involved on a personal level, the better. Such strategies include:

✓ Using antibiotics only when absolutely necessary Antibiotics are typically unnecessary for most ear infections, and they do NOT work on viruses. They only work on bacterial infections and, even then, they're best reserved for more serious infections. Taking an antibiotic unnecessarily will kill off your beneficial gut bacteria for no reason at all, which could actually make it more difficult for you to recover from your illness. If you do take a course of antibiotics, be sure to reseed your gut with healthy bacteria by eating fermented foods or taking a supplement. As an all-around preventive measure, make sure your vitamin D level is optimized year-round, especially during pregnancy, along with vitamin K2. A number of other natural compounds can also help boost your immune system function to help rid you of an infection, including vitamin C, oil of oregano, garlic, Echinacea and tea tree oil. High-quality colloidal silver may be a valuable addition to your medicine cabinet to treat cuts and scrapes in lieu of antibacterial creams. Colloidal silver has been regarded as an effective natural antibiotic for centuries, and research shows it can even be helpful against some antibiotic-resistant pathogens.18,19,20 Manuka honey can also be used for topical applications. Clinical trials have found that Manuka honey can effectively eradicate more than 250 clinical strains of bacteria, including some resistant varieties, such as MRSA.

✓ Avoiding all antibacterial household products This includes items such as antibacterial hand sanitizers and wipes, toothpaste, deodorants and detergents, as these too promote antibiotic resistance.

✓ Properly washing your hands with warm water and plain soap, to prevent the spreading of bacteria Be particularly mindful of washing your hands and kitchen surfaces after handling raw meats, as about half of all meat sold in grocery stores around the U.S. is likely to be contaminated with potentially dangerous bacteria.

✓ Purchasing organic, antibiotic-free meats and other foods Reducing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a significant reason for making sure you're only eating grass-fed, organically raised meats and animal products. Besides growing and raising your own, which may not be an alternative for most people, buying your food from responsible, high-quality and sustainable sources is your best bet, and I strongly encourage you to support the small family farms in your area.

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No Evidence for Fluoridated Water to Result in Less Cavities

Safe Food Storage Options

Over the past few years, I have become somewhat of an aspiring chef.  A whole foods nutritional healing chef to be precise.  I am currently embarking on a program that will help me hone those skills and be able to apply the knowledge I gain towards my career in health and fitness.  I see so... Read More »

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Judging The Glammy Awards: The Best Natural Products of 2016

It was such an honor when Glamour Magazine asked me to be a Judge for The Glammy Awards!! Not only were they adding a natural products section to their nomination process this year (yaaay!), Glamour asked influencer’s and celebrities alike to weigh in – SO cool!! This is a huge honor for me because I’ve been [...]

The post Judging The Glammy Awards: The Best Natural Products of 2016 appeared first on The Organic Life.

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The Only Wedding Registry You’ll Ever Need:

It’s been awhile since I did a wedding update! To be honest, I have NOT been the best at this Bride-To-Be thing the last few months. When people asked me where we’re getting married, I shrugged. When they asked me what the date was, I laughed. When they tried to pin me down about dress shopping, [...]

The post The Only Wedding Registry You’ll Ever Need: appeared first on The Organic Life.

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What’s Fenugreek Good For?

By Dr. Mercola

While the name may sound familiar, few people in the U.S. have any idea what fenugreek is. A fruit? An herb?

From the Mediterranean to South America to India and throughout Europe, this plant botanically named Trigonella foenum-graecum is an essential herb as well as a legume.

Fenugreek has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal for a myriad of health benefits, and today it’s available as a supplement. The health benefits of this obscure plant and its constituents are truly amazing, in part because they’re so varied and powerful.

The leaves can be used as salad greens, stewed in soups and stir fries or dried to make a thickener.

The plant produces long, green bean-looking pods which, depending on the variety, produce oddly-shaped seeds, considered a staple in the culinary worlds of the Middle East and India for everything from pickle making to spice mixes.

Solotone is the compound responsible for the spicy/bitter aroma of the seeds, which you can remove by dry-roasting them before using them for food.

That flavor essence is so pronounced that people who eat it regularly say one of the leftovers, so to speak, is a pronounced maple essence from such body fluids as urine and sweat. Serious Eats notes:

“When a New Jersey factory was processing fenugreek in 2005, lower Manhattan was overcome by the aroma of pancakes and syrup. It's a common ingredient in fake maple syrup, and smelling the spice alone can be off-putting. Tasting it raw is even worse, as it's incredibly bitter.

But when combined with aromatics and spices, fenugreek contributes a complex sweetness and a subtle bitterness to saucy dishes. Its maple syrup flavor transforms into something more akin to dark caramel, and it makes a  palette of more well-known spices feel complete.”¹

What Are the Health Benefits of Fenugreek?

Fenugreek has several notable effects on your general health and well-being. It’s loaded with fiber and protein — 3 grams of each in a single tablespoon — and double that amount in carbohydrates.

(The combination is said to make you feel full, faster.) The same tablespoon also provides 20 percent of the iron you need in a single day.² A study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology says fenugreek leaves:

Are rich with “many nutrients and other active ingredients such as protein, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, alkaloids, lysine and L-tryptophan as well as steroidal saponins which are beneficial for human health.”³

Other studies report that fenugreek in its various forms (whole seed powder, leaves, seeds or extracts) is effective in treating diabetes, high cholesterol, low lactation, respiratory ailments, wounds, inflammation, gastrointestinal ailments, pain, colds and even cancer.”^4,5 The Epoch Times adds:

“Fenugreek’s mucilaginous nature can help maintain bowel regularity and soothe a sore throat. This herb can also be used topically to soothe inflamed tissues like rashes and wounds. For topical application, soak the seeds in a little water until soft and grind them into a paste.”⁶

Studies report even more advantages, such as protecting your eyes from cataracts, resulting from its dual ability to control elevated glucose levels.⁷ It soothes menstruation and menopausal problems and can help protect your stomach and liver from overuse of alcohol.⁸

Still other studies show that fenugreek can cut the risk of cadmium’s detrimental effects on the testicles,⁹ as well as reduce aluminum toxicity, benefiting your kidneys, brain and bones. As reported in Nutrition Research and Practice:

“The overall results [in this study with rats] have clearly shown the ability of [fenugreek] to offer protection against some aspects of [aluminum chloride] ingestion in the plasma, brain, bone and kidney, probably due to a synergic effect of many compounds.

Thus, fenugreek seeds can be used as a regular nutrient to alleviate the side effects of [aluminum] ingestion, not only in the brain and bone, but also in the kidneys, especially for chronic renal failure patients who are more susceptible to developing aluminum toxicity.”¹⁰

Fenugreek is antibacterial, and contains antioxidants which may be part of the reason for its ability to reduce gallstone development, protect your kidneys, stimulate pituitary cell growth, treat thyroid problems, and protect your stomach because it helps generate gastric mucous, according to 2beingfit.com.¹¹

Reviews are still ongoing, but multiple studies offer the scope of what this one plant can do in regard to health:

• Appetite control — At least three studies have shown that fenugreek can reduce appetite and fat intake; by 17 percent in one study.

One revealed that 18 healthy but obese participants who consumed 8 grams of fenugreek fiber had “significantly increased satiety and reduced energy intake at lunch, suggesting it may have short-term beneficial effects in obese subjects.”^12,13,14

• Inflammation — Fenugreek may decrease inflammation as it’s shown in animal studies, although researchers say more studies are needed. One reported on its “significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory potential as reflected by the parameters investigated.”¹⁵

• Cholesterol and triglyceride levels (blood lipids) — In patients with coronary artery disease and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, fenugreek “decreased significantly the blood lipids and blood sugar (fasting and post prandial).¹⁶

• Heartburn — One study concluded that “people with certain degrees of heartburn can benefit from a fenugreek fiber product … Moreover, the fenugreek fiber effects were generally similar to the results produced by an over-the-counter antacid medication (ranitidine at 75 mg, twice a day).”¹⁷

• Cancer — Scientists examined “whether diosgenin, a steroidal saponin isolated from fenugreek, can “modulate the STAT3 signaling pathway,” leading to the “chemosensitization” (aka apoptosis or programmed cell death) of carcinoma cells.¹⁸ Fenugreek also inhibits gene expression in lung cancer cells.¹⁹

Fenugreek Stimulates Lactation  

As millions of mothers already know, the very best nutrition her newborn can receive comes from breast milk. Not surprisingly, science backs it up.

However, breast milk is not always available when it’s needed. This poses a risk to children all over the world, as referenced in a study in Ghana, where delayed breastfeeding increased infant mortality.²⁰

One study divided 66 new mothers into three groups. Each third received either fenugreek herbal tea, a similar tasting placebo, or nothing (control). The volume of pumped breast milk increased by 1.15 ounces in the placebo and control groups, and by 2.47 ounces in those taking fenugreek, and, those babies gained more weight.²¹

While there are medications to increase breast milk production for mothers having trouble breastfeeding and other reasons, fenugreek seeds are galactagogue, meaning they stimulate lactation. A recipe for making a fenugreek supplement for the purpose of producing more breast milk is:

“[O]ne to four capsules three to four times daily. As there is currently no standardization of fenugreek content across various brands and sources … a total daily dose of 1.74 to 4.9 [grams] may be more practical and useful ...

On the other hand, the German Commission E recommends the use of fenugreek … at a total dose of 6 [grams] of fenugreek seeds daily in divided doses.”²²

Incidentally, a study in Italy demonstrated that mothers taking a combination of fenugreek, fennel and Melissa (lemon balm) extracts can improve colic, an infant’s uncontrolled crying, in breastfed babies within a single week.²³

Real Men Eat (Drink or Otherwise Ingest) Fenugreek

Even if you haven’t heard of it already, there are numerous reports that when men add fenugreek to their daily regimen of supplements, it may positively affect their testosterone levels, as well as the libido.

To assess both of these reports in regard to sexual function and libido, a six-week study involving 30 men provided with 600 milligrams of fenugreek returned interesting results: Most of the men reported increased strength and better sexual function at the close of the study.²⁴

Additionally, another study reported that 15 college-age men were given 500 milligrams of fenugreek while participating in an eight-week weight lifting program four times a week. Another 15 athletes had the regimen, but not the fenugreek. Those who did not take the supplement had a slightly lower level of testosterone, while those who did experienced an increase; plus, members of the latter group experienced a 2 percent decrease in body fat.²⁵

Diabetes and Blood Sugar Levels Dramatically Improved in Fenugreek Studies

How fenugreek affects peoples’ metabolic function is impressive. Multiple studies have indicated how it can benefit people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as well as the ability of healthy non-diabetics to tolerate carbs better (not that you want to take advantage of that).²⁶

As modern medicine has discovered, fenugreek has proved promising for people with high blood sugar.²⁷ One review of 10 clinical trials on the intake of fenugreek seeds resulted in a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose.²⁸

Furthermore, studies show that fenugreek “significantly improved lipid profile and reduced collagen content,” with effects similar to that of the drug silymarin,²⁹ which studies say can “significantly reduce tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis as well as insulin resistance;”³⁰ although the drug has side effects.

In another remarkable study, subjects ingested 50 grams of fenugreek a day that had been added to their lunches and dinners during the 10-day test period. A 54 percent improvement in the 24-hour urinary blood sugar clearance was reported afterward, along with a decrease in the participants’ total and LDL cholesterol levels.³¹

Additionally, a meta-analysis looked at nine studies that had tested cinnamon, milk thistle, sweet potato and fenugreek in relation to their effects on glycemic control in diabetes. The latter three supplements made an improvement, while the cinnamon did not. Also, the fenugreek lowered fasting blood sugar levels by an average of more than 38 percent — much more than anything else tested.³²

How to Use Fenugreek for Supplementation

Fenugreek leaves are called methi. Abundant throughout India, methi is known to pack a punch, nutritionally. While some who’ve used methi decide it’s not for them because of a bitterness, it requires salting down the leaves and leaving for 15 to 20 minutes, squeezing out the moisture and voilà, they’re ready for soups, stir fries or wraps.

In most cases, people can determine how to supplement using fenugreek depending on their needs. According to Authority Nutrition:

“To take fenugreek in supplement form, it may be best to start off at 500 mg and increase to 1,000 mg after 2–3 weeks if you don’t experience any side effects. It can be taken before or with a meal, but because it helps control blood sugar levels, it would make sense to take it with your highest carb meal of the day.”³³

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