• Rats that ate genetically modified corn and consumed trace levels of the Roundup brand of fertilizer developed horrific tumors, had widespread organ damage and suffered from premature death.
• That roar of the ocean you hear in a seashell is actually the echo of your blood pulsing in your ear.
• The average person sheds 40 pounds of skin in their lifetime.
• 80 percent of people who see someone yawn or read the word yawn feel the need to yawn.
• Your skin, laid out, would stretch the length of six tennis courts, yet is only one cell thick.
• The smell of fear is real. The aroma is produced in your sweat.
• Want to lose weight? Pay cash for your groceries. Research shows that people are less likely to buy junk food at the grocery store if they use paper over plastic.
• Your hair cannot be destroyed by cold, water, many acids and decomposes at a very slow rate. It is virtually indestructible.
• Black pepper has antibacterial, antiseptic and analgesic properties.
• Your small intestine is four times as long as you are tall.

Inflammation can be a good thing

Everyone has experienced the remarkable phenomenon of acute inflammation – a sprained ankle, splinter, or cut – and as a result have witnessed the affected area turn red, puffy and hot as your immune system rushes to your aid to assess the injury and fight any pathogen that might have entered your body. A normal, healthy inflammatory response should flare up and die down again a short time later, as the healing process resolves the inflammation and the injury heals. Pain and inflammation should not be chronic, it should go away – but what if it doesn’t?

Inflammatory snowball effect

Imagine if you kept injuring yourself in the same location repetitively. The result would be unresolved ongoing inflammation. However, not all inflammation has a visible injury. For example, if there is inflammation in your gut, the only symptom may be some niggling gut issues, yet you cannot ‘see’ the problem. Nevertheless, there may be an inflammatory snowball effect occurring inside.

Unresolved inflammation, visible or not, becomes more problematic the longer it keeps interfering with the normal workings of your body, and has been linked to many types of chronic disease such as arthritis, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Stop inflammation going ‘through the roof’

 

Nobody wants to be in pain, and for optimal health it is important to stop abnormal inflammation in its tracks. Pharmaceutical anti-inflammat

Safe and natural solutions for inflammationories are commonly used to help relieve persistent pain, however some medications may be accompanied by unwanted side effects if used ongoing. Fortunately, there is a range of natural anti-inflammatory and pain relief solutions that can be individualised for your situation, whether you need acute care or more ongoing support.

Many people are aware that fish oils reduce inflammation and can assist with joint conditions such as arthritis; however there are also herbal ingredients that offer safe and effective antiinflammatory support, for example:

• Turmeric – this traditional anti-inflammatory Ayurvedic herb has a long history of use for injuries, whilst recent research demonstrates it also helps reduce the swelling and pain of arthritic conditions.

• Boswellia – another Ayurvedic herb, Boswellia has analgesic, antirheumatic and anti-inflammatory qualities. Boswellia can be used for all types of pain, but particularly arthritic or traumatic pain associated with inflammation.

The herbs Devils claw and Jamaica dogwood,  not only help reduce pain, but decrease spasms and improve blood flow, therefore support the healing process.

• These anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving herbs are ‘gut friendly’ and safe for long-term use.

Factors that sustain inflammation

It is important to learn which diet and lifestyle behaviours may be adding to inflammation in your body, such as:

1. Smoking;

2. Being an unhealthy weight;

3. Eating a diet containing refined/processed carbohydrates (e.g. white bread, pasta, white rice, cereals);

4. Consuming ’trans’ fats (e.g. fried or fast foods, packaged baked goods, vegetable fats used in some margarines);

5. Being sleep deprived;

6. Regularly consuming alcohol, coffee, excess sugar and/ or salt;

7. Experiencing ongoing digestive issues that upset the balance of ‘good’ bacteria (e.g. stomach pain, bloating, diarrhoea);and/or

8. Experiencing ongoing psychological stress (unhappy employment situation, social isolation, caring for a loved one with a serious disease).

Modifying any or all of these is an important step in a holistic approach to reducing inflammation that may be contributing to your pain or illness.

Put an end to inflammation!

Don’t let visible or invisible inflammation be a perpetuating problem! There are a range of safe and effective natural medicines, along with the knowledge needed to help you address any pain and inflammation you may have. Addressing inflammation can not only improve your quality of life now, but reduce your risk of chronic disease in future.

Synthetic chemicals commonly found in insecticides and garden products bind to the receptors that govern our biological clocks, University at Buffalo (UB) researchers have found. The research suggests that exposure to these insecticides adversely affects melatonin receptor signaling, creating a higher risk for metabolic diseases such as diabetes and disrupting sleep patterns.

Published online on Dec 27 in Chemical Research in Toxicology, the research combined a big data approach, using computer modeling on millions of chemicals, with standard wet-laboratory experiments. It was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Disruptions in human circadian rhythms are known to put people at higher risk for diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

This is the first report demonstrating how environmental chemicals found in household products interact with human melatonin receptors.

The current research focuses on two chemicals, carbaryl, the third most widely used insecticide in the United States but which is illegal in several countries, and carbofuran, the most toxic carbamate insecticide, which has been banned for applications on food crops for human consumption since 2009. It is still used in many countries, including Mexico and traces persist in food, plants, and wildlife.

“We found that both insecticides are structurally similar to melatonin and that both showed affinity for the melatonin, MT2 receptors, that can potentially affect glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion, “That means that exposure to them could put people at higher risk for diabetes and also affect sleeping patterns.”

The results suggest that there is a need to assess environmental chemicals for their ability to disrupt circadian activity, something which is not currently being considered by federal regulators.

The UB database contains about 4 million chemicals reported to have some level of toxicity. “From those, we identified hundreds of thousands of compounds that had readily available chemical structures so that we could study them. After grouping the chemicals in clusters according to their similarity, they found several with functional groups similar to melatonin.

For many people the shortening days and cooler weather heralds not only the start of winter but also a string of absences from work and a backlog of tasks as you or your loved ones succumb to winter illness. What if you could take out a wellness ‘insurance policy’ against colds and flu, and gain back that precious time for winter sports and family fun instead of being stuck at home, rugged up and sniffling, with a box of tissues for company? This year, arm yourself with the tools you need to boost your immune function and help insure against illness.

Key Nutrients for a Strong Immune System

Remember when your mum told you to eat oranges in winter to help keep colds at bay? She was right! Citrus fruits of all kinds are rich in vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that plays a key role in the mobilisation of your immune system defences. However, vitamin C is not the only nutrient beneficial to your immune system.

Zinc is another powerful immune system supporter, found in meat, eggs, seafood, nuts and seeds. Zinc helps infection-fighting white blood cells to be deployed at the first sign of a disease-causing invader, such as a virus or bacteria. These two nutrients form an essential immune system foundation to help reduce the incidence and severity of colds and infections.

Vitamin D also plays an important role in the overall function of your immune system, working behind the scenes to help ‘marshal’ your immune cells to the site of an infection. During winter your stores of vitamin D can decline as you spend more time indoors and less time soaking up the sunshine required to manufacture your own supply. At this time of year supplementing with this important vitamin can help maintain your infection fighting capacity over the winter months.

Looking After Your Gut = Looking After Your Immunity

Believe it or not, your gastrointestinal tract contains approximately 70% of your immune system, so ensuring your gut is populated with plenty of beneficial micro-organisms (‘good bugs’) is central to you maintaining optimal immune function. These beneficial bacteria or ‘probiotics’ are now understood to have very different health benefits depending upon their subset or ‘strain’, with certain specific strains able to support your immune system and help keep it in top form.

Simple Lifestyle Tips to Support Good Health this Winter

Busy people often forget to prioritise regular ‘down-time’, but the stress of being on the go all the time can significantly drain your immune function and leave you more susceptible to falling prey to any viruses you may come in contact with. Help yourself recharge by scheduling regular relaxation and ‘me time’ such as reading a good book, getting a massage, or perhaps a yoga class followed by a long soak in a warm bath. Ensuring you get sufficient sleep also enables your body to rest and repair, keeping you ready to fight whatever battles you may encounter tomorrow.

A Penny of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Rather than succumbing to yet another cold or flu this winter, change tack and take out a wellness ‘insurance policy’ to help support your immune system and keep you enjoying what the winter season has to offer. Speak to your Practitioner today about boosting your infection-fighting capacity with high quality, clinically effective vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D and immune-boosting probiotics. Remember —- prevention is always better than cure!

Iron is essential for maintaining good energy levels and optimal health. It is arguably one of the most important minerals, particularly as it is involved in carrying oxygen to every cell in your body. Haemoglobin is the body’s oxygen-carrying protein and where you find approximately two-thirds of your iron; therefore, without adequate iron the transportation of oxygen is affected. As iron is involved in maintaining healthy immunity, it’s no wonder you don’t feel great when your levels are low!

Symptoms of Low Iron The following symptoms could be signs of low iron levels:

• Fatigue and lethargy;
• Frequent colds and flus;
• Paleness inside the mouth and lower eyelid;
• Fuzzy head, not thinking clearly;
• Low body temperature;
• Dizziness;
• Restless legs or leg cramps at night.

Reasons for Low Iron

Iron deficiency can be mild, however when it is very low you can become ‘anaemic’. Low iron can be a result of not obtaining enough from your diet. Factors that may cause low iron include tea and coffee intake, blood loss, pregnancy or poor absorption as a result of underlying gut problems. Certain populations have been identified as potentially more at risk of low iron levels, including teenagers, the elderly, pregnant women, vegetarians and vegans.

Test – Don’t Guess

If you suspect you may be low in iron, it is important to speak to your healthcare Practitioner or Doctor about a simple blood test to assess your iron levels, especially if you are at increased risk. Testing can ensure your safety, as symptoms of iron excess may be similar to signs of iron deficiency and in some circumstances, high iron intake can be detrimental.

Dietary Sources of Iron

Include plenty of iron-rich foods in your diet to maintain a healthy intake. Animal foods provide a good source of iron, including beef, lamb, kangaroo, turkey, chicken, fish, oysters, liver and sardines. The redder the meat, the higher the iron content. Plant-sources of iron include molasses, shiitake mushrooms, dark green leafy vegetables and lentils. Vegetarian sources of iron may not be as well-absorbed as animal sources.

Iron Needs a Little Help from its Friends

Iron works best in your body with the help of other nutrients:

• B vitamins: Vitamins B6, B12 and folate are involved in iron transportation and red blood cell production. Taking an essential B vitamin can help you build healthy cells and move energising oxygen around your body.
• Vitamin C: It has long been known that vitamin C increases the absorption of iron; therefore when taking iron, ideally pair it with vitamin C.

Forms of Iron Matter

Side-effects, such as constipation, are commonly complained about with certain forms of iron. Therefore it is important to choose a highly absorbable form of iron to minimise the chance of gut symptoms. Your Practitioner can recommend a suitable iron formula with all the necessary nutrients needed to restore your energy levels and maintain healthy immunity.