Health Answers
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The information on this website is not to be taken as personal medical advice, nor to replace a relationship with your doctor.
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Hold Aging and Illness at Bay
the Nrf2 pathway
We know that the pathways that lead to aging and illness are linked. That’s why boosting your health is crucial. At about the age of 20, our enzymes start decreasing and continue decreasing as we age. This causes increasingly higher levels of oxidative stress, which leads to aging processes and illness. Fortunately, recent discoveries have shown that we can stimulate a pathway in our bodies that produce enzymes like when we were young. This pathway is called Nrf2* which makes powerful, protective antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase, heme-oxygenase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, which is now being called the Master Antioxidant. Far greater than antioxidants in general, this pathway gets your body working to reduce toxins. Some great Nrf2 activators are:
Protandim –
Clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress in humans by 40% in 30 days - increases glutathione levels 300% in 4 months - with 5 natural ingredients. Protandim is a combination of herbs, many that are used in Ayurvedic medicine in India. It is a revolutionary discovery and considered the gold standard that many manufacturers are now making formulas to compete with.
This formula was discovered by Dr. Joe McCord, a biochemist who spent many years researching oxidative stress. (He has units of measurement named after him).
Dr. McCord explains in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRDxJybtzbc
Here is where you can get Protandim: https://getyourhealthbacktips.lifevantage.com/us-en/shop/protandim-nrf2
Turmeric – clinically shown to increase Nrf2 production by 20%
Resveratrol or Pterostilbene –
Broccoli sprouts powder -
Black Pepper Extract -
* Who should NOT take a Nrf2 activator:
- Organ transplant patients
- Those on immune-suppressing drugs
*While Nrf2 activation can be of great benefit to diabetics, they should use caution when starting out. Stimulating the Nrf2 pathway will cause insulin levels to increase and blood sugar levels to lower. Those taking insulin could find the amount they are currently taking may become too high and can become dangerous. Please consult with your physician before starting a regimen with a Nrf2 activator and continue to monitor your blood sugar daily.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Fending Off Infection
The Proactive Approach
The best way to fend off viral infections is to support the natural immune system. This is also true for people with compromised immune systems and the elderly. There are certain natural supplements that can help the body to eliminate the toxins and processes that bring about aging and illness. Along with that, there are vitamins that help to regulate the immune system and keep it working optimally. With the proper supplementation, a person will have the highest chance of fending off new infections.
Some supplements that are very essential to fending off infection and keeping your immune system at its peak are:
Vitamin D3 – 5000 i.u. daily
Vitamin D3 is one of the most important vitamins that help support the immune system. It not only regulates calcium absorption, but it also modulates immune function. Recent studies have shown that people need more vitamin D3 than previously thought. Many people have vitamin D3 deficiencies, but not are not aware of it. The precursor of Vitamin D3 is synthesized in our skin from the sun. Anyone living in a climate where they do not get a lot of exposure to the sun, usually need vitamin D3 supplements. Also, people with dark skin have a harder time synthesizing vitamin D3, because the melanin in their skin will block a lot of the sun's rays. So, it is best for them to also supplement with vitamin D3 to support their immune system.
Zinc – 30 – 50 mg daily
Zinc is a crucial mineral that affects multiple aspects of the immune system. It is essential for normal development and function of cells, and plays an important part in resisting disease.
Vitamin C – a minimum of 1000 mg daily (to tolerance)*
Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin. It is used to synthesize bone and cartilage, and is important for the health of both the teeth and gums. It's also needed for blood vessels and wound healing in the skin. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights against illness, including cancer.
*to tolerance – means to increase the amount of Vitamin C until you have loose stools, then stop for that day. The next day the amount taken should be equal to the amount taken the day before but reduced by 500 mg. Continue the amount daily.
L-Lysine - 500 mg daily
L-lysine is helpful in fighting viruses because it degrades the enzymes that viruses need to replicate. eating Chicken soup or drinking chicken broth when sick with a virus, is not an “old wives tale”. It has a true health application.
Also, there is an opposite to L-lysine. L-arginine is another essential amino acid that has a lot of beneficial qualities, and mostly comes from the foods we eat. However, L-arginine is the exact component that viruses need to replicate. So, in this case, it is a helper to the virus, not the human. L-arginine is found in highest amounts in nuts, seeds, and legumes. So, when you are sick with a viral infection it is best to avoid these foods temporarily. Some of these foods are nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, and beans, including chocolate and coffee. Just temporary, folks!
Protandim Nrf2 – 1 daily am
Protandim Nrf2 is a supplement made up of turmeric, milk Thistle, green tea, ashwagandha, and bacopa. This blend of herbs Is beneficial for multiple pathways that lead to healing and good health. Lowering oxidative stress gives the body my head start to optimum health, especially when it comes to the immune system.
After using antibiotics
Your physician may recommend to you an antibiotic.
Even though most antibiotics are not usually very useful against viral infections, in some cases your physician may recommend that. After using an antibiotic, a regimen of probiotics should be taken to replace your gut flora. This should be done for at least 30 days. When purchasing probiotics, always choose a product that is refrigerated. These are live flora. (You are wasting your money if using those that are not refrigerated.) Take probiotics daily on an empty stomach.
Help with Neurological Disorders
Although helping neurological disorders and disease is easier when the cause is known, there are basic principles that will help the body to repair itself, bringing relief of symptoms.
Neurological Disorders
Here are just a few:
· Guillain-Barre Syndrome
· Bell’s Palsy
· Transverse myelitis
· Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
Cervical dystonia - Spasmodic torticollis
Neurodegenerative Disease
Here are just a few:
· MS -Multiple Sclerosis
· ALS – Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease
· Alzheimer’s Disease
· Parkinson’s Disease
These are now thought to be protein misfolding disorders
Misfolding of proteins is caused by microtubule disfunction – microtubule proteins
C. dif = Clostridium difficile
C. dif is a bacterium that causes protein microtubule disfunction. Infections from C. diff often start after you've been taking antibiotics. It can sometimes be life-threatening. It creates a toxin that can be tested for, which is roekinase. C. dif can be tested for in stool. However, sometimes it moves farther up. C. dif likes an alkaline environment and antibiotics – called: antibiotic associated C. dif
Supplements for Neurological Disorders
The best help for neurological disorders are a Nrf2 activator (see top of this page) plus the following 2 supplements taken together:
high dose L-methylfolate – 7.5 to 15 mg/day
high dose methylcobalamin (Vitamin B12) – 2000 mcg/day
These natural supplements are needed to help regenerate and repair the neurons in the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves.
It is highly important that you get the natural forms of these supplements and not the synthetic. Please don’t just take anything that says Vit B12 – make sure it is methylcobalamin (sublingual is the best form). And, never take folic acid, it must be the natural form of methylfolate. includes what they do, how long they’ve been at it, and what got them to where they are.
Click the photo above to take you to information about Nrf2 activaion.
Everyday health hazards to avoid
Are your symptoms from Covid or Cleaners?
Plastic Water Bottles: Does the Color Matter?
Plastic Water Bottles: Does the Color Matter?
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC's) are chemicals found in many household products that may be affecting the health of you and your family. QAC’s have been used for many decades in multiple uses for home, commercial, and industrial applications.
According to a health and safety information brochure, “Manufacturers have added them to dishwashing liquids, hand soaps, window cleaners, ‘all-purpose’ cleaners, floor products, baby-care products, disinfectant sprays and wipes, air fresheners, and other cleaning products that advertise anti-microbial activity” (Quaternary). However, their most extensive area of use is in disinfectant cleaning.
Because of the increase in the use of these chemicals due to the Covid-19 pandemic, exposure has increased at a substantial rate. There are now more reports of patients having issues with allergies, along with reports of lethargy, and suicide cases on the rise. These health issues have been attributed to loneliness and the changes in lifestyle due to lockdowns. QAC's are likely the cause of many of these issues.
Symptoms can include:
· fatigue · headaches
· stuffy nose · watery eyes
· sweating · chills
· brain fog · memory issues
· a lack of motivation · insomnia
But there are more serious symptoms with consequences that are alarming…
Plastic Water Bottles: Does the Color Matter?
Plastic Water Bottles: Does the Color Matter?
Plastic Water Bottles: Does the Color Matter?
A common part of our lives in modern culture is....water bottles. There are different kinds of plastics and it's important to know which ones could be affecting your health in a negative way.
Most plastic water bottles are made with PETE plastic and will have a number 1 in the recycling code. It is a well-known fact that UV light and heat can cause the plastic from the bottle to leach into the water. These plastics are estrogenic and carcinogenic, leaching into the water and adding toxins to your body when you drink from it.
Research has shown that plastic bottles with colorants block many UV rays and are much safer than clear plastic bottles (1). The color that blocks the most UV rays (around 99%) is green, like found in Perrier bottles, followed by blue bottles like DeJa Blue and the PETG bottles by Dasani (1). If you turn your bottle upside down and look at the bottom and it has a blue tinge to the plastic it will block most UV rays. Limiting toxin intake is an important benefit to your health.
One of the first things a good oncologist tells their patients, is to stop drinking out of clear plastic bottles.
1) Bittner, G. D., Yang, C. Z., & Stoner, M. A. (2014). Estrogenic chemicals often leach from BPA-free plastic products that are replacements for BPA-containing polycarbonate products. Environmental health : a global access science source, 13(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-13-41
Tanning Lotions and Outer Body Health
Tanning Lotions and Outer Body Health
Tanning Lotions and Outer Body Health
Taking care of our body is important, but what is in the body care products we use?
Many people feel that the products we put ON our bodies aren't that important because it's just on the outside. The skin is the largest organ of the body and everything that is put on it is absorbed into it. Everything from hair conditioner to eyelash glue can have an effect on our health.
We have been taught for decades to put sunscreen on our skin when we go out in the sun, to prevent not only sunburn, but skin cancer. It is now being found that it is possible that the lotions are creating the skin cancer, rather than the sun.
One category of chemicals causing much concern are PEGs. This stands for polyethylene glycols. They are a category of chemicals that are known to cause skin cancer when used topically. They are now commonly found in many kinds of lotions, including some suntan lotions.
Some recommendations for preventing sunburn are natural products like:
coconut oil
aloe vera gel
cocoa butter
avocado oil
bees wax
and for the most blocking protection:
zinc oxide
Tattoos: Hip or Hazardous?
Tanning Lotions and Outer Body Health
Tanning Lotions and Outer Body Health
Tattoos are considered stylish for people of all ages. Yet, are the health risks worth the admiration they may bring?
Tattoos are made with ink that is toxic to the liver. Since the liver is the organ that removes toxins from the body, this is an unfortunate situation. The larger the tattoo, the more ink is used, and the more toxicity the liver has to deal with. Doctors have been seeing cases of liver toxicity on the rise from tattoo ink. The worst cases have been from large or allover body tattoos, with the liver shutting down in five to ten years from the time of receiving the tattoo. Before putting more artwork on your body, it may be beneficial to weigh the possible health risks.
If you already have a tattoo and are concerned about your health risks,
taking a Nrf2 activator is one of the best things you can do for your liver and your overall health. This will increase your body’s ability to make glutithione which will help to remove the toxic ink.
If you have a tattoo and find yourself with severe health issues, you may want to consider laser tattoo removal. This is the least invasive method used to remove tattoos.
Household Chemicals: Are they harming your health?
Household Chemicals: Are they harming your health?
Household Chemicals: Are they harming your health?
Another place to help our health is to start at home. Today, many people use chemicals in their daily lives that can be negatively affecting their health. A good place to start is to switch over to natural and non-toxic agents.
Products that can affect our health are:
· dishwashing detergents
· kitchen and bathroom cleaners
· air fresheners
· laundry detergents
· fabric softeners
· dryer sheets
· pool care
· Pesticides
· Herbicides
Healthy Hair Coloring
Household Chemicals: Are they harming your health?
Household Chemicals: Are they harming your health?
Hair coloring is a topic that is rarely thought about or discussed, in regards to its toxicity. This is more important than most people realize.
Many hair coloring products use toxic chemicals and are especially of concern because they are used so close to the brain. The chemicals can absorb through the scalp and can give people symptoms like brain fog, and lead to more severe health issues with repeated use.
Fortunately, there are companies that make natural hair coloring. Some of the ingredients may be similar, but the toxic chemicals are replaced with gentler, natural ingredients that still make your hair look fabulous. I recommend giving these products a try for your hair coloring. They can be found in health food stores and online..
Genetic Testing
Find the Cause
Most babies born today are given the heel prick test, which checks for genetic mutations. However, if you are over 50 years old, or were born in another country you may not have been given this test. In this case, if you have ongoing health issues and the root cause has not been found, I suggest getting genetic medical testing. Many illnesses and conditions are caused by genetics. Diagnosis is the most important place to start in conquering illness. Knowing the root of the problem can help you find solutions and ways to fill in for various deficiencies. When the body can come into balance it can function better, leading to better health. This is why genetic medical testing can help diagnose medical conditions.
These tests can be done at most full-service labs. In states that require a written order by a doctor, there are online services, like 23andMe that also do these tests, without a doctor's order. These companies send a test kit to you through the mail with instructions and the label and box to return it to the lab. These services usually take a few weeks to return results to you. With these tests, you can start learning more about your health.
There is also a concern that these tests are gathering DNA to be used against people. I’d like to explain to you how that works:
People that live on the same continent, are generally more related to each other. DNA can be used in biological warfare to target certain groups of people, because they have similar DNA sequences. In the U.S., this is much more difficult to do, because the DNA of the people are so diverse.
Things to Consider Before Getting Genetic Testing
Genetic testing has become popular as people are curious about their roots. However, some people have encountered surprises that they did not expect. Some surprises were in their family, and others were in their genetics. Hopefully, there will be no surprises for you, but when getting genetic testing done, it is always beneficial to be prepared for anything. Please remember in cases where people are predisposed to illnesses do not necessarily mean they will develop them. If you get the testing done and would like more information, click on the link below for some general information about genetics.