Tag: olive leaf extract

My Most Cherished Herbs

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

Herbs are used as fragrances, spices for food and for medical purposes. It is the latter that I’m concerning about in this article. I’ve read of the many benefits herbs can be on one’s health, especially if used properly in tea-form. I’ve also been using various herbs for years, and I will say that I’ve been truly amazed at some of the results. They do work, if you know which ones to take, for what reason to take them and what time to take them.
I have a list of about fifty herbs that have more than piqued my curiosity. But for the sake of sanity, time and practicality, I have narrowed my focus on nine special herbs, that have done and can do wholesale health benefits on one’s constitution. The nine herbs I will focus in this article are:

1. Guduchi
2. Kutki
3. Manjistha
4. Red root
5. Olive leaf extract
6. Amla
7. Ashwagandha
8. Turmeric
9. Eclipta Alba

Guduchi

Of all the herbs I love, guduchi often comes to mind first when I think of a healing herb. It is like a low-dose multivitamin, filled with important minerals like magnesium, calcium, copper and selenium. It is most famous for being a prized ayurvedic herb for liver function.

Guduchi a.k.a. Tinospora cordifolia a.k.a. Amrita a.k.a. Giloy is an immune system booster. It helps increase activity of macrophage cells. It enhances the efficiency of white blood cells. It alleviates allergic rhinitis a.k.a. hay fever a.k.a. seasonal allergies. These allergies that are often a sign of a compromised immune system are sensitive most famously to pollen in the air. Guduchi reduces nasal congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing caused by these allergens.

I personally use guduchi as a liver and kidney detoxifier, and a blood cleanser. It truly tonifies the blood, moving toxins from the extremities and placing them in a position to be detoxified by the liver and out of the alimentary canal.

Guduchi has a heating effect on the internal organs, opening up pores for better nutrient absorption, oxygen absorption and better breathing. It works wonders for asthma and respiratory infections.

Guduchi is also anti-inflammatory, reducing uric acid build-up, thus also reducing ailments like rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Other herbs like ginger and (the fruit) amla increase the effectiveness of guduchi with these conditions. Guduchi and amla powder made into a paste may alleviate many skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis.

Guduchi may also have adaptogen-like properties, able to balance hormones and reduce stress.

Guduchi has been used in folklore as a cancer cell/tumor inhibitor, capable of repairing damaged DNA and preventing damages to our DNA.

For those with high blood sugar, guduchi may be a good option. It is known to slow the rate of digestion of carbohydrates/sugar, thus lessening the body’s need for excess insulin. Be cautious when taking diabetic medications with guduchi — blood sugar may become too low.

Guduchi is best taken as an infused herb, meaning, you boil water, then pour it with the herb powder, and consume it as a tea.

Kutki

When it comes to liver health and fixing liver diseases such as fatty liver, cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis, I cannot think of anything stronger or better than kutki. Kutki is another bitter herb that is renowned in ayurveda for reversing liver damage. If you have gallstones and liver stones, if your liver is not producing enough bile, think kutki!

Kutki a.k.a. picrorhiza kurroa is a difficult plant to grow. It is the root that is mostly used for medicinal purposes. It may take up to two years before harvesting. Beware of farmers looking for a shortcut.

Kutki protects against fatty liver of almost any cause. It’s ayurveda’s premier liver, gallbladder herb. If you are thinking about doing a liver flush, consider kutki first. It contains picroside I, picroside II and kutkin, which are compounds believed by science to be the sources of its healing power. Kutki is very effective at causing cholagogue — stimulation of bile flow from the liver into the intestines — for the digestion of fat, and the lubrication of the intestines. It may also reduce excess bilirubin and excess liver enzymes.

Kutki is both a bitter and pungent herb, which is unusual. Most herbs are either one or the other. The benefits of bitter is that it cools the body from excessive heat. The purpose of pungent is that, like hot and spicy herbs, it has a cleansing effect, without actually being hot and spicy, like hot pepper. These properties produces proper levels of stomach acid, spleen heat and detoxifies environmental toxins such as cadmium, and even food toxins in alcohol.

Secondary to helping heal the liver, kutki may reduce circulating triglycerides and oxidized LDL cholesterol — without affecting HDL levels.

Manjistha

Manjistha a.k.a. Rubia cordifolia a.k.a. Indian madder is another cherished ayurvedic herb. It specializes in reinvigorating and moving the alkaline fluid within our lymphatic system. The fluid in our lymphatic system moves in an upward direction, from our feet and legs, up toward our stomach area, where it is coiled and concentrated in a sac-like system known as the cisterna chyli. This is where lymph fluid often gets clogged. Here is where manjistha also works its magic, unwinding clogged pathways of this drainage system. Manjistha is also known for many other things consequently, being a blood purifier, and a skin rejuvenator.

Prime constituents in manjistha include purpurin, munjistin, xanthopurpurin and pseudopurpurin. Secondary metabolites include alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and anthraquinones. A natural antioxidant, manjistha may enhance other antioxidant markers, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S. transferase (GST).

Manjistha is useful for treating calcium deficiency, relieves mentrual pain and menstrual hormonal imbalances. It is also said to destroy tumors, heal diabetic ulcers and remove gallstones.

Among the skin conditions that may see an improvement from manjistha include psoriasis, eczema, and acne. It overall may present you with a more healthy, glowing skin tone.

Manjistha seems to have an affinity for women’s health. Not only may it improve skin tone — providing a more youthful appearance — it, by removing excess heat from the body, also provides relief for liver and kidney function, and balancing hormones in the process. If you are suffering from amenorrhea, you may want to give manjistha a try. Being that it improves all moving liquid in the body — the blood, interstitial fluid, lymph, urine — no wonder how it may be good at improving our immune system and balancing hormones. It also may reverse edema.

Manjistha stem and especially root are what’s mostly used as the healing properties. Look for only organic and sustainably sourced manjistha. Manjistha root is red and has traditionally been used as a dye through various cultures — careful, as it may stain your teeth.

Red Root

Red Root a.k.a. Ceanothus (americanus) a.k.a. “Jersey tea” is a nitrogen fixing shrub. In that, it makes blood flow easier without thinning the blood. Therefore, avoid this herb if you are on blood thinners and anticoagulant. Red root is an immune system booster, capable of reducing mucus by stimulating the mucous membrane and by acting as an expectorant. It also may relieve sore throat, strep throat and the flu and cold viruses. It provides inflammation defense, microbial defense, respiratory support and lymphatic support.

Like manjistha, red root works on the lymphatic system, specifically the lymph nodes. We have over 500 lymph nodes throughout our lymphatic system. Red Root is effective against swollen, inflamed lymph nodes. It also supports and protects another important lymphatic organ: the spleen. A proper working spleen produces clean blood.

Red Root is for temporary use only. It may interfere with iron and other mineral absorption. As previously mentioned, it should not be taken with blood thinners and anticoagulant.

Olive leaf extract

Olive leaf extract is one of the safest herbs to consume on the regular basis. Prized since ancient Egypt, and perhaps before, olive leaf is indeed from the fruit tree we know so well that produces olives and olive oil. This herb is a natural antioxidant that truly boosts the immune system, helping to destroy viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Both a preventative and curative herb, olive leaf extract contains a polyphenol called oleuropein, which may manage some forms of hypertension (high blood pressure) if used regularly.  Then there are other antioxidant  metabolites produced, like hydroxytyrosol, only found in this herb.

As an antioxidant and immune system booster, olive leaf extract may inhibit the over-activation of mTOR (a cellular intermediate that helps build things like muscle and even carcinogenic agents), reduce DNA damage, increase the activity of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, and thus fight tumors and cells associated with cancer.

Olive leaf extract is also good for some skin conditions, especially shingles.

Olive leaf extract is NOT a full spectrum antibiotic. Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t reduce candidiasis . Also do not take this herb with other antibiotics — they may cancel each other’s effectiveness out.

Amla

Amla a.k.a. Emblica officinalis a.k.a. Indian gooseberry is not an herb, but rather a fruit that grows on an herb tree of the same name. Amla is used for both preventative and therapeutic purposes. It contains a small amount of vitamin C. However this vitamin C is potent due to polyphenols which keeps it intact. Amla is an antioxidant which may lower inflammation, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and prevent LDL oxidation.

Amla may promote longevity through mechanisms not yet fully understood by science. What is known is that it contains tannoids which may reduce cataract and diabetic retinopathy, thus making amla somewhat neuroprotective.

In lab tests, amla decimates cancer cells, including lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian and colorectal cancer. This is partially due to the fact that it protects our DNA from heavy metal damage, and also raises intracellular levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Amla is good for moving the bowels and also the lymphatic system. If you are suffering from constipation or a sluggish bowel, consider amla as a preventative and therapeutic agent for this purpose. If your lymphatic system is stagnant, higher doses of amla will eventually get it moving. Alma is included in an ayurvedic blend of berries to alleviate constipation, known as triphala.

Being a source of natural,stable vitamin C, amla is many more times potent than ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is falsely claimed to be vitamin C, when really it is only the outer protective coating of true vitamin C. True vitamin C contains an enzymatic form of copper known as tyrosinase, which amla does have.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha root is now known to be a very powerful adaptogen, meaning, it knows how to adapt the body’s stress response and homeostatic balance from external and internal influences. It reduces excess cortisol (excess cortisol may cause inflammation, raise insulin and deplete other important hormones like dopamine and testosterone).

Ashwagandha increases progesterone levels in both men and women. Progesterone burns fat — so ashwagandha burns fat by increasing progesterone. Not only does it burn fat, it also increases muscle size (especially in the quadriceps), strength and endurance. It may reduce fat  deposits at the waistline.

Ashwagandha may improve every aspect of human sexuality, increasing sexual arousal, particularly in women, being women have more progesterone than men, and ideally leading to more good estrogen in women. It also lubricates the vagina, increases — to a noticeable extent — sperm quantity and motility. Orgasm between both sexes are enhanced with ashwagandha.

You may be tempted to use ashwagandha often for the reasons stated above — however, ashwagandha is for temporarily use only. An over-consumption of this herb can cause an overreaction of everything else. It may become irritating to the stomach’s mucosal layer, causing a form of gastritis.

Ashwagandha, additionally, is good for brain function, focus and memory. It has gaba-mimicking qualities, being anti-anxiety and depression reducing. This herb is currently being tested as a natural remedy for Alzheimer’s disease. Damaged neurons are being restored in lab tests when given this herb.

Be careful where and who you buy ashwagandha from. Not all ashwagandha are equal. Some brands may provide all the benefits listed, while others — not even one. There are compounds in ashwagandha that if not dosed properly, will not provide the claimed benefits. One of those compounds is known as withanolides. Being a skeptic myself, I personally do not believe this is the main ingredient that makes ashwagandha what it is. I believe there is much more to learn about this great herb.

Ashwagandha is also a great sleep aid. This may seem contradictory, being this herb is usually used in the morning to stimulate and get us through the day. However, taking ashwagandha 2 hours before bedtime will reveal its adaptogenic effect in helping you to sleep.

As noted earlier, ashwagandha is not for everyday use. It may increase autoimmune activity and make things worse. It may worsen thyroid disorders, increasing unwanted thyroid hormonal levels. It may irritate the gastrointestinal tract and give rise to ulcers. It may decrease blood pressure and make things worse if you are already on hypertension medication. It is advised to stop using ashwagandha two weeks before surgery, as it may exacerbate bleeding. For these reasons, I believe it is best to use ashwagandha as a decocted tea, meaning, you boil the herb parts or powder in water for a period of time, let the sediments settle for discarding, and drink the hot liquid portion.

Turmeric

A very popular spice in Indian cuisine, turmeric has made its way as an in-demand herb from ayurveda. From the same family as ginger, turmeric has anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties. Turmeric is being studied for its ability to destroy tumors and cancer cells.

Lab tests done have revealed turmeric is capable of fighting certain cancers, like prostate, colorectal and bladder cancer, arresting these cells, bursting them and causing apoptosis. Metastasis and tumor growth were reduced. The mechanism how this is done is not fully known.

Anti-inflammatory compounds in turmeric, interleukin-I and interleukin-II, control cytokines from wreaking havoc and more inflammation by lowering the body’s ability to send pain signals to the brain. This makes turmeric an ideal source for chronic pain relief, such as general arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.

Turmeric may reduce your need for exogenous antioxidants by raising the body’s own antioxidant levels, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and catalase. This thus protects cells against DNA damage.

Turmeric may improve cognitive function — reducing anxiety and depression. It may improve memory and focus. It is actually currently being studied for its ability to reverse Alzheimer’s disease.

Turmeric when consumed is not evenly distributed throughout the body though.  It is not even absorbed easily by the body. Coconut oil or black pepper (piperine) must be added to increase turmeric’s absorption rate — and they do this quite well. Furthermore, foods containing quercetin inhibit turmeric’s absorption. And to make things even more complicated, black pepper is an allergen for many people.

Turmeric is not for daily consumption. There may be a reason why the body does not absorb turmeric well by itself. It is not one of those herbs you should take everyday. In fact, right now many people are abusing turmeric by taking too much of it. The thinking is if a little is good, a lot must be better. This is truly not the case. An over-consumption of turmeric in lab tests have resulted in increased mTOR and ACTUAL increased cancer cell formation, liver damage and decreased testosterone levels. As an herb high in oxalates, too much turmeric may chelate certain important minerals and vitamins out of the body, like copper and biotin. On a positive note though, turmeric also help chelate toxins and heavy metals out of the body, like mercury, lead and unbound iron.

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric three times per week may be the ideal, safe dosage of this herb.

Eclipta alba

Eclipta alba may never become a famous herb like the others. It is quite unique and different than any of the others listed. Also known as False Daisy, Eclipta prostrate, Bhringraj and Yerba de Tago, Eclipta alba is a species of the sunflower family and whose leaves are known as a liver tonic, a hair tonic and color rejuvenator and may even grow back hair on some people who have lost theirs. It is also an immunostimulant.

I personally have used this herb orally for many months in the hopes of obtaining my lost hair back. It did not work. I didn’t grow any extra hair, but I also didn’t loss more. To my understanding, for this herb to grow hair, it ought to be made into a paste and placed on the scalp area needed; and it should be used in conjunction with other herbs/supplements to obtain the desired effects. The petroleum ether extract of this herb has been used along with other herbs — Citrullus Colocynthis and  Cuscuta Relexa — in repeated studies to produce hair regrowth.

Eclipta Alba may benefit the liver — mainly consisting of coumestans i.e. wedelolactone polypeptides, and flavonoids. Coumestans are known to possess estrogenic activity. Wedelolactone possesses a wide range of biological activities and is used for the treatment of hepatitis and cirrhosis. Thus, Eclipta Alba may be both reparative and nourishing to a damaged liver.

This explains the other benefits associated with consuming Eclipta Alba: cooling the blood, healing eye problems, healing skin problems such as eczema and acne, antibacterial and anti-hemorrhagic. This herb is also noted to lessen anger in participants who use it. In Chinese medicine, anger is stored in the liver — if the liver is free and working properly, anger does not store, but is released.

As previously mentioned, this herb contains immunostimulatory properties. It may increase B-cell count, as well as macrophage activity. It may also even  inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Lab tests have revealed a reduction in hepatic, kidney and glioma cancer cells.

As with most herbs, there is often some compound that would prevent continuous usage. As previously mentioned, Eclipta Alba contains estrogenic compounds. This will be compromising to men whose hormonal balance is already compromised with too much exogenous estrogen. Man boobs may appear, hair loss and enlarged prostate may manifest. Also, for women, a hormonal imbalance may occur between estrogen and progesterone levels, with too much exogenous estrogen, leading to painful periods, or even amenorrhea. So for these reasons, Eclipta Alba should be used with caution and at the right time and amount.

You may have noticed most of these herbs share common denominators: they are immune system boosters, cancer fighters and liver rejuvenators! It is best to consume them either decocted or infused in tea form, and separating the tea from the residual sediments. Herbs should also be consumed ideally 3 times per week and generally no more. They also should be rotated so that our cells do not become overly adapted to them.

Caution should be taken while using herbs with any medication, if pregnant or breastfeeding and two weeks before surgery. Typical side effects — though rare — may include: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, stomach upset, skin rash, anemia, constipation and/or diarrhea.

 

Some of these herbs can be purchased at the recommendations below:

 

 

 

Belly Fat: The Root Cause

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

When your stomach is permanently bloated with ‎belly fat, think the worst, but hope for the best — you may have fatty liver. Fatty liver is a serious condition since a healthy liver is of vital importance to overall health. If the liver and its bile storage sac — the gallbladder — are clogged, then every other organ is affected — every other organ is clogged. Even the blood is clogged.

I have been looking like I was pregnant since I was 3 years old. I always had a hard, bloated stomach — and I always suffered from chronic constipation because of stress, a dysfunctional family, bad grades, poverty and loneliness.
I surprisingly overcame my constipation at the age of 20 simply by taking vitamin B1 (50 mg) for four days. Wow!!!

But the bloated, hard stomach continued. I realized I had damaged my liver and intestines almost permanently with the stress and bad choices I had made.
Insulin is a major cause of belly fat, visceral fat, fatty liver, ascites, or whatever you may want to call it. But I would like to add something else.

Our small intestine is long — very long. Ranging from 9 feet in length, up to 34 feet; but typically between 15 to 20 feet in length. If there is a traffic jam, guess what? Big problems. So I’ve learned if there is something wrong with the stomach, then there is something wrong with the liver, the gallbladder, the bile duct, the pancreas, the spleen, the intestines, the blood, and the lymphatic system. Wow! Where to start then?

Recently, I’ve been noticing a lot of products sold within the United States is enriched (wheat) flour, meaning fortified with iron, meaning synthetic iron filing, meaning rusting the organs. Could these synthetic iron filings be causing a disruption in the gut? Could it be damaging the pancreas? Could it be one of the causes, if not the main cause of insulin resistance, and thus belly fat? Could it be that we have too much free iron in us, wreaking havoc, in us?

A chronic bloated stomach, or belly fat, is a blatant indication that your internal organs are not working properly. Your endocrine system and the hormones it produces are not working properly. Your process of detoxification and elimination are compromised. Your lymphatic system, which can also be regarded as a drainage system, is most likely clogged somewhere. The lymph nodes may be even building toxins and becoming swollen. In severe cases, your blood may become so toxic from metabolic waste backing up, that it may have no choice but to use your own skin as a source of dumping site. Thus you develop the manifestation of skin disorders: psoriasis, eczema, acne. And the list goes on.

From personal experience, soft belly fat may not be that dangerous. It could simply be fat accumulation, namely subcutaneous fat, caused by hormonal imbalance. However, if the belly fat is hard and bloated, that may be indicative of something more serious. It may indicate small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or something like too much insulin in the blood! Even more troubling, it may indicate visceral fat, meaning, fat is accumulating around the organs, vital organs — especially the liver. The liver is a living organ that needs space, and needs to breathe. Fat accumulation around this organ is sinister, filled with carbon dioxide, toxins and metabolic waste. This type of fat stifles the liver, and prevents it from performing its vital duties.

When the liver is stifled and prevented from doing its duties, the blood takes a hit. It becomes thick and dirty. When the blood loses its vitality, the lymphatic system takes a hit. Instead of draining toxins and metabolic waste, it too becomes clogged and polluted, like a toilet bowl filled with sewage that just won’t flush! Then the heart takes a hit – the birth of hypertension and heart disease!

As I indicated earlier — so long as we’re not practicing any other obvious bad habits — the food we eat may be the main culprit for these cascading events. Manufacturers are processing food in such a way, they deplete all of the nutrients out of them. These manufacturers think they are doing us a favor by putting these nutrients back in synthetic form. But vitamins and minerals made in a lab does not come close to the real thing, even though chemistry-wise, they may look like the real thing. Our bodies will indeed accept these chemically derived nutrients for a while. But eventually, microscopic damage will slowly build up into inflammation and autoimmune diseases that could have been avoided if we were consuming real food, the way nature intended.

Read the labels of the food you buy. Beware of anything listed as:

Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid) 🔻 Hydrogenated Rapeseed 🔻 Maltodextrin 🔻 Aspartame 🔻 High Fructose Corn Syrup 🔻 Ascorbic Acid 🔻 Soy Lecithin 🔻 Invert Sugar 🔻 Artificial Color 🔻 Canola Oil 🔻 Palm Oil and Carrageenan.

Often, on these labels, “enriched flour” usually tops the list, meaning, this is the main ingredient. Like I said earlier, enriched flour is simply a fancy word for, among other things, synthetic iron filings. If iron is not absorbed properly in our bodies, then, like tools left out in the rain and environment, it will rust our organs. Iron is notorious for rusting our liver. Iron needs a carrier, like hemoglobin or haptoglobin to perform its functions properly. If it is free and unbound, as is the case with “enriched flour”, then it is no longer a mineral. Like mercury, lead, and arsenic, it is now a heavy metal, wreaking havoc and puncturing holes where it should not be. The body thus considers it a foreign object, and treats it as such — because it is. Now comes the birth of what we may call gluten intolerance or celiac disease or autoimmune disease. Now comes leaky gut, gallstones in the gallbladder, pancreatitis, insulin resistance, diabetes, Hashimoto’s, Parkinson’s disease and a host of other diseases science has no clue what causes them. Or so they claim.

So what is the solution? Eat healthy. Eat fresh vegetables, especially leafy greens, and fruits, especially berries, made by nature, which gained their life-force from the sun. Avoid synthetic unless you don’t have a choice. Drink natural spring water that contains minerals. Eat small amounts of animal meat and their organs, that when they were alive were allowed the graze out in the sun on natural, organic grass, that grow in pristine, rich, mineral soil. Consider certain sea-foods like oysters, harvested from pristine waters and rich in mineral content, on a limited bases.

But the damage done may have been so strong, that we may need to take it a step further. We may need to add certain healing herbs to fix and cleanse the liver, blood and lymphatic system. For the liver, the ayurvedic herb kutki is legendary for rebuilding damages done to it. For the lymphatic system, another ayurvedic herb called manjistha will unclog it, thus simultaneously cleansing the blood. Olive leaf extract has been made famous since biblical times as a healing herb for general health and well-being.

I personally follow these recommendations listed. In addition, I may occasionally include a heavy metal detox with IP-6 – inositol, to chelate unbound iron out of my body. I may also include modified citrus pectin, to bind and chelate any other toxins or heavy metal out of my system. It is not a quick process. It may take months before seeing noticeable results. Keep in mind that herbs should typically be used only three (3) times per week, and are best decocted or infused into tea form. Keep in mind also that IP-6 chelates not only unbound iron, but calcium and zinc as well. So be sure to be re-instituting your body  with food rich in these minerals after the process.

Healing Lyme Disease

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

Lyme disease is a condition with various flu-like symptoms, along with various other aches and pain, that comes about ultimately from a weakened immune system. It is often attributed to a bacterium from tick bite.

Lyme disease is more of a symptom to a disease rather than the disease itself. The actual disease is a weakened immune system and methylation defect. Supposedly, you could be bitten by a tick, and then have the bacteria lay dormant for years, even decades, without you even knowing you were ever bitten or infected. A detox cleanse or a weakening of the immune system can then suddenly bring the infection to life.

Beside through skin, nose or mouth, the pathway to pathogenic infections for many people also comes through another source: the ears! Our ears have minimum defense against many and any pathogens. Many people think that to destroy these pathogens they must alkalize their body. Actually, many pathogens thrive in alkalinity and push away acidity. Thus, to “acidify” your ears, consider using 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide ten minutes before taking a shower. You can use a dropper to administer the peroxide. 3% only. You can do this once every six months.
Second way to acidify the body from pathogens is to acidify the stomach, by using a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of water before meals. Do this for about 3 weeks. (Continuous use of apple cider vinegar is not recommended. Such can damage the fragile tissues of the esophagus and the duodenum. It can also damage teeth enamel.)

Next, you need to remineralize your body. Simply put, methylation is a process that keeps us alive and well, and that happens intricately in our cells, chemically adapting the structure of our DNA with the use of nutrients, enzymes and co-enzymes. Among the main players in the process are the genes S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM-e), S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH), and Adenosylhomocysteinase (AHCY). During the methylation process, SAMe sends SAH to the AHCY enzyme. If AHCY is defected (these defects are labeled heterozygous or homozygous), it will not let SAH through, thus causing a toxic buildup of SAH. Toxic levels of SAH can actually shut down the entire methylation process! AHCY also becomes defected when it is lacking its co-factors: magnesium and manganese. The Lyme bacteria — Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii — feed on and deplete these minerals from your body. Also another enzyme, SOD2 (superoxide dismutase 2, a.k.a. manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase) which is responsible for protecting the mitochondria, needs manganese to work efficiently. One study found that this bacterium substitutes manganese for iron in its diet, and that this pathogen is the first known organism to live without iron. You however only need about 2 mg of manganese per day to be up to par. (Too much manganese, on the other hand, can be dangerous.)

Other cofactors are depleted from someone with Lyme disease. These include zinc, copper, taurine, vitamin D3 and vitamin C. Instead of purchasing these separately, you can obtain a natural supplement that contains all of these minerals, vitamins, amino acids, etc. One such supplement is called Naturelo One Daily multivitamin. When choosing a vitamin supplement, it is important to insure that it is from natural sources, and not synthetic. It should contain beta carotene rather than retinol, P5P rather than B6, folate rather than folic acid, organic kelp rather than iodine, and cherries or berries rather than ascorbic acid for vitamin C. Naturelo contains all these natural sources.

If your vitamin D3 level is inadequate, consider natural vitamin D3 found in sunlight or natural food sources. The sun is a natural healer, capable of rearranging minerals in the body, taking them to places they need to be and away from other places they are less needed. This thus balances hormones. Consider at least 20 minutes of sunlight 3 or 4 times per week, exposing the fattier parts of your body. The best time to effectively absorb the UV-B rays from sunlight are between the hours of 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. If sunlight is not practical, consider food sources found in various mushrooms and lichens.

To further boost your immune system, consider taking pau d’arco tea for about one to two month, along with wild oregano oil, olive leaf extract and andrographis. These act as powerful natural antibiotics, capable of destroying a plethora and wide range of pathogens. I’ve heard some people say this method alone resolved their Lyme disease issues. Be warned of a flu-like symptom known as the Herxheimer-reaction. This comes about due to the sudden mass die-off of these pathogens, and the destruction of the tissue-cells they infected.

Collagen is also depleted with Lyme disease. Natural vitamin C will rebuild this. Among the best source is amla (berry). A second source is acerola (berry).

If you are having heart palpitations or high blood pressure, then the problem originated from a defected liver, not the heart! Consider going to Chinatown and purchasing one of their most famous herb products: Dan Shen. Use it for two months and see what happens to the palpitations! Also consider pure pomegranate juice and Ubiquinol in conjunction.

In summary to effectively heal Lyme disease, try:

– 3% hydrogen peroxide in the ears once every six months.

– A natural multivitamin such as Naturelo One Daily, which contains magnesium and manganese

– Natural sunshine for its vitamin D and other healing powers

– Natural antibiotics such as Pau D’arco tea, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract and andrograp‌his

– Natural vitamin C found in amla or acerola.

Fibromyalgia: This Pain Must Stop!

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

Fibromyalgia — often accompanied with fatigue and irregular sleeping patterns — is a widespread inflammation of muscle tissue throughout various parts of the body, causing pain and tenderness. Currently medical science has classified its origin of unknown cause. In this article, we will examine more closely the possible core cause of fibromyalgia, and natural remedies to alleviate its symptoms.

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome, which means it’s like putting many puzzle pieces together to conclude what it is. It is not simply diagnosed with a blood test or any single test at current. Totaling up tender-points that trigger pain is the main method used to determine whether or not someone has this condition. Many people who are diagnosed are actually not suffering from this condition. Simply increasing certain minerals, like iodine and selenium, have corrected symptoms that appeared to be fibromyalgia. Simply decongesting the gallbladder has given pain relief to some who taught they had incurable fibromyalgia.

If you have fibromyalgia, it was initiated by some type of stress trauma you may or may not be aware of. That stress is what is keeping a fight or flight hormone on high 24 hours a day, when really it should almost never be on high. That hormone is adrenaline.  That hormone is also dehydrating your body. Your critical concern should be on knowing how to hydrate your tissue cells — not just your body — but specifically tissue cells. Did you know that inside your brain cells consist of about 85% water/fluid? The reason why your cells are dehydrated is because they are corrupted with toxic deposits, such as heavy metals, including unbound iron, making them unable to “breathe”/function properly. A quick way to fix this dehydration problem is by sipping water — not just any water: hot water. One or two sips of hot water every half an hour throughout the day will cleanse and rehydrate your tissue cells. It will also make you lose excess weight safely. (Water should be boiled for 20 minutes, then stored in a stainless thermos to keep/remain hot.)

Additionally, you should be consuming at least four (4) cup of regular — preferably spring — water throughout the day. Stay away from caffeine; and even decaffeinated coffee. Decaffeinated beans can be more acidic than caffeinated. This can create the onset of a host of health problems, including quadrupling the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Instead, drink Ojibwa tea — hot. Research this tea — this alone can significantly improve the conditions created by fibromyalgia.

Turmeric with coconut oil will help remineralize your cells, as well as re-oxygenate them. Turmeric is particularly full of rich macronutrients, such as magnesium, and micronutrients, such as copper, which makes it work so well. You may also want to add magnesium in a concentrated form by taking magnesium malate. This form of magnesium works particularly well for those suffering from fibromyalgia.

There are studies showing CoEnzyme Q10 (or its reduced form, Ubiquinol) reducing levels of lipid peroxidation and pro-oxidative markers in the serum of the blood; in addition to reducing fatigue, pain and soreness. CoEnzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone) and its reduced form, Ubiquinol, are molecules naturally produced in the body, known to have antioxidant effects on a cellular, mitochondrial level. It helps in creating ATP, thus boosting systematic overall energy.

Pau d’arco and olive leaf extract are also two of the most effective natural antibiotics in the world, destroying a plethora of pathogens (beware of the Herxheimer-reaction though, which may last less than one week or up to two weeks).

Consider also getting more vitamin D naturally by exposing much of your skin to the sun at least at the right time. Sunrise or sunset are great times to expose your naked eyes to the sun, while between the hours of 10:30 AM and 3 PM are the best times to expose your skin, including chest and stomach, to the sun’s UV-B rays. Consider also supplementing vitamin D found naturally in mushrooms and lichens.

It will not hurt also to increase your intake of natural vitamin C found particularly in amla (berries) or acerola (berry) — my two favorite sources. Natural vitamin C helps heal inflammation, thereby reducing oxidized LDL cholesterol. Natural vitamin C also contains an enzymatic form of copper, which gives our bodies an electrical boost. Centenarians are known to have high levels of copper.

Avoid aspartame, tobacco (products), fish oil, flaxseed (oil), gluten, chia seeds, iron supplements, high-fructose corn-syrup, ascorbic acid and any type of pharmaceutical medicines (if you can): these all exacerbate fibromyalgia.

So in summary, to help alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia:

– sip hot water

– drink more spring or filtered water

– avoid caffeine and decaffeinated coffee

– drink Ojibwa tea

– take turmeric with coconut oil

– add magnesium malate

– take a good brand of Ubiquinol

– try pau d’arco and olive leaf extract

– find sources of natural vitamin D, including sunlight, mushrooms and lichens

– try natural vitamin C found in amla or acerola berry and

– avoid harmful products.

 

 

 

Tuberculosis (TB): What it is, and what to do about it.

Posted on by Diogenes II

 

Tuberculosis a.k.a. TB is an infectious and potentially fatal disease caused primarily by what science has identified as a bacterium —Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is named so because it is aerobic and creates tubercles in the nodules of the lungs, especially the upper oxygen-rich lobes of said organ. The most common form — pulmonary tuberculosis — is caused by inhaling said bacteria in the air from any source already infected. The bacteria can spread to other parts of the body via the lymphatic system. Historically, tuberculosis was catastrophic before the rise in vaccination, medication and milk pasteurization. There has been a resurgence due to modern issues, such as HIV, organ transplant and diabetes. Here, at BIOinvigoRATE, we will discuss what tuberculosis is and what we should do to prevent and reverse the disease.

There are two notable stages of TB: latent TB and active TB disease. Many people with latent TB show no signs of sickness, and may not infect others, and may not — themselves — even be aware they may be infected with the bacterium! That scenario may go on for decades, or for life. Those with active TB disease however, will show the classical signs: persistent coughs (with blood) that lasts for weeks, night sweats, chest pain, weakness and fatigue, chills, lack of appetite, weight loss and so on. In fact, TB was once called consumption because of its weight loss and wasting away characteristics of those who contracted it.

Tuberculosis is easy to catch as it may be, for some people, hard to avoid. Avoiding those who talk a lot or open their mouths a lot would be a good rule of thumb to abide by in avoiding this disease. Avoiding those that spit, sneeze, shout, sing and speak out loud would be the sure precaution that would prevent infection from this disease. There is another little known form of TB bacteria — Mycobacterium bovis — that is spread by the substance of infected cattle. We must therefore avoid unpasteurized milk and cheese products of which the source of origin is unknown.

When our body is infected with bacteria, the immune system sends its first line of defense — macrophages — large white blood cells that engulf the bacteria. However, TB bacteria works differently than other bacteria and is made up of different complex, waxy surface material than other bacteria, making it difficult for our immune cells to disrupt them. Additionally, TB bacteria will then turn the table by changing the structure and chemistry of these macrophages and using them as a source of energy, resource, duplication and transportation. This is one of the biggest mysteries of active TB bacteria and why it has become so drug resistant!

The big questions that arise from the behavioral pattern of active TB are: How does the TB bacteria know to use our own immune cells for its benefit? Why does the TB bacteria want to use our immune cells for its benefit. And who taught TB bacteria everything it knows to use our immune cells for its benefit? It is from these questions why getting rid of TB infection takes so many months, uses so many medications, involves so many research, costs so much money, and has taken so many lives!

Tuberculosis is notoriously associated with low vitamin D, which then causes many medical practitioners to recommend vitamin D supplements to their patients. But, as an example, a lot of people who get sick during the winter months do not get sick primarily because they have low vitamin D levels — but because their immune system is compromised! Low vitamin D is only an indication of a compromised immune system. Yes, patients may feel better replacing D3 synthetically, but that doesn’t fix the problem.
TB is not a low vitamin D problem. It is an iron toxicity and acidity problem in the lungs and surrounding area, causing bacterial infection/infestation! Taking high doses of D3 supplement will cover the problem — then make it worse!

The vitamin D from the sun is different from the vitamin D3 in supplements. True sunlight — the UV-B rays and others — has a strong impact in healing many diseases, including TB. In contrast, supplementing 20,000 IU of D3  (even with K2-MK7) will make you feel better, while simultaneously making your health worse. While supplemental D3 is increasing your D3 level, it is also DEPLETING your magnesium level, your vitamin A level, your copper level and your zinc level — the very things that are MOST needed with TB infection! If you are infected with the tuberculosis bacteria, then take off your outer clothes and sunbathe in the sun!

Also consider D3 supplements, but from real food source, like lichens; rather than the cholecalciferol made from sheep-wool wax, and that is used in rat poison! Irradiated mushrooms may also be a choice to consider. So would a vitamin D lamp.

There are also many herbs that may show promise in building back up the immune system of someone with TB and in eradicating its bacteria! Pelargonium sidoides, a.k.a. African geranium — my first choice — should be one to seriously consider. Other immune system building herbs are guduchi, andrographis, astragalus, pau d’arco, mullein, elderberry, olive leaf extract and eclipta alba. All of the aforementioned herbs have two things in common: they destroy bacteria and reduce inflammation. They also restore lung vitality. They are also loaded with immune support nutrients. Still other herbs that may be helpful are: rosemary, manjistha, Jamaican sarsaparilla and burdock root. Often, finding the right combination of herbs can do wonders in obliterating TB or any other stubborn disease!