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Clues your skin may be giving you

As your largest organ, your skin is arguably just as much of an indicator of your health as your temperature, blood pressure and heart rate.

Unfortunately, many people focus on suppressing and controlling skin problems without trying to decipher what clues their skin is trying to reveal.

Here are some common skin problems and what they might be trying to tell you:

Acne

What it may be trying to tell you:  You may have an unhealthy gut environment.

When your intestinal wall is overcome with unhealthy bacteria, it can become too porous and as a result, wastes, toxins and worn-out hormones that should be eliminated with your bowel movements can instead seep into your bloodstream.  One of the most common effects of this process (called autointoxication) is chronic inflammation—which can affect your skin and trigger acne.

How to help: Increase your consumption of gut-supportive fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, tempeh, miso, kombucha, kimchi and kefir.

Also, supplement with a top-notch multi-strain probiotic formula like Super Shield.  Super Shield’s 13 species of well-studied probiotic bacteria can help beef up your population of friendly microbes which in turn can help strengthen the gut wall (as well as support your immune system).

Dry skin

What it may be trying to tell you:  In addition to being a possible sign that your showers are too hot, your soap is too harsh, you’re not getting enough good fats or you’re not drinking enough water, dry skin is also a symptom of these conditions:

• Hypothyroidism (low functioning thyroid)
• Menopause
• Reactions to certain medications—especially allergy drugs, blood pressure medications, diuretics, antidepressants, statins and acne drugs
• Diabetes
• Liver and kidney problems

How to help: If you suspect any of these may be an underlying issue for you, see your doctor, and if drug reactions are present, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Make sure you’re drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water each day and getting enough anti-inflammatory healthy fats like Omega-3 essential fatty acids.  (VitalMega-3 fish oil formula can help ensure you’re getting these crucial nutrients that not only help keep your skin healthy but also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and keep your joints fluid too!)

Fungal infection around or under your nails

What it may be trying to tell you:  You may have yeast (Candida) overgrowth in your gut.

Candida is a normal inhabitant in our guts and when it exists in a symbiotic relationship with us, it can help destroy harmful bacteria. 

But when Candida grows out of control and transforms from helpful yeast to harmful fungus, it eats away at your intestinal walls and can get into circulation.

This can lead to rashes, food intolerances, brain fog, genitourinary infections and skin/nail infections.

How to help: Eliminating refined carbohydrates from your diet is crucial.  Sugars and refined carbs feed yeasts and encourage them to grow out of control. 

In addition, a friendly flora boost from a high quality probiotic supplement like Super Shield can be a big help in controlling Candida.

Two of the powerhouse strains in Super Shield probiotic formula, Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus, have been shown to be extremely effective in fighting Candida!

Rosacea

What it may be trying to tell you:  You’re approaching menopause or you’re stressed.

Rosacea (which is typically marked by broken capillaries, facial flushing and pimples) commonly shows up between the ages of 35 and 50—which is also the time that women’s hormone levels begin to fluctuate as they approach menopause. 

In addition, stress hormones can also trigger outbreaks of rosacea.

How to help: Your liver is responsible for removing excess, worn out hormones from circulation and putting them into your bile to be eliminated.  To help the liver with its efforts, eat lots of cruciferous vegetables, onions and garlic.  In addition, drink a large glass of room temperature water with a splash of lemon juice each morning to help cleanse your liver and keep it in tip-top shape.

If menopause is an issue, consult a holistic doctor to see if bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is right for you. 

Unlike synthetic HRT, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy works to help naturally reestablish the way your body sends messages to your tissues and organs to keep them healthy. 

And lastly, if stress is a regular thing for you, find ways to reduce stress like regular exercise, meditation, yoga, deep breathing and prayer.  Do whatever works for you.

Psoriasis

What it may be trying to tell you:  Your immune system is mixed-up and attacking you.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, meaning that your body sees its own cells as enemies and wages war against itself.  Your immune system strikes out against your healthy cells, harming your tissues, stirring up inflammation and eventually causing impairment or loss of normal bodily functioning.

There are presently between 80-100 autoimmune diseases identified so far.  People with one autoimmune disease are far more likely to develop another autoimmune challenge.

How to help:  Probiotic supplementation has been shown to help address the overzealous immune system reactions associated with autoimmune conditions—and Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is as good as it gets.

One of Super Shield's strains, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, has been shown to have a beneficial impact on autoimmune conditions as well as constipation, diarrhea and IBS symptoms.

Additionally, Super Shield's 12 other superstar strains will help keep your gut flora in proper balance and encourage the formation of more anti-inflammatory immune cells.

Look deeper

Don’t necessarily brush off skin conditions or focus your efforts only on topical treatments.

Instead listen to your skin and see what clues it may be trying to give you.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

8 Reasons you’re always tired

While occasional tiredness is unavoidable for most of us, regular sleepiness and fatigue can signal an underlying problem that needs attention. 

If you find yourself frequently tired for no apparent reason, here are eight possible reasons why, along with ways you can help fight back and start feeling a whole lot perkier—fast!

#1: An overwhelmed immune system

For most of the history of mankind, chemicals were completely unheard of. 

Now we currently have over 85,000 chemicals in our food, environment and medications!

These are completely foreign to your body--most notably your immune system that has to figure out how to deal with this chemical onslaught and gets stressed to the max as a result.

Plus our guts are suffering the effects of a modern processed food diet and poor digestion, which results in harmful bacteria overgrowth in the gut (dysbiosis) which can hamper your immune system functioning.

The result?  You are FAR more susceptible to energy-sapping infections and viruses, as well as food allergies and autoimmune diseases.

How to fight back: In addition to a healthy diet of real foods, probiotic supplementation can be a big help.

And when it comes to a probiotic supplement that is up to the task, Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is your ticket.

Super Shield’s 13 strains of top-quality helpful bacteria are ready to help strengthen your gut wall, encourage better digestion and support your immune system functioning.

#2: Inadequate sleep

Up until about 130 years ago when Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, the average person got 9 hours of sleep per night.

Now thanks to lights, TVs, computers and video games and longer and longer workdays we’re down to an average of 6.5 hours per night….and that’s not enough for your body and mind to rejuvenate like they need to.

How to fight back: If you’re a Night Owl, it’s time to change your ways.  Turn off the TV, power down the computer and get some decent rest. At least 7- 8 hours should be your goal. 

#3: Sluggish thyroid or exhausted adrenals

Your thyroid gland is your body’s Grand Central Station of metabolism, and that includes creating energy from your foods. 

So if you have low-functioning thyroid (which is becoming increasingly common due to autoimmunity, medications, stress, toxins and heavy metal exposure) you are practically guaranteed to be dragging as a result.

Plus your adrenal glands signal your body to create energy when you are under physical or mental stress. 

Problem is, many of us have chronic ongoing stress—and this exhausts our adrenal glands so they can’t do their job as well or at all…and your energy can come crashing down as a result.

How to fight back: If you suspect thyroid or adrenal hormone deficiencies may be an issue for you, it’s time to get your hormone levels tested and get appropriate treatment. 

And if your adrenals are sluggish, supporting them nutritionally with Dr. Salerno’s Adrenal Factor can be a big help.

Dr. Salerno’s Adrenal Factor dietary supplement is a special blend of vitamins, nutrients and natural glandulars that provides adrenal support for fatigue, stress and a host of other symptoms of low adrenal function.

In addition, lowering stress and having a healthy diet are important here too. 

#4: Lacking exercise

Exercise leads to an interesting phenomenon--it requires energy, but it also creates energy. 

As you become fitter, all of your organs work better because they're getting the oxygen and glucose they need and eliminating toxins -- and that means increased energy!

How to fight back:  You don't need to join a gym--even walking at a decent pace for at least 30 minutes is fine.  According to research presented by the American Heart Association, women who walked briskly each week reported almost 20 percent more energy than their couch potato peers.

So get your doctor’s OK and get going!

#5: Nutrient deficiencies

Thanks to our nutrient-poor typical diets loaded with processed foods, refined carbs and trans-fats, our poor bodies are suffering from droves of nutrient deficiencies.

Two of the most common deficiencies that can affect your energy level are Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D.

Vitamin B12 is absolutely vital for your body to create energy.  Plus vitamin D is essential for proper immune function and the avoidance of energy-killing autoimmune diseases, viruses and infections.

How to fight back:  If you’ve got a known or suspected B12 shortage, Hydroxaden 2.5 can help turn that around for you.

Hydroxaden 2.5 is a simple to use Vitamin B12 spray that gives you the 2.5 mg of B12 (in the form of hydroxocobalamin) suggested by many nutrition experts.  Just five quick sprays under your tongue each day is all it takes.

And if vitamin D deficiency is an issue for you, Dr. Salerno’s Vitamin D-K Factor can help take care of that.  Vitamin D-K Factor provides an impressive 5,000 IUs of vitamin D, plus the added benefit of vitamin K to support bone and cardiovascular health.

#6: Diabetes

Since diabetics have trouble using glucose properly (due to insulin resistance), and glucose is your body’s main source of energy, one of the common symptoms of diabetes is fatigue.

How to fight back: See a doctor and get tested if you suspect diabetes may be an issue.  (This is especially true if you are also experiencing frequent thirst and increased urination.) 

And if you’re also overweight, it’s essential to clean up your diet and get regular exercise.

#7: Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep.

With sleep apnea, your upper airway actually closes or collapses for a few seconds, which alerts your brain to wake you up to begin breathing again.

How to fight back: See a doctor for a sleep evaluation.  In addition, this is another condition where your weight makes a difference.  Overweight people tend to have more or worse sleep apnea than slimmer people.

#8: Poor digestion

This is the Granddaddy of them all.

Nothing your body does demands more energy than digestion. 

So if yours is not going along so well, you can forget having anything that even closely resembles a level of energy. 

Now, the key to having good digestion is to eat meals that your body can more easily break down and make sure you have enough enzymes to do the job.

How to fight back:  The winning team of Great Taste No Pain and Digestizol Max can help turn around a cycle of poor digestion...fast. 

The Great Taste No Pain health system can show you how to structure high-energy, more easily digestible meals that are made from nutrient-rich REAL foods and taste positively fantastic!

And sinceit’s currently 20% off during our Sherry’s Birthday Special, now is the perfecttime to see how much it can help YOU!

Plus Digestizol Max enzyme formula can pinch-hit where your body might be running low in its ability to produce enzymes.

When you look at all the possible reasons why you’re always tired and do what you can to turn them around, you can feel the difference in your energy and alertness—FAST!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

Is bacon bad for you? (And other fat advice)

Unfortunately many people are completely in the dark when it comes to saturated fats like bacon (and other red meats for that matter), and have come to believe they should be avoided at all cost because they cause heart disease.

Well, that’s not exactly correct.

Let me explain why the belief that bacon is the devil is not accurate, as well as enlighten you about the health benefits of bacon (and other forms of fat too!).

Should you bring home the bacon?

Believe it or not, bacon is a healthy food!

Each serving of bacon contains an appreciable amount of monounsaturated fats—the same kind of fat found in “heart healthy” olive oil (as well as canola oil). 

Bacon fat is a natural antimicrobial—it helps fight dangerous bacteria, similar to garlic.

The fat in bacon is also rich in Vitamin D, which helps build strong bones, protects you against cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and strengthens your immune system functioning.

In addition, bacon contains phosphatidylcholine – a powerful antioxidant important for brain function.

The saturated fat in bacon helps lower your risk of developing heart disease by reducing lipoprotein (a), a known risk factor in the development cardiovascular disease.

Since saturated fats make food taste better, increase satiety and make you feel fuller longer, they also encourage weight loss.  They also protect your liver from toxins and help promote healthy lung function. 

And saturated fat is absolutely CRUCIAL for your brain.  Your brain is mostly made up of saturated fat and cholesterol, and every single nerve pathway is saturated fat driven.  So it should be no surprise that studies have linked a low-fat diet with conditions such as depression, mood swings, brain fog and impaired cognition.

Saturated fat is also your heart’s preferred fuel, plus it also contains substantial amounts of fat-soluble Vitamins A, E and K.

Know the good from the bad

Just like anything else, with bacon it’s important to know the good from the bad. As such, you need to   understand what nitrates and nitrites are.

Much of the commercial bacon (and other processed meats such as ham, sausage, hot dogs and lunch meat) available is nitrate-cured.  Nitrates are also found in abundance in many vegetables.

Where you can get into trouble is when nitrates become nitrites, then nitrites become nitrosamines.

Here’s why:

• Nitrates in and of themselves are relatively benign, unless they are turned into nitrites by bacteria in your mouth or enzymes in your body.
• Nitrites are the potentially dangerous molecules--they can either convert into Nitric Oxide (which is helpful) or nitrosamines (which can be harmful).
• Nitric Oxide can help relax and dilate your blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure.  (This is how the drug nitroglycerin works, FYI.)  It can also help prevent or reverse angina.
• Nitrosamines, on the other hand, are the bad guys—they are the potential carcinogens. Nitrosamines are created when nitrites are exposed to high heat.  And since bacon and similar meats are typically cooked at higher heats (such as on a stove or on a grill), that’s when you may be looking at the creation of dangerous nitrosamines. 

So should you swear off bacon?

It’s not necessary to completely swear off bacon, especially when you look at its potential health benefits. 

What you need to do instead is be more or a careful label-reader at the grocery store--look for organic, nitrate/nitrite-fee, hormone-free varieties.  Also look for products that don’t contain MSG or other additives, which pose dangers all of their own. 

If you can’t find organic, nitrate/nitrite-free varieties, at least cook your bacon on a lower heat for a longer period of time to help prevent the formation of nitrosamines.

Other important fat facts

Here are other important facts you must know to make wise choices about fats—getting what your body needs and helping to keep it healthy all the way.

1- Get good sources of saturated fats in moderation

Contrary to popular belief, ALL saturated fats are not bad. 

They're only bad IF you get way too many OR you eat the wrong kind (trans-fats). 

Examples of good saturated fats from Nature include fats from animal sources (meat, butter, lard, suet, milk, eggs and cheese) in moderation.

"Moderation" means that scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast or a 4 oz. portion of steak for dinner a few times a week is fine.

   

A daily diet of triple cheeseburgers for lunch and a 24 oz. porterhouse for dinner is NOT.

2- Stay FAR away from trans-fats

Trans-fats have been proven to be absolutely detrimental to your brain (and overall) health. 

Trans-fats compete with and "bully out" good fats for placement in your cell walls.  So instead of the fat they need, your brain cells can be clogged with a freak-fat that your body can't even metabolize and instead must try to detox out of you.

The good news is they're easy to spot--any time you see a food label that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil or shortening, do not buy it.  Even though trans-fats are now largely being eliminated from most processed foods, we’re not there yet and you still have to be a careful label reader.

Now if you need a little help avoiding trans-fats and getting tasty sources of good fats, the Great Taste No Pain system can help YOU become an expert!

Great Taste No Pain gives you step by step guides and meal ideas that help you to automatically limit trans-fats, while eating delicious foods that are inherently loaded with good fats.

It also teaches you the many dangers of trans-fats and processed foods to encourage you to keep them out of your life for good.

Note that if you’ve got gluten sensitivity, I’ve got you covered too.  Great Taste No Gluten is for you instead.

3- Get your daily dose of extra-virgin olive oil

Experts recommend that you incorporate one to two tablespoons of EVOO daily. 

That's easy to do--just drizzle some on your salad and on your vegetables and you've got what you need!

The Great Taste No Pain and Great Taste No Gluten systems can help here too--many of the dishes in the recipe books feature healthy extra-virgin olive oil. 

4- Get enough Omega-3 essential fatty acids

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are Nature’s anti-inflammatory, they have been shown to help lower blood pressure, enhance brain function and ease achy joints and arthritis. 

These important fats are found in abundance in fatty fish—but unfortunately that's not something that most people eat on a daily basis.  

 

We're also not getting the Omega-3s in other foods like we used to due to our reliance on processed vegetables oils and meats from grain-fed animals (which are severely lacking in the Moega-3s they used to have, but are brimming with inflammation-stirring Omega-6 EFAs).

That's why daily supplementation with Omega-3 fatty acids is so important for so many people.

And VitalMega-3 fish oil supplements are the perfect way to make sure you've got what you need. 

VitalMega-3 is loaded with 1,200 mg of Omega-3s in each and every daily two-capsule serving, including the all-important EPA and DHA in the 3:2 ratio recommended by health experts.

Now that you know the truth about bacon (and other sources of fat) you can make the best choices to help enhance your health for years to come.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

Do you stink? (And how to stop it)

We Americans will do just about anything to avoid smelling bad.

Just look at the L-O-N-G aisles in the stores devoted to personal care products.  We spend over $40 billion annually in the US on body washes, anti-perspirants, powders, sprays and deodorants.

But those products are nothing but cover-ups (and trust me, not very good ones at that).

If you want to truly eliminate body odor, you have to start with where it all begins…

Your level of inner toxicity!

Body odor is the by-product of your body cleaning itself and eliminating toxins.  So the more inner toxins you have roaming around in there, the worse your outer aroma is.

And all the nice-smelling sprays, creams, gels and powders in the world won't change that.

Let's take a little crash course in...

Body Odor 101

Your body is masterfully designed with a series of metabolic processes that help keep it clean on the inside.  

They include urination, bowel movements, exhaling carbon dioxide and other toxins through your lungs, expelling mucus and dust through your nose when you sneeze and blow and eliminating toxins through your skin.

Since your skin is your largest organ, do the math and figure out what part of you plays the most significant role in purging toxins.

Now you may be wondering, "Where do all these toxins come from?"

Although things like environmental chemicals, smoking, pollution and medications all add to your internal garbage pile, far and away the biggest sources of inner junk are eating processed "non-foods" (including fast food) and poor digestion.

Bad food + poor digestion = HBO (horrible body odor)

Your body is meant to be nourished by real foods--things like vegetables, fruits, meats, whole grains, dairy and healthy fats.  It has enzymes that break down each kind of food, it assimilates the nutrients, and any unusable residue is eliminated in your bowel movements.

But when you instead exist largely on processed, packaged foods that have never occurred in Nature-- your body has no clue what to do with them.

It tries to break them down as best it can and absorb whatever synthetic vitamins and minerals might be in them, but they mainly end up as acid wastes and toxins that your body (especially your skin, liver and kidneys) has to get rid of.

Body odor in the making.

Poor digestion is another culprit that makes you smell like you're "smuggling onions."

The typical modern Western-type meal is a smorgasbord made up of every kind of food under the sun and that's about as easy for your system to digest as eating an old tire.

When your digestion can't be accomplished like it should be, not only does that lead to acid waste accumulation (and you smelling like Pepe Le Pew), but poorly broken down food molecules that enter your bloodstream can also lead to inflammation and taunt your immune system too.

Plus let's not forget the fact that you're likely also suffering from gas, bloating, constipation and acid reflux on top of smelling bad.

How to smell REALLY sweet

If you want to make it so that you're not clearing out the elevator every time you step on, you have to acknowledge that smelling good on the outside comes from clean insides. 

Here are three simple steps you can take to help make your innards squeaky clean and keep you smelling naturally sweet:

1)  Exercise

This is yet another reason to get your heart pumping at least 3-4 times a week.  Sweating during exercise is a tremendous toxin-releasing process. 

And with regular exercise helping to clean out those inner toxins and burning up some fat, not only will you smell better, your waistline will likely shrink too!

Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while or at all.

2)  Drink water

Water helps to flush out wastes and toxins and keep your entire system clean. 

Aim to drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day, preferably filtered or bottled.  And to give your detox system an additional helping hand, add a little fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice.

This should probably be obvious, but remember that water means water and not sports drinks, soda, coffee, tea or other sweetened drinks.

Just good old WATER.

3)  Keep your digestion efficient

This is by far the most important thing you can do to help put an end to BO for good.

Now don't worry--having efficient digestion is not difficult or boring.  You just need to pair foods together that are easier for your system to break down and give your body a little help if needed.

1- The food guidance

The Great Taste No Pain system can be your guide as to what you should eat and what you should avoid at all cost!

Great Taste No Pain explains why specific foods and food combinations cause poor digestion and the resulting health problems like IBS, diverticulosis, acid reflux, ulcers...and BO.

It also guides you on how to put together meals that your body can break down much easier, and gives you loads of delicious easy recipes to enjoy.  You'll be shocked at how good you can feel after eating for a change.

And you will very likely be fresher and sweeter-smelling too!

Note: If you have gluten sensitivity, Great Taste No Gluten is for you instead.

You'll learn the same principles for efficient digestion as in Great Taste No Pain, plus get a gluten free survival guide and a collection of scrumptious gluten free recipes.

2- Get enzyme help if needed

Not only can the typical modern diet mess up your digestion and make you stink, but it also uses up LOTS of enzymes in the process.  Eventually your body's ability to produce adequate digestive enzymes may be diminished and that can mean deficiencies.

Over the last 50 years increasing numbers of people are suffering from enzyme deficiencies and all the health challenges they cause. This directly correlates with our increasing dependence on processed foods and fast foods.

Enzymes are essential for your foods to be broken down like they need to be, because when they're not, look out.  Even your washing machine will revolt at the smell of your shirts.

Plus, inadequate breakdown of foods leads to poor nutrient absorption, which can cause you to overeat (and pack on pounds) or develop deficiency diseases like osteoporosis.

So if you feel your enzymes may be running on the low side, it can make a huge difference in your digestion to give your body a little help with a superior digestive enzyme supplement like Digestizol Max. 

Digestizol Max contains a carefully selected blend of 15 plant-derived enzymes that will give your body the help it needs to completely and thoroughly break down all of your foods—no matter what you indulge in!

Your days of stinking can be over soon!

You CAN say goodbye to nasty BO for good.

Not by covering it up with sprays, creams and powders, but by attacking it at its REAL cause.

Make yourself cleaner on the inside and you’ll smell a whole lot sweeter on the outside!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

An often overlooked cause of weight gain

Since two out of three of us are overweight or obese, it’s safe to say many of us have overindulged in the food department and have become BFFs with the sofa.

But in many cases, we’ve had help with our weight gain.

As a matter of fact, in addition to weight gain, ALL of these symptoms can all be caused by the malfunctioning of one tiny body part.  Can you guess what it is?

• Fatigue, sluggishness or weakness 
• Dry skin 
• Brittle nails 
• Hair loss and/or coarse or dry hair 
• Increased sensitivity to cold 
• Constipation 
• Memory problems or having trouble thinking clearly 
• Heavy or irregular menstrual periods 
• Swelling of the arms, hands, legs, and feet
• Hoarseness 
• Muscle aches and cramps 
• Low blood pressure 
• Infertility 
• Sleep irregularities 
• Depression
• Give up?

It’s your thyroid gland.

Let's take a closer look at this small but powerful gland, why problems with it are often missed, and natural ways to help keep yours healthy.

The ULTIMATE power…in an itty bitty living space

Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits in in front of your neck just above your collarbone and wraps its "wings" around your larynx (voice box).

Thyroid hormones are used by EVERY SINGLE CELL in your body, so if it isn't working right, it can affect you from head to toe.  That's why you see such a wide variety of symptoms in the list above--ANYWHERE in your body is fair game.

Here are just some of your thyroid’s jobs:

• Regulate your metabolism
• Stimulate the absorption of glucose into your cells
• Help with nutrient absorption
• Prevent the release of calcium from your bones
• Regulate your heart rate and muscle function
• Keep your stomach acid at a healthy level
• Help your liver excrete the toxins that it filters out of your bloodstream

An expertly designed system

Your thyroid operates under a very efficient system, working with your hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

Your hypothalamus is like a security system, monitoring your body's functions and conditions like your temperature, whether you’re stressed, etc.

When it senses some tweaking in your body functions needs to take place, it alerts the pituitary to "pass the message" on to the appropriate gland to make sure the proper hormones are released to get your body back into balance.

When the needed hormones must come from your thyroid, your pituitary releases thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which triggers the thyroid into action.

Then your thyroid releases thyroxine (T-4) and sends it into the bloodstream.  When the T-4 finds where it needs to go, it’s converted to its active form T-3 (triiodothyronine).  Then it delivers the message to your cells and your body function gets restored.

Too high or too low?

The thyroid can malfunction by either working too much (HYPERthyroid) or not enough (HYPOthyroid). 

1- Hyperthyroid

Hyperthyroid is when there is an overproduction of T-3. 

People who are hyperthyroid are often irritable, have rapid heartbeat, hand tremors, hair loss, nervousness, sleeping problems, increased perspiration and protruding eyeballs.

One of the common causes of hyperthyroid is an autoimmune condition called Graves’ disease.

2- Hypothyroid

On the flip side, hypothyroid is when the thyroid is not producing enough T-4. 

People with hypothyroidism often gain weight despite dieting, have increased allergic reactions, suffer continuous fatigue--often waking up just as tired as before they went to sleep, brittle nails, dry skin and lowered sex drive.

Hypothyroid can be caused by nutrient deficiencies--especially iodine, zinc, selenium, vitamin A and magnesium.

Low functioning thyroid can also be the result of an autoimmune disease--known as Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

In addition, hypothyroidism can stem from hyperthyroidism.  When someone's thyroid is working in overdrive (hyper) for long enough, eventually it can become exhausted and crash into a low functioning hypothyroid.  

It's often missed

Typically most mainstream doctors don't do enough tests to detect thyroid malfunction, so it can frequently be missed.

When assessing thyroid function, many doctors will do only a TSH test.  But since TSH is secreted by the pituitary, that test primarily assesses the functioning of your pituitary—not necessarily your thyroid! 

Plus the TSH test measures your blood level of thyroid hormone at that one moment in time when your blood is drawn. 

But your thyroid hormone levels are constantly changing—so a “snapshot” blood test is not always an accurate picture of what’s really going on 24/7 with your thyroid.

A far more accurate and sensitive test that assesses thyroid health is the "TRH challenge test" also known as the “TRH Stimulation test.”  Be sure to ask your doctor to include this test in your workup.

Pamper your thyroid

Since your thyroid literally affects your health from head to toe, it’s crucial to make your body a more supportive home for it and take in the nutrients to keep it healthy.

The best way to do that is to have a healthful diet of real foods and ensure proper digestion so you can better absorb needed nutrients.

The Great Taste No Pain eating system can help you with this important goal.

In Great Taste No Pain, you will learn the best foods to pair together for more efficient digestion and assimilation of nutrients. 

Plus it really delivers on the great taste promise—you’ll get a collection of easy recipes featuring nutritious real foods that are lip-smacking delicious and good for you too!

Having a diet of real foods will help prevent nutritional deficiencies in the minerals like iodine, zinc and magnesium that are so crucial to proper thyroid function. 

Note:  If you also have a gluten challenge, Great Taste No Gluten is your ticket instead.  

You’ll get the same food pairing advice as in Great Taste No Pain, plus guides for living a gluten free lifestyle and a collection of tasty gluten free recipes.

Address the immune piece too

Both hyperthyroid and hypothyroid can be caused by improper immune responses--known as an autoimmune disorder. 

So a wise approach for anyone possibly fighting an autoimmune disease is to come head to head with the culprit that's causing the problem to begin with -- the immune system.

That's where probiotics may be a big help and here’s how:

Your immune system has two types of T-cells--Helper T cells and Regulatory T cells.

Helper T cells patrol your body, looking for dangerous invaders. Once they detect a real or perceived threat, they multiply themselves and attack, stirring up inflammation.

Regulatory T cells tell Helper T cells to calm down, so they help stop inflammation and keep your harmless tissues safe.

Probiotics can help to encourage more of your immune system’s Regulatory T cell to form, which naturally fight inflammation and help “tame” the Helper T Cells.

And unlike the immune-suppressive drugs typically prescribed for autoimmune conditions, probiotics can help work with your immune system to address its mixed-up responses--without the drug side effects! 

Super Shield probiotic formula was designed to be a potent and effective helper for a wide variety of health challenges, including autoimmune diseases.

One of Super Shield's strains, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus, helps to strengthen your gut-barrier function and has been shown to have a beneficial impact on autoimmune conditions as well as constipation (which is a typical hypothyroid concern). 

Additionally, Super Shield's 12 other potent strains will help keep your gut flora in proper balance, support the health of your immune system overall.

Help support the health of your thyroid and I’m sure you’ll see a difference in how you feel (and in your weight!) very soon.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

My opinion of the Paleo diet

One of the most common questions I get asked as a nutritionist is what I think of a certain popular diet.

Generally speaking, most diets have their positive points and there will always be some people who will have success with it.  As long as a diet provides proper nutrition and enough calories for your body’s needs, and is centered on real (not processed) foods, if it’s something that works for you, great.

Now, the latest buzz in the diet world is…

The Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet centers on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by our caveman ancestors, consisting mainly of meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, and excluding dairy, legumes, sugars, starches (except for an occasional potato or yam), grain products and all forms of processed food. 

Paleo enthusiasts contend that eating in this manner reflects the evolution that shaped our current biology—in other words, our systems originated in an environment where things like milk, grains and packaged foods were not eaten and/or non-existent, and this is the “mold” from which our modern-day bodies developed.

Since this is how we started out tens of thousands of years ago, eating this way is beneficial to our health and well-being, according to Paleo fans.

A lot of people have enjoyed tremendous benefits from the Paleo Diet, but at the same time, just as many others feel fine eating reasonable amounts of grains (not to excess and not refined) or drinking milk, which provide nutritional benefits of their own.

Here are some other diets that some people have sworn by, yet others have sworn at!:

The Zone Diet

The Zone Diet is based on hormonal responses that are generated by eating certain types of foods and stresses proteins and healthy fats.  It limits high-glycemic carbohydrates like grains, pasta, breads, rice and other starches, as well as proteins rich in arachidonic acid like egg yolks, fatty red meats and organ meats.

Over the long term, this diet can be acid-forming and contribute to constipation.

The Atkins Diet

Atkins is similar to the Zone Diet—high in protein and fat and low carbohydrate (mainly vegetables and occasional fruit).  Constipation can be an issue during the early phases of the diet when carbohydrate consumption is extremely limited.

The Blood Type Diet

The Blood Type Diet is based on the theory that certain types of proteins (lectins) in foods will either be accepted or rejected by each of the blood types, and each blood type has certain foods that should be avoided.

The same reasoning applies to securing blood for a transfusion.  You can’t receive transfused blood with a blood type different from yours because your body will reject the lectins in the “mismatched” blood to the point where it can actually kill you.

This diet has had mixed results with some people feeling great, others having bad reactions, and some seeing no change at all.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet stresses fresh, local foods in season and includes meat, fish, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and fruits, with the fat of choice being olive oil.

It has pretty consistently been touted as a very healthy diet, and certainly the variety of foods in their freshest states contributes to that.

Vegetarian Diet

The term “vegetarian” can have a variety of meanings. 

Most vegetarians either completely avoid or severely restrict their intake of meat.  Some define vegetarianism as eating fish and/or poultry, but no red meat.  Some eat non-flesh proteins (like dairy and eggs) but no flesh of any kind.

The more strict level of vegetarianism (vegan) avoids all animal-derived products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and even honey in many instances.

With any level of vegetarianism, two of the main concerns are getting adequate protein and a possible vitamin B12 deficiency.  It requires good planning to ensure nutritional needs are met.

Raw Food Diet

This involves eating foods that are uncooked—sometimes including meat and fish.  Grains and beans must be sprouted before eating.

People living in warmer climates do better on this diet than those in sub-freezing temperatures, as there is less warmth generated from eating raw plant foods. 

The Ornish Diet

This is a very high plant- and grain-based diet, with almost no animal foods, and fats are limited to 10 percent of total intake or less. 

Inadequate fat intake is the primary concern here—fats are crucial to the nervous system (including your brain), and are necessary to make hormones, so endocrine disruptions can be an issue.

Which one is BEST?

The answer to that question is: It depends on what’s called your biochemical individuality.

Even though we humans are all put together very similarly, our bodies are also uniquely different—some of us require more of certain nutrients or types of foods than others.

That’s why NO ONE DIET is 100 percent perfect for everyone across the board.

The best diet for you is the one that makes you feel good and have enough energy, and allows you to control your weight.

As long as it provides a variety of nutrients, emphasizes real foods and limits processed, refined and fast foods, you’re on the right track.

What CAN help just about everyone

Having the best diet that works for you is only half of the nutrition picture.

The other half is making sure that your digestion is efficient so you’re actually absorbing and assimilating the nutrients you’re taking in, as well as curbing gas, bloating, heartburn and constipation.

There are two keys to efficient digestion:

1- Structuring your meals so your body can more easily break them down and

2- Giving your body some enzyme help if needed

The Great Taste No Pain health system can guide you on how to construct meals that are much easier for your system to digest.

Great Taste No Pain is NOT a diet—it is based on the dietary science of food combining which recognizes that different foods require different types of enzymes to be broken down…and when opposing enzymes (acid and alkaline) are present in the stomach together, they can weaken and neutralize each other.

When the initial phase of digestion isn’t accomplished by the stomach like it should be, this sets the stage for poor digestion through the whole GI tract.

Great Taste No Pain is versatile and can be used alongside virtually ANY kind of diet!  There are just a few meal-structuring points to remember, and what a difference it can make in how you feel after eating when you help your digestion to get off to a good start!

Now, if you’ve been suffering with digestive problems for a while, chances are good that your body may have expended a lot of enzymes trying to get the job done day in and day out.

Unfortunately, your enzyme resources are limited…and eventually you can reach the point where your body has trouble producing enough for your needs.

That’s when an enzyme boost from a supplement like Digestizol Max can make all the difference.

Digestizol Max contains a variety of 15 different plant-based enzymes (so it’s appropriate for meat eaters and vegetarians alike!) that can give your body some much-needed help in breaking down all of your meals and paving the way for smoother digestion.

Remember—no diet is one-size-fit-all.  Experiment and see what works best for you.

Just make sure your digestion is efficient so you’re deriving all of the awesome health benefits from the diet that’s right for you!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

Do you poop too much?

While constipation is a problem for many people, can the opposite be true and you’re pooping too much?

Let’s take a look and see how your BMs measure up, and whether there is such a thing as too much poop.

How many times does Nature call you?

Ideally, you should be having at least one bowel movement per day. 

Fewer BMs is indicative of constipation, and even though that may be the norm for you, it’s not healthy.   Wastes that stay in the colon for too long create an environment that favors harmful bacteria, which can irritate the gut wall and make it too porous (called leaky gut) as well as impair your immune system functioning.

Some people have two, three or more BMs every single day.  As long as that has been your MO for quite some time or all your life and your stools are well-formed (not diarrhea), chances are excellent that you’re just enjoying sound digestion and are getting your share of fiber to boot.

However, if Nature ringing your phone off the hook is something new for you, then that warrants some investigation.  

Here are some things to consider:

Dietary changes

If your poop volume suddenly shoots up, take a look at your diet.  If you’ve recently started eating healthier (more fruits and vegetables, fewer refined carbs and junk), that’s likely the reason why.  

Things will probably settle down once your body adjusts to the higher water and fiber content of healthy foods.

Stress

Digestion is a parasympathetic process, meaning your body must be in a relaxed state for it to be accomplished properly.

So if you’ve been under a lot of stress lately, that could be manifesting itself as a change in your bowel habits.

If your stress is temporary, that’s one thing.  But if you’re under chronic stress day in and day out, it’s time get help and do what you can to de-stress.

You’ve developed a new love for Joe

If you’ve recently become a coffee lover, know this: While coffee has a diuretic effect and as a result can constipate you, for many people it can do just the opposite and have a laxative effect.

So if your morning Joe sends you to the John, you know what’s up.

You’ve made a visit to the pharmacy

Three of the most commonly used drugs in existence have a side effect of causing diarrhea.

I’m referring to the “ants”—antidepressants, antacids and antibiotics.

If you’re taking a round of antibiotics for an infection, things will probably calm down once the medication is gone.  But if you’re on long-term medication like antidepressants or antacids, it may be time to talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Or better yet, live a healthier lifestyle and see if you can wean off them altogether (with your doctor’s approval).  A healthy diet and regular exercise have been shown to help both acid reflux and depression!

Food has become your enemy

If you notice increased bowel output after eating certain foods, you may have developed an allergy or sensitivity to them.

Although this can happen with potentially any food, especially guilty here are gluten (the protein found in wheat, barley and rye), lactose (a sugar found in dairy products), shellfish, corn, soy, beef, pork and eggs. 

Your doctor can do testing to determine allergies, but testing for sensitivities is less clear-cut. 

Many times a diagnosis is made by simply avoiding the suspected food for a month, seeing how you feel, then reintroducing the food back into your diet.  If your symptoms disappear when you’re avoiding the food and then return when you start eating it again, you’ll have your answer.

Other symptoms

If in addition to increased bowel output you experience pain, vomiting or have blood in your stool, it’s imperative to see a doctor.

Pain can suggest Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, IBS or even just gas.

Vomiting may indicate a stomach bug or food poisoning is affecting you.  Note that many medications can cause nausea and vomiting too—including antibiotics.

And if there’s blood in your stool, generally speaking if the blood is bright red, then that usually indicates hemorrhoids or an anal fissure.  Dark blood, however, suggests a problem further up in the GI tract and your doctor may wish to do a GI series and colonoscopy.

Make sure it’s healthy—no matter how many times you go!

Each of us is different, and what matters more than the number of times you sit on the throne each day is whether you are eating a healthy diet and enjoying sound digestion!

Eating meals that are easier on your system to break down and that have a good balance of healthy foods that are natural sources of fiber and nutrients is the best way to encourage normal, regular BMs.

In my health systems, Great Taste No Pain and for gluten-sensitive people, Great Taste No Gluten, I show you how to put together meals that are not only delicious (thanks to the recipes in both systems), but are MUCH easier for your body to break down.

This can help things “move along” more like they should...and a much better-feeling YOU as a result!

In addition, your friendly gut bacteria help break down certain foods and fiber, so having a proper population of them is crucial for proper digestion.

Trouble is, thanks to our typical processed and fast food diets as well as medications like antacids and antibiotics, many people are walking around with harmful bacteria overgrowth (also known as dysbiosis).  When the "good guys" are overrun by the "bad guys," they can't do their job properly.

And your bowel movements (as well as your immune system functioning) can suffer as a result!

But Super Shield multi-strainprobiotic formula can help turn that around for you.

Super Shield can help you achieve and maintain the ideal balance of at least 85 percent beneficial bacteria and 15 percent or less harmful bacteria.  This is critical to digestive health as well as a strong immune system.

Super Shield's 13 strains of high-quality, potent probiotic bacteria will help repopulate your supply of helpful bacteria, support sound digestion and help your gut recover from the harmful effects of a poor diet or medications.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia