Being low in these can kill you

I’ve often been asked what the most important nutrients are to which I typically respond, “All of them.”

Nature didn’t create anything by accident, and all nutrients serve a very valid role in your health (and life).

But alas, there are three of them that stand apart from the others…because being without them is not only NOT a good idea, but it can be deadly.

And the scary thing is, these also happen to be very common deficiencies.

Here are the 3 top important, life-saving nutrients:

Vitamin D
Most people associate vitamin D with strong bones, but that’s just the beginning.

Vitamin D also helps prevent excessive, inflammatory immune responses such as those seen in autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s, colitis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, Type 1 diabetes and Graves’ disease.

It lowers your risk of Type 2 diabetes by regulating calcium in your bloodstream, which in turn encourages healthy glucose and insulin levels.

It protects you against cancer too.  Studies show vitamin D acts to decrease the growth of cancer cells and to stimulate the death of those deadly cells!

And its anti-inflammatory properties also decrease your risk of heart disease.  Arterial inflammation is a leading contributing factor to high blood pressure, arterial damage, atherosclerosis and ultimately heart disease, and vitamin D helps counteract that process.

Why deficiency is common:  Because we avoid the sun due to fears of skin cancer, and exposure to sunlight is how your body makes vitamin D.

Plus the fact that statins are in line to become our fifth food group doesn’t help either.  Your body needs cholesterol to manufacture vitamin D, so shutting down your liver’s ability to make cholesterol creates vitamin D deficiency.

How to help:  Get reasonable exposure to the sun without sunscreen—20 minutes or so can make a big difference.  Reconsider your use of statins—talk to your doctor about other ways to counteract high cholesterol like fish oil (more on that below).  Supplement with a high-quality vitamin D formula that also contains vitamin K.

Magnesium
Magnesium supports healthy bone growth, so deficiency can be just as much of an osteoporosis concern as calcium although most people don’t know that, thanks to the Dairy Council’s marketing efforts to push calcium.

It works with calcium to regulate your heartbeat and is a natural muscle relaxant.  So being low in it can cause irregular heartbeat, muscle spasms, tremors, cramps, twitching and even convulsions.

Magnesium deficiency is also associated with elevated levels of a compound called C-reactive protein, which is a marker of chronic inflammation and can increase your risk of heart disease.

Being low in magnesium can also lead to blood calcium buildup and ultimately gallstones, joint degeneration and bone spurs, kidney stones and atherosclerosis.

Magnesium is critical for nervous system activation and proper cell energy production—so lacking in it can cause chronic fatigue.

Plus it’s needed to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin—so it’s no surprise magnesium deficiency is common in people with depression.

Why deficiency is common: Poor soil conditions have led to decreased magnesium content in our crops.  Plus our heavy reliance on nutrient-poor processed and fast foods has created the widespread deficiency.

How to help: Get more food sources of magnesium like meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and oats.  Consider supplementation with a top-notch multi-vitamin and mineral formula that contains magnesium.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Omega-3 essential fatty acids support cardiovascular health by helping to keep artery walls flexible, reduce the process of plaque growth, promote healthier triglyceride and cholesterol levels, prevent blood clotting and encourage a stable heart rhythm and lower blood pressure.

They also support brain health and are essential to learning and memory. Your brain is especially rich in Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), and this crucial fat helps to strengthen the fatty membrane around your nerve cells.

Research also shows that Omega-3 fatty acids act to reduce inflammation and help lower your risk of chronic diseases including cancer and arthritis.
Deficiencies in Omega-3 EFAs have been linked to heart disease, Alzheimer's, joint problems, depression, inflammation, vision loss, and other chronic conditions.

Why deficiency is common: Our shift from pasture-fed to grain-fed animals being raised for our consumption has dramatically decreased the Omega-3 EFA content of our foods.  Plus the increasingly common farm-raised fish that is available in our stores have a lower Omega-3 content than the less common wild-caught varieties.

How to help: Choose organic, grass-fed meats, eggs, and milk whenever possible, and look for wild-caught fish.  Supplement with a pharmaceutical-grade fish oil formula to ensure your body has adequate levels of this vital nutrient.

An important message from Sherry

An important message from Sherry

I met with a 45-year-old woman who was overweight, stressed out, always tired, hadn’t exercised in years and had an atrocious diet.

But she said something that no other client has ever said to me.

She said, “I know what I need to do, but I just look at myself and say, ‘Why bother?’”

If this sounds like you, then read on and see what I said to this woman. 

It’s never too late!
Many people who suffer from health challenges give up and accept illness as a way of life, feeling it’s “too late” for them and they shouldn’t bother trying to feel better.

But it’s never, ever too late to improve your health, regardless of your age or how long you’ve been this way.

No matter where you’re starting from, your body will benefit from a healthier lifestyle--that is a certainty.

Don’t listen to the nay-sayers
If anyone around you brings you down and tries to tell you that you can’t make a difference, or you’re not good enough or strong enough or smart enough, walk away.

Then prove them wrong.

I remember someone once told me that my running stride was terrible. 
(Note that he had never run more than a 3-mile stretch in his entire life.)

Well, a few years later that “awful” running stride of mine carried me for 26.2 miles in the Empire State Marathon…and will soon do so again in this year’s marathon on October 9th.

Be your own inspiration
We’ve all had experiences where people that we were inspired by let us down.  Someone that you looked up to may have turned out to be deceitful, a coward or not who you thought they were.

You may have been used, fooled, hurt or rejected.  We all have, including yours truly.

When it comes to inspiration, you have to rely on the only person you can always count on.

Yourself.

Be your own inspiration.  Become healthier for YOU.  You deserve it, you are worth it, you can do it and you will do it!

I believe in you.

Have a reason
Many people are motivated by having a reason to improve their health.
For example, someone very dear to me became motivated to lose weight and get fit because she wanted to be able to play with her little granddaughters and see them get married someday.

One reason I have the habits I have is because my father died of a massive heart attack at 58 and my mother had cancer twice…and I want to counteract that family history as much as possible! 

Refuse to make excuses
If you allow excuses to enter your mind, you’re done before you start.  There is no room for excuses when it comes to improving your health.

Ready?  Start with baby steps
If you’re ready to make a significant difference in your state of health, know this: It doesn’t have to be overwhelming or hard. 

Start with baby steps—little things that can have a huge impact:

1- Work more real foods into your diet
If your diet is not-so-great, gradually work in more real foods.

• Have a tossed salad with your dinner every day.  Even a lettuce wedge drizzled with dressing counts!
• Instead of chips or crackers, snack on carrot and celery sticks, a cube of cheese, a hard-boiled egg or a handful of nuts.
• Choose oatmeal or scrambled eggs for breakfast over donuts, bagels, pastries or cereals.
• Try soups or salads for lunch instead of burgers or pizza.
• Swap out one soda or coffee a day for water.

 2- Support your gut health with probiotics
Your gut determines your health from head to toe—it absorbs the nutrients your body needs to survive, eliminates wastes and toxins and houses 70 percent of your immune system!

But your intestinal flora is always taking a hit from things like sugar and refined carbs, medications, lacking sleep and stress.

Plus these good guys are not “permanent residents” to begin with—they only “vacation” inside of you for 12 days or less! 

So it’s vital to keep your friendly gut flora population strong and healthy—and the best way to do that is with an outstanding probiotic supplement like Super Shield!

3- Get some form of exercise
When it comes to attaining better health, exercise is not optional. 

But you don’t need to be the next Jillian Michaels or Shaun T.!  Even brisk walking is a great place to start, and you can work that in any time of the day. 

Get your doctor’s blessing and get moving—you’ll love the results.
 
Remember, when it comes to improving your health, it’s never too late, don’t listen to the nay-sayers, be your own inspiration, have a motivating reason and don’t be an excuse-maker!

Start with baby steps and go from there.

And when you see wonderful changes taking place for you, please write and tell me about them.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

PS:  We are in the process of revamping our website,www.holisticblends.com.  You’ve talked and we’ve listened--and we’re incorporating many of the suggestions we’ve received from our clients!

What builds fat & what gets rid of fat

Most people think their body fat is a reflection of how much they eat and how little they move.
That’s true to a certain extent, but there’s more to it than that—because there are forces behind the scenes that are helping to build your blubber supply.
Here are five factors that accelerate fat accumulation, as well as five ways you can fight back.

Five things that make you build fat

1) Getting too many Omega-6 fatty acids
How they build fat:  These are converted into another fatty acid called arachidonic acid, which makes your fat cells divide.

Our typical diets are loaded with processed foods, corn, soy, meat from grain-fed animals and vegetable oils—all of which are heavy in Omega-6 fatty acids.  So it's easy to see how the average person gets way too many.

2) Abnormal insulin level
How it builds fat:  It increases the number of fat cells you have.
Signs that you may have abnormal insulin levels include dark patches of skin in the creases and under your arms, central obesity (fat collecting around your waist or under your chin) and irregular periods.

3) High intake of sugar
How it builds fat:  It increases your blood insulin level, which in turn leads to number 2) above.  It also triggers your fat cells to "pop up" and start making fat from sugar in your bloodstream.

In addition to table sugar, heaven knows sugar is hidden in practically every processed food imaginable and in the truckloads of soda the average person drinks.

4) Thiazolidinediones (a diabetes medication)
How they build fat: These stimulate fat cell division and increase fat storage.  They've also been associated with a higher rate of heart attacks.
If you are on this type of medication for diabetes, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

5) Trans-fats
How they build fat: They encourage the formation of free radicals, damage cell membranes and promote inflammation--all of which lead to fat deposits while impairing the healthy functioning of your cells.

Although the world is catching on that trans-fats are basically a death sentence, they’re still in many processed foods in the form of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Now, in an attempt to recoup the lost revenue from people getting wise to trans-fats, food companies, and fast food restaurants are instead using vegetable oils, but this is no better.  When heated to high temperatures, vegetable oils degrade into dangerous oxidation products which, like trans-fats, can stir up inflammation and increase your risk of heart disease as well as Alzheimer’s.

So you’re trading one poison for another.

Fast food restaurants obviously deep fry at high temperatures, but note that vegetable oils are also heated during food manufacturing, especially when margarine is made.

So don’t be fooled by the “Trans-fat free!” exclamation on margarine labels because it’s still just as deadly.

The flip side
Just as there are factors that build fat, there are some that help your body eliminate it!

Five things that help you eliminate fat

1) Exercise
How it eliminates fat: It reduces insulin levels and various inflammatory and fat-promoting chemicals.

So get your doctor’s OK, put on those walking shoes, dust off that treadmill, sign up for that dance class, hit the gym or pump some iron.  Pick an activity you like and DO IT--at least 3-4 times a week.

2) Sleep
How it eliminates fat: It increases levels of immune system chemicals that reduce inflammation.

Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night, but many aren't getting nearly that much.  So if you're guilty of being a nighthawk, start turning in earlier.

3) Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha
How it eliminates fat: It reduces your number of fat cells.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha is a small cell-signaling protein that is produced while you sleep.  Yet another reason to get your Zzzzzz's.

4)  A proper Omega-6: Omega-3 fatty acid ratio
How it eliminates fat: Having an imbalanced ratio of Omega-6: Omega-3 fatty acids sends a barrage of mixed signals to your cells, one of which tells them to store fat.  So it's essential to have a ratio between 2:1 and 5:1.

Our typical diets are heavy in Omega-6 EFAs but severely lacking Omega-3 EFAs.  Although Omega-3’s are found in fatty fish like salmon, most of the salmon available are farm-raised and contains high levels of contaminants like carcinogens, PCBs, and pesticides like dioxin and DDT.

So for most people, a quality fish oil formula is the best way to go.

5) Retinoids and carotenoids
How they eliminate fat:  They help reduce your number of fat cells as well as curb your appetite.

Retinoids include vitamin A (in animal fat and meats) and vitamin A precursors (carotenoids) in vegetables.

If your diet is less-than-stellar, in addition to beefing up your consumption of whole foods, a top-notch multi-vitamin formula can help fill in the blanks where you may be lacking in nutrients.

Fight back at fat and win!

My opinion of gut cleanses

One of the most common questions I get is: What do you think of gut cleanses?

My response:  Not a big fan.

That’s not to say that many people aren’t walking around with intestinal tracts that resemble their local sewer, but the problem is cleanse products can do more harm than good, plus people tend to use them for the wrong reasons.

Here’s why I say that.

A clean gut is a must
Most people are starting to catch on to the fact that your gut determines your health from head to toe.

It houses 70 percent of your immune system, absorbs nutrients which keep you alive, eliminates wastes and traps harmful pathogens, carcinogens, viruses and bacteria so they won’t make you sick (or kill you).

So clearly, your life depends on the health of your intestinal tract, and keeping it clean is not just a good idea—it’s vital.

How will I know?
At this point, you may be wondering if everything is OK in that area about 20 inches south of your mouth.

Well, here are some signs that your gut may be in danger of housing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sometime soon:

• Frequent constipation or straining with BMs
• Lower abdominal pain
• Rectal itching
• Excessive gas
• Frequent diarrhea
• Unpleasant body odor
• Bad breath
• Coated tongue
• Frequent and recurring infections (bronchitis, sinus infections, vaginal yeast infections, etc.)
• Acne
• Allergies
• Fatigue
• Headaches

The more of those signs that apply to you, the more likely it is that your gut may be on the foul side.

To cleanse or not to cleanse?
The most popular gut cleanse products are things like enemas, colonics, teas and herbal formulas.

But beware because many of them can be harsh or downright dangerous.

Cleanses that are too harsh can cause a variety of adverse effects from severe cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting, to more serious conditions like an electrolyte imbalance. 

And in rare cases, fatal complications can arise that lead to kidney failure and death.

Of special concern is any product that contains cascara sagrada as it can be extremely dangerous to people with intestinal obstruction, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, appendicitis, stomach ulcers, diverticulitis or unexplained stomach pain.

Similar comments apply to senna, plus it can also lead to an electrolyte imbalance in some people.

Plus even if you opt for a “mild” formula, most are not tailored to a person’s individual needs and may do more harm than good.

The more important issue
The more important issue here is: Why is your gut so filthy to begin with?

Although there are many causes of murky intestines including medication residue, environmental toxins, and smoking, far and away the most common causes are a poor diet and bad digestion.

When you eat garbage, expect to BE garbage.  Remember, Mom always said you are what you eat and she was right on. 

Plus if your digestion is dicey, trust me, there is muddy residue inside of you.

Keep it clean—all the time!
The best approach is to just keep your gut clean all the time! 

That way potentially dangerous cleanses become a non-issue, and the helpful 25 feet of tubing inside of you can stay strong and sharp, and keep YOU healthy!

Here’s how you can accomplish this health- and life-saving goal:

Eat REAL foods
Real foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry, fish, eggs, whole grains, dairy and essential fats.

Avoid processed packaged foods with their boatloads of preservatives and chemicals that do nothing except add to your inner stink.

Make sure digestion is efficient
Avoid eating animal proteins and starches in the same meal—this combination is very difficult for most people’s bodies to break down, and can invite digestive fireworks down below.

Instead pair meats OR starches with vegetables and salads—you’ll see a huge difference FAST.

Plus a high-quality enzyme formula can help support your body’s digestive efforts. This is especially true for people who use acid reducers, the elderly, people with a long history of highly processed, nutrient-poor diets and people who have had gastric surgery or gallbladder removal.  

Support a healthy flora balance
Probiotic supplements provide crucial support to the intestinal tract by helping to repopulate your supply of friendly bacteria so they can in turn encourage strong immune functioning, proper nutrient absorption, and more regular BMs. The best choice is a multi-strain formula that contains both Lactobacillus species (for the small intestine) and Bifidobacterium (which populate the colon).

Forget Zika—this is what you should really fear

Although the Zika virus is losing steam as the latest “threat to humanity” (just like Ebola, swine flu, West Nile, bird flu and others before it), there is a clear and present danger that isn’t getting as much press.

But it’s something you must know about because it truly could spell disaster and cost countless lives on all continents.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Here is what you must know about this real health threat and why it’s not just all “hype.”

How it started—we became reckless
Over the last several decades we’ve become extremely reckless with antibiotics.

They’ve been over-prescribed, used inappropriately (when the infection in question was not confirmed to be bacterial), and even used prophylactically to prevent infections (especially ear infections in children).

Plus daily-use antibiotic lotions have been a popular treatment for acne sufferers.

This recklessness has also continued beyond our doctors’ offices and onto our farms.

Agriculture accounts for about 80 percent of all antibiotics used in the US. Over 25 million pounds of antibiotics are administered to livestock in the US every year for purposes other than treating disease—instead they are used to make the animals grow larger faster (and fatten up the bottom lines for the livestock and milk industries).

And the residue from those antibiotics ends up in the meat and milk from the animals, and hence in your body.

They’re the Terminator
Antibiotics work by destroying dangerous infection-causing bacteria in your system…but they also kill off your body’s beneficial bacteria too.

Your friendly gut bacteria is where 70 percent of your immune system resides, and when they’re slaughtered by antibiotics, it’s not a temporary minor hit.  Instead, it can take your gut microbiome a year or more to recover from one single course of antibiotics.

Having an unhealthy intestinal flora balance leaves you susceptible to repeated infections (and other illnesses), has been implicated as a cause of Crohn’s disease and can trigger digestive issues like gas and bloating.

We’ve ignored their intelligence
One thing that we’ve repeatedly ignored is that bacteria are extremely intelligent.  As such, they can change and evolve and become resistant to antibiotics.

So far bacteria have found a way around every antibiotic we’ve developed, and we’re at the point now where they are causing deadly infections that even our most potent drugs can’t touch!

Plus researchers recently discovered a new gene called MCR-1 in both pigs and people in China.  MCR-1 is a gene mutation that makes bacteria resistant to even our strongest, last-resort antibiotics (called polymyxins), and is capable of being spread and diversified between different species of bacteria (such as E.coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae).

Eventually, this can result in the development of an extensive array of dangerous “super bacteria” that can potentially resist all treatment…and can spell doom for large numbers of people worldwide.

Minimize your risks
Here is where you need to take the bull by the horns and minimize your potential risks.  There are no more “magical wonder drugs” to undo this catastrophe, so it comes down to you.

Support your immune system health with probiotics and vitamin D.  The stronger your immune system is, the less likely it is that you will be facing a dangerous infection.

Talk to your doctor immediately about other options if you are on long-term antibiotics.  If he asks why show him this blog.

Use antibiotics ONLY when absolutely necessary and other measures (such as rest, vitamin C, garlic and lots of fluids) have not been enough to help you overcome a bacterial infection.

Make sure you actually have a bacterial infection versus a virus.  Antibiotics are useless for viruses.  Insist on a test before you take antibiotics.

Buy organic meat and dairy--that is the only way you can be sure you are getting antibiotic-free food.

Reduce stress- Chronic stress can damage the friendly flora in your gut, thereby weakening your immune system and increasing your susceptibility to illness.

Ditch the antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer.  These too have played a role in antibiotic resistance by helping to make bacteria stronger.  If bacteria can outsmart antibiotics, they can certainly get past antibacterial soap and hand goo too.  Plain old soap and warm water are best.

Why calorie cutting doesn’t work for weight loss

I had a client who lost 40 pounds on a 1,200 calorie diet, but then she hit a brick wall and her scale froze.

She was surprised when I told her the reason her weight loss came to a screeching halt was her 1,200 calorie diet.

Here’s why—let’s start by taking a look at…

How we’ve gotten fat
Over the past 50 years or so, we have been very efficient at creating overweight and obesity.
Our belief that high-carb, low-fat diets are “healthy” and saturated fat is the devil has created a population of people whose bodies are brimming with glucose, suffering from insulin resistance, storing massive amounts of fat and living their days in cycles of sugar spikes and crashes.

In addition, since sugar is an abrasive, inflammation-stirring substance, inflammatory conditions such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis and autoimmune diseases also continue to be our companions and are affecting us at younger and younger ages.

The chemicals in processed, refined foods play a role too.  Chemicals increase food cravings, lead to water retention and actually cause weight gain.

At the same time, our bodies have lacked the fats that they so desperately need, which impairs our brain and nervous system function, compromises the integrity of our cell walls, creates hormonal imbalances and leads to nutritional deficiencies, especially in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

And of course during all of this, the drug industry has been more than happy to make an array of products available to mask your pain, reduce your blood pressure or blood sugar, lull you to sleep, perk you up, stop your heartburn, make you happy and shut down your immune system.

So we have become a society of sick, over-drugged, overweight, undernourished people.

Why cutting calories doesn’t work
When you drastically reduce calories, at first you will most assuredly lose weight.  It’s a matter of simple math—taking fewer calories in means your body will resort to its own stores for energy.
But then the game changes.

Your body eventually goes into starvation mode, thinking that food has become scarce.  It tries to conserve energy for you so you don’t keel over.  In its efforts to save calories, it increases your hunger and S-L-O-W-S your metabolism.

And that eventually results in many a “frozen scale.”

Now when this happens, what do many people do?

Cut calories even MORE, that’s what!

But that merely perpetuates the starvation cycle and makes the situation even worse.

Don’t cut calories—nourish your body instead!
What matters far more than cutting calories is nourishing your body with wholesome real foods.  This will help reduce your insulin levels, even out your blood sugar and keep you satisfied longer.

Go organic as much as possible to avoid the chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics used in traditionally raised foods, as well as to steer clear of genetically modified foods.
Avoid all highly processed carbohydrates (including soda!) as much as possible—let beans, fresh vegetables and fruits be your primary carb sources instead.

Get healthy sources of proteins--organic meats and poultry and wild-caught fish are your best bets.

And most importantly, DO NOT shun fats.  About 30 percent of your daily calorie intake should be fats, with a fair representation of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Here are some wise fat choices to make sure your body is getting what it needs:

• Good for cooking:  Real butter (both salted and unsalted), lard, tallow, coconut oil, peanut oil, palm oil and olive oil.  These are stable fats that won’t oxidize when heated.
• Good for salads, cold dishes: Olive oil, organic nut oils. 
• Food sources of fats: Red meat, eggs, butter, avocado, nuts, olives and wild-caught fish.
• Consider supplementing: Omega-3 essential fatty acids (fish oil)—because our food supply does not contain the levels of these natural anti-inflammatories like it used to.
• Avoid at all cost:  Trans-fats (commonly referred to as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils), highly processed vegetable oils, margarine.

Another key to weight loss—sound digestion
Another key to successful weight loss is to have efficient digestion, because if your body is not digesting your foods properly, you are not deriving the full nutritional benefit from them and not eliminating wastes like you should.

Keep your meals simple and make your stomach’s job easier.  Avoid eating animal proteins and starches together, because combinations like that are very taxing on your system.  Strive to make most of your meals proteins, vegetables and fats.

If you’re prone to constipation, probiotics can help by repopulating your supply of beneficial intestinal bacteria.  These helpful good guys help you digest carbs and fiber and keep your BMs running along more like they should.

Digestive enzyme supplements can also help, especially if you’re an acid reducer disciple, are elderly or have had gastric surgery.

See what a difference it can in reaching your weight loss goals when you nourish your body and support better digestion!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

Will this be the end of IBS for good?

The FDA recently approved a new drug, Viberzi, for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

This new drug is being applauded because about 30 percent of the patients in the clinical trials experienced improvement in their symptoms about half of the time they took the drug.

But is this necessarily cause for celebration?  Let’s look a little closer.

First of all, the drug was only effective half of the time…meaning the other half of the time it was completely bloody ineffective.

And although 30 percent of the IBS sufferers reported improvement with the drug, 20 percent of the participants taking a placebo reported improvement!

Oops.

In addition, Viberzi is only designed for IBS patients whose predominant symptom is diarrhea.

Well, there are actually three different types of IBS:

IBS-C—where constipation is the predominant symptom
IBS-D—where diarrhea is the primary symptom
IBS-M—where you suffer a mixture of diarrhea and constipation

So this drug only applies to about one-third of IBS sufferers.

But wait….there’s more
The most concerning aspect of Viberzi is its potential side effects.

Common side effects are nausea, constipation and abdominal pain—which happen to be common IBS symptoms!

Plus you run the risk of developing pancreatitis—an inflammation where your pancreatic enzymes actually start digesting your pancreas.

Pancreatitis can be fatal if it becomes chronic.

But hey, at least your diarrhea will go away half of the time.

How to really help with IBS
IBS has been labeled a “functional disorder” meaning there is no disease process present.

Well, what IS present with IBS is gas, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation and/or diarrhea—all signs that your digestion is not being carried out like it should be.

So if you help your body accomplish digestion the way it’s supposed to, you can feel tremendous relief!

Here are some of the most common “digestion destroyers” and how you can help turn them around:

The Standard American Diet
People who have a typical modern diet are most definitely eating very little fiber, truckloads of processed foods and meals that are next-to-impossible for their bodies to digest efficiently.

If your system cannot break down your foods like it's supposed to, it's just a matter of time before your body begins to revolt.

Help your digestion along by eating simpler meals.  Pair meats OR starches (not both) with vegetables and a green salad, while avoiding the protein-starch combination in your meals.  Proteins and starches require opposing digestive enzymes and when eaten together these catalysts can weaken each other in the stomach and impair digestion.

Also probiotics and digestive enzyme supplements have been shown to be a big help in smoothing out digestion.

Probiotics provide a helpful dose of friendly bacteria which breaks down starches and fiber, thereby helping to reduce gas and bloating.

Digestive enzymes can pinch hit where your body may be lacking in enzyme support.  (This is common among the elderly, people using acid reducers and people who have had gastric surgery.)

Food allergies and sensitivities
Many people have food allergies or sensitivities and don’t even know it...all they know is that they’re suffering with very frequent pain, gas, bloating and diarrhea (typical IBS symptoms).

True food allergies are easier to detect because you usually get symptoms quickly after eating the offending food, and oftentimes suffer a rash or other reaction.

But food sensitivities are sneakier.  You won’t necessary get symptoms right away—it might take you up to 72 hours to feel the effects, and at that point, you’re clueless as to what may have triggered your attack.

Be sure to get appropriate testing for both allergies and sensitivities if you suspect these may be affecting you.

Stress
Stress most assuredly can compromise your digestion.  Your mind and GI tract are connected through a series of impulse pathways called the "brain-gut axis" and what affects one affects the other.

Do what you need to do to relieve stress—keeping in mind the best form of stress relief is regular exercise!  Just be sure to get your doctor’s OK before beginning an exercise program.

Medications
In addition to the GI symptoms caused by Viberzi above, many other medications can ruin your digestion including:

• Acid reducers and antacids (how’s that for a kicker?)
• Pain relievers/NSAIDs
• Antidepressants
• High blood pressure medications
• Cholesterol medications

If you are on any medications that ruin your digestion, it’s time to talk to your doctor about alternatives.

And it’s quite possible that if you improve your diet like I described above, you may not need as much medication to begin with!

Come on over!
I speak with great authority about IBS…because I used to suffer from it.

I suffered from IBS for 15 years, but have been completely symptom-free for the last 24 years solely due to my diet, improved digestion and probiotic supplementation.

I will never forget all of the horrible suffering I endured with IBS, and trust me, life is very sweet indeed when you can finally close the door on it.

Come on over and see how great you can feel.

Failures of modern medicine

Although the title of today’s article might raise a few eyebrows, it’s meant to bring awareness to a serious situation that is a leading contributing factor to our ill states of health.

Let’s play an imagine game:
Let’s say there’s a 45 year-old woman who’s under chronic stress.  She craves carbs and she’s putting on weight.  She has heartburn all the time and she’s having trouble sleeping. 

From a holistic perspective, here is what’s going on:

Her chronic stress is causing her adrenal glands to crank out the hormone cortisol, and this is triggering her carb cravings and resulting weight gain. 

Plus stress and high cortisol levels are causing imbalances in her other hormones and this is affecting her sleep.

And since stress takes energy away from digestion, that’s causing her heartburn.

What this woman may hear from her doctor:
He does bloodwork and sees her cholesterol is elevated.  (This is the result of her body trying to correct the stress-induced hormonal imbalances.  Cholesterol is used to make hormones and her body senses she needs more.)

He also notes her blood glucose is elevated.  (Stress causes surges of glucose into the bloodstream.)

He takes her blood pressure and sees that she’s in pre-hypertension at 130/85.  (The high blood glucose levels from stress can cause inflammation in the blood vessels and drive up blood pressure.)

Here’s what he does:

• He prescribes Nexium for her heartburn.
• He gives her Crestor to lower her cholesterol.
• He suggests Ambien to help her sleep.
• He cautions her about her blood pressure, glucose level and weight gain and tells her to go on a diet and exercise.

And guess what—the underlying cause of ALL of her problems (STRESS) remains unaddressed.
Fast forward a few months…
 
 
This woman is on three medications, still craving carbs and putting on weight (because she’s still stressed), the Crestor is giving her muscle weakness so she can’t exercise, she’s constipated because of the Nexium and has memory loss and anxiety because of the Ambien.

This is a perfect example of a failure of modern medicine. 

Modern medicine is disease-focused
Modern medicine focuses on anything BUT health--instead its focus is on the treatment of symptoms, sickness and disease.

They’re two entirely different things!

Health is NOT merely the absence of disease--it’s a state of balance where your body is working like it's supposed to!

Plus it’s important to realize that all of your body’s systems are connected and affect each other. 

Looking at the woman in my example: Her emotional stress (the nervous system) affected her adrenal glands and hormones (the endocrine system) which in turn triggered high blood pressure (the cardiovascular system) and heartburn (the digestive system).

So to just “pick and choose” symptoms without looking at the entire picture can cause many an over-medicated, chronically ill individual.

So what IS the answer?
If you’ve been in a cycle of poor health, taking one medication after another and never seem to improve, it’s time to take the bull by the horns and start to focus on real health:

Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor questions or get second opinions.

Ask about medications side effects or get on the internet and check them out yourself.  

Ask about trying lower, safer doses of drugs you may be on, or natural alternatives to medications (such as fish oil for high blood pressure or arthritis). 

If your doctor refuses to answer your questions, find another who will.

Reduce stress
Do whatever works for you—even some deep breathing 3-4 times a day can help.  Plus you can’t beat regular exercise when it comes to stress relief.  

Eat your way to better health
I know it’s not easy to change old habits, but even small steps in the right direction can make a big difference in your health!

• If you’re a soda lover, try swapping one of your sodas for water or club soda with a splash of lemon or lime.
• Try pan-seared meats instead of deep-frying.  There are many delicious spice mixes out there.
• Reach for protein snacks like nuts, cheese, yogurt or a hard-boiled egg instead of chips or crackers.  They’ll help even out your blood sugar.
• Try to work in one green vegetable every day—even a small tossed salad!
• Switch out your bagel or donut for oatmeal or scrambled eggs for breakfast.  You’ll stay fuller longer and be better nourished.

If you need more ideas or want some great recipes, check out Great Taste No Pain.

Bring your gut into balance
Stress and the Standard American Diet can be murder on your gut flora, where the majority of your immune system resides!

Without the full functioning power of your immune system, it’s just a matter of time before sickness or disease will strike.

So it’s important to help repopulate your supply of friendly inhabitants and support better immune health with a daily probiotic formula like Super Shield.
 
See how much better you can feel when you focus on creating health!

The 5 Most Dangerous Heart Disease Myths:

In honor of February being Heart Disease Awareness Month, let’s look at some dangerous heart disease myths as well as effective ways to keep our #1 killer far away from you.

Myth #1: It only happens to older people
Fact:  People as young as children and adolescents can begin building plaque in their arteries.

Myth #2:  Heart disease runs in my family, so I’m doomed.
Fact:  A healthy diet, regular exercise and the right nutritional support can go a long way in preventing heart disease, regardless of your family history.
Just because something may be in your genes does not mean those genes will be “activated.”  Healthy lifestyle habits can do a lot to counteract genetic tendencies.

Myth #3: My cholesterol isn’t high, so I don’t have to worry about heart disease.
Fact:  Cholesterol is not the primary culprit behind plaque buildup—it’s inflammation in your arteries that triggers the process.   

And cholesterol is only one of the “ingredients” in plaque build-up to begin with.
Plaque is also made of fatty deposits—especially trans-fats—plus fibrous proteins, smooth muscle cells and other wastes in your blood.  So even if your cholesterol is normal you could still have inflammation present and plaque building up.

Myth #4:  I’ve been smoking for many years so it won’t make a difference if I quit.
Fact:  The benefits of quitting smoking start the very second you quit, no matter how long you have smoked.
After only one year after quitting, your heart attack risk will have dropped by 50 percent, and in 10 years, it will be the same as if you never smoked.

Myth #5: My blood pressure is controlled with medication, so my heart disease risk is minimal.
Fact:  High blood pressure is only one of the factors that stirs up inflammation in your arteries and contributes to atherosclerosis.  Even if your blood pressure is controlled, free radicals or excess glucose or homocysteine in your bloodstream can also raise your heart disease risk.

Help reduce YOUR risk—it’s not rocket science
There is so much you can do to help minimize your risk of heart disease.
It’s not rocket science—it’s just a matter of using what I call the H E A R T approach:

H            Healthy diet
E            Exercise
A            Additional nutrient support
R            Restorative Sleep
T            Trans-fat elimination

Healthy diet
In addition to the obvious eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish and healthy fats, it’s arguably MORE important to avoid sugars and starchy carbs.

Sugars and starchy carbs such as breads, pasta, rice and crackers (even if they’re whole grain) can create surges of inflammation-stirring glucose in your bloodstream.  While whole grain options are a bit more nutritious than highly refined varieties, they still turn to glucose upon digestion—and increase your heart disease risk.

Plus here’s something you won’t hear every day--saturated fat (from natural sources) IS GOOD FOR YOU in moderation.  Your body needs saturated fat—it’s actually the type of fat that your heart draws upon during times of stress!  Plus it’s vital for your nervous system health too.

Moderation is the key, and that means a 3-4 oz. serving of red meat (preferably organic), scrambled eggs for breakfast or butter on your toast or vegetables.

About 30 percent of your daily calories should come from fats, with an equal breakdown between saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Exercise
Exercise lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your heart and improves blood flow and oxygen delivery to all of your cells.

Don’t be an excuse-maker when it comes to exercise.  Even a walk around the block can be helpful.

Get your doctor’s OK and get moving toward better heart health.

Additional nutrient support
Two key nutrients for cardiovascular support are Omega-3 essential fatty acids and vitamin B12.
Omega-3 EFAs have been medically proven to help lower blood pressure, they can help counteract inflammation in your arteries and they help reduce the stickiness in your platelets and curb fibrinogens (which contribute to plaque).

Vitamin B12 converts homocysteine (a by-product of protein digestion) to a harmless amino acid.  If homocysteine is left unchecked, it can cause inflammation in your blood vessels and raise your heart disease risk.

Restorative sleep
Calcium buildup and arterial stiffness are two primary signals of heart disease.
A recent study has shown that adults who sleep fewer than five hours a night have 50 percent more calcium in their coronary arteries than those who slept seven hours.

Plus study participants who reported poor sleep quality also had 20 percent more calcium buildup in their arteries, compared to those who slept well.

Seven to nine hours of sleep a night is ideal, so make sure you’re getting what you need.

Trans-fat elimination
The more you concentrate on real, whole foods, the more you naturally eliminate trans-fats from your world.

Stay far away from margarine, vegetable shortenings and any products that contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Also, look for trans-fats in sneaky places.  Some very popular brand-name vitamins even contain hydrogenated palm oil!  Read labels for everything that goes into your body.

Come and hear me speak at the Tech Garden!

I’m very excited to announce that I will be speaking at the Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY next Wednesday, February 17, 2016.

The event, Healthy Living for Entrepreneurs and Business Professionals, is being sponsored by Gaber Marketing in Syracuse and will focus on how the demanding schedules of professionals and entrepreneurs can impact their health, and provide strategies for helping to support better health.

Devin Sardano, founder of Gaber Marketing says, “Entrepreneurs and business people are among some of the unhealthiest people around!  I’m lucky if I eat one meal a day and that’s usually at 11:30 at night.  People with hectic schedules need guidance on how to fit healthy habits into their day and help prevent sickness and disease.”

The event starts at 11:00 am EST with a personal meet and greet, where I will be signing copies of Great Taste No Pain, and then heart-healthy chili will be served in recognition of February being heart health month.

My presentation will run from noon to 1:00 pm and explain the health-wrecking effects of common challenges faced by business people every day, many of which may be surprising to downright shocking to many.  I will also provide suggestions to counteract these harmful effects and get on the road to optimal health.

Following the presentation at 1:00 pm I will be available for questions and individual discussion.

Please come and say hello to me—I look forward to seeing you!

Healthy Living for Entrepreneurs and Business Professionals

The Tech Garden - 235 Harrison Street Syracuse, NY 13202

Wednesday, February 17, 2016 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM (EST)

Register Here

Zika virus-what the mainstream media isn't telling you

The Zika virus has been blamed for causing birth defects in about 4,000 children in Brazil and the mainstream media is stoking the fires and instilling panic around the world.

But let’s take a closer look at this latest “threat to humanity” and see some things that the mainstream media is NOT telling you:




Zika has been around since the 1940s
From the 1940’s until about October 2015, the Zika virus was pretty benign.  In about one out of five cases it would cause only mild flu-like symptoms.  In the other four out of five incidents, it would cause no problems at all.

But now out of the clear blue it’s being blamed for causing 4,000 birth defects only in Brazil—nowhere else in the world.

Yet many of the women and children affected by birth defects in Brazil tested negative for the Zika virus.

If all of this doesn’t add up to you, congratulations—you have a properly working brain.

But what’s going on in Brazil?
That’s the next logical question—why are so many babies being born with birth defects in Brazil?

Here are some things to consider:

1- Genetically engineered mosquitos
Genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes designed to combat a condition called dengue fever--a painful, debilitating mosquito-borne disease mainly seen in tropical areas--have been manufactured in Brazil since 2012 by Oxitec (a company heavily funded by Bill Gates).

These Frankenbugs (all males) are supposed to reduce the population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito (the type of mosquito that carries both the dengue fever and the Zika virus) by altering the mosquitos’ natural reproductive cycle. 

Once the Frankenbugs fall in love with a (normal) female mosquito, their offspring won’t mature past the larvae stage…and therefore their population will eventually plummet. 

Mosquito control at its best!

Or is it?

Because this perfect impregnation-larvae dying scenario will only carry out like it should if the antibiotic tetracycline is not present in the process.  If tetracycline is around, the Frankenlarvae might not die off like they should.
Well, guess what country is third in the world for its use of tetracycline in food animals?

Yup—Brazil.

So it’s entirely possible that a whole new species of Frankenbugs (that should have died off in the larvae stage) are popping up and are introducing God-knows-what kinds of toxic elements, foreign proteins and even new super-viruses to their unsuspecting “bitees.”

That may help to explain why a town in Brazil has reported continuing elevated levels of dengue fever since the GE mosquitoes have been introduced!

The bottom line is this: GE bugs are no different than GE foods.  Little or no safety testing is done, the consequences are largely unknown, there’s always a price to pay when you try to outsmart Nature, and humans are guinea pigs for these creations.

2- Heavy herbicide use
Studies have supported that the herbicide atrazine is associated with increased risk of birth defects including fetal growth restriction and small head circumference.  In addition, the herbicide metolachlor has been shown in studies to affect cell growth and cell division.

Atrazine and metolachlor are both heavily used in Brazil.
As a matter of fact, Brazil uses more pesticides and herbicides than any other nation in the world.

3- Mandatory TdaP vaccination in pregnant women
In late 2014, the Brazilian minister of health announced that a new TdaP shot would be mandatory for all expectant mothers starting in 2015.

There’s just one problem with that—the new TdaP vaccine has never been tested for safety in pregnant women.

Even the manufacturers of influenza and TdaP vaccines state that human toxicity and fertility studies are inadequate and warn that the influenza and TdaP vaccines should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly necessary.

Looking at the timeline, since it was declared mandatory in in late 2014, all mothers with birth defect babies born in October 2015 (when the explosion started) and on received this newly formulated vaccine while pregnant.

4- Brazil isn’t famous for sound nutrition, sanitation and hygiene
Many areas of Brazil are overcome with poverty, inadequate nutrition, and poor hygiene and sanitation—all factors that impair immune functioning and invite widespread disease to come knocking.

Don’t panic--embrace Nature’s disease protection instead!
Viruses and bacteria have been around since the dawn of time, my friend, and they’re not going away any time soon.

So instead of getting caught up in mainstream media’s latest panic-instilling game, you can instead stack the deck in your favor and help your body resist sickness and disease.

By pampering Nature’s expertly-designed disease protection—your IMMUNE SYSTEM.

• Healthy lifestyle habits is number one.  Having a healthy diet, keeping alcohol consumption under control, quitting smoking, engaging in regular exercise and getting enough sleep all help nurture your immune system health.
• Immune-supportive nutrients like vitamin B12, vitamin D and probiotics all support your immune system’s efforts and help keep it strong and sharp.
• De-stress as much as possible.  Stress causes harmful changes to your gut bacteria, which houses the majority of your immune system.  Deep breathing, meditation, prayer, yoga and even taking a brisk walk all have been shown to be helpful.
• Carefully weigh the benefits vs. dangers of medications.  All medications can damage your gut flora and/or depress your immune system functioning, especially antibiotics, acid reducers, steroids, antidepressants, vaccines, pain relievers and statins.  Talk to your doctor about alternatives, and if he or she is unwilling to discuss the matter with you, find another doctor who will.