Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Bronchitis Natural Remedies

Bronchitis is a deep cough that usually comes on with another type of upper respiratory infection such as the cold or flu.
Antibiotics either conventional or natural are the most common form of treatment, but these medications can lead to damaging side effects like leaky gut and loss of probiotics.
Some people can develop chronic bronchitis which is the result of a reaction to environmental irritants, allergies or food intolerances.

Top Foods For Bronchitis

Water – Drink a glass of water every 2 hours to help thin mucus.
Raw fruits and vegetables – These foods will provide important vitamins and minerals in the diet and also do not produce mucus.
Garlic and onions – Contain allicin an antioxidant that may help improve symptoms.
Bone broth – Homemade bone broth provides critical minerals for healing and does not produce additional phlegm.
Probiotic rich foods – If you have to take antibiotics for your bronchitis, eat foods rich in probiotics such as kefir, sauerkraut, or kimchi to replenish healthy bacteria.

Bronchitis Foods to Avoid

Conventional dairy – Pasteurized dairy is mucus producing and can plug the airways in the lungs.
Sugar – Sugar is pro-inflammatory and mucus producing, so try to avoid any forms of concentrated sugar when possible.
Processed foods – Processed foods are generally high in sugar, salt, and low in nutrients. They may also contain toxins that can make coughing worse.
Chocolate – May increase mucus production.
Fried foods – Are mucus producing and should be avoided.

Top 5 Bronchitis Natural Remedies

#1 N-acetylcysteine (NAC 300-500 mg daily)Thins phlegm so it’s easier to expectorate.
#2 Echinacea (500 mg 2x daily)Boosts immune function. You may also try a formulation that includes Goldenseal.
#3 Vitamin C (1000 mg 3x daily)Vitamin C helps reduce symptoms of bronchitis.
#4 Oil or Oregano (500 mg 4x daily)Oil of oregano acts as a natural anti-bacterial and supports bronchial health.
#5 Astragalus (500-1000 mg 2-3x per day)
Not recommended with a fever, but helps strengthen weak lungs and increases the body’s ability to fight infections.

Essential Oils for Bronchitis

Putting eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil on the chest with warm compress can relieve bronchitis symptoms.  Also, you can apply a homemade essential oils vapor rub to open up the lungs and improve bronchitis symptoms.

Burst Training Studies Prove Fast Weight Loss

I’m about to share with you the single best exercise for burning fat. But first, I want to explain the number one mistake people are making in the gym, today.
This mistake is leading to some pretty big consequences like:
  • Causing you to age faster
  • Breaking down your joints
  • Causing your body to STORE fat, instead of burn it
  • Causing your hormones to get out of balance
The number one mistake is doing way too much cardio.
Most people who want to burn fat and lose weight falsely assume that going to the gym and doing traditional aerobic exercise, like jogging on the treadmill, is the best way to see results.
But recent research is proving that long distance cardiovascular exercise is NOT the fastest way to burn fat and lose weight.
If you’ve been spending hours on the treadmill and not seeing any results, it’s because long distance cardiovascular exercise can decrease testosterone and raise your stress hormone levels like cortisol (1). Increased levels of cortisol stimulate the appetite, increase fat storage, and slow down or inhibit exercise recovery.
A recent study in Psychoneuroendocrinology showed evidence of long-term high cortisol levels in aerobic endurance athletes.  Researchers tested levels of hair cortisol in 304 endurance athletes (runners, cyclists, and triathletes) and compared to non-athletes.  The results showed higher cortisol levels with higher training volumes (1).
The Journal of Sports Sciences found that long periods of aerobic exercise increased oxidative stress leading to chronic inflammation (2).
So, What’s the #1 Exercise to Burn Fat Fast?
If you want to see results fast without the negative benefits of cardiovascular exercise, your best option is burst training (3).  Burst training (aka interval training) combines short, high intensity bursts of exercise, with slow, recovery phases, repeated during one exercise session.  Burst training is done at 85-100% maximum heart rate rather than 50-70% in moderate endurance activity.
Similar exercise methods to burst training include High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and the Tabata method. With burst and other types of interval training you are getting the same cardiovascular benefits as endurance exercise but without the negative side effects.  Also, burst training is the fastest way to lose weight and burn fat fast.
Essentially, burst training is exercising like a sprinter rather than a marathon runner.
One of the major benefits of burst training is that it can be done in the comfort of your own home with no or minimal equipment.  An easy example of burst training would be going to a track and walking the curves and sprinting the straight aways.  Or getting on a spin bike and cycling hard for 20 seconds then going easy for 20 seconds, then repeating that cycle for between 10 to 40 minutes.
Burst (or interval) training isn’t necessarily new. Elite athletes and Olympians have known this secret to exercising and have been doing interval training for years. The research proves that anybody – not just elite athletes – can do interval training and achieve amazing results, no matter your experience or fitness level.
Research from the University of New South Wales Medical Sciences found that burst (interval) cardio could burn more than 3 times more body fat than moderate cardio. The researchers studied two groups and found that the group who did eight seconds of sprinting on a bike, followed by 12 seconds of exercising lightly for 20 minutes, lost THREE TIMES as much fat as other women, who exercised at a continuous, regular pace for 40 minutes (4).
The reason burst training works is because it produces a unique metabolic response in your body. Intermittent sprinting causes your body to not burn as much fat during exercise but after exercise your metabolism stays elevated and will continue to burn fat for the next 24-48 hours!
Also, chemicals called catecholamines are produced which allow more fat to be burned and this causes increased fat oxidation which drives greater weight loss. The women from the study lost the most weight off their legs and buttocks.
Another study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, April 2007, researched eight different women in their early 20’s. They were told to cycle for 10 sets of four minutes of hard riding, followed by two minutes of rest.
After two weeks, the amount of fat burned increased by 36 percent, and their cardiovascular fitness improved by 13 percent (5).
Key Benefits of Burst Training
  • Can burn up to 3x more body-fat than moderate cardio
  • After two weeks of interval training, fat burning increased by 36%
  • Your body will continue to burn fat for the next 48 hours after you are done exercising
  • You can workout in less time and see better results

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Did you know you can heal Cavities Naturally???

How to Reverse Cavities Naturally and Heal Tooth Decay                       


heal-cavities-naturally-dr-axe

There is a common belief today about cavities that once you have tooth decay, that cavity can NOT be reversed or healed. Then the only solution is to have part of your tooth drilled out and filled with a synthetic material.
But according to a study published in the British Medical Journal cavities and tooth decay could potentially be healed or reversed with diet.
A study was performed on 62 children with cavities and they were divided into three different diet groups.  Group 1 ate a standard diet plus oatmeal (rich in phytic acid).  Group 2 consumed their normal diet and supplemented with vitamin D.  Group 3 ate a grain-free diet and took vitamin D.
The results found that group 1 who had a diet high in grains and phytic acid had an increase in cavities. Group 2 had improvements in cavities and less form. Group 3 who followed a grain-free diet rich in vegetables, fruits, meat, milk and took vitamin D saw the greatest improvements in which nearly all cavities healed.
cavities in dietary groups


This study along with the backing of many doctors and dentists is proving we have been misinformed about what causes cavities and if they can truly be reversed.
Dentist Ramiel Nagel who authored the book Cure Tooth Decay has helped many of his patients “reverse” their tooth decay and would rather not put in fillings. He believes that you can prevent and heal cavities with nutrition.
In this article I am going to go over the causes of tooth decay and how it may be prevented and in many cases even reversed.

The Cause of Tooth Decay

To understand the link between diet and tooth decay we must start with one of the most well-respected dentists who ever lived Weston A. Price.
West A. Price lived in the early 1900’s and was the chairman of the National Dental Association (1914-1923), and a pioneer for the ADA.
Weston Price traveled the world searching to discover what causes tooth decay. Dr. Price found a common link between eating modern foods and cavities. He witness that many indigenous isolated tribes had perfect teeth and little tooth decay. But once they were exposed to a western diet they experienced tooth decay, bone loss and chronic illness.
According to the American Dental Association this is the cause of tooth decay:
“[Tooth decay] occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as milk, pop, raisins, cakes or candy are frequently left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids as a result. Over a period of time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.”
But the truth is the ADA is only hitting on 1 of the 4 things that could contribute to tooth decay.
According to the insights of Dr. Edward Mellanby, Dr. Weston Price and Dr. Ramiel Nagel there are 4 main things that contribute to tooth decay:
  1. Lack of minerals in the diet (calcium, magnesium and phosphorus)
  2. Lack of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) (especially D)
  3. Too much consumption of Phytic Acid rich foods
  4. Too much consumption of processed sugar
Let’s discuss the 4 aspects that cause tooth decay and how they can be addressed with diet.

How to Reverse Cavities Naturally

Don’t be fooled, there in addition to brushing and flossing daily, there are several ways you can reverse cavities and maximizes your oral health without resorting to taking in fluoride. Here are just a few for you to consider:
Removing Sugar – Probably the worst culprit of them all for anyone who desires healthy, cavity-free teeth, sugar should be avoided like the plague. Not only does sugar feed oral bacteria that prevents a healthy flow of dental fluids, it is highly acidic and can literally decalcify or demineralize the structural content of teeth that create dental decay.
This means staying away from soda, candy, and baked goods with sugar. Additionally, use raw honey and maple syrup and drink juices sparingly as too much sugar can contribute to cavity formation. Be careful of artificial sweeteners because of their health risks as well. Bottom line: Make stevia your new best friend along with raw honey in moderation!
Removing Phytic Acid – Phytic acid (phytate) is a mineral blocker and enzyme inhibitor found in grains, nuts, seeds and beans which can serious health problems in our diets. The main reason phytic acid has become an issue today is because we have stopped ancient food preparation techniques such as sprouting or sourdough fermentation which kills off the phytic acid.


According to research published in the The Lancet a diet high in phytic acid will create mineral deficiencies and cause osteoporosis.
80% of phosphorus in grains and beans is bound to phytic acid so it is completely un-absorbable. In addition to blocking phosphorus availability in humans, these molecules bind minerals necessary for oral health such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc; thus, causing them to be unavailable for proper utilization. Consuming foods high in phytic acid decreases magnesium absorption by 60% and zinc by 20%.
Phytic acid not only doesn’t allow you to absorb in minerals in your food, it also leaches minerals out of your body, bones and teeth!
Subsequently, the powerful anti-nutritional effects of phytic acid have been known to cause digestive disorders, lack of appetite, nutrient deficiencies, and tooth decay. A good rule of thumb is to limit your grain consumption and stay completely clear from unfermented soy products. Because phytic acid is much higher in foods grown using modern high-phosphate fertilizers than those grown in natural compost, try to only eat foods that are organic and GMO-free.

If you are aiming to improve your health and reverse cavities, foods high in phytic acid like grains, beans, nuts and soy should be avoided. However, if you soak grains or nuts and then sprout them or do sourdough fermentation you can reduce phytic acid by around 50 – 100%.
Raw Dairy and Nutrient Rich Foods – Raw dairy is filled with the vitamins and minerals that contribute to a healthy dental fluid flow and help maintain strong teeth. Loaded with calcium, vitamin K2, vitamin D3, magnesium, phosphorus, and fat-soluble vitamins it is a good idea to consume raw dairy products at least weekly. I recommend goat’s milk kefir, raw cheeses and organic grass-fed butter are great options.
Remember, if you’re going to beat tooth decay, you need to increase your fat soluble vitamin intake and mineral intake. If I were creating an ideal diet to follow, it would look like this:
  • Rich in animal foods like bone broth, meat, fish and eggs.
  • Raw and cooked vegetables especially green leafy vegetables.
  • Raw dairy like kefir, cheese and grass-fed butter
  • Fruit one piece daily early in day
  • High vitamin D – get plenty of sunshine and days not in sun supplement with 5,000IU daily of D3.
  • Foods high in healthy fat like coconut oil, avocado, olives and fish or fermented cod liver oil.
  • Fermented grains only and in moderation such as true sourdough bread (or even better no grains at all). You can buy raw flours and breads here: bluemountainorganics.com and wisechoicemarket.com
  • Nuts, seeds and beans only that have been sprouted. You can find sprouted nuts and seeds at: bluemountainorganics.com.
  • Finally, NO processed food, packaged food or fast food.
Mineralizing Tooth Paste – First of all, I know it can get expensive, but there are several brands of fluoride-free toothpaste that you won’t have to pay a small fortune to get your hands on. Second, if you’re looking to save a buck or two and also want to remineralize your teeth in a particularly powerful way, try making your own!
  • 4 tbsp. Coconut Oil
  • 2 tbsp. Baking Soda (aluminum free)
  • 1 tbsp. xylitol or 1/8 tsp. stevia
  • 20 drops peppermint or clove essential oil
  • 20 drops trace  minerals or (calcium/magnesium powder)
Oil Pulling – Used for centuries by Ayurvedic medicine, oil pulling is a fantastic oral detoxification procedure that has gained some popularity in the U.S. the last several years. Simply done by swishing a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for 20 minutes, this simple process has been praised to cure everything from gingivitis to headaches to systemic diseases like diabetes! 
If you can’t do 20 minutes, 3-5 minutes is still good. I recommend using coconut oil or MCT Oil and a drop or two of clove and/or tea tree essential oils for maximal antiseptic and antifungal power. Here are some tips:
  • The best time to oil pull (like most other detoxification procedures) is first thing in the morning right after you get out of bed.
  • Don’t let the 20 minutes time frame deter you. You won’t even notice 20 minutes have gone by if you do this during your normal morning routine (i.e. while you shower, put your clothes on and prep for the day).
  • Immediately afterwards, rinse your mouth out with warm water. Use salt water for added antimicrobial properties.
  • Don’t be shocked if the oil/saliva mixture you spit out is milky white or yellow.
  • Finally, brush your teeth as normal.
Note: This should be a relative relaxing process, so don’t feel compelled to vigorously swish your mouth with oil for the entire time or else you’re bound to get sore jaw muscles. Simply and gently move the oil in your mouth and through your teeth without swallowing any of it.
In a nutshell, these are the best ways to naturally reverse cavities. Take charge of your oral wellness today and show off your new, healthy smile with pride!

Here's some reasons to reconsider taking in fluoride.

About 70 percent of public water supplies are fluoridated in the United States which means approximately 221.2 million people currently drink artificially fluoridated water against their will. TheU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies fluoride as a drug used to prevent or mitigate disease, specifically to prevent tooth decay, a disease that is not waterborne. Essentially, fluoridated water is a medical treatment being administered to everyone in uncontrolled doses without their informed consent. Below are five reasons why you should be wary of fluoride, and not just in your tap water.

1. Unnecessary
Fluoridation is not necessary, and only eight countries in the whole world fluoridate more than 50 percent of their water. The countries that do fluoridate their water, the United States, Australia, Colombia, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, still have teeth problems. Countries, like England, who don’t fluoridate more than half of their water, have teeth that are just as good, if not better, than countries who do fluoridate their water, or so the World Health Organization says. It would be much better to eat a whole, unprocessed clean diet free of sugars and processed foods that promote tooth decay.

 2. It May Not Help Your Teeth
Fluoride may not help with tooth decay. The National Institute of Dental Research conducted the largest survey ever the United States with over 39,000 children from 84 communities to show that there were little difference (less than one tooth surface and less than one percent) in tooth decay among children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities. You can buy natural toothpaste products, and if you need help choosing one, see Our Guide to The Best Natural Toothpastes. 

 3. We’re Overexposed
Children are being over-exposed to fluoride. Fluoridation of water has failed to achieve it’s main objective which was to lower the rate of tooth to reduce the occurrence of dental fluorosis, the discoloration of tooth enamel caused by too much fluoride, to 10 percent in children, but 41 percent of adolescents in the United States still have dental fluorosis.

 4. It Might Hurt Your Thyroid
Fluoride may affect thyroid function. The U.S. National Research Council  has stated that there are “several lines of information” that “indicate an effect of fluoride exposure on thyroid function.” In fact, European doctors used to prescribe fluoride to patients suffering from hyperthyroidism in the 20th century. These patients hyperthyroidism was effectively and efficiently reduced with just 2.3 to 4.5 mg per day of fluoride. Be sure you know what your thyroid needs in regards to certain nutrients, and eat a well-balanced plant-based diet that supports your thyroid.

5. Not the Ultimate Solution for Oral Health
Tooth decay is high in low-income communities that have been fluoridated for years. Water fluoridation is not the solution to the oral health crises that rampages through poverty stricken communities with inadequate nutrition and lack of access to dental care. Boston, Cincinnati, New York City, and Pittsburgh and other populous cities in America with large low-income communities still, despite water fluoridation, still are in an oral health crises, especially in children. “Baby bottle tooth decay,”  is a serious problem poor children face, and fluoridation is ineffective in preventing oral health problems.

There are numerous other reasons why fluoride is controversial and worth researching on your own. In the meantime, look at see if there are any non-fluoridated water sources nearby you, and choose fluoride free products, like natural toothpaste and mouthwash whenever possible. You can should also consider getting a good water pitcher or filtration system in your home to prevent taking in tap water that includes fluoride and a host of other chemicals that are not beneficial to your health