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Man Dies From Rare, New Disease Associated with Tick Bites

by June 16, 2017

Several years ago a man from Kansas ended up in the hospital with an unknown disease. No one could pinpoint why exactly his organs were failing, but they were.

Doctors tried everything they could think of when it came to treatment but after ten long intense days of fighting his lungs failed and his blood pressure collapsed. Dana Hawkinson an infectious disease specialist at that hospital (the University of Kansas Hospital) suspected that this could have been tick related but it was not until the CDC examined a sample of the man’s blood was a new pathogen found.

This pathogen is similar to overseas illnesses that are spread by mosquitoes and ticks. They named it the Bourbon Virus. Of course, several years have passed since this virus was discovered but it still is very much a mystery to us. We do not know much about it at all. There was a second case reported in Oklahoma after the first year of being known but it seems many other cases have gone undiagnosed.

Symptoms of this disease are generally nonspecific which makes them very hard to identify. Some of the more mild symptoms can include things like the following.

Bourbon Virus Symptoms

  • Muscle Aches
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Malaise
  • Fever

The CDC currently requires a person to have a number of specific symptoms before they will even consider testing for this virus which is making things a bit complicated and as mentioned above causing several cases to go undiagnosed. Tick prevention is extremely important if you want to keep your family and yourself safe. For more on this virus please take the time to watch the video below.

 

 

What Are The Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and How To Treat It Naturally!

by June 16, 2017

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects 1 in 10 American women. This common health problem is caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones in the body, causing problems in the ovaries. Symptoms may begin to develop shortly after puberty, however it may also develop during the later teen years and even as late as early adulthood.

pcos, polycystic ovarian syndrome

While doctors are aware that PCOS is caused by insulin resistance, there is still much unknown about the relationship between the two conditions. For those who are suffering, there are a variety of natural treatments available!

 

Symptoms of PCOS

PCOS may good undiagnosed for an extended period simply because the symptoms are often attributed to other causes, or go unnoticed completely. The good news is that it can be managed once it has been diagnosed! Watch for these 12 symptoms.

 

  1. Irregular or Missed Periods
  2. Ovarian Cysts
  3. Weight Gain
  4. Fatigue
  5. Unwanted Hair Growth
  6. Thinning Hair on the Head
  7. Infertility
  8. Acne
  9. Mood Changes
  10. Pelvic Pain
  11. Headaches
  12. Sleep Problems

 

If you are experiencing any number of these symptoms, contact your doctor. There is no single test to diagnose PCOS, however your doctor is able to run a number of different tests which combined may be able to lead to an answer.

 

What Can I Do?

If you have been diagnosed you are now probably curious as to what you can do to manage, and even end the symptoms that you are experiencing. There are a number of natural options that you can use!

 

Dietary Changes

One of the first changes that many sufferers make is to adjust their dietary choices. With PCOS being caused by insulin resistance, it is important to be aware of and maintain control over the glucose levels in your body. Eating the bulk of your day’s calories for breakfast, rather than later in the day, will hep to stabilize insulin levels. It has also been found that women can decrease the severity of their symptoms by losing weight in many cases. A PCOS-friendly diet consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products.

 

Herbal Remedies

It is important that you discuss the option of herbal remedies with your doctor, and proceed with treatment under his/her care in order to ensure that you are able to see the best possible results. Herbal options are gentle on the body, with fewer side effect than the medical options. Some common herbal remedies for PCOS include chaste berry, dandelion root, milk thistle, licorice, saw palmetto, stinging nettle, spearmint, red clover, st john’s wort and more.

 

Home Remedies

Home remedies allow women the opportunity to manage the symptoms of their PCOS at home. While there are many home remedies that have been found to be effective, the three most common treatments include:

 

Apple Cider Vinegar: A reasonable accepted dose of apple cider vinegar is 2 tablespoons in a glass of water, 3 times per day. If you are not found of the taste, it can also be mixed in with stronger-tasting beverages. Apple cider vinegar has been found both to control blood sugar and reduce the production of testosterone.

 

Cinnamon: Consuming approximately 2 teaspoons daily is all that is necessary to experience the benefits of cinnamon in the treatment of PCOS symptoms. It has also been found to decrease insulin resistance.

 

Flax Seed: Women should consume 1-2 tablespoons of flax seed daily. This will allow it to naturally balance the overproduction of male hormones within the body. It is also high in fiber, and has been found to reduce inflammation.

8 Beers That You Should Stop Drinking Immediately

by June 15, 2017

Beer supposedly fuels the nation, and there is nothing wrong with a good beer every now and again. But the question is, have you been drinking the wrong beers?

While foods that we eat are forced to include a list of ingredients, making it easier to identify what we should and shouldn’t eat, beer is not held to the same standards. For years, the alcohol industry has lobbied to keep their ingredients secret under the guise of protecting their recipes.  As it turns out, they are more likely protecting the list of harmful ingredients packed into every bottle.

Here are some of the most harmful ingredients found in beer:

  • GMO Corn Syrup
  • GMO Corn
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Fish Bladder
  • Propylene Glycol
  • Monosodium Glutamate
  • Natural Flavors
  • GMO Sugars
  • Caramel Coloring
  • Insect-Based Dyes
  • Carrageenan
  • BPA
  1. Newcastle Brown Ale

1

Newcastle has been found to contain class 3 and 4 caramel coloring which is actually made from ammonia – a known carcinogen. “The One and Only”, indeed – the “One and Only” beer with extra cancer-causing ingredients.

  1. Budweiser

2

One of the most heavily advertised beers is full of GMO corn, and according to Greenpeace, experimental GMO rice.

  1. Corona Extra

3

Corona will make you think that their beer is a gateway to the beach, but in reality, it’s a gateway to GMO corn syrup and Propylene Glycol.

4. Miller Light

4

Another American beer that is packed with GMO corn and corn syrup.

  1. Michelob Ultra

5

Although not as popular, Michelob Ultra is just as bad as its more popular cousins, thanks to its use of GMO dextrose (GMO based sweetener).

  1. Guinness

6

Guinness is supposedly the standard for smoothness when it comes to dark beers, but its ingredients are a little disturbing, to say the least. For instance, it utilizes an ingredient called isinglass, which is made from fish bladders.

  1. Coors Light

7

Yet another American beer, popular because of its price, which uses GMO corn syrup.

  1. Pabst Blue Ribbon

8

PBR is full of GMO corn and corn syrup.

Healthy Beer Alternatives

It’s not all doom and gloom in the beer market. Fortunately, there are several great beers that are GMO-free, and maintain the quality and taste standards you are looking for.

GMO-Free Beers:

  • Organic Beers (Unpasteurized & Unfiltered)
  • Wolaver’s – all beers
  • Lamar Street – Whole Foods label (brewed by Goose Island)
  • Bison – all beers
  • Dogfish Head (organic when ingredients available)
  • Fish Brewery Company – Fish Tale Ales
  • Lakefront Brewery – Organic ESB
  • Brooklyn – (organic when ingredients are available)
  • Pinkus – all beers
  • Samuel Smiths – Samuel Smiths Organic Ale
  • Wychwood – Scarecrow Ale

Non-Organic Beers (Unpasteurized & Unfiltered)

  • Sierra Nevada – all choices
  • Duck Rabbit – Brown Ale, Porter, Amber Ale, Milk Stout
  • Dogfish Head- 60 Minute IPA, Shelter Pale Ale, Chicory Stout
  • Shipyard – Summer Brew
  • Victory Brewery – Whirlwind
  • North Coast – Blue Star
  • Bridgeport – IPA (Bottle conditioned)
  • Ayinger – all choices
  • Royal Oak – Pale Ale
  • Fraziskaner – Hefeweisse and Dunkel Weisse
  • Weihenstephaner – Hefe Weissbier
  • Maisel’s – Weisse
  • Hoegaarden – Belgian White

Other

  • Heineken
  • Steamwhistle
  • Amstel Light
  • Duchy Original Ale Organic
  • Mill Street Brewery
  • Fuller’s Organic
  • Nelson Organic Ale
  • Natureland Organic

Cruciferous Vegetable Studies Prove Mainstream Medicine Wrong – You Can Change the Destiny of Your Genes and Protect Against Cancer

by June 15, 2017

We have all been taught that our genes dictate our futures, a roadmap for our bodies and our health. These genes are set upon birth, predetermined, and there is nothing that we can do to change that destiny. New studies are calling this belief into question.

vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, vegetables and cancer risk

What are Cruciferous Vegetables?

Cruciferous vegetables are also known as brassica vegetables. This family of vegetables are rich in nutrients, including vitamins C, E and K, folate, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein and minerals. They are also high in fiber.

Examples of these vegetables include: arugula, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, watercress and wasabi.

They contain a group of substances known as glucosinolates. These sulfur-containing chemicals are responsible for the bitter flavor and pungent aroma that are often associated with these vegetables. During the process of food preparation, chewing and digestion these glucosinolates are broken down to form biologically active compounds such as thiocyanates, nitriles, isothiocyanates and indoles.

Your body will also convert a key nutrient within these vegetables into the nutrient Diindolylmethane, or DIM.

 

How Do These Vegetables Help to Prevent Cancer?

Isothiocyanates and indoles have been found to inhibit the development of several types of cancer including bladder, breast, colon, liver, lung and stomach. On top of inhibiting the development of cancer, these compounds have also been found to:

  • Inhibit tumor blood vessel formation (angiogenesis)
  • Inhibit tumor cell migration (needed for metastasis)
  • Protect cells from DNA damage
  • Have antiviral and antibacterial effects
  • Have anti-inflammatory effects
  • Inactivate carcinogens
  • Induce cell death (apoptosis)

DIM has also been found to both inhibit the formation and spread of cancer. The nutrient works to induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Test have revealed that it targets specific cancer tumor cells within the body including breast, cervical, colon, ovarian, prostate and uterine cancer cells.

 

Breast Cancer: A case study titled ‘Brassica Vegetables and Breast Cancer Risk’ found that women who ate greater amounts of various cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

 

Colorectal Cancer: A study out of the Netherlands investigated the correlation between women with a high intake of cruciferous vegetables and a reduced risk of colon cancer. The study, however, was only completed on women, not men, and found no decrease in rectal cancer rates.

 

Lung Cancer: A U.S. analysis, using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study, found that women who consume 5 servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a lower risk of lung cancer.

 

Prostate Cancer: Two separate studies, ‘Vegetables, Fruits, Legumes and Prostate Cancer: a Multiethnic Case-Control Study’, and ‘Plant Foods, Antioxidants, and Prostate Cancer Risk: Findings from Case-Control Studies in Canada’ both outline a connection between individuals who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetables and a lower risk of prostate cancer.

 

Hormones in Your Milk (Even Organic) Are Turning Men into Women

by June 15, 2017

Everyone can appreciate a good glass of milk, especially in combination with some of your favorite cereal. However, studies show that commercial milk producers are hiding hormones in their products!

Just like basically every commercial food product out there, milk has been contaminated too. For some odd reason, business CEO’s think that it is such a great idea to add dangerous chemicals and growth hormones to all their products just to save a dollar or two. Infuriating as it is, they get away with it too. New studies suggest that commercial milk products can affect your estrogen levels, even if you’re a man!

Most people assume that estrogen is just produced in women, but that would be wrong. Men produce estrogen too. It is a class of hormones that affect the reproductive system and other physiological functions of men and women. Low estrogen levels might affect a man’s fetal production, metabolism, and risks of acquiring chronic diseases. Just like humans, cows naturally produce estrogen and pass it on through their milk.

According to Ganmaa Davaasambuu, a physician, and scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, dairy products account for 60 to 80 percent of the estrogen consumed in the typical American diet. Drinking large quantities of cow’s milk may significantly increase your estrogen levels. These hormones in milk have the potential to increase your risk of prostate cancer and reduce fertility, according to Davaasambuu. It isn’t just dairy cows either. You can even find estrogen-like hormones in soy milk too. Researchers say that regularly drinking soy milk with these estrogenic-like compounds can raise your risk of acquiring prostate cancer.

One specific case study from 2011 was a case in which a nineteen-year-old male experienced not only loss of libido, but erectile dysfunction as well. Why? Well, he had recently consumed a lot of soy products. The study was published in the July and August issue of Nutrition.

Although commercial milk producers have ruined yet another tasty beverage, milk is still good for you. We need to consume it because it is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, and protein. You don’t have to throw out your milk in fear of acquiring erectile dysfunction, just buy an organic brand! Maybe a little bit more expensive, but it will be well worth it in the end.

Ingredients in These Razors Potentially Linked to Alzheimer’s and Organ Toxicity

by June 15, 2017

Razors are something that has become an essential part of today’s society. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you’re going to need a razor eventually. So which ones should you avoid and which ones should you trust?

Razors might seem pretty harmless, and besides the fact that they’re extremely sharp blades, they are pretty user-friendly. At least that is what you would think. You have to be particularly careful choosing your razor because you can easily get an infection from a simple knick of the skin. However, that’s not all you have to worry about when it comes to choosing your next razor blade. Nowadays, almost every razor has something on it called a moisture strip. The moisture strip is to lubricate the skin to make for an easier shave. While it does sound handy, corporate CEO’s and businessmen are only putting it there for the looks, not to actually make it any easier for you.

The moisture strips are different for each type of razor, but they all have some common grounds; chemicals. You might not think to check out the ingredients list on your razor because, well it’s a razor. Honestly, you shouldn’t even have to worry about this, but in the modern day world, you do. It’s important to check the ingredients list on your razors packaging because all the different moisture stirps are composed of different chemicals that are extremely toxic. It’s specifically scary because they have such direct access to our bodies. Any cut or knick is an all access pass for dangerous chemicals and pathogens to find their way in.

One of the chemicals moisture strips are composed of is known as Polyethylene Oxide or Polyethylene Glycol. While manufacturers claim this chemical is nontoxic, it is heavily recommended that it is not used in cosmetics. Do you think they care? Of course not, because this chemical is all over razor moisture strips. They are also often found to be contaminated in 1.4 dioxanes, a chemical that has been linked to cancer in several different incidents.

Another risk moisture strips pose is that they are sometimes composed of soy. While soy isn’t particularly dangerous, some people are heavily allergic to it. There is no warning label calling out that they moisture strip is made from soy, but you will know if you have continuing skin irritation after shaving. Rumors also have been found to contain high amounts of aluminum salts. Many people are aware that some commercial deodorant brands use this dangerous heavy metal, but not many people are aware that it is also all over razors. Shaving your armpits gives you a particularly dangerous scenario because of the close range lymph nodes in the area. Aluminum salts in deodorant have already been linked to increasing your risk of breast cancer, you don’t want to be shaving with it too.

Some tips to help you avoid these dangerous razors is to always buy razors without the moisture strip. You are going to want to use an organic, lubricating shaving cream along with it though. It can also be extremely beneficial to exfoliate before you shave.

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