There are millions of neurons lining your gut almost as extensively as in your brain – do you think that might have something to do with your mood, your ‘intelligence’, and your overall health? Sometimes called the enteric nervous system, the stomach and intestines have a lot to say about how you feel, or how you ‘stomach’ emotions in general, as well as how well your body fends off unwelcome guests.
The enteric nervous system is so intelligent, in fact, that it houses entire networks of neurotransmitters and special proteins that tell the rest of the body what’s going down – quite literally. It is so wise, that it can operate distinctly from the brain and spinal nerves, and quite often does. Just think of the last time you ate something that didn’t agree with you. Your brain probably didn’t override a sudden urge to purge. Your enteric ‘brain’ knew to get that unsavory meal out of you as fast as possible to prohibit an even more unappealing outcome.
Did you also know that the gut produces more serotonin, the well-known happy hormone, than the brain does? 95% of all serotonin lives in the gut, not in the head. A big part of how we feel every day is truly related to our gut’s feeling, as it digests through the daily grind, our food as well as our food for thought. In fact, irritable bowel syndrome is caused by an imbalance of serotonin in the gut, and is sometimes called the ‘mental illness’ of the brain. We cannot experience an emotion or think a thought without a biological correlation. The brain-gut axis is deeply moved by our daily emotions.
Going further, our gut health is also key to our immunity. Actually, it’s been said that gut flora makes up about 80% of our immunity, and is especially important for infants to bypass illness. Millions of tiny benevolent bacteria live in our large and small intestines as well as our stomachs, and they help to fend off bad bacteria, which can cause disease and even multiple types of cancer. Often called the ‘second brain,’ our gut is more important than we ever might have suspected.
So how do you ensure a healthy gut? Antibiotics are a major player in the destruction of gut health as they destroy both the bad and good bacteria, so it’s important to avoid antibiotics whenever possible. Luckily, there are numerous natural antibiotics that can be utilized for remedying various resistant infections. In addition to avoiding antibiotics, try implementing these 4 ways to improve gut health.
There are millions of neurons lining your gut almost as extensively as in your brain – do you think that might have something to do with your mood, your ‘intelligence’, and your overall health? Sometimes called the enteric nervous system, the stomach and intestines have a lot to say about how you feel, or how you ‘stomach’ emotions in general, as well as how well your body fends off unwelcome guests.
The enteric nervous system is so intelligent, in fact, that it houses entire networks of neurotransmitters and special proteins that tell the rest of the body what’s going down – quite literally. It is so wise, that it can operate distinctly from the brain and spinal nerves, and quite often does. Just think of the last time you ate something that didn’t agree with you. Your brain probably didn’t override a sudden urge to purge. Your enteric ‘brain’ knew to get that unsavory meal out of you as fast as possible to prohibit an even more unappealing outcome.
Did you also know that the gut produces more serotonin, the well-known happy hormone, than the brain does? 95% of all serotonin lives in the gut, not in the head. A big part of how we feel every day is truly related to our gut’s feeling, as it digests through the daily grind, our food as well as our food for thought. In fact, irritable bowel syndrome is caused by an imbalance of serotonin in the gut, and is sometimes called the ‘mental illness’ of the brain. We cannot experience an emotion or think a thought without a biological correlation. The brain-gut axis is deeply moved by our daily emotions.
Going further, our gut health is also key to our immunity. Actually, it’s been said that gut flora makes up about 80% of our immunity, and is especially important for infants to bypass illness. Millions of tiny benevolent bacteria live in our large and small intestines as well as our stomachs, and they help to fend off bad bacteria, which can cause disease and even multiple types of cancer. Often called the ‘second brain,’ our gut is more important than we ever might have suspected.
So how do you ensure a healthy gut? Antibiotics are a major player in the destruction of gut health as they destroy both the bad and good bacteria, so it’s important to avoid antibiotics whenever possible. Luckily, there are numerous natural antibiotics that can be utilized for remedying various resistant infections. In addition to avoiding antibiotics, try implementing these 4 ways to improve gut health.
Dr. William Courtney Youngest patient @ 8months Suffered from a inoperable from massive brain Tumor .. The Baby Treated was treated with CANNABIS OIL on his Pacifier Twice Daily , Increase dosage. Within 4 months the Brain Tumor was essentially one & by 8 months architecture .
Dr. William Courtney Youngest patient @ 8months Suffered from a inoperable from massive brain Tumor .. The Baby Treated was treated with CANNABIS OIL on his Pacifier Twice Daily , Increase dosage. Within 4 months the Brain Tumor was essentially one & by 8 months architecture .
Two years ago I went to the dentist for a cleaning. I had one small cavity in between two of my upper teeth, and one large cavity way in the back next to my wisdom tooth. The dentist recommended that I stay and immediately have those two cavities filled. I told him I was going to go home and do some research first. I don’t think anyone has ever said that to him before, because he really looked speechless there for a second. I think Doctors are pretty used to getting their way (besides, he already thinks I’m weird because of a previous argument we got into about fluoride). Here is my research:
Contrary to popular belief, the teeth are not inanimate objects, but fully alive parts of the body. What makes up a tooth?
Dentin: the bone-like layer in the middle of the tooth
Enamel: the hard white surface that covers the tooth
Pulp: with its many blood vessels, nerves and live cells
Mandibular nerve: which stimulates the body in carrying blood to the nerves in the teeth
Trigeminal nerve: stimulates the blood vessels that feed blood from the large cranial nerve to the Mandibular nerve
Periodontal ligament: connects the tooth to the jaw through millions of fibers all going different directions
Dentinal Tubules: EVERY TOOTH CONTAINS 3 MILES OF MICROSCOPIC TUBES, FILLED WITH A SUBSTANCE SIMILAR TO THE CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID.
Dentin and enamel are fed from tooth building cells which transport or disperse nutrients through the dental lymph. They essentially act as tiny pumps. A healthy tooth will clean itself out, fluid will flow from within the pulp and move outward to protect our teeth from decay.
This Aborigine Tribe had beautiful teeth and wide arches. The pictures on the right page (top left, bottom left and bottom right) show the effects modern “white foods” had on this tribe.
The teeth’s ability to heal itself is based upon how healthy your salivary glands are. Poor diet causes food debris, saliva, chemicals and whatever may be in the body at the time to be pulled into the tooth through the dentinal tubules. Over time, the pulp becomes inflamed and tooth decay spreads to the enamel.
Certain minerals play a key part in tooth health. Namely Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Phosphorus, Calcium and Manganese. Without abundant minerals in the diet the flow of fluid through the tubules is reversed, and cellular metabolism and energy-production of the teeth-building cells are damaged.
Our hormone secreting glands also play a large part in the health of our teeth. When our endocrine glands are out of balance we develop tooth decay or gum disease.
Blood sugar levels when chronically out of balance, can often cause tooth decay or gum disease.
Vitamin A & D are crucial to the health of your teeth. Without enough Vitamin A & D our cells cannot produce enough osteocalcin-the protein that deposits calcium and phosphorous into our bones and teeth.
Without enough fat-soluble vitamins in the diet severe tooth decay can result.
So what can you do?
Help your endocrine and pituitary glands stay in balance by eating a diet very low in sugar. This includes natural sugars.
Eat a diet low in phytic acid, which is an anti-nutrient found in grains, seeds, nuts and beans, and actually blocks the absorption of minerals by the body.
Eat more saturated fat! Cholesterol is a vital building block involved in hundreds of functions in the body. In fact, your body produces three to four times the amount of cholesterol that you eat. Cholesterol from healthy fats (coconut oil, tallow, lard, butter etc) is not dangerous and has no effect on your risk of heart disease.
Consume Vitamin A & D together. The most potent form is cod liver oil. You would have to eat 5 quarts of milk, 1 pound of butter or 9 eggs to consume the amount of Vitamin A found in one teaspoon of cod liver oil!
Increase the amount of fresh, raw foods that you consume and reduce the amount of cooked, processed, prepackaged foods.
Eat something other than grass? Why would I want to do that? This grass is delicious!
The Changes I Made
I take 2 capsules of Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Blend 3 TIMES A DAY.
I drink 2-3 cups of raw, grass-fed whole-fat milk per day minimum. We also eat full-fat dairy made from this milk.
I make homemade bone broth often, and we use it for cooking daily.
We eat wild-caught seafood 1-2 times per week ( I find fish eggs are a really easy way to do this) Rob loves all sea food, and probably eats more than I do. We eat oysters, clams, crab, lobster, caviar etc.
We eat high quality beef, pork, chicken from a local farm who only feeds the animals what God would feed them.
We eat the organ meats from those animals at least 1 time per week.
I eliminated sugar from my diet completely and only allow myself 1 Tbsp per day maximum. Which sounds hard, but once you haven’t had sugar for a while, 1 Tbsp is actually a lot of sweetener. (and fruit tastes like candy)
I increased the amount of green leafy vegetables in my diet, and always consume them with a healthy fat, so I can absorb the minerals efficiently. Juicing is an excellent way to do this, if you aren’t a big veggie fan.
I started soaking grains to reduce the amount of phytic acids I was consuming. I also greatly reduced the amount of grains that we were eating, and started buying sprouted flour.
Have you had your colorful foods today?
Because your teeth are alive, they CAN heal themselves!
I didn’t believe this until I went back to the dentist 6 months later and the small cavity on the top was so much smaller in the X-ray that the Doctor could barely find it. In my mind I screamed “I knew it would work, I knew it!”. But out loud I just said “hhmmm. It looks like the changes I made worked.” He asked me a lot of questions, and I answered them all. We talked for over an hour about the changes I made, and the research behind why they worked. This man with a doctorate in dentistry literally said to me “I have been a dentist for 21 years and I had no idea a tooth could remineralize itself. I didn’t know it was even possible”.
Now it has been 2 years, and both of my cavities are 100% gone. I also had teeth that were very sensitive to cold, and that has gone away entirely. I can now chew ice cubes (I know everyone with sensitive teeth out there is cringing right now) and rinse my mouth with ice water and I feel no pain.
IN SUMMARY
Tooth decay is caused by an imbalance in body chemistry. Blood sugar spikes cause our hormones to tell the teeth to stop adding minerals, and our metabolism of calcium and phosphorous is disrupted. Eat plenty of vegetables, stop eating so much sugar and carbohydrates, eat more grass-fed protein and fat and you can resolve this imbalance.
I would recommend the same research to you, that I did to the good Doctor:
Green Pastures produces the highest quality cod liver oil. They use cold fermentation to extract the oil, instead of the more common distillation and heat. I wouldn’t recommend any other brand.
Two years ago I went to the dentist for a cleaning. I had one small cavity in between two of my upper teeth, and one large cavity way in the back next to my wisdom tooth. The dentist recommended that I stay and immediately have those two cavities filled. I told him I was going to go home and do some research first. I don’t think anyone has ever said that to him before, because he really looked speechless there for a second. I think Doctors are pretty used to getting their way (besides, he already thinks I’m weird because of a previous argument we got into about fluoride). Here is my research:
Contrary to popular belief, the teeth are not inanimate objects, but fully alive parts of the body. What makes up a tooth?
Dentin: the bone-like layer in the middle of the tooth
Enamel: the hard white surface that covers the tooth
Pulp: with its many blood vessels, nerves and live cells
Mandibular nerve: which stimulates the body in carrying blood to the nerves in the teeth
Trigeminal nerve: stimulates the blood vessels that feed blood from the large cranial nerve to the Mandibular nerve
Periodontal ligament: connects the tooth to the jaw through millions of fibers all going different directions
Dentinal Tubules: EVERY TOOTH CONTAINS 3 MILES OF MICROSCOPIC TUBES, FILLED WITH A SUBSTANCE SIMILAR TO THE CEREBRAL SPINAL FLUID.
Dentin and enamel are fed from tooth building cells which transport or disperse nutrients through the dental lymph. They essentially act as tiny pumps. A healthy tooth will clean itself out, fluid will flow from within the pulp and move outward to protect our teeth from decay.
This Aborigine Tribe had beautiful teeth and wide arches. The pictures on the right page (top left, bottom left and bottom right) show the effects modern “white foods” had on this tribe.
The teeth’s ability to heal itself is based upon how healthy your salivary glands are. Poor diet causes food debris, saliva, chemicals and whatever may be in the body at the time to be pulled into the tooth through the dentinal tubules. Over time, the pulp becomes inflamed and tooth decay spreads to the enamel.
Certain minerals play a key part in tooth health. Namely Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Phosphorus, Calcium and Manganese. Without abundant minerals in the diet the flow of fluid through the tubules is reversed, and cellular metabolism and energy-production of the teeth-building cells are damaged.
Our hormone secreting glands also play a large part in the health of our teeth. When our endocrine glands are out of balance we develop tooth decay or gum disease.
Blood sugar levels when chronically out of balance, can often cause tooth decay or gum disease.
Vitamin A & D are crucial to the health of your teeth. Without enough Vitamin A & D our cells cannot produce enough osteocalcin-the protein that deposits calcium and phosphorous into our bones and teeth.
Without enough fat-soluble vitamins in the diet severe tooth decay can result.
So what can you do?
Help your endocrine and pituitary glands stay in balance by eating a diet very low in sugar. This includes natural sugars.
Eat a diet low in phytic acid, which is an anti-nutrient found in grains, seeds, nuts and beans, and actually blocks the absorption of minerals by the body.
Eat more saturated fat! Cholesterol is a vital building block involved in hundreds of functions in the body. In fact, your body produces three to four times the amount of cholesterol that you eat. Cholesterol from healthy fats (coconut oil, tallow, lard, butter etc) is not dangerous and has no effect on your risk of heart disease.
Consume Vitamin A & D together. The most potent form is cod liver oil. You would have to eat 5 quarts of milk, 1 pound of butter or 9 eggs to consume the amount of Vitamin A found in one teaspoon of cod liver oil!
Increase the amount of fresh, raw foods that you consume and reduce the amount of cooked, processed, prepackaged foods.
Eat something other than grass? Why would I want to do that? This grass is delicious!
The Changes I Made
I take 2 capsules of Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Blend 3 TIMES A DAY.
I drink 2-3 cups of raw, grass-fed whole-fat milk per day minimum. We also eat full-fat dairy made from this milk.
I make homemade bone broth often, and we use it for cooking daily.
We eat wild-caught seafood 1-2 times per week ( I find fish eggs are a really easy way to do this) Rob loves all sea food, and probably eats more than I do. We eat oysters, clams, crab, lobster, caviar etc.
We eat high quality beef, pork, chicken from a local farm who only feeds the animals what God would feed them.
We eat the organ meats from those animals at least 1 time per week.
I eliminated sugar from my diet completely and only allow myself 1 Tbsp per day maximum. Which sounds hard, but once you haven’t had sugar for a while, 1 Tbsp is actually a lot of sweetener. (and fruit tastes like candy)
I increased the amount of green leafy vegetables in my diet, and always consume them with a healthy fat, so I can absorb the minerals efficiently. Juicing is an excellent way to do this, if you aren’t a big veggie fan.
I started soaking grains to reduce the amount of phytic acids I was consuming. I also greatly reduced the amount of grains that we were eating, and started buying sprouted flour.
Have you had your colorful foods today?
Because your teeth are alive, they CAN heal themselves!
I didn’t believe this until I went back to the dentist 6 months later and the small cavity on the top was so much smaller in the X-ray that the Doctor could barely find it. In my mind I screamed “I knew it would work, I knew it!”. But out loud I just said “hhmmm. It looks like the changes I made worked.” He asked me a lot of questions, and I answered them all. We talked for over an hour about the changes I made, and the research behind why they worked. This man with a doctorate in dentistry literally said to me “I have been a dentist for 21 years and I had no idea a tooth could remineralize itself. I didn’t know it was even possible”.
Now it has been 2 years, and both of my cavities are 100% gone. I also had teeth that were very sensitive to cold, and that has gone away entirely. I can now chew ice cubes (I know everyone with sensitive teeth out there is cringing right now) and rinse my mouth with ice water and I feel no pain.
IN SUMMARY
Tooth decay is caused by an imbalance in body chemistry. Blood sugar spikes cause our hormones to tell the teeth to stop adding minerals, and our metabolism of calcium and phosphorous is disrupted. Eat plenty of vegetables, stop eating so much sugar and carbohydrates, eat more grass-fed protein and fat and you can resolve this imbalance.
I would recommend the same research to you, that I did to the good Doctor:
Green Pastures produces the highest quality cod liver oil. They use cold fermentation to extract the oil, instead of the more common distillation and heat. I wouldn’t recommend any other brand.
One of the symptoms of systemic Candida is weight gain, or difficulty losing weight. It can cause the kind of stubborn fat deposits that are hard to shake off, no matter how little you eat or how much exercise you do.
There are a couple of reasons for this, but first it’s important to understand that no diet is going to help. Treating the underlying cause of the problem – the Candida overgrowth – is the way to get back in shape. Candida can lead to excess fat deposits in a few different ways. Read on below to find out more.
Candida Toxins
Candida cells are constantly reproducing and dying. This does not happen only during Candida Die-Off. Even if you are not treating your Candida at all, the natural life cycle of this yeast means that toxins from dying Candida cells are constantly being released into your bloodstream. Why does this matter? Well, your liver has to process these toxins and expel them from your body. If your liver becomes overloaded (i.e. there are too many toxins in your bloodstream), then it has to store these nasty chemicals somewhere else for processing later. Your liver does this by storing them in fat cells, primarily around the hips, belly and thighs. For many dieters, this is the root cause of those abnormal fat deposits.
Sugar Cravings
Candida needs sugar to grow and reproduce, sugar that comes from the foods we eat. A typical symptom of a Candida infestation is that the patient is eating lots of sugar and carbs but still craving more. In Candida sufferers, this is far more than just a psychological addiction to sugar. The Candida yeast is processing large amounts of sugar and sending your blood sugar levels lower, triggering signals from your brain that you need to eat more. This is one way that Candida can cause overeating.
Stress On Your Immune System
The toxic byproducts of Candida can trigger a response from your immune system. Stress on the adrenal glands raises cortisol levels, an emergency response which prompts your body to hold on to every last piece of fat that it can.
Fatigue
Here’s one cause of weight gain that almost every Candida sufferer will identify with. The Candida cells release up to 79 different toxins, including a particularly nasty neurotoxin named Acetaldehyde. These toxins can cause symptoms like brain fog, fatigue and depression. Because of this, Candida sufferers often find it hard to get the exercise that they need to stay healthy and in shape.
Often a simple calorie restriction diet is treating the symptom rather than the cause of the problem. Diet advice is everywhere on the internet, but rarely do you see a treatment plan that can treat the underlying condition that is causing the weight gain. By following a good Candida treatment plan and sticking to a healthy diet, you might find it easier than you think to shake off those stubborn fat deposits.
For lots more information on the symptoms of Candida, take a look at my Candida No More.
As you can see, candida is not just sexual disease that women have… Everybody has candida… Yeast can and does invade the prostate causing infections that will not resolve with antibiotics. In fact, when treated with antibiotics, the infections typically return with a vengeance!
Symptoms Of Candida Overgrowth
Allergies, sensitivities and intolerances that worsen in damp, muggy or moldy places or weather that is damp, muggy, humid or rainy.
Hay fever and asthma.
Intolerances or allergies to perfumes, odors, fumes, fabric shop odors, grass, cats, dogs or other animals, tobacco smoke, chemicals, smog, molds, dust mites, dust, pollen, and other airborne substances.
Athletes’ foot.
Babies—colic, diaper rash, thrush (coated white tongue), and cradle cap.
Bruising easily.
Cheekbone or forehead tenderness, pain.
Cold hands or feet, low body temperature.
Cold-like symptoms—excessive mucus in the sinuses, nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.
Cravings or addictions for sugar, bread, pasta and other high carb foods, and also alcohol.
Cysts, abnormal formation of, in different parts of the body, especially around the neck, throat, and ovaries, and in the bladder or scrotum.
Digestive problems—diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distention, bloating or pain, gas, mucus in the stools, hiatal hernia, ulcers, suffering from bacteria, i.e. salmonella, E. coli, h. pylori, etc.
Ears—ringing in the ears (tinnitus), sounds in the ears, ear infections, dryness, itchiness, ear pain, ear aches, ear discharges, fluid in ears, deafness, abnormal wax build-up.
Eyes—erratic vision, spots in front of eyes (eye floaters) and flashing lights; redness, dryness, itching, excessive tearing, inability to tear, etc.
Fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome or Epstein Barr or a feeling of being drained of energy, lethargy, drowsiness.
Flu-like symptoms.
Glands—swollen, too little saliva (dryness in the mouth), blocked salivary glands, swollen lymph nodes.
Hair loss, scum on the scalp, dandruff, itchy scalp, scalp sores and dryness.
Heart palpitations and irregular heart beat.
Headaches, migraines, brain fog, dizziness, etc.
Hemorrhoids, and rectal itching, rash, irritation and redness.
Irritability, nervousness, jitteriness and panic attacks.
Lesions on the skin, and inside the body, i.e. the brain.
Male associated problems—jock itch, loss of sex drive, impotence, prostitis, penis infections, difficulty urinating, urinary frequency or urgency, painful intercourse, swollen scrotum, etc.
Female health problems—infertility, vaginitis, unusual odors, endometriosis (irregular or painful menstruation), cramps, menstrual irregularities, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), discharge, painful intercourse, loss of sexual drive, redness or swelling of the vulva and surrounding area, vaginal itching or thrush, burning or redness, or persistent infections.
Fungal infections of the skin or nails, i.e. ringworm, saborrheic dermatitis, dark and light patches on the skin (tinea versicolor), etc.
Joint pain, stiffness or swelling (arthritis).
Kidney and bladder—infections, cystitis (inflammation of the bladder with possible infection), urinary frequency or urgency, low urine output, smelly urine, difficulty urinating, burning pain when urinating.
Lack of appetite.
Mind and Mood—anxiety attacks, crying spells, memory loss, feeling spaced out, depression(including suicidal feelings), manic feelings, inability to concentrate, mood swings, irritability, etc.
Mouth sores or blisters, canker sores, dryness, bad breath, a white coating on the tongue (thrush) and blocked salivary glands.
Muscle aches and pain, numbness, burning or tingling, and lack of strength and coordination.
Odor of the feet, hair or body not relieved by washing.
Respiratory—cough, bronchitis or pneumonia, pain or tightness in the chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma.
Sick all over feeling.
Sinus inflammation, swelling and infections.
Skin—dryness, dry red patches, acne, pimples, hives, rashes, itching skin, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoea, ringworm, contact dermatitis, rosacea, etc.
Stomach—h. pylori bacteria (causes ulcers), heartburn, indigestion, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, belching, vomiting, burning, stomach pains, needle-like pains, food that seems to sit in the stomach like a lump, etc.
Sleep—insomnia, waking up frequently, nightmares, restless sleep, etc.
Sore throat, hoarse voice, constant tickle in the throat, laryngitis (loss of voice), etc.
One of the symptoms of systemic Candida is weight gain, or difficulty losing weight. It can cause the kind of stubborn fat deposits that are hard to shake off, no matter how little you eat or how much exercise you do.
There are a couple of reasons for this, but first it’s important to understand that no diet is going to help. Treating the underlying cause of the problem – the Candida overgrowth – is the way to get back in shape. Candida can lead to excess fat deposits in a few different ways. Read on below to find out more.
Candida Toxins
Candida cells are constantly reproducing and dying. This does not happen only during Candida Die-Off. Even if you are not treating your Candida at all, the natural life cycle of this yeast means that toxins from dying Candida cells are constantly being released into your bloodstream. Why does this matter? Well, your liver has to process these toxins and expel them from your body. If your liver becomes overloaded (i.e. there are too many toxins in your bloodstream), then it has to store these nasty chemicals somewhere else for processing later. Your liver does this by storing them in fat cells, primarily around the hips, belly and thighs. For many dieters, this is the root cause of those abnormal fat deposits.
Sugar Cravings
Candida needs sugar to grow and reproduce, sugar that comes from the foods we eat. A typical symptom of a Candida infestation is that the patient is eating lots of sugar and carbs but still craving more. In Candida sufferers, this is far more than just a psychological addiction to sugar. The Candida yeast is processing large amounts of sugar and sending your blood sugar levels lower, triggering signals from your brain that you need to eat more. This is one way that Candida can cause overeating.
Stress On Your Immune System
The toxic byproducts of Candida can trigger a response from your immune system. Stress on the adrenal glands raises cortisol levels, an emergency response which prompts your body to hold on to every last piece of fat that it can.
Fatigue
Here’s one cause of weight gain that almost every Candida sufferer will identify with. The Candida cells release up to 79 different toxins, including a particularly nasty neurotoxin named Acetaldehyde. These toxins can cause symptoms like brain fog, fatigue and depression. Because of this, Candida sufferers often find it hard to get the exercise that they need to stay healthy and in shape.
Often a simple calorie restriction diet is treating the symptom rather than the cause of the problem. Diet advice is everywhere on the internet, but rarely do you see a treatment plan that can treat the underlying condition that is causing the weight gain. By following a good Candida treatment plan and sticking to a healthy diet, you might find it easier than you think to shake off those stubborn fat deposits.
For lots more information on the symptoms of Candida, take a look at my Candida No More.
As you can see, candida is not just sexual disease that women have… Everybody has candida… Yeast can and does invade the prostate causing infections that will not resolve with antibiotics. In fact, when treated with antibiotics, the infections typically return with a vengeance!
Symptoms Of Candida Overgrowth
Allergies, sensitivities and intolerances that worsen in damp, muggy or moldy places or weather that is damp, muggy, humid or rainy.
Hay fever and asthma.
Intolerances or allergies to perfumes, odors, fumes, fabric shop odors, grass, cats, dogs or other animals, tobacco smoke, chemicals, smog, molds, dust mites, dust, pollen, and other airborne substances.
Athletes’ foot.
Babies—colic, diaper rash, thrush (coated white tongue), and cradle cap.
Bruising easily.
Cheekbone or forehead tenderness, pain.
Cold hands or feet, low body temperature.
Cold-like symptoms—excessive mucus in the sinuses, nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs.
Cravings or addictions for sugar, bread, pasta and other high carb foods, and also alcohol.
Cysts, abnormal formation of, in different parts of the body, especially around the neck, throat, and ovaries, and in the bladder or scrotum.
Digestive problems—diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distention, bloating or pain, gas, mucus in the stools, hiatal hernia, ulcers, suffering from bacteria, i.e. salmonella, E. coli, h. pylori, etc.
Ears—ringing in the ears (tinnitus), sounds in the ears, ear infections, dryness, itchiness, ear pain, ear aches, ear discharges, fluid in ears, deafness, abnormal wax build-up.
Eyes—erratic vision, spots in front of eyes (eye floaters) and flashing lights; redness, dryness, itching, excessive tearing, inability to tear, etc.
Fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome or Epstein Barr or a feeling of being drained of energy, lethargy, drowsiness.
Flu-like symptoms.
Glands—swollen, too little saliva (dryness in the mouth), blocked salivary glands, swollen lymph nodes.
Hair loss, scum on the scalp, dandruff, itchy scalp, scalp sores and dryness.
Heart palpitations and irregular heart beat.
Headaches, migraines, brain fog, dizziness, etc.
Hemorrhoids, and rectal itching, rash, irritation and redness.
Irritability, nervousness, jitteriness and panic attacks.
Lesions on the skin, and inside the body, i.e. the brain.
Male associated problems—jock itch, loss of sex drive, impotence, prostitis, penis infections, difficulty urinating, urinary frequency or urgency, painful intercourse, swollen scrotum, etc.
Female health problems—infertility, vaginitis, unusual odors, endometriosis (irregular or painful menstruation), cramps, menstrual irregularities, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), discharge, painful intercourse, loss of sexual drive, redness or swelling of the vulva and surrounding area, vaginal itching or thrush, burning or redness, or persistent infections.
Fungal infections of the skin or nails, i.e. ringworm, saborrheic dermatitis, dark and light patches on the skin (tinea versicolor), etc.
Joint pain, stiffness or swelling (arthritis).
Kidney and bladder—infections, cystitis (inflammation of the bladder with possible infection), urinary frequency or urgency, low urine output, smelly urine, difficulty urinating, burning pain when urinating.
Lack of appetite.
Mind and Mood—anxiety attacks, crying spells, memory loss, feeling spaced out, depression(including suicidal feelings), manic feelings, inability to concentrate, mood swings, irritability, etc.
Mouth sores or blisters, canker sores, dryness, bad breath, a white coating on the tongue (thrush) and blocked salivary glands.
Muscle aches and pain, numbness, burning or tingling, and lack of strength and coordination.
Odor of the feet, hair or body not relieved by washing.
Respiratory—cough, bronchitis or pneumonia, pain or tightness in the chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma.
Sick all over feeling.
Sinus inflammation, swelling and infections.
Skin—dryness, dry red patches, acne, pimples, hives, rashes, itching skin, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoea, ringworm, contact dermatitis, rosacea, etc.
Stomach—h. pylori bacteria (causes ulcers), heartburn, indigestion, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, belching, vomiting, burning, stomach pains, needle-like pains, food that seems to sit in the stomach like a lump, etc.
Sleep—insomnia, waking up frequently, nightmares, restless sleep, etc.
Sore throat, hoarse voice, constant tickle in the throat, laryngitis (loss of voice), etc.
“There is compelling evidence, now published in top scientific journals and some of which is decades old, showing that cows’ milk is associated, possibly even causally, with a wide variety of serious human ailments including various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and an array of allergy-related diseases. And, this food contains no nutrients that cannot be better obtained from other far more nutritious and tasty foods.”
- Dr. Colin Campbell
“Due to the extreme processes that milk undergoes, as well as the high amounts of antibiotics, hormones, and genetically-modified substances that cows are continually exposed to, I can, with much certainty, say that there are real and eminent dangers associated with drinking milk from cows. All cows release toxins through their milk, as milk is a natural exit-portal for substances that the body cannot use.”
– Global Healing Center
“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”
- Amy Lanou, nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C.
Diary consumption and its effects on the human body has been a subject of debate for quite awhile. With this article I would like to address the myth of dairy being good for our health.
Through mass media tools such as the “Got Milk?” campaign, we are led to believe that “milk does a body good” as they so eloquently state. Is this really the truth? Absolutely not!
“Milk is a high quality source of vitamin D and calcium.”: MYTH
This is entirely not true. Because of the fact that milk goes through a pasteurization process, which means it is heated to 71.7 degrees Celsius to ensure sterilization, almost all nutritional value is lost. We have to understand that all organic matter has what you can call “life force energy”. When organic liquid is subject to extreme temperatures such as pasteurization, this life force is destroyed as it debilitates the molecular structure of the milk. It actually destroys the calcium and vitamin D within the milk and as a result, it becomes a leaching agent and seeks to restore its original molecular structure. Animal proteins in dairy also have been found to leach calcium from the body. Upon consumption, dairy acidifies within the body and extracts calcium from our bones. The calcium acts as a neutralizer for the acid as the body tries to naturally balance its PH level. This process in turn results in being a major cause for cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis and other diseases.It’s also similar to the process with distilled water, as it is boiled and when consumed, leaches nutrients from the body that the water had contained before the distilling process occurred.
Now some people may say that raw milk is healthier to drink because is does not go through a pasteurization process, but it’s important to understand that at the infant stage, we carry active enzymes which are called “lactase” enzymes. These enzymes are used to break down lactose in milk so that it can be digested and used efficiently for energy. Through research, it has been shown that after the infant stage of approximately 3 years of age, lactase in the body begins to deplete as we are genetically programmed to no longer be dependent on our mother’s milk. Lactose intolerance is a result of lactase deficiency. With this being said, it doesn’t matter whether we drink pasteurized or non-pasteurized milk, our bodies are not designed to break it down and digest it properly. Without the proper digestion process the body cannot utilize nutrients properly. If we understand that as we grow older, our bodies are designed to not digest milk does it really make sense to consume it? Large amounts of dairy such as milk and cheese can lead to poor health through the debilitation of our bones, teeth and organs and is an associated cause of various human diseases.
IMPORTANT FACTS REGARDING DAIRY CONSUMPTION:
- Humans are the only species on the planet that drinks another species milk.
- Lactose intolerance affects more than 7 million Canadians (20% of the nations population). This is likely an underestimate as many individuals do not associate their symptoms with lactose-containing foods or are asymptomatic.
- More than 20 million Canadians suffer from digestive disorders every year. (57% of the nations population)
- Digestive disorders cost $18 billion (in 2000) annually in health care costs and lost productivity.
- Canada has the highest incidence of gastrointestinal ulcers in the world and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the world.
- Next to lung cancer, digestive cancers kill more Canadians than any other type of cancer. One out of every five new cancer cases in 2009 will involve the digestive tract. Colon cancer has the 2nd highest death rate of all cancers in Canada.
In knowing these facts, it shows us just how much our dietary habits affect our health and how we function on the planet. Even a simple change in our diet, such as stopping the consumption of dairy, could drastically reduce funding costs on national and global healthcare and result in a more vibrant and healthier population. This would allow us to move forward greatly in changing human society. Through feeling healthy and restoring the body to it’s natural balance and energetic flow, we will feel more at peace within ourselves and this will reflect in how we function and create our lives individually and collectively. Imagine a world full of healthy people…The energetic difference would be staggering!
Through the sharing and spreading of this information we hope that it will give people a perspective on dairy and consuming dairy products that they may not have had before. It can lead to major change if enough of us become aware of the effects that consuming dairy has on the body. If you have any concerns regarding calcium intake, you can look into a number of ways to sufficiently supply the body with the amount of calcium that it requires. There are a number of alternative ways to consuming calcium such as plant-based foods and drinking milk products such as almond milk and rice milk. Do yourself the favour and look into how you can change your health and others. It can lead you to a more peaceful and vibrant life!
For More Information Please Research The Following Sources of Information:
“There is compelling evidence, now published in top scientific journals and some of which is decades old, showing that cows’ milk is associated, possibly even causally, with a wide variety of serious human ailments including various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and an array of allergy-related diseases. And, this food contains no nutrients that cannot be better obtained from other far more nutritious and tasty foods.”
- Dr. Colin Campbell
“Due to the extreme processes that milk undergoes, as well as the high amounts of antibiotics, hormones, and genetically-modified substances that cows are continually exposed to, I can, with much certainty, say that there are real and eminent dangers associated with drinking milk from cows. All cows release toxins through their milk, as milk is a natural exit-portal for substances that the body cannot use.”
– Global Healing Center
“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.”
- Amy Lanou, nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C.
Diary consumption and its effects on the human body has been a subject of debate for quite awhile. With this article I would like to address the myth of dairy being good for our health.
Through mass media tools such as the “Got Milk?” campaign, we are led to believe that “milk does a body good” as they so eloquently state. Is this really the truth? Absolutely not!
“Milk is a high quality source of vitamin D and calcium.”: MYTH
This is entirely not true. Because of the fact that milk goes through a pasteurization process, which means it is heated to 71.7 degrees Celsius to ensure sterilization, almost all nutritional value is lost. We have to understand that all organic matter has what you can call “life force energy”. When organic liquid is subject to extreme temperatures such as pasteurization, this life force is destroyed as it debilitates the molecular structure of the milk. It actually destroys the calcium and vitamin D within the milk and as a result, it becomes a leaching agent and seeks to restore its original molecular structure. Animal proteins in dairy also have been found to leach calcium from the body. Upon consumption, dairy acidifies within the body and extracts calcium from our bones. The calcium acts as a neutralizer for the acid as the body tries to naturally balance its PH level. This process in turn results in being a major cause for cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis and other diseases.It’s also similar to the process with distilled water, as it is boiled and when consumed, leaches nutrients from the body that the water had contained before the distilling process occurred.
Now some people may say that raw milk is healthier to drink because is does not go through a pasteurization process, but it’s important to understand that at the infant stage, we carry active enzymes which are called “lactase” enzymes. These enzymes are used to break down lactose in milk so that it can be digested and used efficiently for energy. Through research, it has been shown that after the infant stage of approximately 3 years of age, lactase in the body begins to deplete as we are genetically programmed to no longer be dependent on our mother’s milk. Lactose intolerance is a result of lactase deficiency. With this being said, it doesn’t matter whether we drink pasteurized or non-pasteurized milk, our bodies are not designed to break it down and digest it properly. Without the proper digestion process the body cannot utilize nutrients properly. If we understand that as we grow older, our bodies are designed to not digest milk does it really make sense to consume it? Large amounts of dairy such as milk and cheese can lead to poor health through the debilitation of our bones, teeth and organs and is an associated cause of various human diseases.
IMPORTANT FACTS REGARDING DAIRY CONSUMPTION:
- Humans are the only species on the planet that drinks another species milk.
- Lactose intolerance affects more than 7 million Canadians (20% of the nations population). This is likely an underestimate as many individuals do not associate their symptoms with lactose-containing foods or are asymptomatic.
- More than 20 million Canadians suffer from digestive disorders every year. (57% of the nations population)
- Digestive disorders cost $18 billion (in 2000) annually in health care costs and lost productivity.
- Canada has the highest incidence of gastrointestinal ulcers in the world and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the world.
- Next to lung cancer, digestive cancers kill more Canadians than any other type of cancer. One out of every five new cancer cases in 2009 will involve the digestive tract. Colon cancer has the 2nd highest death rate of all cancers in Canada.
In knowing these facts, it shows us just how much our dietary habits affect our health and how we function on the planet. Even a simple change in our diet, such as stopping the consumption of dairy, could drastically reduce funding costs on national and global healthcare and result in a more vibrant and healthier population. This would allow us to move forward greatly in changing human society. Through feeling healthy and restoring the body to it’s natural balance and energetic flow, we will feel more at peace within ourselves and this will reflect in how we function and create our lives individually and collectively. Imagine a world full of healthy people…The energetic difference would be staggering!
Through the sharing and spreading of this information we hope that it will give people a perspective on dairy and consuming dairy products that they may not have had before. It can lead to major change if enough of us become aware of the effects that consuming dairy has on the body. If you have any concerns regarding calcium intake, you can look into a number of ways to sufficiently supply the body with the amount of calcium that it requires. There are a number of alternative ways to consuming calcium such as plant-based foods and drinking milk products such as almond milk and rice milk. Do yourself the favour and look into how you can change your health and others. It can lead you to a more peaceful and vibrant life!
For More Information Please Research The Following Sources of Information:
Photo: Scientists say the appendix might have been a place for good bacteria to localise in, like a little cul-de-sac away from everything else [File photo].
It has long been regarded as a potentially troublesome, redundant organ, but American researchers say they have discovered the true function of the appendix.
The researchers say it acts as a safe house for good bacteria, which can be used to effectively reboot the gut following a bout of dysentery or cholera.
The conventional wisdom is that the small pouch protruding from the first part of the large intestine is redundant and many people have their appendix removed and appear none the worse for it.
Scientists from the Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina say following a severe bout of cholera or dysentery, which can purge the gut of bacteria essential for digestion, the reserve good bacteria emerge from the appendix to take up the role.
But Professor Bill Parker says the finding does not mean we should cling onto our appendices at all costs.
"It's very important for people to understand that if their appendix gets inflamed, just because it has a function it does not mean they should try to keep it in," he said.
"So it's sort of a fun thing that we've found, but we don't want it to cause any harm, we don't want people to say, "oh, my appendix has a function", so I'm not going to go to the doctor, I'm going to try to hang onto it."
Attractive theory
Nicholas Vardaxis, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Sciences at RMIT University, says the theory put forward by the Duke University scientists makes sense.
"As an idea it's an attractive one, that perhaps it would be a nice place for these little bacteria to localise in, a little cul-de-sac away from everything else," he said.
"The thing is that if we observe what's been happening through evolution, the higher on the evolutionary scale we are and the more omnivorous animals become, then the smaller and less important the appendix becomes and humans are a good example of that.
"The actual normal flora bacteria within the appendix, as well within our gut, are the same, so we've lost all of those specialised bacteria.
"So it doesn't have that safe house type of function anymore, I don't think.
"It's a vestige of something that was there in previous incarnations, if you like."
Koala appendix
Unlike the human, the koala is famous for having a very long appendix.
It is thought to aid digestion on a diet made up exclusively of eucalyptus leaves.
Professor Vardaxis says that is not likely to change any time soon.
"Unless of course we have a massive blight and we get the eucalypt on which the koala thrives dying, then we may find some mutant koalas out there perhaps that will start eating other things, and as they start to eat other things, then over generations and hundreds of thousands of years of time, then surely, yes, the koala's appendix will shrink as well," he said.
Professor Vardaxis says it is possible that at that point, koalas might be afflicted by appendicitis and have to have it taken out at times.
Photo: Scientists say the appendix might have been a place for good bacteria to localise in, like a little cul-de-sac away from everything else [File photo].
It has long been regarded as a potentially troublesome, redundant organ, but American researchers say they have discovered the true function of the appendix.
The researchers say it acts as a safe house for good bacteria, which can be used to effectively reboot the gut following a bout of dysentery or cholera.
The conventional wisdom is that the small pouch protruding from the first part of the large intestine is redundant and many people have their appendix removed and appear none the worse for it.
Scientists from the Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina say following a severe bout of cholera or dysentery, which can purge the gut of bacteria essential for digestion, the reserve good bacteria emerge from the appendix to take up the role.
But Professor Bill Parker says the finding does not mean we should cling onto our appendices at all costs.
"It's very important for people to understand that if their appendix gets inflamed, just because it has a function it does not mean they should try to keep it in," he said.
"So it's sort of a fun thing that we've found, but we don't want it to cause any harm, we don't want people to say, "oh, my appendix has a function", so I'm not going to go to the doctor, I'm going to try to hang onto it."
Attractive theory
Nicholas Vardaxis, an associate professor in the Department of Medical Sciences at RMIT University, says the theory put forward by the Duke University scientists makes sense.
"As an idea it's an attractive one, that perhaps it would be a nice place for these little bacteria to localise in, a little cul-de-sac away from everything else," he said.
"The thing is that if we observe what's been happening through evolution, the higher on the evolutionary scale we are and the more omnivorous animals become, then the smaller and less important the appendix becomes and humans are a good example of that.
"The actual normal flora bacteria within the appendix, as well within our gut, are the same, so we've lost all of those specialised bacteria.
"So it doesn't have that safe house type of function anymore, I don't think.
"It's a vestige of something that was there in previous incarnations, if you like."
Koala appendix
Unlike the human, the koala is famous for having a very long appendix.
It is thought to aid digestion on a diet made up exclusively of eucalyptus leaves.
Professor Vardaxis says that is not likely to change any time soon.
"Unless of course we have a massive blight and we get the eucalypt on which the koala thrives dying, then we may find some mutant koalas out there perhaps that will start eating other things, and as they start to eat other things, then over generations and hundreds of thousands of years of time, then surely, yes, the koala's appendix will shrink as well," he said.
Professor Vardaxis says it is possible that at that point, koalas might be afflicted by appendicitis and have to have it taken out at times.
The collective psyche of American society is long overdue for a major paradigm shift in its understanding of fats, inflammation, cholesterol, and the true cause of most chronic illnesses. Even many physicians, who should know better, still argue that cholesterol is evil and that sticking to a low-fat diet is good for health. But the fact of the matter is that avoiding fats is toxic to your health, and consuming the many food additives that commonly replace them - these include synthetic trans fats, refined sugars, and processed grains - are a primary cause of disease-causing inflammation.
It all makes sense if you just stop and consider the native role cholesterol plays in protecting arteries against lesions and other damage. Rather than being the cause of plaque buildup in the circulatory system, cholesterol is actually the healing agent the body sends to sites that have been damaged by inflammation. In other words, if you have too much cholesterol buildup in your arteries, your real problem is too much inflammation rather than too much cholesterol, and a whole different mitigatory approach is required to address the problem.
"It's the inflammation in the vessels that starts the lesion," says Dr. Beverly Teter, a lipid biochemist from the University of Maryland who has been researching fats and their affect on the human body for many years, as quoted by CBN.com. "The body then sends the cholesterol like a scab to cover over it to protect the blood system and the vessel wall from further damage."
This runs completely contrary to the prevailing medical dogma, which still maintains that saturated fat and cholesterol are silent killers that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and other forms of chronic illness. As a result, millions of Americans have been duped into avoiding these necessary nutrients to their own demise, while they instead gorge on unhealthy vegetable oils, trans fats, sugars, grains, and phony low-fat junk foods.
"When choosing which fats to eat, pick the ones that are high in omega-3 fats and also choose natural saturated fats," advises Lorie Johnson from CBN.com. "On the other hand, stay away from the fats that lead to inflammation, such as trans fats and omega-6 fats," she adds, noting that most of the oils used in processed food are unhealthy vegetable oils posing as "nutritious."
Saturated fat and cholesterol necessary for proper cellular function, brain health
What few people today realize is that their bodies actually require both saturated fat and cholesterol for proper metabolism, brain health, hormone balance and cellular homeostasis. Without these two important nutritional components, a cascade of health problems can ensue, including debilitating brain conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This is especially true for people who take toxic statin drugs to artificially lower their cholesterol levels.
"People with high cholesterol live the longest," says Dr. Uffe Ravnskov, M.D., Ph.D. "Consider the finding of Dr. Harlan Krumholz of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University, who reported in 1994 that old people with low cholesterol died twice as often from a heart attack as did old people with high cholesterol."
The collective psyche of American society is long overdue for a major paradigm shift in its understanding of fats, inflammation, cholesterol, and the true cause of most chronic illnesses. Even many physicians, who should know better, still argue that cholesterol is evil and that sticking to a low-fat diet is good for health. But the fact of the matter is that avoiding fats is toxic to your health, and consuming the many food additives that commonly replace them - these include synthetic trans fats, refined sugars, and processed grains - are a primary cause of disease-causing inflammation.
It all makes sense if you just stop and consider the native role cholesterol plays in protecting arteries against lesions and other damage. Rather than being the cause of plaque buildup in the circulatory system, cholesterol is actually the healing agent the body sends to sites that have been damaged by inflammation. In other words, if you have too much cholesterol buildup in your arteries, your real problem is too much inflammation rather than too much cholesterol, and a whole different mitigatory approach is required to address the problem.
"It's the inflammation in the vessels that starts the lesion," says Dr. Beverly Teter, a lipid biochemist from the University of Maryland who has been researching fats and their affect on the human body for many years, as quoted by CBN.com. "The body then sends the cholesterol like a scab to cover over it to protect the blood system and the vessel wall from further damage."
This runs completely contrary to the prevailing medical dogma, which still maintains that saturated fat and cholesterol are silent killers that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and other forms of chronic illness. As a result, millions of Americans have been duped into avoiding these necessary nutrients to their own demise, while they instead gorge on unhealthy vegetable oils, trans fats, sugars, grains, and phony low-fat junk foods.
"When choosing which fats to eat, pick the ones that are high in omega-3 fats and also choose natural saturated fats," advises Lorie Johnson from CBN.com. "On the other hand, stay away from the fats that lead to inflammation, such as trans fats and omega-6 fats," she adds, noting that most of the oils used in processed food are unhealthy vegetable oils posing as "nutritious."
Saturated fat and cholesterol necessary for proper cellular function, brain health
What few people today realize is that their bodies actually require both saturated fat and cholesterol for proper metabolism, brain health, hormone balance and cellular homeostasis. Without these two important nutritional components, a cascade of health problems can ensue, including debilitating brain conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This is especially true for people who take toxic statin drugs to artificially lower their cholesterol levels.
"People with high cholesterol live the longest," says Dr. Uffe Ravnskov, M.D., Ph.D. "Consider the finding of Dr. Harlan Krumholz of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University, who reported in 1994 that old people with low cholesterol died twice as often from a heart attack as did old people with high cholesterol."
NOTE: Primary author is Lillian Dell'Aquila Cannon (see her blog)
Original Story: For expanded information Psychology today
When I was pregnant with my first child, I just thought that circumcision was what you did, no big deal, and that every man was circumcised. Then one day I saw a picture of a baby being circumcised, and everything changed. Just one tiny, grainy photo was enough to make me want to know more, and the more I knew, the worse it got. It turns out, circumcision really is a big deal. Part 1 - Circumcision Surgery Myths
Myth 1:They just cut off a flap of skin.
Reality check: Not true. The foreskin is half of the penis's skin, not just a flap. In an adult man, the foreskin is 15 square inches of skin. In babies and children, the foreskin is adhered to the head of the penis with the same type of tissue that adheres fingernails to their nail beds. Removing it requires shoving a blunt probe between the foreskin and the head of the penis and then cutting down and around the whole penis. Check out these photos: http://www.drmomma.org/2011/08/intact-or-circumcised-significant.html
Myth 2:It doesn't hurt the baby.
Reality check: Wrong. In 1997, doctors in Canada did a study to see what type of anesthesia was most effective in relieving the pain of circumcision. As with any study, they needed a control group that received no anesthesia. The doctors quickly realized that the babies who were not anesthetized were in so much pain that it would be unethical to continue with the study. Even the best commonly available method of pain relief studied, the dorsal penile nerve block, did not block all the babies' pain. Some of the babies in the study were in such pain that they began choking and one even had a seizure (Lander 1997).
Myth 3:My doctor uses anesthesia.
Reality check: Not necessarily. Most newborns do not receive adequate anesthesia. Only 45% of doctors who do circumcisions use any anesthesia at all. Obstetricians perform 70% of circumcisions and are least likely to use anesthesia - only 25% do. The most common reasons why they don't? They didn't think the procedure warranted it, and it takes too long (Stang 1998). A circumcision with adequate anesthesia takes a half-hour - if they brought your baby back sooner, he was in severe pain during the surgery.
Myth 4:Even if it is painful, the baby won't remember it.
Reality check: The body is a historical repository and remembers everything. The pain of circumcision causes a rewiring of the baby's brain so that he is more sensitive to pain later (Taddio 1997, Anand 2000). Circumcision also can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anger, low self-esteem and problems with intimacy (Boyle 2002, Hammond 1999, Goldman 1999). Even with a lack of explicit memory and the inability to protest - does that make it right to inflict pain? Ethical guidelines for animal research whenever possible* - do babies deserve any less?
Myth 5:My baby slept right through it.
Reality check: Not possible without total anesthesia, which is not available. Even the dorsal penile nerve block leaves the underside of the penis receptive to pain. Babies go into shock, which though it looks like a quiet state, is actually the body's reaction to profound pain and distress. Nurses often tell the parents "He slept right through it" so as not to upset them. Who would want to hear that his or her baby was screaming in agony?
Myth 6:It doesn't cause the baby long-term harm.
Reality check: Incorrect. Removal of healthy tissue from a non-consenting patient is, in itself, harm (more on this point later). Circumcision has an array of risks and side effects. There is a 1-3% complication rate during the newborn period alone (Schwartz 1990). Here is a short list potential complications.
Meatal Stenosis: Many circumcised boys and men suffer from meatal stenosis. This is a narrowing of the urethra which can interfere with urination and require surgery to fix.
Adhesions. Circumcised babies can suffer from adhesions, where the foreskin remnants try to heal to the head of the penis in an area they are not supposed to grow on. Doctors treat these by ripping them open with no anesthesia.
Buried penis. Circumcision can lead to trapped or buried penis - too much skin is removed, and so the penis is forced inside the body. This can lead to problems in adulthood when the man does not have enough skin to have a comfortable erection. Some men even have their skin split open when they have an erection. There are even more sexual consequences, which we will address in a future post.
Infection. The circumcision wound can become infected. This is especially dangerous now with the prevalence of hospital-acquired multi-drug resistant bacteria.
Death. Babies can even die of circumcision. Over 100 newborns die each year in the USA, mostly from loss of blood and infection (Van Howe 1997 & 2004, Bollinger 2010).
Isn't it time to think more carefully about whether we should be circumcising our boys?
But, you say, aren't there important health benefits? See the next post.
* Ethical guidelines for animal research are listed in the Animal Welfare Act and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, published by the National Academy of Sciences. Every research facility is required to consult with the institution's veterinarian and its Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IACUC ensures that alternatives to using animals was considered and that pain relief is given unless it interferes with the purpose of the study.
Part 6: Harming boys through ignorance of male anatomy
References for Part 1
Anand et al., "Can Adverse Neonatal Experiences Alter Brain Development and Subsequent Behavior? Biol Neonate 77 (2000): 69-82.
Bollinger, D. "Lost Boys: An Estimate of U.S. Circumcision-Related Infant Deaths," Thymos: Journal of Boyhood Studies Volume 4, Number 1 (2010).
Boyle, G.,et al., "Male Circumcision: Pain, Trauma, and Psychosexual Sequelae," Journal of Health Psychology 7 (2002): 329-343.
Hammond, T., "A Preliminary Poll of Men Circumcised in Infancy or Childhood," BJU 83 (1999): suppl. 1: 85-92. Goldman, R., "The Psychological Impact of Circumcision," BJU 83 (1999): suppl. 1: 93-102.
Lander, J. et al., "Comparison of Ring Block, Dorsal Penile Nerve Block, and Topical Anesthesia for Neonatal Circumcision," JAMA 278 (1997): 2157-2162.
Schwartz, William M., MD et al., PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE: A Problem-solving Approach, 2nd Edition, Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., 1990, pp. 861-862.
Stang, H. et al., "Circumcision Practice Patterns in the United States," Pediatrics Vol. 101 No. 6 (1998): e5.
Taddio A, et al., "Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination." Lancet 1997;349(9052):599-603.
Van Howe, R., "Variability in Penile Appearance and Penile Findings: A Prospective Study," BJU 80 (1997): 776-782.
Van Howe, R., "A Cost-Utility Analysis of Neonatal Circumcision," Med Decis Making, December 1, 2004; 24(6): 584 - 601.
Researchers find circumcised men have higher alexithymia scores than intact men. Alexithymia is the inability to process emotions.
Article |
The International Journal of Men’s Health has published the first study of its kind to look at the link between the early trauma of circumcision and the personality trait disorder alexithymia. The study, by Dan Bollinger and Robert S. Van Howe, M.D., M.S., FAAP, found that circumcised men are 60% more likely to suffer from alexithymia, the inability to process emotions.
People suffering from alexithymia have difficulty identifying and expressing their emotions. This translates into not being able to empathize with others. Sufferers of severe alexithymia are so removed from their feelings that they view themselves as being robots. If acquired at an early age, such as from infant circumcision, it might limit access to language and impede the socialization process that begins early in life. Moderate to high alexithymia can interfere with personal relationships and hinder psychotherapy. Impulsive behavior is a key symptom of alexithymia, and impulsivity is a precursor to violence.
The idea for the investigation came when the authors noticed that American men (for whom circumcision is likely) had higher alexithymia scores than European men (for whom circumcision is unlikely), and that European men had about the same scores as European and American women.
The study surveyed 300 circumcised and intact men using the standardized Toronto Twenty-Item Alexithymia Scale checklist. Circumcised men had higher scores across the board and a greater proportion of circumcised men had higher scores than intact men.
A common reason fathers give for deciding to circumcise their son is so they will “look alike,” but these authors speculate that perhaps a subconscious motivation is so that they will “feel alike,” in other words as equally distant and emotionally unavailable as themselves. It was beyond this study’s design to test for this, and yet the comments received from circumcised participants speak to a vast psychic wounding, which, if unresolved, might lead to an unconscious desire to repeat the trauma upon others.
The authors recommend that more research be conducted on this topic, but in the meantime, parents considering circumcising their infant son should be informed that circumcision might put their son at risk for alexithymia, including difficulty identifying and expressing his feelings, and for impulsive behavior. Psychologists counseling alexithymic patients should investigate the patient’s childhood and neonatal history for possible traumatic events, including circumcision.
If this pattern of men suffering from circumcision-related trauma holds true for the general populace, this would constitute a significant mental health problem and, considering that three-fourths of the U.S. male population is circumcised, a public health problem, too.
Alexithymia is from ancient Greek meaning, “having no words for feelings.” It was coined by psychotherapist Peter Sifneos in 1973 to describe a state of deficiency in understanding, processing, or describing emotions. Alexithymia tends to be persistent and chronic; it doesn’t diminish with time. This is unlike other trauma-based reactions, like post-traumatic stress disorder, which typically dissipate soon after the trauma.
*** http://www.mensstudies.com/content/2772r13175400432/?p=a7068101fbdd48819...
NOTE: Primary author is Lillian Dell'Aquila Cannon (see her blog)
Original Story: For expanded information Psychology today
When I was pregnant with my first child, I just thought that circumcision was what you did, no big deal, and that every man was circumcised. Then one day I saw a picture of a baby being circumcised, and everything changed. Just one tiny, grainy photo was enough to make me want to know more, and the more I knew, the worse it got. It turns out, circumcision really is a big deal. Part 1 - Circumcision Surgery Myths
Myth 1:They just cut off a flap of skin.
Reality check: Not true. The foreskin is half of the penis's skin, not just a flap. In an adult man, the foreskin is 15 square inches of skin. In babies and children, the foreskin is adhered to the head of the penis with the same type of tissue that adheres fingernails to their nail beds. Removing it requires shoving a blunt probe between the foreskin and the head of the penis and then cutting down and around the whole penis. Check out these photos: http://www.drmomma.org/2011/08/intact-or-circumcised-significant.html
Myth 2:It doesn't hurt the baby.
Reality check: Wrong. In 1997, doctors in Canada did a study to see what type of anesthesia was most effective in relieving the pain of circumcision. As with any study, they needed a control group that received no anesthesia. The doctors quickly realized that the babies who were not anesthetized were in so much pain that it would be unethical to continue with the study. Even the best commonly available method of pain relief studied, the dorsal penile nerve block, did not block all the babies' pain. Some of the babies in the study were in such pain that they began choking and one even had a seizure (Lander 1997).
Myth 3:My doctor uses anesthesia.
Reality check: Not necessarily. Most newborns do not receive adequate anesthesia. Only 45% of doctors who do circumcisions use any anesthesia at all. Obstetricians perform 70% of circumcisions and are least likely to use anesthesia - only 25% do. The most common reasons why they don't? They didn't think the procedure warranted it, and it takes too long (Stang 1998). A circumcision with adequate anesthesia takes a half-hour - if they brought your baby back sooner, he was in severe pain during the surgery.
Myth 4:Even if it is painful, the baby won't remember it.
Reality check: The body is a historical repository and remembers everything. The pain of circumcision causes a rewiring of the baby's brain so that he is more sensitive to pain later (Taddio 1997, Anand 2000). Circumcision also can cause post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anger, low self-esteem and problems with intimacy (Boyle 2002, Hammond 1999, Goldman 1999). Even with a lack of explicit memory and the inability to protest - does that make it right to inflict pain? Ethical guidelines for animal research whenever possible* - do babies deserve any less?
Myth 5:My baby slept right through it.
Reality check: Not possible without total anesthesia, which is not available. Even the dorsal penile nerve block leaves the underside of the penis receptive to pain. Babies go into shock, which though it looks like a quiet state, is actually the body's reaction to profound pain and distress. Nurses often tell the parents "He slept right through it" so as not to upset them. Who would want to hear that his or her baby was screaming in agony?
Myth 6:It doesn't cause the baby long-term harm.
Reality check: Incorrect. Removal of healthy tissue from a non-consenting patient is, in itself, harm (more on this point later). Circumcision has an array of risks and side effects. There is a 1-3% complication rate during the newborn period alone (Schwartz 1990). Here is a short list potential complications.
Meatal Stenosis: Many circumcised boys and men suffer from meatal stenosis. This is a narrowing of the urethra which can interfere with urination and require surgery to fix.
Adhesions. Circumcised babies can suffer from adhesions, where the foreskin remnants try to heal to the head of the penis in an area they are not supposed to grow on. Doctors treat these by ripping them open with no anesthesia.
Buried penis. Circumcision can lead to trapped or buried penis - too much skin is removed, and so the penis is forced inside the body. This can lead to problems in adulthood when the man does not have enough skin to have a comfortable erection. Some men even have their skin split open when they have an erection. There are even more sexual consequences, which we will address in a future post.
Infection. The circumcision wound can become infected. This is especially dangerous now with the prevalence of hospital-acquired multi-drug resistant bacteria.
Death. Babies can even die of circumcision. Over 100 newborns die each year in the USA, mostly from loss of blood and infection (Van Howe 1997 & 2004, Bollinger 2010).
Isn't it time to think more carefully about whether we should be circumcising our boys?
But, you say, aren't there important health benefits? See the next post.
* Ethical guidelines for animal research are listed in the Animal Welfare Act and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, published by the National Academy of Sciences. Every research facility is required to consult with the institution's veterinarian and its Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The IACUC ensures that alternatives to using animals was considered and that pain relief is given unless it interferes with the purpose of the study.
Part 6: Harming boys through ignorance of male anatomy
References for Part 1
Anand et al., "Can Adverse Neonatal Experiences Alter Brain Development and Subsequent Behavior? Biol Neonate 77 (2000): 69-82.
Bollinger, D. "Lost Boys: An Estimate of U.S. Circumcision-Related Infant Deaths," Thymos: Journal of Boyhood Studies Volume 4, Number 1 (2010).
Boyle, G.,et al., "Male Circumcision: Pain, Trauma, and Psychosexual Sequelae," Journal of Health Psychology 7 (2002): 329-343.
Hammond, T., "A Preliminary Poll of Men Circumcised in Infancy or Childhood," BJU 83 (1999): suppl. 1: 85-92. Goldman, R., "The Psychological Impact of Circumcision," BJU 83 (1999): suppl. 1: 93-102.
Lander, J. et al., "Comparison of Ring Block, Dorsal Penile Nerve Block, and Topical Anesthesia for Neonatal Circumcision," JAMA 278 (1997): 2157-2162.
Schwartz, William M., MD et al., PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE: A Problem-solving Approach, 2nd Edition, Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., 1990, pp. 861-862.
Stang, H. et al., "Circumcision Practice Patterns in the United States," Pediatrics Vol. 101 No. 6 (1998): e5.
Taddio A, et al., "Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination." Lancet 1997;349(9052):599-603.
Van Howe, R., "Variability in Penile Appearance and Penile Findings: A Prospective Study," BJU 80 (1997): 776-782.
Van Howe, R., "A Cost-Utility Analysis of Neonatal Circumcision," Med Decis Making, December 1, 2004; 24(6): 584 - 601.
Researchers find circumcised men have higher alexithymia scores than intact men. Alexithymia is the inability to process emotions.
Article |
The International Journal of Men’s Health has published the first study of its kind to look at the link between the early trauma of circumcision and the personality trait disorder alexithymia. The study, by Dan Bollinger and Robert S. Van Howe, M.D., M.S., FAAP, found that circumcised men are 60% more likely to suffer from alexithymia, the inability to process emotions.
People suffering from alexithymia have difficulty identifying and expressing their emotions. This translates into not being able to empathize with others. Sufferers of severe alexithymia are so removed from their feelings that they view themselves as being robots. If acquired at an early age, such as from infant circumcision, it might limit access to language and impede the socialization process that begins early in life. Moderate to high alexithymia can interfere with personal relationships and hinder psychotherapy. Impulsive behavior is a key symptom of alexithymia, and impulsivity is a precursor to violence.
The idea for the investigation came when the authors noticed that American men (for whom circumcision is likely) had higher alexithymia scores than European men (for whom circumcision is unlikely), and that European men had about the same scores as European and American women.
The study surveyed 300 circumcised and intact men using the standardized Toronto Twenty-Item Alexithymia Scale checklist. Circumcised men had higher scores across the board and a greater proportion of circumcised men had higher scores than intact men.
A common reason fathers give for deciding to circumcise their son is so they will “look alike,” but these authors speculate that perhaps a subconscious motivation is so that they will “feel alike,” in other words as equally distant and emotionally unavailable as themselves. It was beyond this study’s design to test for this, and yet the comments received from circumcised participants speak to a vast psychic wounding, which, if unresolved, might lead to an unconscious desire to repeat the trauma upon others.
The authors recommend that more research be conducted on this topic, but in the meantime, parents considering circumcising their infant son should be informed that circumcision might put their son at risk for alexithymia, including difficulty identifying and expressing his feelings, and for impulsive behavior. Psychologists counseling alexithymic patients should investigate the patient’s childhood and neonatal history for possible traumatic events, including circumcision.
If this pattern of men suffering from circumcision-related trauma holds true for the general populace, this would constitute a significant mental health problem and, considering that three-fourths of the U.S. male population is circumcised, a public health problem, too.
Alexithymia is from ancient Greek meaning, “having no words for feelings.” It was coined by psychotherapist Peter Sifneos in 1973 to describe a state of deficiency in understanding, processing, or describing emotions. Alexithymia tends to be persistent and chronic; it doesn’t diminish with time. This is unlike other trauma-based reactions, like post-traumatic stress disorder, which typically dissipate soon after the trauma.
*** http://www.mensstudies.com/content/2772r13175400432/?p=a7068101fbdd48819...
Smoking is supposed to kill people. What I find is rather odd is the number of smokers who outlive non-smokers. The average life expectancy for most first world countries is around 75-80 years. Yet smokers live longer than this average.
Robert Charlton was 92 in November of 2006 and had been smoking since the age of 10. He outlived Levi Celeio from the Philippines who died at 91, having smoked all his life. Cigarettes also got the better of the Queen Mother of Elizabeth II when she died at 101 after being a smoker most of her life. George Burn is renown for having smoked cigars until he was 100 years old, and because of this Milton Berle refused to give up smoking; unfortunately he died of cancer of the colon at 93yrs. Hollywood director Billy Wilder died at 95yrs, having been a smoker all his life.
Jeanne Calment lived to be 122 yrs and 164 days and smoked most of her life, I suppose smoking killed her, but the question becomes what killed all the non-smokers who didn't live as long as her. Anyhow, good meaning people used to tell Jeanne to stop smoking because it would kill her in the end. I suppose it did in the end, because she gave it up when she was 117yrs old, only to take it back up when she turned 118 yrs old, because it made her feel miserable not to smoke.
There are many more people I can cite as having lived over 100yrs and still smoked. I, myself, don't smoke, although I did once. The reason I gave up smoking is I hated being enslaved to the habit. If I am going to live to 122 yrs or more, I would rather not be smoking. But then I do not feel miserable.
It is claimed that there is a direct correlation between lung cancer and smoking. I suppose we could argue that there is direct correlation between longevity and smoking. However, I would suggest that dying has to do more with other factors than smoking.
Poor nutrition and inner anxiety probably contribute more to death than anything else. It is no coincidence that heart disease is the leasing cause of death. Anxiety has been demonstrated to increase cancer and increase blood pressure, which overworks the heart. Combine this with insufficient nutrients getting to the heart through inadequate nutritional intake for the individual and heart disease becomes the leading killer, followed by cancer and both are related to anxiety.
Smoking is supposed to kill people. What I find is rather odd is the number of smokers who outlive non-smokers. The average life expectancy for most first world countries is around 75-80 years. Yet smokers live longer than this average.
Robert Charlton was 92 in November of 2006 and had been smoking since the age of 10. He outlived Levi Celeio from the Philippines who died at 91, having smoked all his life. Cigarettes also got the better of the Queen Mother of Elizabeth II when she died at 101 after being a smoker most of her life. George Burn is renown for having smoked cigars until he was 100 years old, and because of this Milton Berle refused to give up smoking; unfortunately he died of cancer of the colon at 93yrs. Hollywood director Billy Wilder died at 95yrs, having been a smoker all his life.
Jeanne Calment lived to be 122 yrs and 164 days and smoked most of her life, I suppose smoking killed her, but the question becomes what killed all the non-smokers who didn't live as long as her. Anyhow, good meaning people used to tell Jeanne to stop smoking because it would kill her in the end. I suppose it did in the end, because she gave it up when she was 117yrs old, only to take it back up when she turned 118 yrs old, because it made her feel miserable not to smoke.
There are many more people I can cite as having lived over 100yrs and still smoked. I, myself, don't smoke, although I did once. The reason I gave up smoking is I hated being enslaved to the habit. If I am going to live to 122 yrs or more, I would rather not be smoking. But then I do not feel miserable.
It is claimed that there is a direct correlation between lung cancer and smoking. I suppose we could argue that there is direct correlation between longevity and smoking. However, I would suggest that dying has to do more with other factors than smoking.
Poor nutrition and inner anxiety probably contribute more to death than anything else. It is no coincidence that heart disease is the leasing cause of death. Anxiety has been demonstrated to increase cancer and increase blood pressure, which overworks the heart. Combine this with insufficient nutrients getting to the heart through inadequate nutritional intake for the individual and heart disease becomes the leading killer, followed by cancer and both are related to anxiety.
Doctor simply shrugs off mans healing as his own misdiagnosis when all biopsy tests and results conclusively showed presence of severe lung cancer. Doctor would not acknowledge natural cure
Doctor simply shrugs off mans healing as his own misdiagnosis when all biopsy tests and results conclusively showed presence of severe lung cancer. Doctor would not acknowledge natural cure
