Genetic manipulation part 4

by Susann Laag-Söderström February 19, 2020

Health aspects
The risk is imminent that we create new diseases and pure epidemics through gene manipulation. The US military researched biological warfare with specific characteristics to be deployed against particular peoples or nations.
A number of experts believe that AIDS is the result of this military research in which a genetically engineered virus (HIV) is spread through experiments with an HIV-infected vaccine against hepatitis. It was tried on gay men in the United States (see, for example, the book AIDS – Tabu, by Ingemar Ljungqvist, Carlsson’s Book Publishing House).
Other clouds of concern are what the researchers call “ARMed genes” (Antibiotic Resistance Markers). This means that in addition to the gene you wish to transmit at the same time, you also transfer another gene as a marker. It functions as a flag and is easy to detect in the new genetically engineered organism. In this way, one quickly becomes aware of the gene manipulation, often within a few days or weeks. If the marker is present, the gene manipulation is successful.
For this purpose, genes that are resistant to antibiotics, such as kanmycin and neomycin, are used. If you now add an antibiotic to the genetically engineered crop, only those plants where the gene manipulation has succeeded will survive. The rest die.
The problem is that the antibiotic resistant property is relatively easily transmitted between different species. This means that if a person eats such antibiotic resistant one, this property can easily be transmitted to the bacteria in the body.
If she now suffers from tuberculosis and is treated with antibiotics kanamycin (which is used just because it is an effective antibiotic against tuberculosis), there is a high risk that the person in question will be resistant to this type of antibiotic.
The method with ARMed genes has been used among other things on genetically engineered tomatoes. In order to reduce the risks, the authorities in England have decided that these tomatoes may only be sold as tomato puree because the cooking kills the antibiotic resistant gene. The problem is that this tomato is already allowed to be sold as fresh in the United States. How do you check that it is not sold in fresh condition even in Europe?

Ban – but not for everyone
The amino acid L-tryptophan is a dietary supplement used by millions of people around the world, including insomnia. An impurity in this preparation gave rise to an epidemic of the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) disease, in which 37 people died. 1,500 people suffered permanent injuries and an unknown number suffered other injuries.
The disease occurred when Japanese company Showa Denko changed the manufacturing process so that a bacterium was genetically engineered to make L-tryptophan. But in addition to this amino acid, the bacteria also produced some very toxic substances.
As a result, L-tryptophan has been banned worldwide, except in baby food and in nutritional powder for the sick and old. Unlike healthy people, children and old people are apparently considered to tolerate this amino acid! However, the guilty gene manipulation process was not banned.
It is possible that genetic material from nuts and shellfish is introduced into other foods. Many people are allergic to nuts and shellfish and no one knows if the allergenic properties are also transmitted. However, there are many indications.
When manipulating soybeans with genes from bait, it was found that soybeans could also cause allergic reactions in people with allergies to bean nuts.
Since it is not necessary to state that a product contains genetically engineered material, even less where it comes from, one can expect serious problems for large population groups.

Risks
There are many risks of gene manipulation. Here are some risks that have been demonstrated:
 Disruption of the ecosystem balance
 New diseases that spread across species boundaries
 Allergy-causing substances in food
 Increased use of plant toxins (which is one of the strongest driving forces behind gene manipulation).
The risk is also that genetically engineered organisms transmit their foreign gene to other species via cross fertilization. This means that we will soon get weeds and insects that are also resistant to pesticides. Then the industry “requires” new pesticides and more gene manipulation to save the situation. These problems have already emerged.
Diseases among crops are more likely to spread when, for example, they contain genes that make them resistant to frost. The frost is otherwise an effective protection to prevent the spread of infected crops.
An unexpected interaction can also occur in the environment. This was already demonstrated when the harmless bacterium Klebsiella plantieola was genetically engineered. It would convert plant residues into ethanol for use as fuel in agriculture. As a result, the ecology of the soil changed, and all vegetation died from alcohol poisoning or various diseases. The reason was that the genetically engineered bacterium knocked out other microorganisms that are absolutely necessary for the plants.

Regulatory
International control in this area is necessary, but the major genetically engineered countries strongly oppose all international control. The regulation that does exist can be contentless. When it was allowed to produce genetically engineered rapeseed, the condition was that they be not used as food for animals or humans. But the Belgian company Plant Genetic System, which has created these rapeseed seeds had no obligation to declare that they were genetically engineered. The question is why the company has invested money in producing a genetically engineered seed if they do not intend to sell it.

The EU and gene manipulation
The EU has given the go-ahead for imports of soy products containing genetically engineered soy. In December 1996, the EU decided that genetically modified maize (developed by the large multinational drug company Ciba-Geigy) should be sold in Europe without any labeling. This is despite the fact that the ministers of agriculture in all European countries, except France, opposed this.
Since the term “genetically engineered organisms” has a negative tone, the official term “genetically modified organisms” is used in the EU. The term Novel food, ie “modern foods”, is also used. This is to try to avoid people associating negatively with * GMO.

Summary
Gene manipulation is a huge experiment with unpredictable consequences. When the harmful effects are detected, it is too late to correct the problems. Despite similar examples in industrial history, one refuses to learn from their mistakes. Short-term financial gains are allowed to govern. This time, the stakes are extremely high.
GMOs are not in the interests of consumers. The biotechnology industry is trying to sell food to us that has no real benefits (but some disadvantages), products that are questionable from an environmental point of view. In addition, consumers want to ban consumers from labeling or other means of identifying genetically engineered foods. The more uninformed consumers can be held, the greater the chances of companies becoming profitable.
Gene manipulation has met strong resistance from consumers, health experts and others, but it does not seem to affect the biotechnology industry. It costs incredible amounts to research and develop genetically engineered goods; the companies then need to get a return on their investments. The market is dominated by a number of multinational companies that can patent both genes and whole organisms. Patent protection covers the cultural plants that are important basic food in developing countries, which prevents local production.
From an ethical point of view, GMO is highly questionable. Experts claim that genetically engineered animals do not suffer. That’s not true. Studies show that animals suffer from stress and disease as a result of gene manipulation.
In addition, the health risks are imminent. The human body does not know how to handle genetically engineered food. Pesticide genes are transmitted to crops that can be absorbed by bacteria in the gut which then produce pesticides in the body. Recent findings show that the body cannot break down modified genes.

10 reasons to avoid GMOs
1. GMO is harmful
2. GMO infects for all time
3. GMO damages the environment
4. GMO increases the use of pesticides
5. GMOs produce dangerous side effects
6. GMO does not increase the harvest and does not counter world hunger.
7. The authorities’ review of GMOs is negligible
8. The biotechnology industry uses pseudoscience to show that GMOs are harmless.
9. Independent research and reporting on GMOs is attacked and suppressed
10. Caring for future generations.

How do we influence the situation?
If you still believe that gene manipulation does not affect you or your children’s future, then you do not need to do anything. If, on the other hand, you feel that it concerns you, you are encouraged to spread the knowledge to your friends and others.
 Contact politicians both locally and nationally
 By avoiding GMO, the GMO industry is forced to remove GMO from our food.
 If you want to stop Monsanto’s GMO activities, you can write on this list. Secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Petition_pour_labolition_de_Monsanto
 Copy this information and spread it to your friends.

references

• responsibletechnology.org
• gmwatch.org
• Böckerna ”Seeds of Deception” och ”Genetic Roulett” av Jeffrey Smith
• ”Genvägen till en ekologisk katastrof. Genmanipulation och genetisk förorening”, utgiven av Greenpeace. Det är en utmärkt liten skrift med över 70 referenser, som du kan beställa från Greenpeace, telefon +46 8 702 70 70.
• Tidskriften Hälsa nr 12/96
• ”Hotet mot livet” av William F. Engdahl. En bra sammanfattning av boken finns här: com/hotet_mot_livet.pdf

Gene manipulation part 3 February 18, 2020

Food labeling
In all areas – with the exception of genetically engineered foods – the consumer has been advised to know what she is buying so that she can decide on the product. The only real power people have is to promote or disadvantage products in the market through their purchases. We can see this clearly in the area of ​​environmentally adapted products. There, even the state has sanctioned labeling to facilitate consumer choice.
In Sweden, there is no need to declare GMO in food if it is less than 0.9 percent GMO in the product.
Labeling should be available at all levels. It is consumer rights. It should apply to genetically engineered species such as engineered tomatoes, as well as foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. This can be a burden that contains genetically engineered yeast or food containing a vitamin blend in which vitamin A has been produced by genetically engineered organisms.
The authorities claim that such a darkening is impossible. Thus, it is also impossible for a consumer to decide what she eats because she does not receive adequate information.
For example, a vegetarian cannot decide whether or not tomatoes with pig genes are vegetarian or not.

Ethics
There are several ethical objections to gene manipulation. The experts claim that genetically engineered animals do not suffer. That’s not true. When a cow gets a hormone that greatly increases milk production, it is pushed over its natural optimal ability.
It stresses the animal mentally but above all physiologically. When Food Commission in England got hold of the milk-curing drug Posilac, it turned out that it had several side effects that were known by the manufacturer.
In their own brochure, they warned that cows treated with Posilac were at increased risk of contracting udder infection (mastitis), ovarian cysts, uterine problems, retained placenta, shortened pregnancy and the birth of smaller calves. In addition, the need for other types of medication increased with the use of Posilac.
The first long-term study on GMO foods shows that rats born on three different types of genetically engineered maize for 90 days suffered serious damage to several organs, but especially to the liver and kidneys. Breast cancer rates were abnormally high (80 percent), 70 percent of females, and 50 percent of males died prematurely.
The rats received, among other things, NK603, Mosanto’s GMO maize grown in the US and used for humans and animals. It is available in breakfast cereals, tortillas and corn snacks. Who can decide if the rats in the pictures next door suffer or not?
 
In England, the state-appointed Ethical Study Group on Genetic Modification Programs and Food Use states that it is perfectly safe and harmless to eat animals that have been genetically engineered with human genes. But on the other hand, the government’s experts also considered that ground animal carcasses that feed cows were safe. Unfortunately, they were wrong. Mad Cow Disease (BSE) broke out as a result of the experts’ findings.
With genetically engineered plants and animals and without adequate labeling, vegetarians cannot live according to their beliefs.
The same goes for Hindus who do not eat cows, as do pre-Muslims and Jews who are not allowed to eat pork. There is no guarantee that the food is completely free of material from fish, pig, insect or any other animal.
In addition, it is virtually impossible even for scientists to determine whether our food contains human genes or not, as tests cannot safely reveal it. The question is, do you really want to eat food from failed scientific experiments, without knowing it?
The authorities claim that we do not need to be informed that these are genetically engineered foods we eat. A food from a genetically engineered organism is considered to be chemically identical to a non-manipulated one.
However, Robert Jenkins at the Generics Forum in England says “it doesn’t matter how many times a gene has been copied in a lab. If it is originally from a cow, it is a cow and if we eat food with human genes the question is whether we should not call ourselves cannibals ”.
Where does the border go? How do we know that the next step is not to cross people with fish?

Patent on life
Patents are a way of protecting inventions. Never before has it been possible to patent different life forms. Now you can get patents on genes, and whole organisms, that is, on genetically engineered plants and animals. This means that living beings are considered to have been invented by man and are regarded as a product, whatever.
The product has the exclusive right over. When genetically engineered egg cells in animals, only 20 percent of animals are born and carry the foreign gene. Thus, 80 percent of the animals are unsuccessful and because they do not fulfill any function in the industry they must be killed.
Patent protection often includes cultural plants that are important basic food in developing countries (millet, corn, cassava, etc.). The result is that local production is prevented and monopolies on imports of these foods are obtained. The richest companies in the developing countries can thus control the food market in the developing countries and export “packages” of seeds and pesticides. It will not be free for a farmer to decide what he wants to grow.
Monsanto has genetically engineered rice and cotton with the promise of bigger harvests.
The cotton seed contains a gene that produces an insecticide. This so-called Bt-cotton produces unreliable harvests. Farmers take loans for expensive seeds and pesticides and then go bankrupt.
In the GMO rice, Monsanto has also inserted a so-called terminal gene. As a result, farmers will not be able to use the rice as “sweet rice” next year (corresponding to our sweet potato) progressio.org.uk/content/waht-terminator-technology. They have to buy new rice every year.
The farmers take expensive loans to go “better” harvests. When the situation becomes obvious, they try to return to the old rice. But this is not possible, partly because they have signed contracts with Monsanto’s agents, and partly because the old cultural crops no longer grow on the soil sprayed with Monsanto’s pesticides.
More than 200,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide since 1997 because they cannot get out of the trap. Huffingtonpost.com/vandana-shiva/from-seeds-of suicide-to_b_192419.html.
Monsanto also sued hundreds of farmers for illegally using their patented crops. The reason is that the GMO crops spread with wind and regular pollination. When the poor farmers can’t defend themselves, Monsanto buys agriculture and increases its profits rt.com/usa/farmers-monsanto-organic.farms-323.

Gene manipulation part 2

 February 17, 2020

Pesticides and heavy metals
Soybeans are one of the most important basic foods in the world today. They are conventionally grown together with a lot of pesticides. The company Monsanto manufactures and sells one of the world’s best-selling herbicides Roundup. It makes the soil sterile, poisones water, kills fish, and accounts for the third leading cause of poisoning in the United States:
The same company has also managed to produce genetically engineered soybeans, with the aptly named RoundupReady, which is resistant to the company’s own herbicide Roundup. You can make money selling even more pesticides. The company has a clear advantage over its competitors, whose soybeans are not resistant to herbicides.
In addition, the company has been granted patents not only on the genetically engineered soybean but also on the gene itself, which can be sold and manipulated into any organism. Soy is also included as a common ingredient in many semi-and whole foods, such as bread, pastries, meat products, ice cream and baby food.

As no labeling is done, it is today difficult to obtain soy that is guaranteed not genetically engineered.
By removing the gene that makes tomatoes go soft as they age, researchers have created a tomato that stays tough even when ripe. This means that the customer can no longer determine if the tomato is old by looking or feeling it. It is therefore possible to sell tomatoes that have otherwise been thrown away.
Plants that have been genetically engineered to withstand heavy metals are used to collect the toxic substances and otherwise clean up contaminated soil. What to do with the plants that have taken up all the heavy metals again. If you fire them, heavy metals are spread with the wind.
Fish are also genetically engineered to withstand more heavy metals. The motive for eliminating the use of heavy metals is thereby reduced. The problem is that when figs and crops can withstand higher doses of heavy metals, these dangerous substances accumulate in the food chain and affect ourselves.
The research shows that genetic traits can pass between related species, but also between related plants and animals.
A more related problem is that plants that have been genetically engineered to be resistant to pesticides will increase the use of pesticides.
If plants that are resistant to pesticides are naturally crossed with weeds, these weeds will also be resistant to pesticides. Then we need new and more powerful herbicides to kill the resistant weeds. It sounds like a real profitable business for the chemistry companies.
Many researchers believe that it is better to adapt (genetically manipulate) people so that they can withstand more toxins than to eliminate the use of toxins. If people are genetically engineered to tolerate more toxins, the industry will not have to clean toxic emissions. In the future, humans can be genetically engineered to withstand amalgam. This toxic tooth filler can then be used without problems.

Examples of genetic engineering
Genetic engineering makes cows milk much more. In order to increase the growth of animals, growth hormone genes from humans, rats and cattle have been introduced in pigs, sheep, chicken, carp and trout.
 It has been possible to produce mice twice the size of ordinary mice; Spurred on by their success, they try to get “super pigs”. Human growth hormones have been introduced in pigs to increase growth and produce lean meats. The manipulated pigs suffer from rheumatism, ulcers, muscle weakness, lethargy, partial blindness and inability to mate.
GMO means that trout males only form sperm, which means that their offspring only become females. This is an advantage for fishermen as females grow faster and are easier to handle.
Vegetables that are resistant to viruses have been created that usually destroy entire crops and there are cereals that are resistant to weeds. There is yeast that reduces the time to bake bread. Plants that are resistant to insect infestation have been manipulated to produce a poison against insects. For example, a poison gene from scorpion has been introduced in corn to produce an insecticide.
A gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringensis has been introduced in many different crops to produce the venom normally produced by the bacterium that kills insects. This gene can be transmitted through the food to bacteria in our intestines. Then this pesticide can be continuously produced by gut bacteria in our intestines.
The Dutch company Gene Pharming breeds cows in which the human gene for lactoferrin has been introduced. It is an iron-binding protein with bactericidal effect in that it competes with the bacteria for the vital iron for them. Milk with this protein itself is thought to prevent gastrointestinal infections.

GMOs may also involve the following types of transmission:
 Spider genes for goats for goat milk to contain spider protein for the production of bulletproof protective vests.
 Pigs for pigs to have cowhides
 Deep-sea fish genes for tomatoes and strawberries to withstand frost.
 Genes from jellyfish to make the pig’s eyes shine in the dark.
 Genes that make potatoes glow in the dark when they need to be watered.
 Human maize genes to produce spermicidal substances.
A marker gene makes antibiotic resistance added to GMO cells to determine if the active gene has been transmitted. When you spray the cells with antibiotics, only those cells where the marker has been transferred survive. This antibiotic resistant gene can be transmitted to other crops and animals and also to humans.
Our body did not ask how to handle genetically engineered food. Pesticide genes are transmitted to crops that can be absorbed into the gut which then produces pesticides in the body.
Animal studies show that DNA in the food can go into the body’s organs, even to the fetus. The question is: What happens in the body when it is transmitted to unknown genes?
Bruce Lipton, who studies stem cell cloning, illustrates in his video “You are what you eat” how small pieces of the DNA chains in the diet, so-called micro-RNA, are absorbed directly into our bodies. The new findings show that the body cannot break down these modified genes. See youtube.be/TtwTEHW8_8k.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10, also called ubiquinol or ubiquinone, is found in all cells of the body. Q10 is needed to generate energy in the cells’ power plant, the mitochondria. Most Q10 is found in those parts of the body that consume a lot of energy, such as the heart, intestinal mucosa, gums and immune system.
Q10 also acts as one of the most important fat-soluble antioxidants that protect cell membranes and lipo proteins, such as LDL cholesterol, from damage.
Q10 affects the expression of several hundred genes. What does that mean? Well, each gene contains the recipe for a specific protein that has a certain function in the body. The fact that a gene comes to “expression” simply means that the recipe in the gene is written off and gives rise to its protein which in turn affects our health.

Take care of your heart
The heart is the muscle that harnesses the most energy of all in the body’s organs. People with cardiovascular disease often have a shortage of Q10.

Myocardial infarction
A Swedish study with 443 participants showed that intake of 200 mg Q10 and 200 µg selenium per day for 4 years led to significantly lower mortality in cardiovascular disease.
Still, 6 years after the study was completed, the group that received Q10 and selenium had significantly lower mortality in cardiovascular disease.
Even after a heart attack, the Q10 can provide good support. Q10 supplementation (120 mg per day) over 1 year after myocardial infarction significantly reduced the risk of new myocardial infarction, and myocardial infarction mortality compared with the control group.
Only 6.8 percent of those who received Q10 suffered from fatigue or fatigue, compared to 40.8 percent in the control group.

Heart failure
In the event of heart failure, the condition worsens as the levels of Q10 in the heart muscle decline. In a study of 420 patients with heart failure, it was found that 100 mg Q10 per day for 2 years significantly improved symptoms and quality of life4.

Hypertension
Several studies show that Q10 supplementation has a blood pressure lowering effect in people with high blood pressure. Both on systolic pressure (overpressure) and diastolic pressure (under pressure). Dose usually 100 – 120 mg Q10 per day.
One reason for the lowered pressure may be that Q10 helps the vessel walls to relax. Q10 also increases the oxygen uptake and activity of one of the body’s most powerful antioxidants, superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Cholesterol-lowering drugs
About 10 percent of Swedes take the drug group called statins. This is to lower their elevated cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, statins block the formation of Q10 in the body, which can cause blood levels of Q10 to fall by as much as 40 percent.
This produces as long levels of Q10 as is seen in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (ME / CFS).
Treatment with statins can cause fatigue, fatigue, muscle pain and impaired memory. These symptoms usually decrease or disappear after the end of treatment and after Q10 supplementation. The usual dose is 120 – 200 mg per day.

More energy
Q10 is needed to generate energy in the cells’ power plant, the mitochondria. Q10 acts as a catalyst in a chain of reactions that generate energy.
The body itself forms Q10, but with increasing age this ability and thus also energy production decreases.
In addition, some individuals basically have an inability to produce enough Q10. Lack of Q10 can contribute to fatigue, fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME / CFS)
Chronic fatigue syndrome (ME / CFS) is not the same as burnout. In addition to severe fatigue, people with ME / CS often have swollen lymph nodes, pain in joints and muscles. Problems with memory and feeling worse after exercise.
ME / CFS can have many causes. But for some individuals, the lack of Q10 seems to be the deciding factor. People with ME / CFS have been found to have significantly longer levels of Q10 than healthy control subjects. The study found that 45 percent with ME / CFS had lower levels of Q10, the more severe symptoms of ME / CFS.

Oral health
The gum is a tissue with great energy demand. Therefore, lack of Q10 can often manifest in the form of gingivitis and the gums easily begin to bleed when brushing or using dental floss. Gingivitis can lead to tooth loss.

Gum inflammation and tooth loss
Biopsies from the gums of people with gingivitis show that they often have lower levels of Q10 than people with healthy gums.
Q10 counteracts inflammation of the gums and inhibits the microorganisms that cause gingivitis and loosening. In studies, Q10 has either been taken as a supplement or applied directly to the gums. Reduced inflammation can often be seen 5 – 7 days after starting Q10.

Skin
Q10 counteracts the aging of the skin and the formation of wrinkles. Both wrinkles caused by the aging process itself and by sun exposure. Because Q10 is an important antioxidant in our cells, it helps protect the skin cells from oxidative stress and prevents the skin cells from dying upon exposure to free radicals and UV radiation. Q10 also stimulates the formation of substances that keep the skin strong and vital12. Exposure to UV radiation can reduce the amount of Q10 and vitamin E in the skin cells by 70 – 80 percent. It is therefore important to refill their depots, especially if you are going to spend a lot of time in the sun.

Q10 as a supplement and skin cream
One study found that two weeks of Q10 intake (60 mg daily) reduced the wrinkled area around the eyes by 33 percent. The volume of wrinkles decreased by 38 percent. Both changes were significant. Three months later, the wrinkled area around the eyes was still significantly smaller than before the test. Q10 can also be applied directly to the skin via skin cream.

Formation of Q10 in the body
Q10 is formed in the body from the amino acid tyrosine. Folic acid, vitamin B2, B3, B5, B12 and several minerals are also needed. Own production is stimulated by certain nutrients such as:
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K2
• Q10 (intake of Q10 stimulates own production)

Q10 in the diet
Most of the body’s Q10 is formed by the body itself. The diet only adds small amounts. The absorption of Q10 is usually 30 – 40 percent when consuming a meal containing fat, but much less when consuming without fat.
Animal foods such as red meat, fatty fish and chicken contain the highest amount of Q10. Good vegetable sources are rapeseed oil, walnuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, pistachios, broccoli and cauliflower.

Q10 – an important topic
Q10 is scientifically very well studied. Four major and important areas where Q10 has a clear function are:
o Heart and vessels
o More energy
Oral health o
o Skin
Other areas where Q10 has been studied, where the function is not as clear at present are:
 Migraine
 Fibromyalgia
 Degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s
 Physical performance, especially explosive sports

Collagen Protein: The facts you will want to know

By John Miller
SAB Director, Product Technologist, Researcher

It never ceases to amaze me the way certain nutritional things seem to come out of nowhere every year or so and promise answers to questions you didn’t even know you had. And every time a whole bunch of internet folks (often the same ones each time) get on its bandwagon promoting it for a wide array of amazing things.

To me, collagen protein fits that descriptor perfectly. There seems to be hundreds of products where few to none existed before. That always makes me wonder. What is it and why would I want it? Is there some new magic about it? Is there some previously unknown component or exciting new research that drives all this interest?

Well, let’s take a look at this stuff and then you decide.

What is Collagen? Collagen is a “connective tissue” material in your body. It’s found in your bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, skin, hair and fingernails. It sort of holds everything together, providing flexibility and elasticity.

The word “collagen” is derived from the Greek word “kólla” meaning “glue.” It refers to a time when boiling the connective tissue or the hide of animals was the process by which glue was made. You might remember the old folk tale about sending the broken down old farm horses to the glue factory when they could no longer work. It was actually more truth than tale. Essentially the same process is used today to extract the collagen; they just don’t make glue out of it anymore.

There are (currently) 28 different types of collagen that we know of. They are divided into a few different groups based upon the structure they are involved in. The 5 most common are:

Type I – from skin, tendons, organs and bone.
Type II – from cartilage
Type III – from organs such as in the liver or lymphatic system
Type IV – from the membranes between the skin and the underlying tissue
Type V – from cell surfaces, hair and placentaAccording to WebMD¹, some types of collagen have known adverse side effects when ingested. For example, type II collagen reported side effects include stomach problems, head ache, dizziness, sleep disturbances and hepatic (liver) dysfunction.

What is collagen protein? Collagen protein is an animal derived protein. It is literally the protein portion of collagen. In our body it is the primary component of all tissues including skin, the main structural protein of bone, cartilage and tendons. It actually accounts for 25 to 30% of the total protein content within the human body. It is synthesized in the body primarily from a group of four (4) amino acids glycine, proline, hydroxyproline and alanine, plus vitamin C, zinc and copper and the action of several enzymes.

Where do collagen proteins come from? The vast majority of collagen protein on the market comes from the skin, connective tissues (cartilage, tendons, and ligaments), hair and bones of animals. Some comes from eggshell membrane and chicken feet and even fish skin. These sources are usually considered the waste products of the animal based food industry. That doesn’t make them bad, but it is worth knowing.

Why would I want collagen protein? As its name seems to tell us, collagen protein is about protein. As we all know, or should know anyway, high quality, complete dietary protein is important to obtain every day. Proteins are about the amino acids they contain, the building blocks of life the protein provides the body. Taking a close look at the amino acid content of a protein can tell you a lot about its potential value.

Collagen, like gelatin, is a nutritionally incomplete protein (its protein quality score, PDCAAS = 0). It is missing at least one of the essential amino acids; tryptophan. The body needs tryptophan for normal growth and development, especially for infants, and nitrogen balance in adults.

What is nitrogen balance and why do you care? Here’s a quick comment on that from an old, but still valid reference from the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA)²

“Studies on human subjects have repeatedly shown that, if any one of the essential amino acids is lacking, the others are poorly utilized or may be excreted with a resulting “negative nitrogen balance.” This phenomenon explains the “poor biologic value” of certain dietary proteins, such as gelatin, which is low in tryptophan,”

Tryptophan is also the essential amino acid the body needs to produce serotonin and melatonin; critical for sleep and mood stability.³

Collagen protein is nutritionally imbalanced, with an overabundance of some amino acids and an absence or near absence of others. Here are a few examples of what that means;

• We all know that there are 22 amino acids delivered in every NeoLife protein product. In contrast most collagen proteins only list values for 16 -18.
• The single amino acid glycine is the dominant amino acid in collagen and alone can account for up to 35% of the total content.
• Collagen proteins contain little or no:
  • cysteine – important for glutathione production.
  • cystine – closely related to cysteine, involved in immune cell functions.
  • glutamine – important for recovery from injury, protection during chemotherapy or radiation
  • asparagine – required for brain development and function
• Though promoted by some companies for muscle building, collagen proteins are relatively low in muscle building branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s).

NeoLifeShake has 2 to 3 times more muscle building BCAA’s than collagen protein.

So where does this leave us? There is no doubt that getting all the amino acids you need each day is fundamental to health. It is also true that certain amino acids play different roles in the body, either individually or synergistically with others. Collagen, because it is a protein, contains some amino acids. But it is also terribly imbalanced, at least for humans, missing some amino acids, while delivering very low levels of others and an overabundance of a few.

There is scant scientific evidence to support benefits of ingesting collagen protein. While the amino acids in the protein are absorbed, they do not specially reassemble as collagen in our body and tissues. Eating collagen will not make more new collagen in the body.

So the question here really boils down to why? Why would I want to take a protein supplement that does not fulfill my body’s overall protein and amino acid needs? And why would I want those amino acids to come from something typically thought of as the leftovers of the food industry?

Those are personal questions that each of us must answer for ourselves. Especially when you consider that clinically tested and proven NeoLifeShake has none of those shortcomings. Indeed, it provides 22 amino acids involved in human nutrition, from the highest quality, most biologically functional sources in the world.

So, you make your decision. I’ve already made mine.

Be well, John

References:

1. Collagen Type II: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-714/collagen-type-ii. Accessed October 11, 2019.
2. Nitrogen balance. JAMA. 1947;133(4):247-247. doi:10.1001/jama.1947.02880040033010
3. Tryptophan: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002332.htm. Accessed October 11, 2019.

Weight Loss: What Works?

By Dr. Julie Chen
Global Science Network Member

Have you ever felt like weight loss is an impossible goal? I know that most people have felt like that way at one point or another. Maybe for you, it wasn’t weight loss…maybe it was to gain muscle mass or to have more energy or to gain weight even. The point is that, health goals can seem impossible if you’re not sure how to go about getting to your goal.

I know there are a lot of information out on the internet and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard patients say:

“My cousin’s friend’s sister-in-law’s friend says that I need to eat more…(celery or insert any number of other things here)… in order for me to lose weight and have more energy.”

But then you try it…and it doesn’t work. Then you try something else…and it doesn’t work.

That’s because folklores rarely work.

What does work is hard core science!

Fortunately, with more people getting more health conscious, there are more and more studies being done to help people understand how metabolism works and what’s a fad and what’s true science.

One thing that seems to help people based on studies and also based on my clinical experience is to set an initial trial period to make health changes so that it doesn’t feel so overwhelming. This is probably why so many diet books and programs talk about 30-day programs…because it works! It helps you to get going and to start to establish new habits and then even after the 30 days, you’ll continue your new healthier habits.

Some common mistakes I see people do is that they fast too long or cut out healthy food groups and just count calories or exercise too much.

The healthiest way for your body to lose weight…and to keep it off, is to mimic healthy body physiology functioning so that your metabolism doesn’t slow down and your weight loss benefits can sustain long term.

This means that your body will need whole foods, like whole grains, vegetables, nuts, legumes, healthy fats and a wide complex blend of protein/amino acids so that all organs and cells can function with all the tools they need to be efficient.

This is why I like the Weight Loss Pack.

The pack includes healthy fat, mineral, vitamin, protein and even mitochondrial support. By combining the foundational nutrient support of the pack and a healthy balanced diet of whole foods, your body is able to lose weight while not being deprived of nutrients so that your cellular functioning that supports metabolism can stay stable.

Some other options that I feel could help optimize support of weight loss and energy goals would be to add support from probiotics such as Acidophilus Plus digestive enzymes like Beta-Zyme and Glucose Balance. There are more studies nowadays suggesting that gut health impacts metabolism and weight. We also know that there’s impact of inflammation on overall health and I find the ingredients of Glucose Balance to be very supportive.

Over the next few months, I’ll be writing some blogs and there will be some webinars about various factors that impact weight and metabolism and I’ll be going over what we’re seeing in studies to help de-mystify this topic for you…so definitely stay tuned and check them out!

At the end of the day, your first step is your decision to make changes towards a healthier you. That is the most important step. After that, you just need the support of nutrients and guidelines about healthy diet. The nutrients you can get from the Weight Loss Pack.

With vitality and joy through menopause

It affects all women – but it’s still talked about quite quietly. Just that, menopause – the ten years in a woman’s life when so much changes on the inside that she is barely the same when the period is over. Drowsiness, weight gain, sweating, and difficulty sleeping are common symptoms, but it does not have to be a period full of pain. Here’s how you go through the transformation with vitality and joy!

Menopause is the period around the time when the period ends. The average age for when the period ends is 51 years. Five to ten years before and after it is considered menopause.

Most go through the entire period of a total of 5-10 years. Quite a long time to be something that many women experience as difficult! Nearly 75 percent of all women who go through menopause experience the trouble of the changes. But there is a lot you can do to relieve the hassle yourself.

The first signs that menopause are on the way are that menstruation becomes irregular, it can be as early as ten years before menopause, so that menstruation goes away. Initially, menses can come more often and also be richer than before. Then it suddenly comes more and more rarely, with three to four months between periods. When six months have passed since the last period, it may be that you end up with menopause. When you have not received any bleeding in a year, you can be pretty sure that you will not get any more menstruation.

Menopause is purely physically related to the fact that the body’s supply of egg bubbles, so-called follicles, is reduced. This means that the body begins to produce less amount of the hormone estrogen, and it is then that the physical changes begin.

Estrogen is formed in the ovaries and causes the lining of the uterus to grow and grow thicker. Estrogen is a sex hormone that affects, among other things, the growth and development of mammary glands. Before puberty, estrogen levels in the body are low, at puberty the production is accelerating, and after menopause the levels return to similar before puberty.

The purpose of estrogen is, of course, to enable our reproduction, and together with the yellow body hormone (progesterone), estrogen is our human cycle. When estrogen levels decrease, the uterine mucosa no longer grows, nor does it need to be ejected every month.

One of the problems that women experience in connection with menopausal changes is precisely sensitive mucous membranes in the vagina, which in turn can lead to burning and itching. Dry and brittle mucous membranes also increase the risk of urinary tract infections. Reduced sexual desire is also a common consequence of these changes in the genital area. Blood flow decreases to the area, which can shrink the muscle mass around the clitoris, and that, together with dry mucous membranes, makes sex simply may not feel as lovely as before.

Another common problem is so-called hot flashes, which can be likened to short but intense heat waves that usually occur suddenly. The vaults start at chest height, spread upwards and cause heavy sweating. It’s like the brain suddenly thinks it’s really hot and wants to get rid of heat by sweating. Since the ramparts are not because it is unusually warm, it is not uncommon to freeze after the ramparts. The reason for the flushes is that the body’s own thermostat, the hypothalamus, becomes unstable when estrogen levels decrease.

The falls are involved in yet another trouble that many people experience with menopause: disturbed night’s sleep. When you suddenly get so heavy sweating that you wake up in a bed that is soaked with sweat, maybe even several times a night, of course you get tired, and with increased fatigue, other negative feelings can also lead to depression.

Serotonin levels are also reduced, which can cause mood swings, depression and irritation. Going from being a fertile, life-giving woman to becoming an older woman can also negatively affect emotions.

Other problems that can be experienced in connection with the hormone changes:

The weight increases without you actually changing your behavior regarding food and exercise. The new kilos are happy to settle around the stomach. This is because metabolism slows down in connection with the hormone changes.
The hair becomes thinner and the skin drier.
The breasts become smaller and lighter.
Studies also show that women are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis after menopause. This is due to a decrease in estrogen content in the body, which changes the way in which the body stores fat, and also contributes to reduced bone density. Menopause can be very unpredictable, and also offers no straight down line of ever-decreasing estrogen production. Rather, on the contrary, it can ride a little roller coaster, which explains why the people can suddenly come back after months of drought, and that the mood goes up and down.

Also, not all women have as much trouble with menopause, and not everyone gets the same symptoms. Among gynecologists, it is a “truth” that it is hereditary which disorders we experience, strikingly often women recognize the symptoms from their own mother.

With all that said, menopause need not be a period of suffering and misery. With the right attitude and help, menopause can be a great period in life, filled with vitality and joy. As a transformational journey from intense years of career and upbringing of children, into a quieter and more backward period in life, with more time for yourself, and for reflection.

The first thing you can do to increase your well-being during the menopause period is to accept it. Menopause is not a disease but a natural part of life. The problems are, as I said, because estrogen levels naturally decrease and they do not need to be adjusted by adding new estrogen. The trouble also goes away by itself, sooner or later, no matter what you do.

How we live and eat has a lot to do with our well-being in body and mind. We should avoid skipping meals, we should make sure we get enough sleep, and we should allow ourselves to rest. Stress seems to increase and aggravate the problems, both mentally and physically.

According to the ancient Indian health doctrine Ayurveda, we can alleviate the trouble of menopause by avoiding salt, sour and spicy foods. You can also make sure that you get natural plant estrogen daily from, for example, sesame products or fermented soy products. Studies show that women in Asia more rarely than women in the western world experience problems associated with menopause, probably because their diet contains a large amount of soy products, naturally rich in plant estrogens.

Flaxseeds also contain plant estrogen, or phytoestrogens, as it is also called, as do many vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage and kale.

Fiber-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, beans and lentils and avocados are also good foods for this period of life. Fibers promote cardiovascular health, digestion and help keep weight normal. Some studies have also shown that a high-fiber diet can help balance hormone levels.

Omega-3, which is found in fatty fish and flaxseed, among other things, also supports heart health and helps prevent menopausal symptoms.

There are also foods that you can think of to avoid in order to reduce the hassle:

Semi-finished and wholly-made. Contains sugars, preservatives and other synthetic additives that are not beneficial to our health and which can aggravate the imbalance of the hormone system even more. In addition, the nutrient content is low in that type of processed food.
Non-organic meat. Traditionally bred animals sometimes get hormones added to their diet, which is passed on to those who eat this meat. If you eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs – make sure you choose organic.
Added sugar. Too much sugar can aggravate the hormonal imbalance, and also causes weight gain and digestive problems.
Carbonated drinks. Drinks with added carbonic acid drain the body on calcium, increasing the risk of osteoporosis (osteoporosis).
Alcohol. Many people find that alcohol increases the incidence of droppings. Alcohol can also make you gain weight.
Take care of yourself a little extra during these important years, you will also go through it more smoothly – and feel so much better after it!

Tips for a happier stomach

Eat consciously

Be aware of how, when, and where you eat. Focus your attention on where it should be.

Make sure to eat your food under calm forms. If it’s too messy in the lunch room, find a quieter place. Feel free to listen to music that will calm you down if you need distraction from work. Spend a few minutes preparing the food beautifully – we also eat with the eye.

Avoid walking and eating. We do not have time to go AND feel the tastes, smells and think about chewing enough. It creates a risk of bloating and discomfort in the abdomen with a feeling of bloating as a result.

As you eat, try to taste, feel the texture, texture of the food before you begin the important chewing. If you haven’t done it before, it’s an exciting experience in itself!

Chew the food at least 20 times to get the enzyme production started before the food lands in the stomach.

Drink before and after food

Avoid drinking for food. Drink more before or after food. Do not eat in front of the computer or the phone that draws your attention away from the dining experience. It can be difficult to begin with, but I would like to see it as an interesting experiment – how dependent I am on external stimulation. It can be challenging at first but “coming to insight creates better views”

Wait for the saturation feeling

Wait for the saturation feeling before taking an extra portion. The saturation signal comes after about 20 minutes. When we are stressed, it is easy for us to eat too much in a short period of time. We need to be able to listen to the body’s signals, because they are there, only we wait for them.

Digestive enzymes

Feel free to take advantage of digestive enzymes at every meal to facilitate a strained system.

Useful bacteria

There is a lot of research support for probiotics today. The addition of probiotics, like prebiotics, can counter inflammation by strengthening the intestinal barrier function through increased production of IgA and tight junctions. It promotes good bacteria and counteracts bad ones, which reduces the production of substances that can trigger inflammation of the intestinal flora and at the same time increases the production of anti-inflammatory substances.

Good diversity and richness of gut bacteria strengthen our immune system and prevent inflammation in the body. Let your food contain probiotics that you find in sour vegetables such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt.

Feel free to take probiotics as supplements to strengthen your gut flora and give your body good conditions to form a variety of good gut bacteria.

Digestive disorders that are not considered as hypersensitivity

Many suffer from indigestion after eating certain foods without having any allergic and non-allergic hypersensitivity. These digestive disorders may be due to:

that you feel stressed when eating
that you do not chew the food enough, which in turn does not stimulate the digestion properly.
that you “swallow” air while eating
that there is a lack of hydrochloric acid, which is one of the most important components of good digestion
This does not mean that you have a hypersensitivity, but long-term digestive problems can eventually lead to you developing an increased sensitivity to certain foods.

How will I deal with hypersensitivity?

Many who have problems with food hypersensitivity feel that their hypersensitivity varies. Sometimes you can tolerate and sometimes not. What could it be?

Mainly it depends on:

intestinal mucosal status
how digestion works
how much you consume from specific raw material.
How will I deal with hypersensitivity?
When you suspect one or more foods, you can try an elimination diet.

Then you stop eating the food that you suspect causes the reaction for at least 2 weeks. If you feel better about it, it is an indication that you were right.

If you get a positive effect you can try to introduce it again. However, you should not apply it as often as when you reacted to it, to avoid overloading again.

Remember that it is often an overload of one or more substances that may have caused your symptoms. Parallel to an exclusion diet, one needs to review their lifestyle altogether.

Elimination cost and variation
If you eat a lot and often of a certain food, in the long term it can lead to overload and cause hypersensitivity. Varying and rotating your diet will reduce the risk of your body overreacting. Download our rotation schedule 1 week – 50 raw materials. Diversity on the plate produces diversity in the gut. Aim to eat 50 different ingredients per week. Then try increasing to 100.

Guidance eliminate common allergens
If you find that there are many different foods that cause problems, you can try an elimination diet. You then avoid several common allergens for a time. When you then introduce one food at a time you can often clearly see what it is you are reacting to.

 
Recommended food
Food to avoid
Fruit

Unsweetened fresh, frozen, dried

Oranges and fruit juices

Vegetables

All fresh raw, steamed, pressed, roasted or roasted vegetables

Corn, stewed vegetables

Meat and fish

Fish, chicken, turkey, game, lamb

Beef, pork, sausage, eggs, seafood

Grain

Rice, oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth, tapioca, buckwheat

Wheat, corn, barley, rye

Bread / grain products

Products made from rice, buckwheat, millet, potato flour, tapioca, arrow root, amaranth, quinoa, oats

Products made from wheat, corn, spelled, kamut, barley, rye

Milk products and milk replacement

Milk substitutes such as rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk, other nut milk, oat milk, cream *, butter *

Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, butter, ice cream, file, yogurt, lactose-free milk products, soy milk

legumes

All beans, peas and lentils

Soybeans, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, other soy products

Nuts and seeds **

Almonds, cashew, walnuts, sesame, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds; butter made from these nuts or seeds

Peanuts, peanut butter

greases

Cold pressed olive oil, flaxseed, rapeseed, walnut, pumpkin or organic coconut fat, butter

Margarine, hardened fat, mayonnaise

Beverages

Water, spring water, herbal tea, green tea (moderate amount)

Soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, coffee, black tea, other caffeinated beverages

Spices

All spices unless otherwise recommended. Use for example: real Ceylon cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, carob, oregano, parsley, rosemary, dragon, thyme, turmeric, vinegar

Chocolate, ketchup, mustard, relish, chutney, soy sauce, glutamate, barbeque sauce, other seasonings

Sweetener ***

Brown rice syrup, cane sugar molasses, ste via, licorice root, spread eagle, honey

White or brown refined sugar, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sweets, desserts made with these sweeteners

* Avoid in severe allergy
** Avoid if you know you can’t stand
*** Upon detox, minimize sweet intake

Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) is a serious disease

Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) is a special form of hypersensitivity. It is an autoimmune disease that affects 1-3 percent of the Swedish population (twice as many women as men suffer). This means that you cannot tolerate gluten found in wheat, rye and barley.

When a person with gluten intolerance (celiac disease) eats gluten it creates a reaction in the immune system that causes the intestinal fluid to break down, which impairs the ability to absorb vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance (celiac disease)
Fatigue, weight loss and depression can be symptoms of celiac disease. Stomach problems are common, but vary from person to person. Some suffer from diarrhea, constipation or gas in the stomach, while others lack clear symptoms from the stomach. Because the enzyme lactate is formed by cells located in the intestinal mucosa, individuals with celiac disease often suffer from this enzyme, which can lead to lactose intolerance.

The diagnosis of gluten intolerance (celiac disease)
The diagnosis of gluten intolerance (celiac disease) is made by a doctor with the help of blood tests and / or biopsy. If you are gluten intolerant (suffer from celiac disease) then you should not, CAN you not, eat gluten. The intestinal mucosa causes damage and nutrient uptake becomes poor.

One can have gluten problems without having gluten intolerance (celiac disease)
Many people experience gluten problems without having gluten intolerance (celiac disease). It is called in English for “Non celiac gluten intolerance” or “Non celiac gluten sensitivity”, abbreviated NCGS.

Symptoms can appear several days after eating something containing gluten.

Although the symptoms are similar, NCGS is not the same as gluten intolerance (celiac disease) as it does not cause damage to the intestinal tract or the antibodies in the blood suggesting celiac disease.

IBS (Irritated Bowel Syndrome) can also cause symptoms similar to gluten intolerance.

Conceptual confusion about gluten intolerance
Many people do not know that you can have gluten problems without having gluten intolerance (celiac disease). Therefore, patients who experience gluten problems may be advised to continue eating gluten as they (according to tests performed) do not have gluten intolerance (celiac disease).

If tests show that you do not have celiac disease but you still experience gluten problems, you can exclude gluten completely or partially from your diet for a while and see if you feel better about it. After a month you can try eating some gluten again. You usually feel quite clear if you are hypersensitive or not.

Test if you have gluten intolerance (celiac disease) before switching to a gluten-free diet
However, it is important that you do a test for gluten intolerance (celiac disease) first, before you begin to exclude gluten. Why?

Because it is more difficult to diagnose gluten intolerance (celiac disease) if you have already removed gluten from your food. And celiac disease is a serious disease that can cause sequelae if it is not detected and treated in time. That’s why doctors want to be able to diagnose you.

If you have gluten intolerance (celiac disease), never eat gluten. If you have gluten problems without having gluten intolerance (celiac disease) you may cheat sometimes. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor if you experience gluten problems.

Why have gluten problems increased in recent years?
Gluten problems have increased in recent years. Among other things, two things are identified as the reason for this:

We are exposed to gluten in a way that is unparalleled in history because cereals contain more gluten today. In addition, extra gluten is added in e.g. bread to make it fluffy. There is also gluten in products such as sweets, sauces and broths and more.
Our gut flora has become increasingly depleted due to drugs, stress and sugar and unilateral diet.
Is Gluten That Bad for Your Health? | The Science
Watch this informative film from What I’ve Learned

Lactose intolerance

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Being lactose intolerant means that it is difficult to break down lactose, milk sugar, found in milk products. This is because the small intestinal mucosa produces too little of the enzyme lactate, whose task is to decompose lactose into sugars that the body can absorb.

If the enzyme is not sufficiently lactated, the milk sugar cannot be absorbed by the small intestine, but goes on to the large intestine where it becomes a gourmet food for the bacteria. Then symptoms such as gas formation, water-thin diarrhea, discomfort such as bloating and pain in the stomach occur.

The majority of the world’s population has lactose intolerance. However, many of us in Northern Europe have a gene variant that allows lactose to break down even as an adult.

Lactose intolerance is rare in young children. If they suffer from milk products, it is usually due to an allergic reaction to the milk protein in the milk, for example casein.

You may also have a secondary lactase deficiency if you have inflammation of the small intestine, where lactate is to be formed. It often occurs in untreated gluten intolerance (celiac disease).

Dietary advice for detox

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Good food during detox

Water. Drink 2 liters of water a day, preferably with mineral drops.
Green tea and chaga contain a lot of antioxidants.
Organic vegetables. Eat very green leafy vegetables, beets and artichokes. Also watch out and learn how to eat “weeds” such as dandelion, cherries and nettles.
Raw Food. Raw food has received a renaissance today with access to new, exciting foods and good recipes.
Fruit goes well if you do not have excess yeast candida, diabetes or metabolic syndrome. However, keep in mind that bananas and dried fruits contain fast carbohydrates. All types of berries are good to eat, preferably blueberries, goji berries and mulberries. Sugar-free cranberry juice is also good.
Eat lots of nuts, seeds and kernels (melon seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds and more).
Useful fats. Cold pressed flaxseed oil, virgin olive oil, avocado and coconut oil. There is a detox cure with coconut oil as the main ingredient. Google on coconut oil detox or coconut oil detox.
Different types of spices and herbs are good detox foods, e.g. buckwheat, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, cayenne pepper, basil, sage, thyme, licorice root, aloe vera (see encyclopedia on the reverse).
Fiber supplements, e.g. psyllium seeds and whole flax seeds that have been soaking overnight.
Algae such as chlorella, spirulina, kelp and wakame.
Wheat grass and barley grass. Wheatgrass improves digestion and nutrient absorption. It increases blood circulation and the body’s natural detoxification. Barley grass is – like wheat grass – the base form.

Avoid during detox

All refined food. It includes all whole and semi-finished products.
All quick carbohydrates from bread, pasta, sugar, chocolate (raw cocoa goes well), juice, soda, ice cream, sweets, breakfast cereals. If you have excess yeast candida, you should also be careful with fruit.
Coffee. Prepare your detox cure by pulling down the coffee a few days in advance as you can get headaches and withdrawal problems if you stop with coffee too quickly. Drink herbal tea and green tea instead.
Alcohol and tobacco.
Do not eat food heated in the microwave. You should avoid this even when you do not detox.
Remove all dairy products!
Avoid foods that contain gluten, ie wheat, barley and rye (NOTE: wheatgrass and barley grass do not contain gluten.)
Also eat less protein. Above all, avoid red meat. Fish and bird are better.

Good during detox

Exercise and rest
Exercise easily. Walking and yoga are good. If you only stick to juice, you should avoid hard workouts as the body needs all the energy to recover. When you exercise, you grease joints and muscles and cleanse slag products.
To sweat, e.g. bath sauna (not dry sauna), is also a natural and effective detox. Dry brushing is also good.
Last but not least: rest and relax as much as you can.
When we rest and sleep, we give the body a chance to recover and repair itself.

After detox

Try to keep your new, good eating habits as good as possible. If you want to reintroduce foods that you lacked then do it gently and stepwise so you do not stress your body too much. When you feel good, it is all too easy to forget how you used to be.

Time to try the detox

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In English, detox means detoxification. In Swedish, the word has been given the meaning of purging. A detox cure aims to clear out slag products that we collect when we stress, eat medications and processed foods or are exposed to contaminants of various kinds.

Many of the slag products found in the body are formed in the gut. If they are not cleaned out, they leak out to the blood and strain the rest of the body, that is, all cells and organs.

Therefore, it is smart to go on detox once or twice a year. Then you give the body a chance to recover and clear out slag products. See these detox courses as a mini vacation for your body. It gives you energy to cope with the rest of the year.

When should I detox?
Signals that say it may be time for you to have stiff and snapping joints when you get up in the morning, that you feel tired and hungry and “bloated” in your stomach or that you have poor skin. After the holidays and after Christmas and New Year are usually good times to give the new, healthy life a good start.

Do I have parasites?
It is more common than we think with parasites. We know that dogs and cats have parasites, and we regularly worm them. But even humans often have parasites. They eat the nutrition that is intended for us and instead release toxins that harm us.

We can get parasites when we go abroad to exotic countries, through our pets, unprepared meat and fish, as well as water. They are mainly found in the intestines but can also hide in the liver and other places. There is help to get: antibiotics help in some cases.

Herbal preparations have also proven surprisingly effective.

The body handles harmful substances
We all carry substances in the body that can create ill health. On the one hand, we have exogenous harmful substances that come from outside, e.g. via the air as well as food and drink. On the one hand, we have endogenous harmful substances, which the body itself produces.

Endogenous harmful substances are formed by poor digestion caused by too little hydrochloric acid in the stomach, poor with digestive enzymes from the pancreas and an unbalanced intestinal flora and too slow intestinal passage (constipation). Also, slag products naturally formed in the cells, hormones and other substances that form in the body must be broken down so as not to damage the body.

Exogenous harmful substances come from refined foods and junk foods such as margarine, sugar and flour. (Junk food and poor digestion are among the main causes of our body being stressed.)

Chemicals from pesticides found in non-organic products. Food additives, e.g. dyes and flavor enhancers. Exhausts, tobacco, alcohol, drugs. Chemicals in the drinking water.

The body’s purification system
Skin (sweat)
Lymph
Kidneys, urinary tract
Lungs
The liver and bile
Intestinal

The role of the intestine for the immune system

The gut has an extremely important role in what can be called “the physiological integrity of the body”, that is, how the body physiologically relates to the outside world.

Everything we put in us and many particles that we inhale end up in the gut. There are many mechanisms that help us deal with all these topics. Including:

The rich flora of gut bacteria that prevents harmful microorganisms from getting attached.
Immune cells in the intestinal mucosa that suppress the reactivity of the immune system. (Since the intestine is constantly in contact with foreign substances, the immune system must stay “calm” here, otherwise we would have constant inflammation in the intestine.)
IgA antibodies on the intestinal mucosa that bind foreign substances e.g. viruses, bacteria and parasites and prevents them from passing through the intestinal mucosa.
Tight junctions that hold the gut cells together and prevent incompletely broken food and other substances from leaking into the body.
If these mechanisms do not work properly they will cause problems that are not confined to the gut but affect the entire body. For example, all mucous membranes are interconnected in a single large system and communicate with each other. It’s called MALT. The conductor of this system is the intestinal mucosa. So when the “stomach” is not feeling well, the rest of the body is not feeling well either.

Here is an example that shows how the mucous membranes of the intestine and lung interact.

An increased intestinal permeability (permeability) is seen in the intestinal mucosa of both adults and children who have developed problems with asthma.1,2
During pollen season, inflammation also occurs in the duodenum of pollen allergists. 3
Allergic symptoms, positive dot tests, asthma and poor lung capacity are more common in people with inflammatory bowel disease.4

TIGHT JUNCTIONS

The cells in the intestinal mucosa are joined in so-called tight junctions that form a (at best) barrier. But if the barrier is broken, incomplete broken down food and other substances will leak out into the body. This means that proteins from various foods that one eats pass through the intestinal mucosa and into the blood instead of being broken down into their smallest constituents before they are absorbed, as in normal cases. The immune system perceives the proteins as foreign and reacts.

Some causes of “leaky gut”:

Stress – for whatever reason. Intensive physical exertion also temporarily increases intestinal permeability.
Eating food you can’t tolerate.
Stomach disease and other infections.
Antibiotics and other things that interfere with the gut flora.
Enzyme deficiency – impair digestion.
Medicines such as NSAIDs and cortisone.
Too little fruit, vegetables and fiber – however, some individuals are sensitive to fiber.
The first action is to reduce / eliminate the above and give the body good gut bacteria, e.g. in the form of supplements as well as eating anti-inflammatory diet as far as possible.

references

1. Hijazi Z, Intestinal permeability is increased in bronchial asthma. Arch Dis Child. 2004 Mar;89(3):227-9.
2. Benard A, et al. Increased intestinal permeability in bronchial asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol1996;97:1173–8.
3. Magnusson J et. al. , Seasonal intestinal inflammation in patients with birch pollen allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003 Jul;112(1):45-50.
4. Ceyhan BB et. al Bronchial hyperreactivity and allergic status in inflammatory bowel disease. Respiration. 2003 Jan-Feb;70(1):60-6.

Hypersensitivity and allergies

Allergic hypersensitivity, non-allergic hypersensitivity, acute allergy, hidden allergy, delayed allergy, food intolerance or indigestion. The body is complicated and the conceptual confusion is great. Hypersensitivity is increasing in the western world. We do not yet have the complete picture of the reason for this. But factors that can affect are: Increased use of processed food. Environment. Increased demands and stress. Too little contact with bacteria and other microorganisms.

Allergic and non-allergic hypersensitivity

Food hypersensitivity can be divided into two categories: allergic and non-allergic.

In case of allergic hypersensitivity, the immune system reacts to the food.
In non-allergic food hypersensitivity, hypersensitivity occurs without the immune system being involved. It has to do with other reactions in the body.
Sometimes it can be difficult to determine if you suffer from allergic hypersensitivity or non-allergic hypersensitivity, since signs and symptoms often overlap.

Allergic hypersensitivity

There are two versions of allergic hypersensitivity:

Acute allergy

Hidden / delayed allergy
Acute allergy: IgE Hidden / delayed allergy: IgG
Immediate symptoms
Positive dot test
Get the allergen
Very small amounts of food can cause reaction
Symptoms of skin and mucous membranes
Common in children
You often know without testing
You feel resistance to the allergen
Usually permanent
1-2% of adults and 2-8% of children have it

Delayed symptoms

Negative dot test
Can be caused by many allergens
Dose-dependent
Affects all tissues
Affects both adults and children
Often not detected
Often it is food you appreciate
Can disappear
Over 50% of the population has it

SYMPTOMS OF HIDDEN / DELAYED ALLERGY

The symptoms of hidden / delayed allergy take longer than an acute allergic reaction. The time between food intake and symptoms can vary from a few hours to a few days.

Discomfort such as swollen stomach, abdominal pain, gas formation, headache, cough, joint pain, itching, difficulty breathing, runny nose, sneezing, joint or muscle pain, chronically swollen glands, inflammatory problems and migraine-like symptoms are common.

Many people have an increased sensitivity to several groups of foods, which makes it more difficult to identify and exclude the foods they react to.

Hidden / delayed allergy test helps you see what you can and can’t tolerate
You can do tests to see if you have any hidden / delayed allergy. It’s called IgG testing. A test that we use and recommend ourselves is ImuPro.

Non-allergic hypersensitivity
Non-allergic hypersensitivity is also called non-IgE-mediated hypersensitivity (which does not activate the immune system). It is also common to call it food intolerance.

Causes of non-allergic hypersensitivity (food intolerance)
There may be many causes of non-allergic hypersensitivity, but here are some of the most common:

Absence of one or more digestive enzymes. Lactose intolerance is an example where one has reduced or no production of the enzyme lactase which breaks down milk sugar. Feel free to take digestive enzymes as a dietary supplement. When the body is helped to digest the food, the symptoms of sensitivity can be dampened.
Chemicals in food and drink, such as dyes and preservatives. Benzoic acid is a commonly used preservative that some are hypersensitive to. Benzoic acid also occurs naturally in lingonberries, cranberries and cloudberries, foods that can also cause problems in these individuals.
Biogenic amines such as histamine, for example. Histamine-rich foods, such as anchovies, smoked mackerel, fish sauce, meat (marinated to increase shelf life), cheese, spinach, red wine, yeast, beer. Histamine is a body substance that the body produces in connection with an allergic reaction. But histamine is also found in our food and is normally broken down in the small intestine by an enzyme called diamine oxidase. It is not enough to produce sufficient diamine oxidase, which means that histamine in the food is not degraded sufficiently, which in turn can lead to the development of histamine intolerance. Diamino oxidase is available as a supplement.
Lectins are proteins that some plants have to avoid being eaten. Lectins are found in beans and bay plants, but also in potatoes, peanuts, seeds and cereals. Lectins can lead to nausea and diarrhea in some. They can also inhibit the absorption of nutrients in the intestine, and they can increase the permeability of the intestinal mucosa. Soaking and / or cooking the food is a way to reduce the problem of lectins.

Urinary infection

• 

Women

Urinary tract infection is extremely common among women. 11% of all women over the age of 18 are reported to have at least one urinary tract infection per year. But that figure contains a large number of blacks, as 50% of all cases of urinary tract infection never reach care.1

For women over 65, the risk of urinary tract infection increases further. Some women feel that they easily get urinary tract infection after intercourse.2

men

Younger men rarely suffer from urinary tract infection but in older men it is almost as common as in older women.

Prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate), can cause problems with recurrent urinary tract infections.

Urinary tract infections come back
What degrades the quality of life for many is that urinary tract infections come back so easily. Of those treated for the infection, 35-53% receive one or more infections within a year.

E. coli is the cause of about 85% of all urinary tract infections
E. coli is the cause of about 85% of all urinary tract infections. E. coli is a common bacterium in the gut, but if it migrates to the urinary tract it can cause urinary tract infection.

In order to cause infection, the bacteria must adhere to the urinary bladder surface cells. Two different types of pili, filamentous projections, on the surface of E. coli make this possible. Once the bacterium attaches, it can grow in number and cause infection.

Fortunately, there are natural substances that can prevent the bacteria from attaching.

One kind of pili is blocked by D-mannose.

The other kind of pili is blocked by proanthocyanidins (PAC) in CranMax® (cranberry extract).

The result is that the E. coli bacteria cannot attach but are flushed out with the urine.

Lactic acid bacteria also protect by preventing E. coli and other pathogens from attaching to the mucosa of the vagina and the urinary tract. This reduces the risk of these bacteria migrating up to the bladder. Lactic acid bacteria and FOS also improve the balance of the intestinal flora.

Other bacteria that can cause urinary tract infection
Staphylococcus saprophyticus (4%)
Klebsiella spp. (3%)
Proteus spp. (3%)
Enterobacter spp. (1.4%)
Citrobacter spp. (0.8%)
Enterococcus spp. (0.5%)

More about D-mannos
D-mannose is a monosaccharide that is largely filtered into the kidneys and exits the body through the urinary tract. D-mannose cannot be converted to glycogen and is therefore not stored in the body.

Study D-mannose
Women with acute urinary tract infection received 1500 mg of D-mannose twice daily for 3 days. Then once a day for another 10 days. The result was a significant improvement. Among those who continued with D-mannose for 6 months, only 4.5% relapsed, compared with 33.3% of others.7

More about CranMax
CranMax is a well-documented extract of whole cranberries, including peel and seeds. The extract is obtained by means of a patented process in which the active substances from the cranberries are encapsulated in a layer of fibers and thus protected from decomposition.

CranMax contains naturally high levels of PAC (proantocyanidins) which is a powerful antioxidant. PACs found in cranberries are different from those found in, for example, chocolate and grapes, and have a uniquely good ability to prevent bacteria from getting attached.

Study CranMax®
CranMax® supplementation (500mg / day) for 6 months decreased the incidence of urinary tract infection by 70% compared to placebo. The study group was men with spinal cord injury, ie a group with a high risk of urinary tract infection.6

Antibiotics and urinary tract infection
Sometimes an antibiotic course is necessary in the case of urinary tract infection, but unfortunately the problems often come back when the treatment is completed. When you give antibiotics for preventive purposes, the risk of urinary tract infection is significantly reduced as long as you take antibiotics. However, as soon as treatment is stopped, the urinary tract infection returns with the same frequency as before. 60 percent of women get a new urinary tract infection within 3 months. 3.4

Antibiotic resistance
Another problem with antibiotics is that the bacteria easily develop resistance. After one month of antibiotics (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole), 86 percent of E.coli in the stool and 90.5 percent of E.coli in the urine were resistant to this antibiotic. Resistance to other antibiotics also increased. After completing the antibiotic course, the number of antibiotic resistant bacteria returned to its original position after 3 months.5

When doing the above study, antibiotic resistance was also measured when using cranberry extract. In the group receiving cranberry extract, only 23.7 percent of E.coli in the stool, and 28.1 percent of E.coli in the urine, respectively, were resistant to the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The addition of cranberries did not increase resistance during the course of the study.

references

1. Foxman B, Epidemiology of urinary tract infections: transmission and risk factors, incidence, and costs. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2003; 17:227-241.
2. 2 Ikaheimo R, Recurrence of urinary tract infection in a primary care setting: analysis of a 1-year follow-up of 179 women. Clin Infect Dis 1996;22:91-99.
3. Nickel JC Practical management of recurrent urinary tract infections in premenopausal women. Rev Urol 2005;7:11-17 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16985802
4. Gupta K. Pathogenesis and management of recurrent urinary tract infecitons in women.World J Urol 1999;17:415-420. link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs003450050168
5. Beerepoot MA Cranberries vs antibiotics to prevent urinary tract infections: a randomized double-blind noninferiority trial in premenopausal women. Arch Intern Med. 2011 Jul 25;171(14):1270-8. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21788542
6. Domenici L et al. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2016 Jul;20(13):2920-5.
7. Hess MJ et al. Spinal Cord. 2008 Sep;46(9):622-6

Autoimmune diseases

Author: Ellinor Ladenberg.

Autoimmune diseases are increasing rapidly. Why is this so and what can you do to relieve your symptoms?

Autoimmunity is an expression that is increasingly used, and the fact is that autoimmune diseases are something that has increased tremendously over the past two decades. Today, there are more than 100 different diseases that are considered autoimmune. Women suffer far more affected than men. What exactly is autoimmunity? And can we do anything to relieve the symptoms?

What is autoimmunity?

Autoimmune diseases are increasing rapidly throughout the Western world, and today it is estimated that 50 million Americans are living with one or more autoimmune diseases, and the number is rising all the time. Autoimmune diseases are now the second most common cause of chronic disease in the United States following cardiovascular disease.

But what then is an autoimmune disease?

The body’s immune system has the task of defending you against infections and diseases. Most of our immune system is located in your stomach and intestines, it is called GALT – (Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue). The immune system activates a variety of mechanisms and there are several different types of immune system cells, including B cells.

Our B cells are part of our immune system by forming antibodies that are designed to identify harmful substances such as viruses, parasites or bacteria. In autoimmunity, antibodies are formed against the body’s own tissues or organs in a harmful way, these antibodies are called autoantibodies.

When antibodies are formed against the body’s own tissues, a gradual degradation of an organ (eg, the thyroid gland in thyroid disease or the pancreas in type 1 diabetes) starts. The symptoms come from the organs affected or whole systems can be affected eg. in rheumatoid arthritis.

It is common for all of us to have more or less autoimmune processes going on in the body, but in autoimmunity these processes become too large and harmful.

Today, it is estimated that there are over 100 different autoimmune diseases, and they can affect various organs and tissues throughout the body. Here are some examples:

thyroid
Hashimoto
Graves disease

The brain
MS
Guillain Barré syndrome
Gastrointestinal, blood

celiac Disease
Crohn’s
Ulcerative colitis
SLE Systemic lupus erythematosus
Type 1 diabetes

The skin
Psoriasis
vitiligo
scleroderma
SLE Systemic lupus erythematosus

Skeletons, muscles, lungs
Rematoid arthritis
fibromyalgia

Autoantibodies can also be found in people who do not have classic autoimmune diseases but in those who, e.g. have cancer or chronic diseases.

What are the causes of autoimmune diseases?

There is not ONE reason for being affected by autoimmunity, but there seem to be several factors involved. The genetic factor, that is, if you have a relative who has an autoimmune disease, can be a risk factor, but it does not have to be crucial. Often, a trigger of some kind is noticed before an autoimmune disease breaks out. Sometimes an infection can cause you to have an autoimmune disease, sometimes a painful emotional event. Many triggers interact, you see below in the picture what can actually cause these diseases:

As you can see in the picture, there are many different factors that can trigger autoimmunity, what triggers are individual. Some of us get no harmful autoimmunity, even though we have several of the above triggers, while others are hit harder.

Estrogen

Women have a higher potential risk of autoimmune disease, and estrogen is one of the reasons. During the woman’s fertile years, estrogen levels are high, and then the risk of suffering from autoimmune diseases is higher. This seems to have to do with women’s production of B cells, as they are involved in our antibody production.

It also has a bearing on how estrogen is detoxified through the liver, it is called estrogen metabolism. You can see how your estrogen levels are detoxified and how they work in a Dutch test done by established functional and nutrition therapists.

New studies have also shown that testosterone is important as it reduces the activity of B cells through a protein called BAFF. This would mean that testosterone would then provide protection against autoimmune diseases.

Food and gastrointestinal

Stomach and bowel are important to take care of so as not to suffer from autoimmunity, since most of our immune system is located here. Remove foods you are hypersensitive to or that can trigger inflammation, eat slowly, chew properly to optimize your digestion.

Avoiding foods that can cause cross-reactions also appears to be important in autoimmunity. Some food such as gluten and soy have similar amino acid sequences, and sometimes a person who has a gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance can also react to, for example, soy. Datis Kharrazian is a doctor and a researcher and writes more about this.

Many people have gastrointestinal problems. It can range from parasites, fungal overgrowth, SIBO (Small Bacterial Overgrowth), intestinal flora imbalance, leaky gut, etc. In fact, 50 percent of those with any autoimmune disease also have SIBO.

STRESS

The stress has increased significantly in our society, and it creates a vulnerability in the immune system that causes hormone imbalances and a lot of disturbances in our microbiome. Emotional stress, oxidative stress and unprocessed trauma are also included as stress. Also, all the electromagnetic fields that we are surrounded by create a stress for the body.

Toxins and viruses

Environmental toxins, plastics and toxins in our products and in our food are something that has increased in pace with industrialization. Toxins and toxins are stored in our body and often have a long half-life.

Viruses such as herpes and epsteinian needles are very common today. Many of us have these viruses without causing problems. Viruses can often live in symbiosis with us humans. A virus that gets free play for some reason (often caused by a trigger) can quickly cause problems and is a common cause of autoimmunity.

Autoimmune diseases start many years earlier than they bloom.

Having elevated autoantibodies is something that you do not recognize, but it is a process that goes on in silence. In fact, you may have elevated autoantibodies for up to 10 years before an autoimmune disease breaks out. That is why these diseases are so complex and difficult to define.

For autoimmune thyroid disease, it takes an average of 7 years before the disease appears. For rheumatoid arthritis, it takes on average 13 years, and for diabetes type 1, it takes on average 10 years before the disease appears.

Many antibodies can be measured with blood samples. If your doctor measures your antibodies and it turns out that they are elevated, there is an internal degradation biochemical process that is important to break. However, the elevated antibodies do not show why this occurs. Here you need to put in detective work to understand exactly the individual patient and what may have triggered the autoimmune processes.

Treatment

Today, autoimmune diseases are treated with symptom-relieving drugs in the respective organs, within the school medicine rather than, as in the functional medicine approach, go to the root cause of the problem.

You need to see a doctor if you have any kind of autoimmune disease to get medical attention. If you need additional help with diet and nutrition suggestions to eliminate additional triggers, you can also seek out an established functional medical nutrition therapist.

In autoimmune disorders you need to eliminate foods that can trigger autoimmunity:

reduce inflammation.
heal the gut, support the gut flora and digestion.
support liver detoxification.
minimize toxins.
strengthen the immune system.
cure trauma and reduce stress.
add nutritional and nutritional supplements that are individualized and that you get help from a Nutrition Therapist.
fasting has proven to be interesting from an autoimmune treatment perspective (however, seriously ill people, pregnant women, teenagers or those with eating disorders should not fast).

please read: drknews.com/autoimmune-gut-repair-diet

references:

• A concise review of Hashimoto Thyroiditis and the importance of Iodine, Selenium, Vitamin D and Gluten Hell J Nucl Med 2017: 20 (1): 51-56
• Multiple nutritional factors and the risk och Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Thyroid Volume 27, no 5, 2017 Mary Ann Liebert Inc DOI: 10 1089/thy 2016.0835
• Gut bacteria selectively promoted by dietary fibers alleviate type 2 diabetes; Science 2018 Mar 8;359 (6380):1151-56
• Anaya JM, et al The Autoimmune Ecology Front Immunol 2016 Apr 26;7-139
• Safdie, Brandhorst et al. PLoS One 2012
• Mia et al. J Autoimmune 2017: 83: 95-112.
• The effect of Vitamin D on Thyroid Autoimmunity exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2017: 125: 229-233
• www.forskning.se/2018/06/04/darfor-far-fler-kvinnor-autoimmuna-sjukdomar
• www.lakartidningen.se/Aktuellt/Nyheter/2017/01/Upptackten-av-regulatoriska-T-celler-prisas
• multiplesclerosis.net/ms-in-america-2013/use-of-remedies-in-ms
• terrywahls.com
• www.1177.se/Ostergotland/Tema/Kroppen/Immunforsvaret/Blodet-och-immunforsvaret
• www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/vast/ny-teori-om-varfor-fler-kvinnor-far-autoimmuna-sjukdomar

Reading Tips:

• The Autoimmune fix: Tom O’Bryan
• The Autoimmune solution: Amy Myers
• The Gluten Freedom: Alessio Fasano
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditits: Lifestyle interventions for finding and treating the root cause: Izabella Wentz
• Why isn’t my brain working?: Datis Kharrazian
• The Wahls protocol: Terry Wahls

• 

Heartburn and acid reflux

by Susann Laag-Söderström December 17, 2019

The strong hydrochloric acid in the stomach is indispensable in the first breakdown of the food. Often heartburn and acid reflux are blamed on an excess of hydrochloric acid, but hydrochloric acid that leaks up the throat is usually due to the opposite – you have too little hydrochloric acid!

Heartburn and acid reflux are due to stomach acid and stomach contents being sustained in the esophagus. Outside the stomach is not the same protection against the stomach acid, which then will corrode the mucous membranes. It provides a burning and sometimes painful experience. During acid reflux, gastric juices come all the way up the throat.

In the upper abdomen is a ring muscle whose task is to ensure that stomach contents do not appear in the esophagus and throat. One reason for acid reflux and heartburn may be that the pressure in the abdomen is so high that it presses the stomach contents upwards, including stomach acid. Another fairly common cause is hypersensitivity to any food. For some, the acid reflux disappears when they end with milk or gluten.

The mucous cells in the stomach secrete hydrochloric acid. The stomach acid is needed to break down the food and to activate the digestive enzymes. The stomach acid also protects against bacteria and parasites that we can get through our food. Too little or too weak stomach acid increases the risk that we get uninvited guests in the small and large intestine, which poses problems for us, among other things, increases the risk of infection.

DO YOU HAVE TOO LITTLE HYDROCHLORIC ACID?

Many adults suffer from heartburn and acid reflux, and many are prescribed hydrochloric acid suppressants. It can, if you are unlucky, aggravate the problems and it can also have other side effects.

If we have too little stomach acid, we will not get an efficient digestion. The uptake of minerals, vitamins and amino acids (which form proteins) is impaired, which in turn causes the upper abdominal muscle to become weak and not hold tight. It can cause too much gas in the stomach, which increases the pressure upwards.

Do so if you have problems with too little hydrochloric acid

Work on basic health and replenish with nutrition!
Extra important nutrients: Magnesium, Calcium, Zinc and B complexes
Avoid things you can’t stand!
Chew the food!
Drink lemon water or eat lemon, lingonberry, sauerkraut and anything else that tastes sour or bitter
Add supplements of digestive enzymes to support digestion
Add hydrochloric acid if necessary

Common symptoms of hydrochloric acid deficiency

Swelling, burping, burning sensation, acid reflux, intestinal gases immediately after meals
A feeling of being stuffed after a meal
Nausea in connection with a meal or after eating supplements
Poor digestion, diarrhea or constipation
Food allergies of various kinds
Itching of the rectum
Reduced appetite
Fragile, layered, cracked, brittle nails
Enlarged blood vessels on the cheeks and nose
Adult Acne
Iron deficiency

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Food for your microflora

Lacto-fermented vegetables

Lactic acidic vegetables are great food for the stomach. When we lactic acid vegetables, we allow beneficial bacteria that are already present in the vegetables to multiply. The bacteria then begin to break down substances in the vegetables and at the same time form substances that are useful. The food is also easily digested, as the bacteria have already begun the digestion process. Feel free to start the meal with some lactic acidic vegetables, then the digestion gets a boost.

ingredients
4 liters of water
100 g of salt
Approximately 2.5 kg of optional organic vegetables, for example, west cucumber, carrot, yellow onion, cabbage, cauliflower, wax beans
8-10 capsules of LactoVitalis Pro
Examples of spices and leaves
Garlic (in pieces)
Horseradish (in slices)
Crown crown (crowns)
Raspberry leaf
currant leaves
Mustard grains, yellow

Do this
Boil water with salt. Allow to cool to room temperature. (Can be prepared the day before. Leave on lid.)

Wash out a number of glass jars. (For 2.5 kg vegetables, about five 1-liter jars with tight-fitting lids are needed.) Let the jars dry for a while in the oven at 100 degrees. Let the jars cool.

Wash the vegetables carefully. Use only fine raw materials that are not damaged. Divide into large pieces. Mix vegetables with spices and leaves. Open in 1-2 capsules of LactoVitalis Pro and insert the contents of each jar.

Place a large currant leaf over the vegetables and turn on the salt solution to cover the vegetables.

Let stand at 18-20 degrees for 10-14 days. Then place them in the fridge. Can be stored for months. When you open the jar, it should bubble a bit and smell sour. If it smells of alcohol then the fermentation has failed and then the vegetables should not be eaten.

What we put in our stomach affects our mental health

by Susann Laag-Söderström December 15, 2019

Most of our immune system is in our gut. You probably heard that. The intestines are tightly connected to the brain is not as well known. New research findings show that the bulging stomach and intestine can not only cause gases, constipation and gastrointestinal – but also lead to depression!

The connection between the brain and the stomach (which is also called “our other brain”) is more important than previously understood.

Intestinal-brain communication

The gut’s own nervous system, the enteric nervous system, contains 100 million nerve cells that can function completely independently of the central nervous system.

The enteric nervous system consists of thousands of nerve nodes in the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts. It affects the movements of the stomach, blood circulation to the intestinal mucosa and is also part of the secretion of gastric juices and in the release of the stomach good hormone serotonin.

It also sends information to the central nervous system, via the vagus nerve, about how the gastrointestinal tract is feeling. It can be about pain and discomfort but also information about nutritional status.

The intestine – the other brain

One reason why the gut is called “the other brain” is that all the hormonal neurotransmitters that have been identified in the brain are also present in the gut.

Among other things, 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is formed here! The gut bacteria affect the production of these neurotransmitters and largely affect how we feel mentally. In one study, a group of mice received Lactobacillus rhamnosus. After a month of supplementation, a number of different tests were done to look at stress sensitivity and mental health. It was then found that the mice that received Lactobacillus rhamnosus were calmer and less stress-sensitive.

You could see that the amount of receptors for the calming signal substance GABA had changed in different parts of the brain of the mice, which contributed to their increased calm. Intake of this bacterium thus affected what happened in the brain in a very tangible way! The signals from the intestine to the brain could also be seen passed through the large vagus nerve. GABA is one of the most important, calming signal substances in the nervous system. Disorders of the GABA system can be linked to depression, anxiety and various intestinal diseases. (1)

Inflammation is a factor in mental illness
Inflammation is part of many different diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and autoimmune diseases. New research shows that inflammation is also a factor in mental illness, such as depression, because inflammation affects the blood / brain barrier in the same way as the intestinal mucosa.

Instead of providing protection against harmful substances, the blood / brain barrier is weakened by the inflammation and permits microorganisms that affect the brain.

Inflammation can also create chemical imbalances in the brain, thus affecting the growth of new brain cells and plasticity.

The intestinal flora affects how we feel mentally

The gut bacteria are in contact with both the gastrointestinal tract’s own nervous system and with the brain. Harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi from an intestinal flora in imbalance can thus disrupt the balance of the brain, leading to poorer memory and even depression. Good gut bacteria can have the opposite effect.

Lactic acid bacteria can strengthen the immune system and increase protection against infections, prevent constipation and diarrhea, and improve digestion and nutrient uptake. The benign bacteria are also found in lactic acid foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi (Korean sauerkraut) and yogurt. Lactic acid bacteria reduce the passage of bacteria through the intestinal mucosa, increase the anti-inflammatory activity and production of short fatty acids, which are nutrients to the intestinal mucosa.

1) Bravo JA, Forsythe P, Chew MV, Escaravage E, Savignac HM, Dinan TG, Bienenstock J, Cryan JF. Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Sep 20;108(38):16050-5. Epub 2011 Aug 29.

Intestinal flora imbalance

The bacteria in the intestines are, despite all their fantastic properties, not super-organisms that survive everything. In fact, they are quite sensitive. An individual activity that can really balance the entire gut flora is an antibiotic course. Antibiotics have saved a huge number of lives and it is a gift that there is. But unfortunately it is used far too often and often unnecessarily.

Antibiotics kill the gut bacteria

In addition to killing the bad bacteria, which cause, for example, a throat infection, antibiotics also kill the gut bacteria, which can cause intestinal flora disorders for months or even years after antibiotic treatment is completed. Broad-spectrum antibiotics have the greatest impact on the gut flora.

Common symptoms include diarrhea, fungal infection, urinary tract infection and hypersensitivity to infections and various kinds of foods, as well as new symptoms not associated with the intestines.

Common causes of intestinal flora imbalance

Poor diet
STRESS
antibiotics
Immunocompromised
Slower bowel movements
Increased intestinal pH
Various toxins, for example heavy metals
Too much protein and too little fiber

• 

Intestinal bacteria for better health

by Susann Laag-Söderström December 13, 2019We humans have an average of 100,000 billion bacteria on our skin, in our mucous membranes and in our gut. We have 10 times more bacteria in and on the body than human cells.

The vast majority of bacteria live in our large intestine, where they have many important tasks. More than 1,000 different bacterial strains are included in human intestinal flora.

As many as 80 percent of our immune system is located in the gut. The intestinal flora, ie the bacteria and microorganisms that live in our intestines, is important for the development and function of the immune system. The good bacteria work to keep bad bacteria away and protect against parasites and yeast fungi.

The bacteria break down foods that digestion has failed to manage, as well as carcinogenic substances and other toxins, e.g. drug. That’s why we react differently to medicines – we all have unique sets of bacteria in the gut.

The bacteria also cause the cells in the intestinal walls of the intestine, the intestinal mucosa, to be constantly re-formed, which protects the intestine against disease.

Bacteria produce vitamins
The bacteria produce several important vitamins: B12, B9 (Folate), B7 (Biotin) and vitamin K2, as well as short fatty acids, which are good for intestinal cells. They also partly control what nutrients our body can absorb. The gut bacteria also ferment fibers which form short fatty acids.

When we have too few good bacteria in the intestines, or too many bad bacteria, we can have problems with the stomach. We can get weakened immune systems and become more susceptible to infections, fungi and weakened bowel movements. Having an imbalance in the gut bacterial flora can also contribute to being overweight.

• 

• 

Problems with constipation

Constipation can be a painful topic that many people avoid talking about, but if you experience problems, you are far from alone.

Constipation is by definition when it is difficult to empty the bowel more than 3 times a week and this can lead to both stomach upset and nausea. Ideally, the bowel should be emptied 1-2 times a day. Common causes of constipation:

That you drink too little
Eat foods that contain too little fiber
That you are worried and / or stressed
medication
Pregnancy and menstruation can affect the stool’s consistency
Too much sedentary can cause peristalsis to be disturbed
         
The fact that the stool remains in the intestine is stressful for the whole body and it disturbs our naturally good gut bacteria. By removing the stagnant intestinal contents, you not only get rid of waste. You create a better environment for gut bacteria, get a healthier gut flora and a better nutrient absorption.

Enema, a temporary solution for constipation

Ordinary enema usually gives the desired effect but has an irritating effect on the intestine, which can become habit-forming and should not be used continuously. Instead, try to fix the problems by reviewing your lifestyle, increasing the amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet, and drinking more fluid.

Magnesium oxide helps with constipation

If you are not going to fix the problem yourself then there is natural help to be had. Magnesium oxide helps with constipation and sluggish bowel. Magnesium oxide produces two positive effects, on the one hand, the intestinal contents become looser and on the other hand the volume increases. Both of these effects make it easier for the body to have a natural bowel discharge, for example through stimulated peristalsis.

• 

The immune system is in the gut

It is through the intestinal mucosa that the nutrition of the food is absorbed. This is also where a large part of the immune system is located. An intestinal mucosa in the imbalance affects the entire body.

Along the walls of the entire small and large intestine, there are intestinal mucosal cells whose task is to analyze the influx of substances and microorganisms. The circulation of intestinal mucosal cells is enormous, the mucosa is completely replaced every three or four days. The cells signal via neurotransmitters to a variety of immune cells that are deeper into the mucosa. These immune cells form antibodies and other protective agents.

The bacteria in the intestines cause the cells in the inner wall of the intestine to be constantly re-formed and protect the intestine against disease. But if the intestinal flora is in imbalance, the mucous membrane can be damaged and we suffer from leaky gut.

Problems with leaky gut

The intestine and intestinal mucosa are dense but pass through the right kind of nutrients (active transport), while things that can cause damage to the body, such as undigested food and bacteria remain in the intestine.

Poor food gives rise to digestive processes and fermentation in the intestines that favor “bad” bacteria. The bad bacteria form substances that damage the sensitive intestinal mucosa so that it leaks. Then harmful substances end up in the blood where they strain all the organs of the body.

If the gut leaks too much toxins into the blood, the liver and kidneys will not be able to clear them. The toxins are absorbed and stored in the body’s tissues. Symptoms of this may include fatigue, swelling, inflammation, joint and muscle pain, stiffness, headache, itching, digestive problems, allergies, hypersensitivity, bad breath, smelly sweat and stools, and various types of skin problems. When the intestinal mucosa becomes damaged, nutrient uptake also becomes worse. This also causes a nutritional deficiency in the body which makes the function of the cells (and also the detoxifying ability of the liver) worse.

The consequence of poor diet and poor intestinal function for a long time is devastating. By cleaning up the intestine and switching to a more nutritious and varied diet, the gut flora and intestinal mucosa stabilize and you feel better.

Lifestyle changes in case of bowel problems
 

Every day we eat about 1 kg of food, and the wrong diet is believed to be one of the biggest causes of leaky gut. Some things to avoid or reduce are:

Wheat
Sugar
Alcohol
Processed food
Other things that affect the gut negatively are
STRESS
Intestinal flora imbalance
Chemicals and toxins as pesticides in food and pharmaceuticals
Lifestyle changes and supplements can help a damaged gut. Dietary supplements such as lactic acid bacteria, L-Glutamine, Aloe vera, coconut oil or digestive enzymes are a good complement to help a damaged intestinal mucosa.

         
Other tips
Stress less
Sleep well
Exclude sugar, gluten and milk products
Fill with good bacteria

In “leaky gut” gaps, or holes, are formed between cells of the intestinal mucosa. Through these gaps, undigested food, toxins and bacteria leak into the bloodstream. It triggers our immune system and can lead to inflammation, which in turn can lead to a variety of diseases.

Among other things, various types of allergies, fatigue, migraines, gases, muscle and joint pain and autoimmune diseases are linked to leaky gut.

• 

14 ways to boost digestion every day

• 

• Live a calmer life. Prioritize activities that you do not absolutely need to do. Avoid stress.
• Practice yoga, meditation, mindfulness or do breathing exercises regularly. It takes 10 minutes a day to lower your stress level and calm your mind.
• Add new habits to your meals.

Before lunch.

• Only eat when you are hungry, and avoid eating when you are upset, angry or sad.
• Choose a quiet environment for your meal. Make the meal a break from stress.
• Drink a glass of water with half a squeezed lemon or take 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before eating. It stimulates the stomach acid, which in turn stimulates and strengthens digestion.
• Mentally prepare yourself for eating soon. Think about how good it should be. Already, digestion begins by releasing hydrochloric acid and the right kind of enzymes. Give the body time to adjust to being food and send out the digestive enzymes.
• Put the food on the plate as beautifully as possible, and take a few minutes before eating as you look at the beauty of the food, feel the good smell and enjoy it with all the senses.
• Practice feeling gratitude for the food you will soon be eating, and gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the food’s path to your plate. Imagine what many people have been involved with so you can eat just this food!

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When you eat

• Take one bite at a time. Place the cutlery between the chews.
• Chew each bite preferably 30 times to avoid gases, swelling and stomach pain, which may be the result of a deteriorated digestion.
• Drink small sips of water occasionally between the chews, preferably hot water. In Ayurveda, hot (boiled) water is advocated instead of cold, since cold water “extinguishes” digestion.
• Avoid doing anything but eating. Put away the cell phone, turn off the TV and wait until afterwards to read the newspaper. Avoid talking to food in your mouth.
• Stay in peace for a few minutes after swallowing the last bite. Or rest on the food on the couch.
• Do not eat until you are fully measured. It takes about 20 minutes for the feeling of saturation to start. The extra food you eat is a strain on your body and only creates problems.

Your sensitive stomach

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The multi-thousand-year-old Ayurveda health teacher says that all illness begins with imbalances in the gastrointestinal system. If the nutritional intake does not work properly, sooner or later a shortage will occur, and eventually illness.

The digestive system is sensitive. A fairly common symptom is plenty of gases. This indicates an imbalance in the bacterial flora and / or weakened digestion. Many other symptoms are diffuse and can be difficult to diagnose.

Digestive enzymes

The digestive system is completely closed, like a tube from the mouth down to the rectum. There is no risk that the broccoli bite you eat will slip into an arm or into your lungs.

Instead, it slowly and safely descends through the tube and is processed step by step until what the body cannot break down leaves you through the rectum. Before that, stomach acid, digestive enzymes and intestinal bacteria, to the best of their ability, have hugged all the goodies.

But digestion is actually prepared even before you put the food in your mouth. When you think about the food that you will soon be eating, how beautiful it looks, how delicious it smells and how good it will taste, you prepare the system by giving the brain signals that digestive enzymes should start to be released.

You may recognize the reaction that it gets watered in your mouth when you think of something good? Our saliva actually contains some digestive enzymes that help with the breakdown of food.

The way of food through the body

When you chew the food, it mixes with the saliva and the enzymes – and the breakdown begins. The better you distribute the food, the better the nutritional intake. Chew 30 times. To absorb the nutrition in your juice, smoothie and soup, chew it!

The food stays in the stomach until it is completely divided. The more protein and fat the food contains, the longer it stays here. Then the food goes to the small intestine.

The small intestine is enormously long and large, like a tennis court if you fold it out completely. The surface is needed for all nutrition to be absorbed from the food. It is here that most of the digestion and nutrient absorption takes place. Here, carbohydrates and sugars are broken down into glucose, fructose or galactose, in order to be absorbed by the body. Proteins become free amino acids. Bile from the gallbladder dissolves fat. Vitamins and minerals are absorbed.

Most of the nutrition is transported through the blood to the liver and then out to all the cells of the body. The liver also breaks down alcohol, drugs and other toxins that the body does not need. The intestinal contents that have not been broken down so far continue to the large intestine, and now there is not much nutrition left in the broccoli bite you once stuffed into your mouth.

What reaches the colon consists mostly of fibers and other things that the body cannot break down. This turns into food for the bacteria in our gut flora. If the intestinal flora is in balance, these form substances that the body benefits from. In the large intestine, excess fluid is absorbed, and feces are created, which then leave the body via the rectum.

The sympathetic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system has two modes: either the sympathetic nervous system is activated, or the parasympathetic nervous system is activated.

When the sympathetic nervous system is activated, we are up and running, ready for action and hard work, or to deal with a dangerous or pressing situation. The blood rushes to the large muscle groups, away from the digestive organs.

So when we are up to speed and have a lot to do, digestion is prioritized. Less digestive enzymes, gastric acid and bile are produced, and less intestinal movements are produced.

The parasympathetic nervous system

When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, the body adjusts to recovery, rest, repair and digestion. In other words: digestion requires peace and quiet to function optimally. If you have it running occasionally and in between you take a lot of time for recovery, there is no danger. Then the digestive process can still with its task.

But if you have a life with a constant high tempo and stress, the risk is that digestion and thus also nutrient uptake is always at low rpm.

A plan for balance

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How, then, can we help our adrenal glands if we suspect they are exhausted? There is actually a lot you can do to make your adrenal glands and your whole body feel better and feel stronger. It’s about simpler things like drinking water with sea salt in and taking some supplements, and about bigger things, like daring to grab your life and change it for the better.

It is easy to feel powerless and put the responsibility for one’s well-being in the hands of others, the employer stressing with impossible demands, the partner not understanding, and the friends just talking about themselves.

It is important to remember that you are living for your own sake. Placing responsibility for your well-being in the hands of others is like giving them power over your life. So you can’t have it. You need to take back power over your life so that you can instead create a life that is rewarding, fun and filled with people who want you well.

You need to review your nutritional intake and perhaps support your body with supplements, so you first increase your energy and energy that way. Here are some you can start with:

Vitamin C is one of the most important nutritional supplements in adrenal fatigue, and also supports the immune system.
B vitamins, especially B5, B6 and B3 are good for giving the adrenal glands extra energy. Deficiency of vitamin B12 is common and leads to great fatigue.
Magnesium works together with vitamins C and B to strengthen the adrenal glands and is a sparking spark in the cells’ energy processes.
Vitamin E is needed to reduce the damage of free radicals, which are released when adrenal hormones are formed.
As the adrenal glands begin to become more vibrant again, the function of the liver will also improve, which means that more toxins are released through the bile into the intestines. Eat extra fibers, such as psyllium seeds, and herbs that help in cleansing and protect the gut from injury.

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You may need more supplements, but also more overall lifestyle changes. Discussing with an expert on health and stress is invaluable support on the way back to a more sustainable life.

– Fatigue is because we have crossed our borders. It is easier to see with the help of someone from the outside. It’s also good to get support in prioritizing myself, getting guidance on where I need to set boundaries. It can be difficult when you have lost yourself and are too tired, says Gunilla Saupe, a physician who works extensively with exhausted patients.

The first thing Gunilla does with a client suffering from severe fatigue is to take a variety of samples, including the thyroid, cortisol value and iron status. She often gives advice on supplements to create more optimal levels. But unless life is changed, supplements do not matter.

– If the imbalance is created based on an unfavorable life situation, it is not easy to do something about dietary supplements. We need to find the change that is needed so that we do not end up in the same situation again. Do I go crazy at the workplace, is it too much stress? Do I have an unsustainable free time with too much exercise and too little recovery? We need to look at the whole life situation.

Inger Erland Tångring is a therapist with a focus on nutritional status linked to mental and physical ill health. She begins her treatment by mapping out the reason why the client has fallen into exhaustion.

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– There is a lot of information on the net, and sometimes we run on all the balls. We try a couple of weeks with magnesium, finish with sugar for a while, and work on some other home-made solutions. But it not only helps to add things, we also need to start hosting activities. For example, we might not be training three nights a week, of which twice the crossfit. It can be a big challenge, and a sadness, to realize, says Inger.

An expert can also be a support in the health unit that prevails, and help us to have a more balanced view of health. Health is just balance.

– We have become very health conscious, which is good, but the last few years I have noticed that for some it has become a health stress instead. They think they will get sick if they fall for the temptation and, for example, eat wheat. There will be a negative loop that increases the press. I talk a lot with my clients about being kind to themselves, says Inger.

Another reason to take the support of an expert is to exclude other diagnoses. What we interpret as an initial fatigue may be something with similar symptoms and then we may need medical help for that.

When Inger meets with a client, she begins by mapping the history, the current situation and where the client is going. She measures blood pressure, examines how the stomach and digestive system are feeling and takes samples of nutritional status and thyroid. Women often have thyroid problems without being aware of it, and it is also common for women to have magnesium and zinc deficiency.

– I also talk a lot about sleep and analyze sleep patterns. Many people sleep too little and worse in terms of quality. I recommend nutritional supplements for a period as needed, and provide specific yoga and breathing exercises that contribute to balance and relegation.

Lifestyle advice for pungent adrenals

Decide that your energy is what is most important to you and your life. Let all your choices be guided by the simple question: Does this give me energy?
Sleep is our most important medicine for recovery and repair. Go to bed by no later than 22, slept for a long time.
Start the day with half a liter of water with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Salt the food and drink water with salt during the day.
Spend a moment each day doing yoga, meditation or breathing exercises. It shifts the body from the sympathetic (active) nervous system to the parasympathetic (relaxed). In just a few minutes, it lowers breathing and heart rate, heart rate and blood pressure. Oxygen consumption and metabolism decrease and muscles relax. Otherwise, this requires several hours of sleep to achieve. There are good sites for home training, like www.yogobe.com and apps, like the Mindfulness app.
Eat a nutritious and varied diet with protein, fat and unrefined carbohydrates at every meal. Reduce sugar, fast carbohydrates and stimulating drinks such as coffee and soda. Eat the first meal of the day before 10 o’clock. Eat in peace and chew your food properly, preferably 25-30 times on each chew.
Give yourself rest and recovery from stress and pressing thoughts every day. In yoga philosophy, resting 11 minutes twice a day is recommended, preferably lying on your back with your eyes closed.
Make sure you have fun and relaxing activities scheduled at least once a week. Enjoying life is a big part of life’s meaning.
Become your own best friend and listen when your body says it’s time to rest, eat, sleep, play … Stop pushing yourself too hard. Your body speaks to you all the time – you just need to learn to listen.
Take back power. Feeling powerless and helpless is hugely unfavorable for you and your health, not least for the adrenal glands. Change what you can for the better for yourself. Thank you for the extra assignments. Find a new job. Ask for help when you need it. Stop being constantly available. Draw boundaries. Work on accepting what you cannot change (which is probably not as much as you think) and avoid feeling sorry for yourself.
Detox life. Most of us have people, situations or things that drain us of energy. Minimize it! When choosing new friends, situations, and things: choose things that bring energy. Detox even from social media. Being connected 24 hours a day is the scourge of our time. Although it feels relaxing to waste, it does not provide a real recovery. It affects both the time you sleep and the quality of your sleep.
Practice your sense of gratitude. Reflect every day on what you are grateful for. Maybe you can create a gratitude diary, where you write down three things every day for which you are grateful. It doesn’t have to be that strange: someone might hold a door for you, smile at you, or maybe you might have the opportunity to help someone. Feeling gratitude is very beneficial for our health.
Exercise. Regular exercise normalizes the levels of cortisol, blood sugar insulin and other hormones. It doesn’t have to be very hard exercise, a quick walk 30 minutes is enough to improve health and well-being.
Affirm. You are what you think, and the best thing for you and your recovery is to program your brain and your body with thoughts such as making you feel happy, becoming more vibrant every day, and your adrenal glands working perfectly.

The vital adrenal glands

If we stress too much and long, we can suffer from adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands simply cannot stop cortisol production. Because cortisol is involved in so many vital processes in the body, tired adrenals can have a variety of adverse effects.

Secondly, the body is affected by hypoglycemia, low blood sugar. This is because the cells require more energy (glucose) during stress, but there is not enough cortisol for the release of glucose from the liver to suffice. Stress and adrenal fatigue with increased need for glucose can also lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Often we try to compensate for our fatigue and low blood sugar by eating sweets or drinking coffee, which causes blood sugar levels to rise for a little while, and then collapse again. , and we feel even more tired.

The liver’s ability to detoxify is also impaired, as the cortisol no longer stimulates important substances in the purification process. Although our immune system is reduced, we become more susceptible to infections, fungi and allergies.

We get high blood pressure when we are stressed, but when the adrenal glands are exhausted, the blood pressure becomes low instead. Our nervous system is weakened and we can suffer from mood swings, sleep disorders, find it harder to focus and remember, and become more easily irritated by our fellow human beings.

Avoid overload
The adrenal glands sit like little hats on the kidneys, and are factories for hormones that control our stress response. Under strong pressure, the pituitary gland orders the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline and norepinephrine, which makes us ready to fight or run for life, as we were at the beginning of the article. It is these hormones that control the activity of the brain, from the analytical frontal lobe to the reptile brain, which causes the muscles to receive more oxygen and blood, and blood pressure rises, as does the blood sugar.

The adrenal glands are also part of the so-called HPA axis, which quickly regulates the body’s levels of the vital cortisol. Cortisol is present in our blood all the time, the levels are highest in the morning and lowest in the middle of the night, and have many important effects. It affects the nervous system, our mood, thoughts, memories and ability to focus. The hormone raises blood sugar levels and blood pressure, protects cells from the effects of too much insulin, and helps create regular heartbeats.

Find your Energy

Do you often feel tired, tired and out of touch with life? You’re not alone. Stress is one of the most common causes of illness. But there are ways to get back to life, energy and balance, and most of it you can do yourself. Maybe life will never be the same again – probably it will be much better.

The stress response is an ancient survival function. A little simplified it is usually said that we would not have survived as hunters and collectors just over 10,000 years ago without it. When we were attacked, the body needed the extra hormonal power, like a higher gear, to be able to fight for our lives – or run for our lives. But the stress response is much more multifaceted than that – and especially important for us today, from morning to evening.

Our bodies are completely dependent on a functioning stress response. We need it to cope with physical and mental difficulties, and to regulate and balance the body. Getting up in the morning, coping with an infection or injury, coping with a task, some unforeseen event, or just ”grabbing” things – all require functioning adrenal glands that provide an appropriate stress response.

The big problem is not the stress response itself, but the lack of recovery. We are drawn with low-intensity stress that rarely or never lets go of us. We are good at delivering, leaving and retrieving, are the perfect mom, colleague, wife and “just go”, constantly on the move, careless with food, exercise, laughter, life… Recovery is prioritized down – instead we wear out our tires and finally drive on our rims. Having constantly elevated levels of stress hormones in the blood rears on the body.

Stress takes the body off balance

It is the hypothalamus, an area of ​​the midbrain, which together with the hormone gland pituitary gland, maintains the chemical balance of the body, and that our basic life-sustaining processes work as well as possible.

The hypothalamus links the nervous system and the hormone system. It acts as a thermostat that scans our current state without interruption, decides on which hormones to release, and in what amount.

The hypothalamus takes in a large amount of information, both from within the body and from our surroundings. It listens to our thoughts and beliefs, notes our body temperature, chemical balance, fatigue and blood pressure. Hypothalamus is affected by stress factors such as emotional stress, perceived helplessness, infections, shock and trauma. Also ambient light, temperature, seasonal changes and input from our five senses (vision, taste, hearing, feeling and scent) affect which hormones the hypothalamus gives orders to produce.

The hypothalamus communicates with the pituitary gland, the head of the body’s hormone glands, via so-called neurohormones. These neurohormones control the body’s hormonal balance by either blocking or stimulating the release of the pituitary hormones.

The pituitary gland, in turn, determines most of the body’s other hormone glands and their secretion. It is the pituitary gland that stimulates the thyroid to release its hormones, which, among other things, controls the metabolism. The hypo-physical also stimulates the release of our sex hormones and oxytocin (feel good hormone) as well as hormones for body growth and metabolic processes – and it stimulates the release of adrenal stress hormones.