Monday, February 29, 2016

Thyroid Patients: 7 Keys to Successfully Restoring and Revitalizing Your Health

January 30, 2016 by Dana Trentini Leave a Comment

The day I stumbled upon New York Times bestselling author Mary Shomon’s book Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You…That You Need to Know changed my life.
Written by Mary Shomon, About.com’s Thyroid Disease Guide
When it comes to having a thyroid condition, it’s easy to focus on the obvious details like blood tests, lab results and medications. But after two decades as a thyroid patient advocate — and as a thyroid patient myself all these years — I have realized that finding the right medication for you at the right dose is just one part of the complete picture of health and wellness. In the past twenty years as a thyroid patient and advocate, I got pregnant and had a daughter (who is now 18…let’s talk about time flying!) (I know many of you can relate!) At one point, I lost so much hair I had a ponytail the thickness of a pencil. (How many ways can you wear your hair in a scrunchie?) I suffered a miscarriage, but went on to adopt my son, who is now a thriving 11 year old. I rode the roller coaster of perimenopause, and went through menopause — and found it surprisingly easy with the help of some surprising things I learned along the way.
In the end, I have learned a great deal, through trial and error, and by trusting some truly inspiring wellness experts, a group of people I now consider my personal guiding stars of wellness. Thanks to their wisdom and support, I have discovered seven keys to successfully restoring and revitalizing my health. Each of these keys is absolutely crucial to not only my thyroid health and management of symptoms, but to the bigger picture: my overall energy, attitude, peace of mind, and happiness! I didn’t learn about them all at once when I was first diagnosed — it’s been a long and winding road at times. But hopefully, wherever you are on your thyroid journey — whether you are newly diagnosed, or a veteran patient — you may find that many of the things that have worked for me can help you fast-forward on your own road to optimal health!
1. Partnering With a Great Doctor
I mentioned the issue of blood tests and medications. For most of us with thyroid problems, they are an important part of our personal thyroid solution. But which tests? How are they interpreted? Why do we have to beg for antibodies, or Reverse T3 tests? And then there’s the constant battle with HMOs, or close-minded doctors, to get the natural thyroid drugs that help many of us feel well. Many conventional doctors look at us as if we are just lab values on a page — not living, breathing people with lives, symptoms, and challenges we are desperately trying to overcome. This is why I feel so strongly that many thyroid patients do best with a doctor who takes an integrative, patient-oriented approach — bringing in the best of both conventional and holistic and natural approaches. The integrative approach looks at lab results, of course, but it also looks at your personal and family history, your symptoms, the relationship of your thyroid to adrenals and other hormones, your stress levels, nutrition, and how it all fits together.

Dr. Kevin Passero, a naturopathic physician in the Washington, DC area, is one of those doctors who truly gets it. I often refer to him as the “Sherlock Holmes of hormonal health,” because he is not content to hand out prescriptions. Instead, he looks for root causes of hormonal issues, like gut health, adrenal imbalances, and nutritional deficiencies, and solves the mystery from the inside out. He takes time, he listens, he is always learning, and if he doesn’t have the answer, he tells you – and then sets out to find the answer! So Key #1: look for a doctor who will partner with you, who is patient, open-minded, and sees the bigger picture, and who feels passionately about helping you get well. I know I sound biased, because I am, but this kind of care is more likely to come from an integrative or holistic MD or a naturopathic physician than an endocrinologist. Looking for your very own Dr. Passero? You can search for board-certified integrative and holistic physicians at the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine’s “Doctor Finder” page, or the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) Directory of licensed naturopathic physicians.

2. Moving Your Body
I’ve never been a remotely talented athlete. (Yes, I was always picked last for every sport!) I can’t even do a dance aerobics or Zumba class without tripping over my own feet. Forget a 90-minute spin class, or jogging. It hit my adrenals so hard I’m on the couch for days after. So when I kept getting emails from other thyroid patients, telling me that I HAD to look into an exercise program they were doing that was actually working for them, and it was easy and fast, you bet I had to check it out. That is how I met Teresa Tapp, the founder of the T-Tapp system of exercise. (And no, T-Tapp has nothing to do with tap dancing!) It’s a form of gentle exercise that involves mind to muscle activation, reduction of inflammation, and detoxification and elimination of toxins via the lymphatic system. That’s a fancy way of saying that it not only helps you tighten, trim, build muscle, and lose weight, but it helps your body, hormones, and immune system get into better balance. And you can do it when you’re pregnant, if you have a bum knee or a testy back, if you’re already fit or out of shape, and at any age. I popped my first T-Tapp DVD in the player about eight years ago, and I followed the instructions, and did 30 minutes of T-Tapp, three times a week over two weeks. And then, I took my measurements. I lost 12 inches. Seriously. It was crazy! (I had been working with a Pilates trainer several times a week for two years, and hadn’t lost an inch!) T-Tapp worked!
You may be more athletic than I am, and live for those Zumba or spin classes, and if so, I’m in awe of you. But the bottom line: we all need to move, and we need to move every day. Even more so because as thyroid patients, many of us have a slowed metabolism, and building muscle is one of the only ways we can raise metabolism. We also build up mucin – a sludgy waste – that makes us feel bloated and puffy, and hold onto fluid, causing hands, feet, and face to be puffy. Effective movement helps move mucin and fluid out of your body and reduce inflammation. (And of course there are the general aches and pains that can go along with thyroid problems.) At the same time, intense exercise can be counterproductive for some of us, because all it does is raise cortisol, which hurts our thyroid, and can actually make us GAIN weight. If you haven’t found your “go-to” way to fit the right kind of movement into your busy life, I have to say, T-Tapp could change your life. Here’s a brief introduction to T-Tapp on YouTube, where Teresa explains what it’s all about, and already gets you exercising!

3. The Power of Nutrition
You know that old saying, “you are what you eat.” But what are you supposed to eat? A Paleo diet? Autoimmune diet? Low-carb? Low-glycemic? Gluten-free? Dairy-free? Vegetarian or vegan? Organic? Mediterranean? It is so confusing. On the one hand, we hear that broccoli is a “super food,” but we also hear that too much raw broccoli can slow down the thyroid gland. And forgive me if these are your favorites, but if I see another article touting the wonders of kale and quinoa, I may run to the nearest McDonald’s! Do you have time to bake your own gluten-free bread, and spend hours trying to make sure you’re eating a healthy diet? (I know I don’t.) There are so many experts out there trying to sell you on the idea that their particular system, program or book is THE answer for your health condition or weight loss, but the truth is, just as with thyroid treatment, with nutrition, one size does NOT fit all. A vegetarian diet that is perfect for one person will zap the immune system and energy of another person. The raw smoothies and soy diet that might work for someone without thyroid disease could actually slow down thyroid function and cause weight gain in someone with a thyroid condition! Your friend who went gluten-free may have lost 20 pounds, but cutting out gluten could have no effect on your stubborn extra pounds. This is why I have become a huge fan of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), which is the premier training program for integrative nutritionists – nutritionists who look at the complete you, and help you determine the perfect nutritional approach to meet your unique needs and physiology. Their motto: “Food changes everything!” And it does.
It’s this approach that makes my friend and integrative nutrition coach, Lisa Moretti, a graduate of IIN, so effective. She helps me fine-tune and tweak my diet, but at the same time, Lisa never makes me eat kale (bless you, Lisa!), and she knows that healthy eating has to be easy and fast, or some of us are just going to reach for convenience foods or take-out. If you have no idea what to eat, or how to eat, put down that donut, and find yourself an integrative nutrition coach!
4. Breath it Out
I had a friend tell me, years ago, “You HAVE to go to a transformational breathing class. You’ll love it!” Ok, sounded interesting. I’d done deep abdominal breathing and yoga breathing, and I figured that it would be the same – a relaxing breathing practice. I signed up for a class, and I had my mind blown. This was not yoga breathing. This was a technique to get the entire body breathing – to bring in oxygen – and lots of it – fast, detoxing body and mind quickly. After my first session, I was incredibly energized, but calm and peaceful. And I was clear-headed – brain fog was banished for DAYS!
No surprise…I went back. Again, and again. And I discovered how the power of specialized types of breathwork – and Transformational Breathwork in particular – could change my life. I now had an incredibly effective tool I could use, even for a minute or two, to lower cortisol, raise my energy level, rebalance myself energetically, physically, and emotionally. I didn’t even have to go to class – I could do breathwork in the morning, at bedtime, or any time during the day – even in the car – when I needed energy, clarify, or stress reduction.
I have Lauren Chelec Cafritz to thank. She transformed her own situation – suffering from body pain, anxiety and constant stress – into calm and energetic bliss using breathwork, and now she teaches others how to do the same miracles for themselves. I was fortunate to have Lauren as my teacher for my first breathwork class, and it’s been a number of years…and I’m still breathing! It has changed my life.
5. Get Body, Mind & Spirit in Communication
There’s a popular saying: ‘We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” What does that really mean? What it means is that body, mind, and spirit all have distinct purposes, and are meant to work together, seamlessly. Sometimes, however, they end up not speaking the same language and there’s no translator in sight. The mind gets overwhelmed with thoughts, the body is doing its own thing, and who has time to get in touch with spirit? (And you can call it heart, soul, essence, or life force…the concepts of spirit and spiritual don’t have to have religious connotations to make sense to all of us.)
I found myself often realizing that what I was thinking was at odds with how I was feeling in my body, and that none of it had to do with what was in my heart and soul. That is, until I learned about guided meditation. I had tried regular meditation – sitting on the floor, legs crossed, while my feet went all pins and needles and went numb, and my mind went from “what do I need to get at the grocery store,” to “hmmm, I wonder what’s on television tonight.” To be honest, it didn’t work for me. Some people walk labyrinths, or do Tai Chi, or go to religious services, to get to that place. But those weren’t the right fit for me either. What I discovered did work for me was guided meditation…listening to someone guide me through a meditation helped me stay focused. (And I could do it laying on my bed, or sitting on the couch, so I could still feel my feet!) The breakthrough for me was Demo DiMartile, a true healer, who founded a company, One Life One Spirit, to publish variety of guided meditations. As I learned to do guided meditation, I discovered that it reduced stress, helped me sleep better, and put me in touch with my feelings, and got mind-body-spirit back into balance. If you are looking for a way to get in touch with yourself in ways that can help your health, your happiness, and your stress levels, I highly recommend you explore Demo’s guided meditations. Demo writes and speaks the meditations – and he has a gorgeous, soothing and empowering voice — and they include beautiful original music. Try it for yourself. Demo has a 5-minute “Mastering Deep Relaxation” guided meditation sample online at YouTube.
6. Feel and Look Beautiful
It’s hard to feel good when you don’t look your best. None of us are supermodels, and we don’t expect to be, but I know with the thyroid issues, between puffiness, and weight fluctuations and such, there have been times where I felt pretty awful about myself – especially my hair. I was cleaning hair out of the drain, out of my brushes, and I got to the point that I dreaded shampooing, because I would be pulling huge chunks of hair out. And, as I mentioned before, there was that pencil thin ponytail looking back at me in the mirror. It was awful. Hair is so visible, so out there. Gain a few pounds and you can always throw on some Spanx and make it work. Lose hair, and what do you do? Wear a hat all the time? I think I went for a year with my hair in a bun, stuffed in a scrunchie. Not a great look, to be honest.

This is why I absolutely adore Brent Hardgrave. He’s an internationally-known hairdresser, and he’s also hysterically funny, eternally optimistic, and filled with so much heart. And he’s also on a mission to help women with thinning hair or hair loss. He has a unique “dry-cutting technique” (seriously, he’s like Edward Scissorhands, with the hair flying as he cuts!), styling tricks, safe extension techniques, and products that can make even the thinnest, coarsest, limpest “hormone hair” look amazing. He’s also a fountain of wisdom about nutrition, supplements, and even cutting edge techniques like Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatments, to help stimulate hair regrowth. Brent says that whether you’re menopausal, or have a thyroid problem, or are dealing with age-related thinning, you deserve to look and feel beautiful. I agree. Every girl needs a hairdresser like Brent, who is not just giving you information, a great cut, color and a blow dry – but really, is giving you your confidence and spirit back!
7. Being Informed and Empowered
And here we get to the last of my keys to health and wellness. It’s what my work as a patient advocate, author, and About.com Thyroid Expert has been about for twenty years. It’s what motivates the amazing Dana Trentini, our very own Hypothyroid Mom. It’s the pressing need for every thyroid patient to be informed and empowered. We no longer live in a world where we can turn over every decision about our health care to doctors, HMOs and insurance companies. We can’t expect most doctors to have the time to explain our options, or the pros and cons of different approaches to diagnosis and treatment. We have to become informed, and then take that information and transform it into practical action as empowered patients who have an active role in our own health care. To that end, the key is to learn. Read the sites, read the books, read the journal articles, participate in the Facebook communities, meet other patients in person to exchange support and ideas…take every opportunity you can to increase your own knowledge about your health, and to extend your community. Knowledge is power, and power allows you to be an active partner in your own health and wellness.

– – – – – – – – –
Along the way, as I have explored these keys to wellness, I had a dream of bringing together this incredible group of experts and friends, and to make their wisdom, knowledge, and practical skills available to others. And I’m thrilled to say, my dream has become a reality! The Me Time Wellness Weekend is scheduled for March 3-6 at the Renaissance Capital Hotel, minutes from Washington, DC’s Reagan National Airport, in Arlington, Virginia. It’s a weekend filled with sessions on integrative health with Dr. Kevin Passero, gentle workouts with Teresa Tapp, nutrition advice from Lisa Moretti, breathwork sessions with Lauren Chelec Cafritz, guided meditations with Demo DiMartile, hair loss and styling seminars with Brent Hardgrave, and workshops on thyroid and hormonal health with me. All at a gorgeous, luxurious (but not pricey) hotel – with a heated indoor pool. The idea behind the Me Time Wellness Weekend is to take time for yourself to reboot, revitalize, and relax, while learning what you need to know to go back home to busy lives with the skills you need to truly feel and live well. I would love every thyroid patient to have an opportunity to be transformed by these guiding stars of wellness. If you’re interested in joining us for this life-changing weekend, please visit our site, at http://www.metimeweekend.com/i-need-me-time and give yourself the gift of “Me Time!”

About Mary Shomon

Patient advocate and author Mary Shomon transformed her 1995 thyroid diagnosis into a mission to educate and empower others struggling with thyroid and hormonal conditions. She has written a number of best-selling books on thyroid disease including New York Times Best Seller The Thyroid Diet Revolution. Mary is the original Guide for the About.com site on thyroid disease and founder of Thyroid-Info.com.

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes Sep 11, 2014 by Loretta Lanphier, NP 3 Share 0   14   0     Not only do sweet potatoes taste like a scrumptious dessert, they provide the body with some awesome health benefits. Cutting-edge research on sweet potatoes indicates they have many unique nutritional benefits that help with good health and well-being.  Among these benefits are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and blood sugar-regulating nutrients. For instance, in several studies from Africa, sweet potatoes were found to contain between 100-1,600 micrograms (RAE) of vitamin A in every 3.5 ounces—enough, on average, to meet 35% of all vitamin A needs, and in many cases enough to meet over 90% of vitamin A needs (from this single food alone). Interesting Facts about Sweet Potatoes Did you know that some sweet potatoes can also be gorgeous purple color? Often it’s difficult to tell from the skin of sweet potato just how rich in purple tones its inside will be. That’s because scientists have now identified the exact genes in sweet potatoes (IbMYB1 and IbMYB2) that get activated to produce the purple anthocyanin pigments responsible for the rich purple tones of the flesh. The purple-fleshed sweet potato anthocyanins—primarily peonidins and cyanidins—have important antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties. Particularly when passing through our digestive tract, they may be able to lower the potential health risk posed by heavy metals and oxygen radicals. Including some fat when consuming sweet potatoes can be helpful if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. Of course, this minimal amount of fat can be very easy to include. For instance including extra virgin olive oil, organic grass-fed butter or coconut oil are great choices. Steaming or boiling sweet potatoes may allow your body to get greater nutritional benefits from sweet potatoes. Recent studies show excellent preservation of sweet potato anthocyanins with steaming, and several studies comparing boiling to roasting have shown better blood sugar effects (including the achievement of a lower glycemic index, or GI value) with boiling. Only two minutes of steaming sweet potatoes have been show to deactivate peroxidase enzymes that might otherwise be able to break down anthocyanins found in the sweet potato. In fact, with these peroxidase enzymes deactivated, natural anthocyanin extracts from sweet potato used for food coloring may be even more stable than synthetic food colorings. This benefit isn’t limited to the food’s appearance since the anthocyanins have great health benefits as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Researchers have long been aware of sporamins—storage proteins in sweet potato—but only recently has research shown some of their special antioxidant properties. The potential health benefits of the sweet potato sporamins in helping prevent oxidative damage to our cells should not be surprising since sweet potatoes produce sporamins whenever subjected to physical damage to help promote healing.      Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes 7 grams fiber per serving contain large amounts of Vitamin B6 contain large amounts of potassium rich in beta-carotene good source of manganese anti-oxidant rich anti-inflammatory properties improves blood sugar regulation antibacterial properties antifungal properties supports clear skin helps maintain collagen soothing for the stomach helps prevent constipation helps with emphysema promotes healthy digestive tract may decrease the dangers presented by heavy metals & oxygen radicals best to choose organic sweet potatoes   Difference Between Sweet Potatoes and Yams It is very easy, especially in the United States to confuse sweet potatoes and yams. However, they are completely different foods that belong to different plant families. The main difference to note is that sweet potatoes are much more available in the United States than are yams. There are a couple of reasons for this confusion. 1) It is probable for shoppers to find sweet potatoes and yams that look much alike in terms of size, skin color, and flesh color. 2) Our government agencies have allowed the terms “sweet potato” and “yams” to be used somewhat interchangeably on labeling. In many stores you may find bins that are labeled “Red Garnet Yams” and “Jewel Yams” however, the potatoes these bins are actually sweet potatoes. Below are some general rules to follow. In most U.S. groceries, you should assume that you are always purchasing a sweet potato, even if the sign says “yams”.  More than one million sweet potatoes are commercially grown in the United States every year, while commercial production of yams in the United States is rare. Don’t allow the flesh color to make the determination as to whether you are getting a sweet potato or a yam. Both root vegetables come in a variety of colors. You should always assume that you are getting a sweet potato, regardless of flesh color. If you are wanting to purchase a true yam (from the plant genus Dioscorea), visiting a more internationally focused store may be your best bet. The name “yam” was adopted from “nyami“—the Fulani (West African) word that means “to eat” and that has traditionally been used to refer to yams. Yams are native to Africa and Asia, and unlike potatoes, they have the potential to grow to a much larger size. From a science perspective, true yam is a root vegetable belonging to the Dioscoreaceae family, which are monocotyledons (or “monocots” for short, with the prefix “mono” referring to the fact that they have only one embryonic seed leaf). Sweet potatoes belong to the Convolvulaceae or morning glory plant family, are dicotyledons (or “dicots” for short, with the prefix “di” referring to the fact that they have two embryonic seed leaves), and are known by the scientific name of Ipomoea batatas. These two root vegetables come from very different parts of the plant world, even though their names are used interchangeably in the United States marketplace.     Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Chips Recipe Serves 1 Ingredient List 2 small or 1 large sweet potato 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Himalayan Salt Directions Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes &thinly slice crosswise into 3/8 inch thick slices.  If you have a mandoline, use it. Place the sweet potato slices in a bowl. Add olive oil, cayenne pepper & salt to taste & mix well. Spread the slices out on a baking pan in a single layer. Bake about 12 minutes on each side. Carefully checking to make sure the smaller or thinner pieces don’t burn. Recipe from: www.chowvegan.com   References Ahmad MH, Morrison EY, Asemota HN. Food processing methods influence the glycaemic indices of some commonly eaten West Indian carbohydrate-rich foods. Br J Nutr. 2006 Sep;96(3):476-81. 2006. Bahado-Singh PS, Wheatley AO et al. Food processing methods influence the glycaemic indices of some commonly eaten West Indian carbohydrate-rich foods. Br J Nutr. 2006 Sep;96(3):476-81. 2006. Bengtsson A, Brackmann C, Enejder A et al. Effects of Thermal Processing on the in Vitro Bioaccessibility and Microstructure of ‘-Carotene in Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Oct 1. [Epub ahead of print]. 2010. Chang WH, Huang YF, Yeh TS et al. Effect of purple sweet potato leaves consumption on exercise-induced oxidative stress, and IL-6 and HSP72 levels. J Appl Physiol. 2010 Sep 23. [Epub ahead of print]. 2010. Choi JH, Choi CY, Lee KJ et al. Hepatoprotective effects of an anthocyanin fraction from purple-fleshed sweet potato against acetaminophen-induced liver damage in mice. J Med Food. 2009 Apr;12(2):320-6. 2009. Failla ML, Thakkar SK and Kim JY. In vitro bioaccessibility of beta-carotene in orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, Lam.). J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Nov 25;57(22):10922-7. 2009. Han KH, Matsumoto A, Shimada K et al. Effects of anthocyanin-rich purple potato flakes on antioxidant status in F344 rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. Br J Nutr. 2007 Nov;98(5):914-21. Epub 2007 Jun 11. 2007. Hwang YP, Choi JH, Yun HJ et al. Anthocyanins from purple sweet potato attenuate dimethylnitrosamine-induced liver injury in rats by inducing Nrf2-mediated antioxidant enzymes and reducing COX-2 and iNOS expression. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 Oct 8. [Epub ahead of print]. 2010. Low JW, Arimond M, Osman N et al. A food-based approach introducing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes increased vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations in young children in rural Mozambique. J Nutr. 2007 May;137(5):1320-7. 2007. Ludvik B, Hanefeld M, and Pacini G. Improved metabolic control by Ipomoea batatas (Caiapo) is associated with increased adiponectin and decreased fibrinogen levels in type 2 diabetic subjects. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2008 Jul;10(7):586-92. Epub 2007 Jul 21. Mei X, Mu TH and Han JJ. Composition and physicochemical properties of dietary fiber extracted from residues of 10 varieties of sweet potato by a sieving method. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jun 23;58(12):7305-10. 2010. Mills JP, Tumuhimbise GA, Jamil KM et al. Sweet potato beta-carotene bioefficacy is enhanced by dietary fat and not reduced by soluble fiber intake in Mongolian gerbils. J Nutr. 2009 Jan;139(1):44-50. Epub 2008 Dec 3. 2009. Noda N and Horiuchi Y. The resin glycosides from the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. LAM.). Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2008 Nov;56(11):1607-10. 2008. Ozaki S, Oki N, Suzuki S et al. Structural Characterization and Hypoglycemic Effects of Arabinogalactan-Protein from the Tuberous Cortex of the White-Skinned Sweet Potato ( Ipomoea batatas L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Oct 29. [Epub ahead of print]. 2010. Philpott M, Ferguson LR, Gould KS et al. Anthocyanidin-containing compounds occur in the periderm cell walls of the storage roots of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). J Plant Physiol. 2009 Jul 1;166(10):1112-7. Epub 2009 Feb 6. 2009. Tumuhimbise GA, Namutebi A and Muyonga JH. Microstructure and in vitro beta carotene bioaccessibility of heat processed orange fleshed sweet potato. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2009 Dec;64(4):312-8. 2009. Wang YJ, Zheng YL, Lu J et al. Purple sweet potato color suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced acute inflammatory response in mouse brain. Neurochem Int. 2010 Feb;56(3):424-30. Epub 2009 Nov 24. 2010. Xie J, Han YT, Wang CB et al. Purple sweet potato pigments protect murine thymocytes from (60)Co gamma-ray-induced mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Int J Radiat Biol. 2010 Aug 10. [Epub ahead of print]. 2010. Yin YQ, Huang XF, Kong LY et al. Three new pentasaccharide resin glycosides from the roots of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2008 Dec;56(12):1670-4. 2008. Zhang ZF, Fan SH, Zheng YL et al. Purple sweet potato color attenuates oxidative stress and inflammatory response induced by d-galactose in mouse liver. Food Chem Toxicol. 2009 Feb;47(2):496-501. Epub 2008 Dec 13. 2009. The World’s Healthiest Foods. www.whfoods.org   Loretta Lanphier is a Naturopathic Practitioner (Traditional), Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Practitioner and Certified Clinical Herbalist as well as the CEO / Founder of Oasis Advanced Wellness in The Woodlands TX. She has studied and performed extensive research in health science, natural hormone balancing, anti-aging techniques, nutrition, natural medicine, weight loss, herbal remedies, non-toxic cancer support and is actively involved in researching new natural health protocols and products.  A 14 year stage 3 colon cancer survivor, Loretta is able to relate to both-sides-of-the-health-coin as patient and practitioner when it comes to health and wellness. “My passion is counseling others about what it takes to keep the whole body healthy using natural and non-toxic methods.” Read Loretta’s health testimony Cancer: The Path to Healing. Loretta is Contributor and Editor of the worldwide E-newsletter Advanced Health & Wellness. Check out Oasis Advanced Wellness and our natural skin care site Oasis Serene Botanicals. - See more at: http://www.exhibithealth.com/general-health/health-benefits-of-sweet-potatoes-1938/#sthash.ynj9hkLs.dpuf


Read more at WPBeginner: Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes http://www.exhibithealth.com/general-health/health-benefits-of-sweet-potatoes-1938/

SIX DANGEROUS PRESCRIPTION DRUGS YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE TAKING JANUARY 31, 2016 | NATURAL NEWS

SIX DANGEROUS PRESCRIPTION DRUGS YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE TAKING


But this important information is often shrouded from public view, which intentionally perpetuates the myth that the benefits of FDA-approved drugs far outweigh any risks. So to give you a more solid understanding of the subject, here are six classes of prescription drugs you should definitely think twice about taking due to their inherent dangers:
1) Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Millions of Americans take PPIs to alleviate the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition marked by food and acid in the stomach leaking back into the esophagus and causing damage. But PPIs like Nexium (exomeprazole) and Prevacid (lansoprazole) have been shown to both block nutrient absorption and inhibit the production of necessary stomach acid, which can cause a host of other health problems. (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com)
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued at least a dozen warnings about the dangers of PPIs, which include an increased risk of bacterial diarrhea, magnesium deficiency, and bone fractures (http://www.fda.gov). Long-term consumption of PPIs has also been linked to increased risk of pneumonia and unhealthy weight gain.
(http://www.naturalnews.com/036336_PPIs_acid_reflux_side_effects.html)
2) Statins. The top-selling class of drugs for several years in a row, statins are hailed by the medical system as a type of miracle cure for high cholesterol and heart disease. But popular statin drugs like Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) and Crestor (rosuvastatin calcium) have been shown to greatly increase users’ risk of diabetes, liver disease, brain damage, muscle atrophy, and even early death. (http://www.drfranklipman.com)



The side effects of statins are so severe, in fact, that the FDA recently expanded its official warnings about their use (http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm293330.htm). Beyond this, more than a dozen studies have shown that taking statins for primary prevention does little, if anything, to prevent heart attack or stroke, which means the drug class is medically useless for the millions of otherwise healthy people who are prescribed it. (http://www.minnpost.com)
3) Antibiotics. The leading cause of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs,” antibiotics are another class of drugs that can cause long-term health problems without providing much, if any, benefit. Insanely overprescribed for conditions that often do not even respond to them, antibiotics and their long-term abuse by the medical system has made many infections more virulent and untreatable.
According to Shane Ellison, M.S., from The People’s Chemist, the three most dangerous antibiotics currently being prescribed are Levaquin (levofloxacin), Vancocin (vancomycin hydrochloride), and Bactrim (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole). Ellison also lists quinolones, the most commonly prescribed class of antibiotics, as dangerous as well, noting that antibiotics like Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Avelox (moxifloxacin HCL), and Floxin (ofloxacin) can cause severe and permanent disability. (http://thepeopleschemist.com)
4) Antipsychotics. One of the deadliest drug classes, antipsychotics are commonly prescribed for conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe major depression, as well as for many “off-label” conditions such as mild mood disorder and everyday anxiety. But popular antipsychotic drugs like Seroquel (quetiapine fumarate), Abilify (aripiprazole), Risperdal (risperidone), and Zyprexa (olanzapine) have been shown to increase blood sugar levels, elevate lipid and cholesterol levels, and promote weight gain. (http://www.nytimes.com)
But even more concerning is the long-term neurological and brain damage that can result from taking antipsychotics, not to mention the greatly elevated risk of metabolic syndrome, which can include major health conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121127190016.htm). Antipsychotics are so dangerous that a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) declared them to be more deadly than terrorism. (http://www.naturalnews.com)
5) Opioid pain relievers. Pharmaceutical drugs have officially been declared a leading cause of death in America today, and leading the way are opioid-based painkillers like Vicodin (hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen), OxyContin (oxycodone HCI), Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen), codeine, and morphine.
According to a study out of Brandeis University in Massachusetts, prescription painkillers are now responsible for causing more fatal overdoses than both heroin and cocaine combined. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has actually declared an epidemic in response to this elevated number of prescription painkiller deaths.
6) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Antidepressants like Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine), and Lexapro (escitalopram) have been around for years, but their dangers typically receive far less attention than they deserve. Side effects like suicidal tendencies, sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal bleeding, and heart disease are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many side effects of SSRIs.

She Lowered her TPO antibodies from 1678 to 138 in 10 months Hashimotos

Mimi’s Story: How She Lowered Her TPO Antibodies from Over 1,678 to 138 in 10 Months
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I asked Mimi Mills to write her story. I asked for 300 words, she gave me 900 but I just didn’t know how to edit it down, so I left it.
It’s long but worth the read.
“I wanted to share with all of you my own path on this crazy thyroid journey and I know many of you will relate to my story.
In short (it’s hard as I have so much to share!): I’ve always struggled with weight (in spite of being on diets since I was 19), anxiety, depression and fatigue.
The fatigue I’m talking about was not only about feeling tired all the time but also not having any motivation and joy to do anything. I think they call it a “living dead” person and that was me.
In 2009 I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. My TSH and F3 were OK but when I insisted on getting my TPOs checked, they came back skyrocketing – at 1,678!
Then, I stumbled across Magdalena and jumped into her 8-week Circle program. I still remember how the first thing she told me was “yes, everybody who calls me is ‘eating well’ yet they are sick. I will teach you how to eat ‘right’, not ‘well’.”
Right away, I was asked to also test for so many other things my doctor never paid attention to: TGB antibodies, vitamin D and B12, ferritin and the list goes on. To my surprise, the TGB antibodies came back also elevated (359).
I was asked to get my thyroid scanned (again, the endo never did that) as they can be an indication of thyroid nodules, cancer or estrogen dominance.
Thank goodness I had no nodules, so we did another test and it confirmed estrogen dominance. This explained my heavy periods and a miscarriage 2 years earlier.
It’s rather emotional to be sharing this with you as I’m angry sometimes with myself for not having done more work earlier. For those of you who had a miscarriage, you know how emotionally hard this is and how much of a taboo it is in our society.
Anyway, Magdalena asked me to write what we did to give hope and inspiration to more of you. So here are the few things I had done in the past 10 months:
  • I did the Elimination Diet by keeping a Journal, we also discovered that besides the Big 7s we cut out, I also react badly to lentils, onions, garlic and apples!  Magdalena told me about the low FODMAP diet which I had never heard about..
  • To improve my digestion, we cut out all the food high in FODMAPs and I’ve noticed my digestion and sugar cravings going down almost immediately.
  • I cut out dairy, gluten and most processed sugars as I learned that they exhaust me and I sleep so much better without them. I’ve learned so many new recipes that now I don’t even feel like I need them and even think about them!
  • My gut was never that bad (at least I thought so as I don’t suffer from constipation, bloating, acid reflux, etc) but since my TPOab were so high, I was put on a parasite and anti-candida protocol. I never knew I had candida – I thought that itchy ears and sinus congestion were normal. Within two weeks of doing the herbs, I started feeling my fatigue and anxiety lifting. That was so encouraging!
  • To address my estrogen dominance, I was given a list of liver-supporting juices made of dandelion, parsley, beets and celery. We also added DIM to help detoxify me from excess estrogen. Within 2 weeks I got my period and it was so much better – with far less pain and mood swings.
As you read this, it looks like lots of changes. It is but if you pace it, it’s very doable. I also learned so many new recipes and food I never cooked with, like all the different lattes, dandelion salads, green smoothies etc.
I think the biggest thing I’ve learned from this experience was to listen to my body. Yes, it’s good to have lab work but I’m not only a number – my symptoms are equally important.
Fast forward, I’ve been on this journey for 10 months now. I feel frigging good. My TPO antibodies are now down to 138. In spite of eating what I want (as long as I avoid the problem foods), I also lost 17 pounds.
The biggest rewards for me though was getting myenergy and enthusiasm back. As a person working in marketing, the pace and pressure is huge. I feel like my old self again; I can serve my clients and also to be a happier wife.
I still have more work to do. I want to better prepare my body for another pregnancy by lowering my antibodies to below 30. I’m well aware that elevated antibodies are not good for the baby. I can’t go into it with fear so the things I still want to work on are: doing a deeper detox, retesting my sex hormones and checking for heavy metals.
This journey has been so changing and so worth it. This is the best investment I made in a long time.
If you are thinking of joining the Circle, do it. Meeting other women who also struggle and understand what it is to have a sick thyroid and want to heal together is so much easier. You still get the 1:1 coaching and this was key to me. Good luck to all Thrivers!”
– Mimi Mills, Washingston DC.

Many people have emailed me after this post asking what you can do to have the same results. Mimi worked with me in a 8-week coaching circle but I’m currently not offering private coaching. What I would like to recommend for you to do is to go through the Cooking for Balance workshop and also get the three great bonuses – it’s a 6-day free online experience to give you guidance on what to eat or avoid to help your overall hormonal and thyroid health.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Beet Juice for Health of Older people


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---------------------------- (NewsTarget) A new study by researchers at Wake Forest University has shown that daily consumption of beetroot juice can promote brain health in older adults - a finding that could have great potential for combating the mental decline common in the elderly. The new findings add to a growing list of healthy benefits which have been attributed to regular consumption of beetroot juice.

The new study, which is being published in Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry, the peer-reviewed journal of the Nitric Oxide Society, is the first to find a link between consumption of nitrate-rich beet juice and increased blood flow to the brain.

"There have been several very high-profile studies showing that drinking beet juice can lower blood pressure, but we wanted to show that drinking beet juice also increases perfusion, or blood flow, to the brain," said Daniel Kim-Shapiro, director of Wake Forest University's Translational Science Center; Fostering Independence in Aging. "There are areas in the brain that become poorly perfused as you age, and that's believed to be associated with dementia and poor cognition."

In the study, researchers looked at how dietary nitrates affected 14 adults age 70 and older over a period of four days. On the first day of the study, subjects fasted for 10 hours and then reported to the lab, completed a health status report, and consumed either a high or low nitrate breakfast. The high nitrate breakfast included 16 ounces of beet juice. The subjects were sent home with lunch, dinner and snacks which conformed to their assigned diets.

The following day, after another 10-hour fast, the subjects returned to the lab and again ate their assigned breakfasts. One hour after breakfast, an MRI was used to record the blood flow in each subject's brain. In addition, blood tests before and after breakfast measured nitrite levels in the body.

For the third and fourth days of the study, the researchers switched the two groups' diets and repeated the process for each subject. The MRI measurements showed that after eating a high-nitrate diet, the older adults had increased blood flow to the area of the frontal lobes, which are commonly associated with degeneration that leads to dementia and other age-related cognitive decline.

"I think these results are consistent and encouraging -- that good diet consisting of a lot of fruits and vegetables can contribute to overall good health," said Gary Miller, one of the senior investigators on the study and an associate professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science.

High concentrations of nitrates are found in beets, as well as in celery, cabbage and other leafy green vegetables like spinach and some lettuce. When you eat high-nitrate foods, good bacteria in the mouth turn nitrate into nitrite. Research has found that nitrites can help open up the blood vessels in the body and increase blood flow and oxygen specifically to places that are lacking oxygen.

Beetroot juice has also been found to lower blood pressure and maintain healthy blood pressure levels. In a 2008 study, volunteers showed significant decreases in blood pressure within three hours of drinking 500 milliliters (about 17 ounces) of beetroot juice - and the drop in blood pressure was maintained for up to 24 hours after the juice was consumed.

In addition to promoting brain function and lowering blood pressure, beets also help protect against cancer(especially colon cancer), help cleanse the bowels, help strengthen the gall bladder, increase stamina and more.

To learn more about the benefits of beetroot juice and beets, see:

"Enjoy the Many Healthy Benefits of Beets and Beetroot Juice"

Sources included:


About the author
Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for those who wish to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year. He is also a contributing author for the worldwide advocacy group "S.A N.E.Vax. Inc" which endeavors to uncover the truth about HPV vaccine dangers.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near Austin and San Antonio to give lectures and health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs - featuring Luella May" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup" and he serves as a consultant to the "Utopia Silver Supplement Company".


Diatomaceous Earth

Posted by clnAdrian
FEBRUARY 26, 2016
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By Dr. Josh Axe | draxe.com
Diatomaceous earth (DE) — it sounds like a scientific term for a state of the planet, but it turns out it’s actually a natural product made up of fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms.
You may never have heard of diatomaceous earth before, but chances are you’ve consumed or used plenty of products that contained it. Some common products that contain diatomaceous earth include dusts, powders and pressurized liquids that are used on the outside of buildings, on farms, in gardens, and in human and pet foods.
It usually comes in the form of a white powder and is also used in water filtering, food manufacturing, skin products and farming to naturally eliminate free radicals, viruses, insects, parasites and other harmful organisms by binding to them and drying them out. It also has the ability to improve the body’s use of calcium, improve bone mineralization, protect joints and fight effects of aging. And that’s not all.

6 Diatomaceous Earth Benefits
1. Detoxifies the Body
Diatomaceous earth works like a natural detoxifying agent within the body, killing parasites and viruses that can contribute to illnesses while also helping to clean the blood. It’s also inexpensive, simple to use and much safer than many store-bought detox products or plans. Some of the benefits of using DE internally include reducing odors, helping to curb gas, cleansing the digestive tract, boosting liver function and absorbing harmful toxins within the blood.
How does DE work to help with detoxification? Silica works similarly to antioxidants found in high-antioxidant foods because it retains its traits as a stable particle even while continuously suspended in a liquid medium, allowing it to fight free radial damage. It’s broken down into a colloidal form, which acts like a detoxifier for the blood since it carries an electrical charge that attaches to free radicals and other harmful toxins. Silica particles can then neutralize the charge of free radicals and remove them from the body through sweat, urine and feces, which slows oxidative damage and has anti-aging effects.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that silica also helps eliminate heavy metals from the body, such as aluminum, making it perfect for aheavy metal detox. In studies, it has been shown to have a high-aluminum-affinity and reduces aluminum availability from the human gastrointestinal tract. (1)
2. Helps Purify Water
Diatomaceous earth is used in many filtration products, including the trademarked brand name Celite, because its chemical composition makes it a great filtration aid. It’s able to filter very fine particles that otherwise pass through or clog filter papers.
This makes it a common product used in water filters to help prevent tap water toxicity and also purification practices for fish tanks. Additionally it’s also important for manufacturing beer and wine, syrups, sugar, and honey without removing or altering their color, taste or nutritional properties.
A study published in the Journal of Applied and Environmental Microbiology found that diatomaceous earth helps kill viruses and purify drinking water. Viruses have been found to be dangerous and abundant in certain sources of drinking water, raising the risk for viral infections and having a significant impact on bacteria and algae populations in the ecosystem. (2)
Researchers tested the effects of a filter containing DE on tap water that was contaminated with heavy metals and various viral strains. The results of the study showed that DE helped absorb up to 80 percent of the viruses present, includingpoliovirus 1, echovirus 5 and coxsackievirus B5, which were all present in tap water even after filtration. (3)
3. Fights Parasites
A study published in the Oxford Journal of Poultry Science found that DE has the potential to be an effective treatment to help control parasites. Interestingly enough, this was observed in hens that produce organically raised, free-range eggs. Giving two breeds of commercial egg-laying hens DE improved production of their eggs and egg quality compared to control groups, effectively working as a parasite cleanse in the process. (4)
The two groups of hens used in the study were found to differ in their resistance to internal parasitic infections, which was observed by examining their gastrointestinal tracts. The hens fed DE had significantly lower incidences of infections, including fewer Capillaria FEC, slightly lower Eimeria FEC, fewer birds infected with Heterakis and significantly lower Heterakis worm infections. Those fed DE were also significantly heavier in weight, laid more eggs and consumed more feed than hens fed the control diet, plus their eggs had larger yolks and therefore were more concentrated with nutrients.
4. Kills Insects and Other Harmful Substances in Your Home
In the U.S., DE is classified under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as a safe substance for household use. It’s a natural insecticide, since it absorbs lipids from the waxy outer layer of insects’ exoskeletons, which causes them to dehydrate and die of water deficiency. This is why it’s useful in food preservation, as a natural home deodorizer and cleanser, and for helping to treat livestock suffering from parasites.
DE can help eliminate bed bug, house dust mite, cockroach, ants and flea infestations within your home without the use for harsh chemicals. According to the website for Pest Control Technologies, silica gels have been used by the pest control industry for more than a half century since they safely produce an electrostatic charge that helps them adhere to insects crawling over treated surfaces. Silica gel and diatomaceous earth have been found in studies to kill insects by removing a portion of the razor-thin, waxy outer coating that helps the insects conserve moisture, which allows them to work better than other products that relay on abrasion or poisoning. (5)
5. Improves Joint, Bones and Ligaments Health
A 2007 study published in the Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging stated that dietarysilicon is beneficial to bone and connective tissue and helps prevent low bone mass (osteoporosis), which is considered “a silent epidemic of the 21st century.” Silica within DE helps with normal bone metabolism and joint formation, with evidence over the past 30 years suggesting there’s a positive association between dietary silicon intake and better bone mineral density. (6) Thus, DE makes a great addition to any osteoporosis diet and treatment plan.
A number of possible mechanisms for how this works have been suggested, including the possibility that silicon helps with synthesis of collagen (used to form joints, the lining of the digestive tract and connective tissue) and within the mineralization of bones. While more research is still needed, it appears that DE can be used to help support normal metabolic processes, preserve joint health and prevent bone disorders.
6. Helps Clean and Protect Skin, Nails and Teeth
Since it has natural abrasive qualities and kills parasites, DE is used in manytoothpastes, skin exfoliators, polishes and skin scrubs. Just like other beneficial clays — like bentonite clay — it dries out harmful toxins and leaves behind cleaned, smoothed skin with little to side effects. It also seems to have anti-aging effects by helping with the use of calcium in forming strong bones, nails and teeth. (7, 8)

Popular Diatomaceous Earth Uses
As mentioned, common products that contain diatomaceous earth include dusts, powders and pressurized liquids that are used on the outside of buildings, on farms, in gardens, and in human and pet foods.
What kind of benefits can you expect from using DE in these ways? These can include:
  • improved digestion and more regular bowel movements
  • better liver and colon functioning
  • improved detoxification and removal of heavy metals
  • stronger immune function and protection from illnesses
  • a cleaner home, free from parasites, bed bugs and viruses
  • healthier-looking skin, hair and nails
  • stronger bones and protection from fractures or osteoporosis
  • improved joint and ligament health
  • improved energy
  • for dogs and cats, cleaner skin and protection from flees
Diatomaceous earth is safe for humans and animals to consume and also beneficial for skin, so it’s used both inside and outside the body. The Food and Drug Administration lists food grade diatomaceous earth as “Generally Recognized as Safe,” which means it’s legally allowed to be added to many different types of foods, beverages and supplements. (9) Small amounts of silica are normally present in all body tissues and usually found in urine too, so it’s well-tolerated and not known to cause many side effects. (10)

Today, there are over 150 pesticide-related products registered for use both indoors and outdoors that contain DE. There are also thousands of non-pesticide, food grade diatomaceous earth products that are used on the skin, in food, and in supplements or medications.
Some of the most popular diatomaceous earth uses include:
  • pet nutrition products
  • products used on dogs and cats to kill flees
  • bed bug-killing treatments
  • sprays and products used to kill bugs, including cockroaches, crickets, fleas, ticks, spiders
  • rodent sprays
  • water filters
  • skin care products
  • toothpastes
  • foods and beverages, such as in beer and wine
  • anti-caking and clarifying ingredients used in food manufacturing
  • supplements and medicines
  • rubbers and paints used in construction
  • abrasive products used as defoliators and for cleaning




How Diatomaceous Earth Works
DE goes by many names other than diatomaceous earth, including: dinosaur dust, miracle mineral, fossil shell and ancient treasure. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, diatoms found in DE are actually skeletons that are made up of silica, a very common type of matter found in nature that makes up about 26 percent of the earth’s crust. There are various types of natural silica, many of which you probably recognize, including: sand, emerald, quartz, feldspar, mica, clay, asbestos and glass. (11)
Diatomaceous earth is available in two different grades: food grade (meant to taken internally by humans) and non-food grade (used in industrial practices). (12) Due to its natural detoxifying, liver-cleansing, antiviral and antiparasitic effects, DE has been used in household, beauty, food and pesticide products made for killing or reducing toxins, insets, rodents and bugs since the 1960s. The substances used to make diatomaceous earth are safe and taken directly from the sea, since diatom silica residues accumulate over time in the sediment of rivers, streams, lakes and oceans.
Although it’s able to kill and ward off viruses, parasites, bugs and rodents, diatomaceous earth is not poisonous. The Diatomaceous Earth website states that DE is one of the “cheapest and most versatile health products on the market,” mostly because silicon used to make DE is the second most abundant element in soil. (13)
Silica used to make diatomaceous earth is a key common component of the earth’s natural rock, sands and clays. Some DE is even found in humans and animals within their skeletons, since it helps form bone. Silica is an important component of human ligaments, cartilage and musculature and is also abundant in plants since it facilitates with their growth and development. Studies have shown that it’s an essential mineral for the body to build strong bones, hair, nails and teeth and needed to carry calcium into various parts of the body. (14)
According to research published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, many forms of silica exist in nature, and compelling data supports myriad beneficial effects of consuming more silica within water. Orthosilicic acid is the form of silicon predominantly absorbed by humans and found in numerous tissues, including nails, bones, tendons, the aorta, the liver and the kidneys. (15) Compelling evidence exists that suggests silica is essential for health and has strong anti-aging effects. Deficiencies in silica can contribute to:
  • abnormal growth
  • deformities in skull and peripheral bones
  • joint pain caused from poorly formed joints and reduced contents of cartilage and collagen
  • disruption of mineral balance
  • damage to the femur and vertebrae
How exactly does DE help improve health and kill parasites or viruses?
While silicia itself is a natural substance found in seawater, silicon dioxide (used to make DE) is not. It’s created chemically by adding oxygen and water to pure silica. Silicon dioxide comes in two forms: crystalline and amorphous. Amorphous is the type used in the majority of diatomaceous earth products.
DE’s chemical composition allows it to stand up well to both water and sunlight without becoming altered or evaporated, which makes it useful in a variety of different liquid and solid products. It’s a dry substance that’s also abrasive and has sharp edges. It works by interacting with special oils and fats found with bugs and other organisms, causing the cuticle of the organism’s skeleton to dry up so it dies.
You don’t actually have to eat DE to experience its effects, and neither do rodents or bugs. Because it’s a dry dust or powder, it can travel through the air, so exposure can happen when the dust is either breathed in, comes into contact with the skin, gets inside the eyes or is eaten.
Once it enters the body, only a very small amount is actually absorbed while the rest is quickly excreted through the lungs and urine. It doesn’t tend to linger in the body for very long, although some studies have found that crystalline diatomaceous (the type of silicon that’s very small) can accumulate in small amounts in the lung tissue and lymph nodes. While it gets flushed from the body, it lowers the presence of heavy metals and other toxins that can contribute to allergies, infections, sluggish digestion and more.
When it comes to the role of silica, the body uses this to store minerals such as calcium in joints, organs and other soft tissues. This can help prevent health problems due tocalcium deficiency, including bone spurs, arthritis, osteoporosis, weak hair and brittle nails. (16)

How to Use Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth comes in several forms:
  • granulated diatomaceous earth, a raw material made from crushing silica that’s usually available as a powder and safe for human consumption
  • milled or micronized diatomaceous earth, a very fine form used in pesticides and insecticides
  • calcined diatomaceous earth, a heat-treated and activated form used in water filtering and explosives
You can purchase food grade diatomaceous earth from the Diatomaceous Earth website, in some health food stores or elsewhere online.
Here are the recommended steps for safely using DE as a detoxification agent and to protect bones and joints:
  • Take about one teaspoon of food grade diatomaceous earth with water once a day. It’s best used on an empty stomach at least one hour before or two hours after eating.
  • Drink an additional cup of water after each dose of DE to improve its effects. In general, make sure to consume plenty of water with DE and stay hydrated.
  • Increase your dosage slowly over several weeks, working your way up from one teaspoon to two teaspoons daily, or one tablespoon max. Split the dosage into two parts taken in the morning and one at night.
  • Take DE 10 days on and 10 days off for 90 days to effectively and safely detox. Another strategy is to take it daily for a few weeks at a time as you track symptoms, stopping and starting again throughout the year. It’s safest when you give your body breaks and don’t use it continuously for very long periods of time.
  • As a note of caution, initially you might notice some mild side effects that can develop as your gut environment changes, yeast dies off and your body releases stored toxins. This can include mild headaches, fatigue and flu-like symptoms, which should diminish within a couple weeks.
Wondering what DE taste like? It’s basically tasteless and has a rough, gritty texture. You can take it with water or mix it into another liquid if you prefer, such as  juice, yogurt or a smoothie. It won’t dissolve when mixed into water, so it’s normal to see some residue. You can stir vigorously before consumption to break it up, but it’s still going to leave behind some chalkiness and a gritty texture, which is why disguising it is a good idea.
Here’s how to use diatomaceous earth in your home:
  • Step 1: The Bug Squad website recommends you brush and vacuum carpets or any area where you think bugs, insects or fleas could be lurking. This will aggravate them and get them to move, which allows DE to work better. (17)
  • Step 2: Sprinkle DE powder where needed in your home, yard, your carpets, car, etc. Rub the powder into the carpets with a broom. Use enough to finely cover the surface but not too much that it’s easy to breath in a lot.
  • Step 3: Let the powder sit for about four to 12 hours before vacuuming. It’s recommended that you repeat this process once a week for a total of three to four weeks.

 Are There Any Side Effects of Diatomaceous Earth?
Although it’s generally recognized as safe to use on the body or to consume, some people react to DE by experiencing irritation and other side effects. It’s possible for diatomaceous earth to irritate the nose and nasal passages when you breath it in, or if consumed in large amounts it can contribute to coughs and shortness of breath.
It also has the potential to irritate the skin and cause some mild irritation and dryness. If you have sensitive skin, eyes or nasal passages, it’s a good idea to monitor your symptoms and watch out for any strong reactions. It’s also recommended that you keep DE away from babies and small children who might be more sensitive to DE’s effects and can react to it by experiencing irritations.
As far as long-term exposure goes, in animal studies generally no health effects have been observed even after applying diatomaceous earth to animals’ skin five times per week for several weeks. In a rat study, researchers fed rats high doses of diatomaceous earth for six months and found no evidence of reproductive or developmental effects.
That being said, the National Pesticide Information Center states that there’s some evidence that inhaling a very small amount of crystalline silicon over time (the kind used in small quantities in some types of diatomaceous earth, especially pesticides) might contribute to silicosis, chronic bronchitis and other respiratory problems in a small percentage of cases. However, the risk seems low considering the vast majority of diatomaceous earth used in products for human consumption is amorphous, not crystalline.

Diamaceous Earth’s Impact on the Environment
Wondering if DE can harm animals or contribute to environmental pollution? Evidence shows this is very unlikely and that diatomaceous earth is actually nontoxic to mammals, fish and aquatic invertebrates.
It’s commonly encountered by birds and other wildlife in nature but has been found to be unharmful to birds, fish or other wildlife in numerous studies. In fact, silica is naturally plentiful in the ocean, and seawater contains vast amounts of diatomaceous earth. The skeletons of many types of sea life and marine organisms are actually made using silica, and therefore it seems to pose no major risks to most species.
As far as plants go, DE can actually be beneficial since it’s used as a growing medium in potted plants in hypnotherapy. It’s sold as natural soil additive and helps soil retain water and nutrients, while allowing for more oxygen circulation and killing off parasites. It also helps preserve foods naturally (such as grains or legumes, which can grow mold) and helps replenish soil so more plants and food can be grown for livestock and human consumption.

Diatomaceous Earth Takeaways
  • Some common products that contain diatomaceous earth include dusts, powders and pressurized liquids that are used on the outside of buildings, on farms, in gardens, and in human and pet foods.
  • Diatomaceous earth benefits include detoxifying the body; purifying water; fighting parasites; killing insects and other harmful substances in your home; improving joint, bone and ligament health; and cleaning and protecting skin, nails and teeth.
  • Today, there are over 150 pesticide-related products registered for use both indoors and outdoors that contain DE. There are also thousands of non-pesticide, food grade diatomaceous earth products that are used on the skin, in food, and in supplements or medications. Some of the most popular diatomaceous earth uses include: pet nutrition products, products used on dogs and cats to kill flees, bed bug-killing treatments, sprays and products used to kill bugs, rodent sprays, water filters, skin care products, toothpastes, foods and beverages, anti-caking and clarifying ingredients used in food manufacturing, supplements and medicines, rubbers and paints used in construction, and abrasive products used as defoliators and for cleaning.
  • Diatomaceous earth is available in two different grades: food grade (meant to taken internally by humans) and non-food grade (used in industrial practices).
  • Diatomaceous earth comes in several forms, such as: granulated diatomaceous earth, a raw material made from crushing silica that’s usually available as a powder and safe for human consumption; milled or micronized diatomaceous earth, a very fine form used in pesticides and insecticides; calcined diatomaceous earth, a heat-treated and activated form used in water filtering and explosives.