Health benefits of onions are much more extensive than one might think. The onion, also called the ‘king of vegetables’ is a member of the lily family, a close relation of garlic. Garlic and onion are two vegetables that make various dishes so delicious and put some great smelling aroma in your kitchen. Onions are what we call ‘pungent’. The smaller the onions, the more pungent they are…they make your eyes water when you cut them due to the release of organic sulpher. There are many varieties of the onion: white, yellow, red and green globes. They also differ in size, color and taste. The smaller onions come in many varieties such as the green onion, or scallion which includes chives, leeks and shallots.
Onions are surely on the list of super foods and when you learn about their amazing health benefits you may want to include them in more meals!

Nutritional and health benefits of Onions:
There is considerable variation in composition between different varieties and they also vary with the stage of maturity and the length of storage.
Onion is a powerful anti-septic that is rich in vitamins A, B and C. It’s a potent source of folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, chromium, iron, molybdenum, potassium, copper and dietary fiber.
In general, the stronger the onion, the healthier. More tears when cutting equals more protection against disease and infection. Also, the best benefits are received when onions are eaten raw. You just have to get the good information past the bad breath!

Health Benefits
Ancient records reveal that onions have been used as far back as 4000 B.C. as a cure-all for many illnesses. In WWII, the vapors of onion paste were used to reduce the pain and accelerated the healing of soldiers’ wounds.
Even now, we find many medicinal properties from this dynamite bulb:
Anemia: The high content of iron in onion makes it beneficial for the treatment of anemia.
Anti-coagulant: Just by eating half a medium raw onion daily can significantly lower cholesterol and help prevent heart attacks. Onions may also lower triglycerides.
Anti-inflammatory: The anti-inflammatory agents in onion are useful in reducing the symptoms of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and gout.
Anti-septic, anti-bacterial: Fights infection bacteria, including E.coli and salmonella, and is effective against tuberculosis and infections of the urinary tract, such as cystitis.
Blood pressure: Whether you eat it raw or cooked, onions help to lower blood pressure naturally. It also thins the blood, dissolve blood clots and clear the blood of unhealthy fats.
Cholesterol: Eating half a medium raw onion daily significantly helps to correct thrombosis, lower the LDL cholesterol and prevents heart attacks.
Colon and ovarian cancer – prevention: Fructo-oligosaccharides in onions stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the colon and help reduce the risk of tumors developing in the colon.
Constipation and flatulence: Add plenty onion in your cooking to help relieve chronic constipation and flatulence.
Diabetes: Chromium in onion helps diabetics’ cells respond appropriately to bringing down the insulin level and improve glucose tolerance.
Diuretic and blood cleansing: Help counter fluid retention, urinary gravel, arthritis and gout.
Ear disorder: In some culture, cotton wool is dipped into onion juice and put into the ear to stop ringing in the ear.
Hair loss: A study has shown that applying onion juice on scalp twice a week for 2 months will cause hair re-growth. Definitely cost much less that those hair tonic.
Immune booster: The pungency increases blood circulation and causes sweating. Useful in cold weather to ward off infection, reduce fever and sweat out colds and flu.
Osteoporosis: A compound has recently been identified in onions which prevents the activities of breaking down bone. Therefore onions are especially beneficial for women who are at risk for osteoporosis as they go through menopause.
Respiratory: Mix equal amounts of onion juice and honey and take 3-4 teaspoons of this mixture daily. It helps liquefy mucus and prevents its further formation. It is also one of the best preventative potions against the common cold, flu and asthma.
Sexual debility: Onion is a potent aphrodisiac and stands second only to garlic. For this, the white variety is most effective.
Urinary tract infection: Boil some onion in water till half of the water evaporated. Sieve the onion water, leave to cool and drink. The anti-bacterial properties help to relieve the burning sensation in urination.

Onion Consumption Tips
When buying onions, choose onions that are well-shaped, have dry and crisp outer skins. Avoid those which are already sprouting or have signs of decay, wilting or discolored tops. Choose the strongest-smelling onions provide the most health benefits. The best choice is shallots, followed by yellow onions, red onions, and then white onions. As a general rule, the more an onion makes your eyes water, the better it is for your health.
Uncut onions should be stored in a cool (or room temperature), dark (to prevent the roots from growing), dry (well-ventilated) place, while cut onions should be either placed in a sealed container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated immediately. If cut onions aren’t covered, their nutrient content diminishes rapidly due to oxidation (use them within 2 days). Freezing chopped onions is not recommended because they lose much of their flavor. Do not put onions together with potatoes as they will absorb the moisture and ethylene gas from potatoes and rot faster.

To prevent tears when cutting onions, chill the onions for about an hour before peeling, or peel them in a tub of water. It’s the sulfur compounds that are released in the air that irritate the eyes.
As with other herbs, spices, and produce, raw and fresh onions provide maximum health benefits. However, many people can’t tolerate raw onions. Research studies have indicated that the beneficial flavonoid ‘quercetin’ (also found in caffeinated teas and red grapes) isn’t destroyed by most cooking methods, though it is decreased by boiling. However, other compounds may be destroyed by heat, so onions should be cooked just long enough to make them tolerable in order to preserve their health-promoting phyto-nutrients.
Caution
Even though onions have many health benefits, they are also very potent. As in anything good, always remember to take only in moderation.
Yours in Optimal Health,
Dr. Mike

Resources:
food-facts.suite101.com/article.cfm/maximizing_the_health_benefits_of_onions#ixzz0cQhdSiOX
www.juicing-for-health.com
www.wellsphere.com
www.food-facts.suite101.com

Arthritis relief from cold weather and/or rainy conditions can often be a difficult remedy to come by. Bluntly stated, arthritis pain is either due to inflammation or joint stiffness. That’s why the prescription drugs for arthritis are mainly anti-inflammatory drugs. However, in this article we are not going to elaborate on the side-effects and health hazards of these COX-1 and COX-II inhibitors.

So, we need to provide the body with some highly effective, all natural, anti-inflammatory supplements or foods. The following nutrients can assist your body in managing and even abolishing the chronic inflammation:

1. I suggest concentrated, pure Ginger (a very natural potent ant-inflammatory agent).
2. Since our pancreas drastically reduces the production of fibrolytic and proteolytic enzymes after the age of 27 (yeah, I know…how did they come up with this number? who knows!), we need to ingest high quality fibrolytic and proteolytic enzymes. The #1 function of these enzymes is anti-inflammatory. The most potent formula is Vitalzym.
3. Fish oils, fresh pineapple (bromelain), apple cider vinegar, and potent aloe vera among many other foods also have strong anti-inflammatory properties.
The next step would be to deal with damaged cartilage and tissues surrounding the inflamed joints. We need to find out which nutrients could assist in re-building the cartilage and tissues! In this case, it may be sulpher (such as in onions and garlic), glucosamine, chondroitin, and others. Make sure you supplement with products that pass the ‘Criteria To Select the Right Supplements’!

Also, make sure you limit nutrients that may aggravate certain symptoms; for example: milk, red meat and table salt in the case of arthritis.

And – of course – protect your joints and body against the cold weather, rain and wind. Cold constricts the arteries and veins in your body, thereby slowing down circulation and blood supply to the joints and tissues. Make sure you stay warm and take advantage of hot packs, whirlpools etc. Oh, I know what you are thinking…shouldn’t I use cold packs if I have inflamed joints? Most conventional doctors (and even therapists) would agree, but I don’t! Out body’s inflammatory process is a healing response and the cold slows down or inhibits this healing response…plan and simple!

Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike.

Toxic singer Britney Spears is on a health kick. Not content with looking better on the outside, the 26-year-old wants to look good on the inside too and is having regular colon cleansing sessions at a clinic in Beverly Hills. A source at the clinic said: “Cleansing a few times a week gets rid of lingering stuff in the colon. Britney’s had the treatment before and says it makes her feel great, more upbeat and energetic.”

FACTS:

An occasional colon cleanse can ward off digestive problems and help treat existing ones. Even though the body naturally cleanses itself, many people (including myself) believe that a good colon cleanse can be very beneficial to one’s health.

The colon is responsible for all elimination of waste. All of the food that we consume ends up in our bowels, and what is unprocessed by the body can remain as waste by-products and toxins attracting parasites. When the colon is clean and healthy, we can experience an overall well-being. When the colon is congested with stagnant waste, poisons will back up into our system and pollute the internal environment, including all other organs such as liver and kidneys. This process is also called autointoxication or self-poisoning.

The truth is that our colon, for most of us, is in an unhealthy state, filled with mucoid plaque and toxins… plain and simple it’s just a complete mess. Our colon is clogged up, causing constipation, digestive problems, and more. How did we reach this state? By consuming unhealthy foods, selecting poor lifestyle choices and being exposed to environmental influences.

Mucoid plaque (also known as chronic feces) is created when the body produces mucus to protect itself from potentially toxic substances. Mucoid plaque acts as a health threat by reducing the absorption of nutrients, impairing digestion, providing a haven for parasitic microorganisms, acting as a reservoir of toxins, promoting the development of cancer, causing skin conditions and allergies, and reducing bowel transit time. The average person has 10-20 pounds of this toxic mucoid plaque in his/her intestines! That would be some easy weight loss, not? And healthy at the same time!

People with a healthy colon should have 1-2 relaxed bowel movements per day. If you do not, you may be experiencing problems with colon function, and you need to follow the advice below.

MYTHS:

Although there are many different colon cleanse home recipes and supplements available on the market today, many of them are expensive, unhealthy and have poor results. The cleanses that omit food and nutrients for longer than 3 days (and up to several weeks) are obviously very unhealthy. The ‘Lemon Detox Diet’ for example will cause nutrient deficiencies, muscle atrophy, and reduce metabolic rate.

CONCLUSION:

Many cleanses use a lot of the same ingredients. Psyllium seeds and husks, for instance, are frequently used because they are known to flush waste out of the colon effectively. Probiotics also turn up frequently in colon cleanse recipes and products because they help enhance the population of beneficial bacteria that live in a one’s gut. Many herbs are commonly found in colon cleanses as well, including aloe, fennel, garlic, prunes, pectin, ginger, licorice, kelp, senna, alginate, cascara sagrada, and goldenseal.
Although there are literally hundreds of colon cleansing home recipes and products available, some of the simple ones are often the effective ones. One of these simple and commonly used colon cleanse home programs is Dr. Mike’s Cheap 5-step Colon Cleanse Program:

My recommendation is to follow my personal protocol:

1. Mix equal parts of apple juice and spring water together (1/2 glass each) and add 1 tbsp. each of liquid bentonite clay, colofiber and psyllium husk seeds. These ingredients are all available at most health food stores. Mix until you get a thick substance and swallow. Follow up that concoction immediately with a mixture of 10 oz. spring water, 1 tbsp. honey and 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar. It’s that easy. Repeat the above procedure daily for 1 week initially, and then for 3 consecutive days, once every month.

2. I personally supplement with the Natural Visions’ Cleanse which contains most of the herbs mentioned above, which aid in cleansing the colon and the body. I recommend you use the supplement for 3 months and then be off the supplement for 3 months, and so on.

3. Increase your fiber intake and reduce your fat and sodium intake. Take at least 30 mg of fiber a day. Purchase natural fiber supplements, or increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. A high fiber diet eases constipation, helps with weight loss and reduces the risk of developing digestive problems.

4. Drink more pure water, at least the amount of ounces equaling half of your body weight in pounds (for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink a minimum of 75 ounces of pure water/day).

5. Perform a water cleanse once every 3 months. This is by far the most basic of all colon cleanses. Just drink water for 3 days…no caffeine, no alcohol, no food and no calories. Be careful not to over-hydrate or dehydrate. Spring water or purified water is your best choice.
The total cost to keep up with my recommendation will be less than $250 every 6 months. I’m sure it’s worth to keep your gut and intestines clean for that little money!

The Benefits of Colon Cleanse
• Increased Energy Levels
• Reduce Chronic Fatigue
• Weight Loss
• Get rid from Acne and other acute Skin problems
• Relief from Gas
• Reduced Stomach Pain & other GI/digestive problems
• Improved concentration
• Better absorption of vitamins and minerals from foods
• No Chronic constipation
• No bad Breath

Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike.

Resources: Colon cleanse Central, Colon Cleanse Zone, 3 day Colon cleanse.

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We already discussed that cholesterol is NOT a deadly poison, but a vital substance! It’s the cholesterol-reducing drugs (or statins, as they’re called) that are the poison, and further more…recent facts show they even don’t work! High cholesterol can indicate a health problem BUT can be totally innocent by itself.

It’s true that heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States. And men over the age of 40 are particularly vulnerable. But, the big pharmaceutical companies (and even your doctor) won’t tell you that the majority of strokes and heart attacks have NOTHING to do with elevated cholesterol levels. Actually, recent reports from the American Heart Association indicate that more people with a low cholesterol die from a heart condition than people with high cholesterol levels; which is totally NOT a surprise! The fact that the majority of all strokes and heart attacks have absolutely nothing to do with elevated cholesterol levels is a guarded secret. It’s these statin drugs that are associated with major complications and side effects such as depletion of the body’s essential energy molecule coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which can lead to congestive heart failure, extreme muscle weakness, neurological disorders and even death. Cholesterol is a vital substance and the drugs prescribed to lower cholesterol are simply dangerous.

What about cancer? All statin drugs have been associated with causing or promoting cancer in experimental animals. This is especially important since millions of Americans have been advised to take these drugs for the rest of their lives. The results of one study were especially frightening: statin drugs produced significant suppression of vital immune cells called helper T-cells. These cells play a major role in protecting us against cancer and fungal, bacterial and viral infections. The immune suppression was so powerful that authors of the paper even suggested that statins might be used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients. The drugs tested in this study included Lipitor, Mevacor and Pravachol. Chronic immune suppression in these millions of people would mean that a tremendous number would be at high risk of developing cancer, and those already having cancer would see tremendous growth and spread of their cancers.

Statins do not seem to benefit postmenopausal women, or anyone without a history of cardiovascular disease. Yet, doctors are prescribing statins for anyone with an elevated cholesterol, and also for all diabetics – no matter their cholesterol level.

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My own mother, who still resides in my home country of Belgium, was put on Lipitor about 2 years ago. I wasn’t aware of that, but she called and expressed pain and numbness in her legs. I tried to diagnose her over the phone and spent countless hours to figure it out…until I asked her: “De doctor heeft jou toch geen cholesterol-drugs voorgeschreven zeker?” Did you get that? I guess not! I talk Flemisch (a Dutch dialect spoken in the Northern part of Belgium) to my mother…anyway what I asked her was: “Your doctor did not prescribe you cholesterol-lowering drugs, did she?”. Well, she did. I advised my mother to discontinue the Lipitor immediately and within 3 days all her symptoms in her legs were gone. I also educated her on what to do naturally to treat the CAUSE of the high cholesterol, and more importantly on what to do to protect your heart. A Danish study found that those taking statin drugs long term were 4 to 14 times more likely to develop nerve degeneration leading to difficulty walking and painful extremities. Regardless, read the side-effect profile of these statins on your drug label and you’ll see.

Cholesterol is just a BIG HOAX!

How many of the 12 million Americans now taking these drugs for their heart health understand that they are just treating the symptoms and NOT the cause of high cholesterol?

Cholesterol-reducing drugs or statins are currently as common as aspirin, with commercials running non-stop on primetime TV. Drugs like Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, Crestor and Mevacor carry many serious health risks, including destruction of muscle, liver damage, increased risk of cancer, malformations at birth, and suppression of the immune system, just to name a few. Drug companies don’t want you to remember that statins like Baycol had to be pulled from the market due to multiple deaths.

Let’s face facts. If you or a loved one has been told you have elevated cholesterol or take cholesterol-lowering statins, invest 2 minutes out of your busy day and educate yourself, it will pay you a very healthy dividend.

FACTS:

1. The whole cholesterol industry is a BIG HOAX. The “supposed” dangers of dietary cholesterol have been strongly exaggerated and one made sure that most people would test ‘positive’ for high cholesterol levels so the drugs could be prescribed and sold to almost everyone. Yes, that’s what happens when BIG money is involved!
2. Statin drugs DON’T WORK anyway! The mainstream media can no longer ignore the mounting evidence that these drugs are not a panacea. One study found that for every hundred people taking statins for three years, only one death will be prevented. Other studies hint that the number is far higher – that up to 250 people would have to take statins for at least three years to prevent a single death! A recent publication even shows that one such drug, Vytorin, simply does not even work for its intended purpose; the reduction of artery plaque. You read that correctly – “does not work.”
3. Having low cholesterol is not only bad for you, but can be just as dangerous, if not more so, than having elevated cholesterol levels.
4. Cholesterol is only “bad” if it becomes oxidized . . . and how to prevent this dangerous reaction from happening in your bloodstream.
5. Lowering cholesterol will NOT improve your health or prevent heart disease. However, simple changes to your diet can protect your heart much better than expensive statin drugs.
6. Dietary cholesterol does NOT raise blood cholesterol and therefor does NOT cause hardening of your arteries (artherosclerosis), so please start eating your organic eggs again…they are one of the most nutritious food items available! For more info, read my article “The Chicken or the Egg?”
7. It’s not eating eggs or foods with high dietary cholesterol that are the main problem; it’s the ‘bad’ foods that stimulate cholesterol production! Consuming ‘bad’ foods (processed, synthetic foods, trans-fats etc.) forces the liver to produce more cholesterol. Why? Because the cell membrane has to increase its fluidity in order to absorb and break down these ‘foreign’ substances. The production of cholesterol in our body actually increases when we consume less cholesterol. That’s also why cholesterol-diets have very limited result.
8. Mental stress, body weight, diet and level of physical activity influence blood cholesterol. Genetics are NOT a primary indicator in cholesterol-health.
9. Diet and exercise alone have limited results in lowering blood cholesterol. With the right nutrients, optimal LDL – HDL ratio’s can be obtained.
10. Many doctors have no or little knowledge about nutrition, vitamins and natural medicine and blindly and mistakenly follow the advice of drug companies…at the expense of your health.

Achieve an optimal LDL-HDL ratio, naturally!

Avoid saturated fats and consume more oat bran, soy products, fresh garlic, and phytostyerol-rich foods such as olive oil, nuts, flax and other seeds, and beans which inhibit the body’s ability to absorb dietary cholesterol.

Take the following supplements (if you really want to lower your cholesterol levels):

Fish-oils, red yeast rice, Niacin (very effective in promoting healthy levels of cholesterol and Lp (a), another ‘toxic blood’ risk factor for heart disease), CoQ10 (supports healthy HDL and prevents excess oxidation of LDL), and Policosanol (derived from the wax of sugar cane, and very effective for lowering total cholesterol and LDL levels).

Note: neither niacin nor red yeast rice extract should be used if you have liver disease or elevated levels of liver enzymes. For these individuals, garlic, guggal preparations, or panthethine are recommended.

So, eat your eggs BUT STOP (or limit) the junk food, fried foods and bad fat intake; and take your supplements (because our food does not provide enough of the right nutrients to maintain a healthy ratio of LDL – HDL).

And if you want to protect your heart, you need to focus on eating heart-healthy foods and consume or supplement with specific nutrients. The most powerful and effective quantum nutritional supplements to support your cardio-vascular system and heart are the following:

Dr. Mike Recommends

Cardiocidin-ND™ (8 oz.) Nanized nutraceutical concentrate: supports the entire cardiovascular system, including healthy blood flow, circulation, blood pressure already within the normal range; also supports heart and artery health.

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CircuZymeTM (535 mg.) 90 Vcaps, Advanced support for blood circulation and associated nerve, heart and arterial health; promotes healthy micro-circulation of blood to peripheral tissue, including the arms, legs, eyes, testicles, penis and other areas; support healthy male erectile function and the adaptive response.

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Heart Complex, Q. (495 mg.) 30 Vcaps, Nutraceutical heart support formula; promotes heart and circulation support; often used with the HCL Detox Kit*

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CoQ-QuinolTM (2 fl. oz.) The world’s only probiotic-generated, live source, fully-reduced CoQ-10H (ubiquinol; not oxidized), for maximum cell energy performance; outperforms common CoQ-10; quantum-state heart, nerve, brain and immune support*

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Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike.

Resources:

Statin Drugs: Bad news gets worse; Newsmax – Monday, January 28, 2008 by Dr. Russelll Blaylock, MD.

Premier Research labs (www.prlabs.com)

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Which is healthier; butter or margarine? Who comes out on top in terms of fat content (transfats and saturated fats), as well as in their calorie capacity? Should we spread that stuff on our sandwiches and/or bake with it? Let’s look at some facts…

Both contain plenty of calories. Regular butter contains a whopping 1628 calories per serving (one serving size is 1 cup or 227 grams) of which 1618 calories come from fat. Margarine contains a similar amount of calories. If you are concerned about your weight or if you want to maintain your optimal weight, omit your butter or margarine.

Next, butter is much higher in saturated fats than margarine (8 to 5 ratio) and just 1 cup of regular butter will get you 583% of the daily recommended intake. Of the 227 grams (1 serving size), 184 grams are fat of which 117 grams is saturated fat…WOW! So the bad thing about butter is that it’s almost nothing but saturated fat. Diets high in saturated fat have been correlated to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, elevated cholesterol levels (which is not really relevant), and cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer and cancer of the small intestine. Regular butter is also high in sodium which may increase blood pressure.

Regular butter does contain some vitamin A among some other nutrients (small amounts of vitamin K, D, E) and many people still assume butter has many nutritional benefits because butter is made of milk. After all, butter is just a very concentrated form of fluid milk. We already established that milk is nothing more than a poison. Read my article: Milk myths put to rest, or visit notmilk.com.

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But margarine is even worse…

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When margarine actually killed the turkeys, the people who invested into this research now had to figure out what to do with this product to get a return on their investment and prevent a huge loss. Since this white substance had no food appeal at all, they decided to add some yellow coloring and some new flavorings into the mix and promote margarine as a substitute for butter. Clever for sure!

Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% compared to eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. It’s the very high trans-fatty acid content that triples the risk of coronary heart disease. Margarine consumption also increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the ‘bad’ cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the ‘good’ cholesterol)…but again, I personally don’t think that matters at all! What does matter is that margarine increases the risk of cancers up to five times, has shown to lower the quality of breast milk, decreases immune response, and decreases insulin response.

And here’s WHY: it’s even more unnatural than butter. Did you know that margarine is just ONE MOLECULE apart from being a PLASTIC, and that margarine shares 27 ingredients with PAINT?

This is because margarine is hydrogenated, which means that hydrogen is added. Hydrogen changes the molecular structure of the substance it’s added to. The body can’t recognize foreign, un-natural substances and can’t metabolize them easily, resulting in cellular mutation which explains the cancers. These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated.

Don’t believe me? Why don’t you try the following experiment for yourself (and involve your kids while explaining the facts above). Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

(1) Unlike with any other ‘real’ food there will be no flies. Not even those pesky fruit flies will go near your margarine (that should tell you something).

(2) The margarine will not rot, or smell differently because it has no nutritional value. Nothing will even grow on it. Even microorganisms and bacteria will not find a home to grow. Why? Margarine is pretty much a plastic. So, would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast? I guess not! Share this experiment with your loved-ones and friends if you want to ‘butter them up’…

Conclusion:

Please choose butter over margarine, and really limit your butter consumption…if possible just eliminate this bunch of saturated fat derived from poisonous milk!

There are no real healthy substitutions for butter and they don’t taste as good either; and most of them contain hydrogenated oils anyway. Some healthier choices are virgin olive oil (which you can also use to substitute your baking butter with), organic jam or some raw honey.

Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike.

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The Michael Jackson mask would sure look crazy and almost ridiculous for anyone to wear all the time, especially a world famous celebrity such as pop star Michael Jackson.

According to sources Michael Jackson had Vitiligo. Vitiligo is an acquired skin disease characterized by patches of un-pigmented skin (often surrounded by a heavily pigmented border). The disease destroys melanin and pigment production in the skin, and in extreme cases may cause sun allergies and may drastically increase the risk of skin cancers.

Dermatologists since his recent death in 2009 have came out and stated that there is no skin bleaching agent in this world that can lighten the skin as much as Michael Jackson’s skin; reinforcing the fact that it was a disease…or was it a result of his extensive facial plastic surgeries? We report, you decide!
But is that the true reason why Michael Jackson was wearing a face mask? Other sources report that Michael Jackson suffered from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Michael Jackson may have been obsessed with germs or dirt, and therefore washed his hands over and over, and was wearing that face mask. Performing these so-called “rituals,” however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

So maybe Michael Jackson was just protecting himself from the common cold or flu…and that’s not totally crazy, is it? The average person catches between 2 to 4 colds a year and will come down with the flu at least once a year. With no cure in sight for colds or flu, current treatments (a ridiculous amount of prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and of course…the flu shots and vaccinations that DO NOT WORK and pose a health hazard themselves) can relieve symptoms or shorten the duration of those symptoms. But common sense tells all of us that we need to prevent catching a cold or flu by boosting our immune system and incorporating healthy eating practices.

I assume you would prefer not to wear a face mask like Michael Jackson all the time in order to prevent the flu or a common cold…I listed some easy tips and natural remedies to treat and prevent the common cold and flu:

1. There are 2 herbal remedies your medicine chest should never be without: Echinacea and Astragalus. Both of these natural medicines are powerful immune boosters that will help you to be more resilient all year round.

2. Zinc acetate lozenges will help reduce the length of a cold.

3. To alleviate a sore throat gargle 4 to 5 times a day with warm water and a teaspoon of salt.

4. Wash your hands regularly and when indicated with a chemical free soap to help prevent the virus from entering the nasal and oral cavities, or from spreading it to other people. Anti-bacterial soaps are totally unnecessary and do more harm than good. I personally recommend the Natural Visions’ soap which is handcrafted and all natural.

5. Increase your vitamin D intake. Vitamin D deficiency (lack of) is most likely the cause of getting the seasonal flu; less sunshine translates in less vitamin D and consequently less protection against infections. Therefore, optimizing vitamin D levels is probably the number one strategy to avoid any kind of infection. Have your vitamin D levels checked regularly and make sure your levels are at a therapeutic level, between 50-60 ng/ml.

6. Increase your vitamin C intake to 1,000 mg per day to help boost your immune system and shorten your cold. Try drinking fresh squeezed or organic orange juice or even better pineapple juice (it generally contains more vitamin C than orange juice).

7. Boost your immune system:
a. Supplement with Natural Visions Wellness Support, which boost the immune system on all 3 levels. This excellent supplement contains Vitamin C, Zinc, Echinacea, Olive Leaf, American Ginseng and other antioxidants to fight free radicals while enhancing our response to stress.
b. Increase your antioxidant intake with Natural Visions Mind™.
c. Balance your pH and relieve your body from its burden to constantly try and buffer your blood so it can keep your immune system up. Eat plenty of fruits & vegetables and/or supplement with the Natural Visions Soul™.
d. Supplement with omega-3 fish oils or krill.
e. Exercise moderately. I recommend 4 times 30 minutes/week.
8. Take a broad spectrum NATURAL antibiotic such as fresh, organic garlic and consume it regularly (unless you are allergic to garlic of course). Garlic will fight bacteria, viruses and fungi in the body.
9. Consume plenty of fluids. Choose water (squeeze some lemon or lime in it) and/or clear broth to prevent dehydration. Drink enough to have clear or pale yellow urine. You may also drink decaffeinated hot tea or honey, lemon and hot water mixed together.
10. Use a humidifier to keep nasal passages moist.
11. Get enough rest. Fatigue will only prolong the illness. Get more sleep than usual to help your body recover and help your immune system fight the infection (if any).
12. Avoid processed foods and junk food which are loaded with colorings, preservatives, pesticides, hormones, carcinogens, antibiotic residues etc. These food items destroy your immune system and consequently your body fails to fight viruses and illnesses. For more information, read my book “10 Things You Should Know…”
13. Don’t consume alcohol.
14. Avoid doctor’s offices and hospitals since they are the breeding grounds for flu bugs and infections of all kinds.
You may think after reading my tips that wearing a face mask like Michael Jackson may be the easier solution, and you’re probably right. However, a face mask will not improve your health and actually lowers your own immune system (no exposure to any kind of germs which puts your immune system to sleep), making you more susceptible to illness.
Yours in Optimal Health,
Dr. Mike

Resources: Web MD, Familyhealth, nutrition.com, National Institute of Mental Health – OCD, LewRockwell.com September 16, 2009, Mayoclinic.com

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Mind, Body, and Soul

10 Things You Should Know About Your Body

Lindsay Lohan, like so many other young people, often forgets about the negative health effects of alcohol and excessive partying. Newspapers, magazines, and the internet are constantly reporting on – yet another – outrageous party Lindsay Lohan attended, and demanded all attention. Whether it’s getting stupidly drunk and wasted, or getting high on drugs, or kissing guys or girls in public…she makes it work somehow, doesn’t she? But how does a lavish lifestyle like Lindsay’s affect one’s physical health (not to mention mental and emotional health)?

Effect of Stimulants on the Body

Stimulants such as alcohol, certain medicines, recreational drugs, amphetamines, caffeine, nicotine etc. are psychoactive drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both. Examples of these kinds of effects may include enhanced alertness, wakefulness, increased risk-taking behavior among others. However, these temporary improvements seem to rapidly transform into a false sense of confidence and locomotion, poor coordination, distorted visual perceptions, poor judgment, etc.

Due to their effects typically having an “up” quality to them, stimulants are also occasionally referred to as “uppers”. As the effects of the stimulants begin to wear off, you may experience a level of fatigue that is worse than when you first took the stimulant. This exhaustion results in further impaired reflexes and concentration. Stimulants produce these various effects by enhancing the activity of the central and peripheral nervous system through a number of different pharmacological mechanisms, the most prominent of which include facilitation of norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and/or dopamine activity.

Long-term effects of stimulants

The one-in-a-while party where one overindulges on alcohol won’t do that much harm, but when the consumption of alcohol, drugs and/or other stimulants becomes a regular activity it will pay its toll for sure! Known long-term side-effects of stimulant use include:

Impotence

High blood pressure

Heart failure

Chronic sleep problems

Extreme mood swings

Compulsive repetition of actions

Paranoia/anxiety/depression/irritability/suspiciousness

Weight loss

Panic attacks/seizures

I guess you agree it’s not worth all that partying, is it? The problem is that people get addicted to these stimulants: smokers, alcoholics and drug abusers.

SO, let’s shed some more light on alcohol abuse in this article…

What kind of drinker are you?

If you drink on social occasions only (party, restaurant, pub with friends) and otherwise do not crave alcohol, you are what we call a ‘social drinker’ or even better a ‘sensible drinker’. If you are otherwise in good health, the occasional alcohol will do you no harm.

A ‘hazardous’ drinker is a social drinker who drinks too much and often suffers from a hangover. The hazardous drinker usually enjoys alcoholic drinks not just in social settings but also consumes them daily at home. The hazardous drinker will encounter some health problems in the long-term. The self-help tips below will help the hazardous drinker to become a sensible drinker again.

A ‘harmful’ drinker drinks more alcohol than his/her body can tolerate and the alcohol consumption is currently causing some problems. You may feel less energetic, bloated, suffer from mood swings and feel unhappy, you argue with your partner about your drinking problem and you spend too much money drinking.

The ‘dependant’ drinker needs a drink all the time and drinks way too much. Without alcohol the dependant drinker starts shaking and sweating, and feels anxious and sick. This drinking problem affects job performance and other aspects of life. The dependant drinker is afraid to cut down because of the feelings it may provoke.

Lindsay Lohan is obviously a harmful or probably even a dependant drinker; but what are you? Be truthful and get help if needed. If you are a ‘hazardous’ or ‘harmful’ drinker, the self-help tips below may suffice to get you back on track andprevent a burden on your health.

How to Control Your Drinking?

First of all, for a complete self-analysis, please download or print the pdf-file below for FREE! This self-help guide is a courtesy of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust, UK.

Step 1: Planning

You will need to transform ‘bad’ habits into ‘good’ habits which will take some time. The first step is to take control of your drinking by planning when and how much you will drink:

1. Use a drinking dairy and plan when and how much you will drink
2. Identify high-risk times, for example weekends, a night out with friends, after a hard days work etc.
3. Pick at least 2 days a week you will not drink alcohol at all
4. On the days you do plan to drink, pick the time you will leave the bar or go to bed and follow through
5. Keep track of what you really consumed versus what you planned to consume
6. Plan to eat before drinking and try to eat while drinking

Step 2: Cutting back

Start to reduce the amount of alcohol you use by trimming back at times you will least miss it:

1. If you plan to go out for a drink, don’t have a drink at home before you leave
2. Start drinking at a later time in the evening and set a time before which you will not drink
3. If you drink spirits, gradually use more and more of the ‘mixer’ (soda, tonic, ginger ale, lemonade) and less and less of the spirit
4. If you drink wine, buy smaller glasses and choose wine with a lower alcohol content
5. If you drink beer or lager, stick to standard strength and avoid premium varieties

Step 3: Alternatives

Substitute some drinking time with other activities:

1. Initially, pick one day a week you usually drink and substitute with another activity, for example exercise, going to the movies, a play-date with the kids etc.
2. If you tend to drink at home, start experimenting with other, non-alcoholic drinks and find some that you like. Also try the Mind-to-go drink (as a shot) as a substitute for shots and spirits.
3. If you plan to go out and drink with friends, offer to be the designated driver
4. If consuming alcohol, alternate alcoholic with non-alcoholic drinks

For hangovers, please refer to the following article (SEO5 team to insert article link).

If you gained weight because of the excessive use of alcohol (yes, alcohol turns into sugar), check out our Sensible Weight Loss Program.

If you are a harmful drinker or a dependant drinker and the above self-help tips do not work for you, please contact your local AAA and visit a licensed acupuncturist who specializes in addiction.

Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike

Avocados are one of the most nutritional as well as healthy fruits you can eat.Wellness choices begin with proper nutrition, and the avocado is an excellent food source to achieve that goal. The avocado fruit, also known as the Alligator Pear, vegetable butter or butter pear, is light-green with a pear-like shape and has skin with a leather-like appearance. Avocados have a creamy, buttery texture and are popular in salads, salsas, soups, sandwiches, wraps, guacamole and various other dishes. Avocados are native to Central and South America where they have been cultivated for thousands of years.

Avocados are quite healthy for you because they are an excellent source of potassium, folate, iron, vitamin E, B-vitamins, fiber, and monounsaturated fatty acids.  Just one avocado has the same amount of potassium as two or three bananas (but more calories, approximately 50 calories for 1/5 of a regular size avocado). The sodium and potassium in avocados keeps your body chemically balanced.

An avocado contains approximately 20% fat which is mostly why the avocado is a misunderstood fruit. However, the fat in avocados is ‘good fat’. Avocados contain extremely high amounts of unsaturated oil (second only to olives). The other oils include oleic acid and linoleic acid, which studies have shown may lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (this is of less importance since we already established that cholesterol is a big hoax). Avocados, due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, are therefore a healthy substitution for foods rich in saturated fat. Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain. Furthermore, avocados are a perfectly digestible and slow burning fuel, making them ideal for replenishing nutrients for athletes.

Avocados are also loaded with essential micronutrients with nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds necessary for a healthy and balanced diet. One-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz) has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals making it a good nutrient choice. The avocado’s smooth, creamy consistency makes it one of the first fresh fruits a baby can enjoy. A serving of avocado also contains 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes (lutein is concentrated in the macula of the eyes). Both are known to be powerful antioxidants. Avocados also contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 3-oz serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels (which again is not that important).

Avocados act as a “nutrient booster” by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

Avocados and Heart Disease:

Avocados can help consumers meet the dietary guidelines of the American Heart Association, which are to eat a diet that is low to moderate in fat. The fats should be primarily unsaturated and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The avocado is virtually the only fruit that has monounsaturated fat. Avocados help assist consumers in meeting a major dietary goal of reducing saturated fat in the diet, when they are consumed in place of saturated-fat containing foods.

When used instead of other fats, avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and can be part of a calorie-reduced diet or weight loss program.

Spread and Dip Nutritional Comparison for Fresh Avocados:

Fresh avocado on sandwiches and toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods may help reduce dietary intake of calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.

Looking for a twist on spreads and dips? A 1-ounce serving of fresh avocados contain 0mg of cholesterol, 0mg of sodium, 0.5g saturated fat. See the chart below for examples of how fresh avocados are a great substitute on sandwiches, toast or substituted as a spread in place of many other popular foods.

Reference: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005) and FDA Food Labeling Guidelines for Voluntary Nutrition Labeling of Raw Fruits, Vegetable and Fish (Vol. 71, No. 159); Appendix C to Part 101 – Nutrition Facts for Raw Fruits and Vegetables (2006). Nutritional values are for the item listed only; not as consumed with other foods or ingredients.

Yours in Optimal Health,

Dr. Mike

Resource: California Avacodo commission