Monday, 26 March 2018

Eight laws of health that could change your life forever!
Written by Valdi Swart          

(Inspired by and based on the Health Survival 2000 DVD series by Dr. Gary Martin)

Did you know that disease is not something that happens randomly or by accident? To a large extent disease is the result of the violation of one (or usually several) of a few very basic health laws. Our bodies were designed to heal themselves given the right conditions. If we adhere to a few simple principles, these conditions can be created and balanced and restored in our bodies.

The eight health laws are by no means a new concept. Quite the contrary. In 1905 a lady called Ellen G. White wrote a book called The Ministry of Healing wherein she explained these laws or principles in depth. She believed that disease was an effort of nature to try and rid the body of harmful things. Two of the main causes of disease are toxicity and nutritional deficiency. In our modern world we get exposed to so many toxins and generally speaking our Western diet is nothing but a recipe for disaster.

As is the case with any law of nature, there are certain consequences when we break the eight laws of health. These consequences are evident in the disease-ridden world we live in. The GOOD news? Many diseases and even serious conditions can be reversed by bringing the body back into balance. So, take heart – it is never too late to make a few adjustments and get your health back on track! Let’s have a closer look at the eight health laws that can bring back your zest for life.

1. FRESH AIR AND VENTILATION


This seems so basic, right? Yet there are very few people who get enough oxygen on any given day. The concentration of oxygen in the air we breathe has dramatically decreased over the past few decades. Also, people simply don’t breathe deeply enough. Many of us sit behind desks and take shallow breaths throughout the day. To make matters worse, we sit in air-conditioned offices and the air we breathe is anything but fresh.

Our bodies are craving oxygen!

We need to make breathing a priority as proper breathing helps the body’s elimination system get rid of toxins. You are helping your heart and liver when you breathe deeply. Deep breathing will also reduce your stress levels, improve your mental outlook, assist in concentration, promote better blood flow, aid in better sleep and increase your energy levels. It has a calming and relaxing effect on the body, so fill up your lungs!

Tips:
  • ·     Keep windows and doors open to ensure good ventilation.
  • ·     Start your day by taking 10 deep breaths before you get out of bed.
  • ·    Practise lateral breathing, i.e. fill up your lungs to the sides and the back of the ribcage by inhaling deeply through your nose and opening the back of the throat. Then slowly blow out all the air through your mouth.
  • ·     Be mindful to breathe deeply during the course of the day.
  • ·     Leave a window open in the winter and cover yourself with an extra blanket.
  • ·     Switch off the aircon and open the windows!


2. SUNLIGHT


You need at least 20 minutes of sunshine on both arms each day. Sunlight converts a body hormone into an essential nutrient like vitamin D3, which plays an important role in the absorption of calcium and in maintaining good bone health. Vitamin D also supports the immune system and has anti-cancer properties. An hour in the sun is even better and the more of your body you expose to the sun, the better. Obviously we are talking about early mornings (7:00 – 9:00) or late afternoons (16:00 – 17:00) and not when the sun is scorching hot. (NB: Don’t cover yourself in sunblock for your sun bathe and don’t burn.) So, get your booty outside and bask in nature’s healing rays!

3.  ABSTEMIOUSNESS

This refers to abstaining from harmful things and using temperance in the good things. Harmful things include things that pollute the blood and cause an imbalance in the metabolism. Tobacco, alcohol, too much caffeine, as well as unhealthy foods like hydrogenated fats, refined starches and sugar fall into this category. So too are pesticides, cleaning and beauty products containing harmful chemicals, etc.

Good things that should be used in moderation include fruits, which contain fructose – a good sugar – but one that can nevertheless be harmful if ingested in high quantities (causes inflammation and can raise uric acid).

The author of The Ministry of Healing adds to this: “Regularity in eating should be carefully observed.”  Dr Steven Gunn, Chief Medical Officer and Integrative Medicine Physician at ALTMEDCARE International Clinics recommends not to eat unhealthy snacks between your meals and to eat regular healthy meals, but eat when you are hungry and not according to the clock. Similarly, stop eating when you feel satiated.  Do not over eat, that is, until your plate is clear.  Drink water at least one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal, not with a meal, which dilutes the digestive enzymes.  (Note: Good nutrition is crucial in all your meals!)

There are studies that support Ellen Whites belief that you only slow down the process of metabolising your food properly each time you eat something between meals. It takes three to four hours for food to exit the stomach and up to twelve hours for the food to be digested therefore constantly eating between meals will result in the process having to start all over again. 

4. REST

Seven to eight hours of sleep is the optimum amount for an adult, but people who get a lot of pre-midnight sleep live the longest, according to Dr. Gary Martin, naturopath and co-founder of Living Valley Springs in Australia.

The body can only produce the sleep hormone melatonin when no light is entering the eyes, and the body cannot produce melatonin after midnight. Therefore the more hours you sleep before midnight, the better you will rest.

Also remember that your body will only start producing this sleep hormone after you have switched off the lights (and phones, Tablets, IPads, etc.). It is healthier to go to bed early and get up early than to go to bed late and get up late. Blackout curtains and switching off all lights can greatly improve your melatonin levels and therefore your sleep.

5. EXERCISE

You need at least 40 minutes of brisk movement per day. This does not necessarily have to be a hard-core workout in the gym, but can be as simple as walking, swimming or gardening. Get your heart rate up and your blood pumping! (You can also look into the benefits of Pilates as a form of exercise.)

6. PROPER DIET

According to Dr. Martin our diet should consist of 70% raw foods: veggies, fruits, nuts, etc.

We should avoid white bread and refined foods like pasta (Prof. Tim Noakes from The Real Meal Revolution calls pasta quite aptly a “non-food”), as well as hydrogenated fats like margarine (a “plastic fat”) and processed foods. Use moderation when eating red meat and remember that game is the healthiest red meat option available (think free range, no routine antibiotics, no growth hormones and much less fat).

We need to stick as close to nature as possible by eating whole foods in their original form. Our diet should include legumes and good fats like olive oil, coconut oil and omega 3 oils found in fish, flaxseed and walnuts. We should avoid sugar and sugary drinks and opt for healthy beverages like herbal teas instead. Let your food be your medicine! (I will discuss diet in much more detail in a later blog post.)

7.  WATER

The body of an adult human being contains about 70% water. Our bodies need water to function properly. Dehydration may be one of the main causes of toxic damage leading to cancer and many other diseases. When you don’t take in enough water, your body cannot flush out the toxins from your system. Have you ever tried washing your car with coffee, soda or fruit juice? Yep, the same is true for your body. It simply won’t work.

You need two to three litres of good, clean, high-quality purified with mineral or natural spring water over and above any other beverages you may consume during the day, (also depends on your level of work activity and environmental temperature).

Drinking alkaline water is even better. Water with a pH of 7.5 – 8.5 can help neutralise acid in the bloodstream. An acidic body will make you more susceptible to chronic inflammation, cancer, oxidation in the body, excess free calcium and numerous other health problems.

There are quick and easy ways to make your own alkaline water:
  • Add fresh lemon to your drinking water. You can mash the lemon to a pulp, peel and all, or just squeeze out the juice if you’re not particularly fond of the slightly bitter taste of lemon zest. Three lemons per day are excellent for your pH levels!
  • You can make your own Sole water by making a saturated Himalayan salt and water mixture and then adding a few drops of this mixture to your drinking water.


8.  TRUST IN DIVINE POWER

Our mental health plays a very important role in our physical well-being. When we trust in God we receive strength from above. Our attitude also has a significant impact on our health. Dr. Caroline Leaf and Dr. Michelle Strydom share this belief with author Ellen White. On the cover of her book, Healing begins with sanctification of the heart, Strydom asserts that “87-95% of all diseases have been traced back to what goes on in our thought life!” She states that forgiveness is a necessity for healing and argues that fear, jealousy, envy, rejection, self-hatred and a host of other negative emotions are the root causes of numerous diseases. We need to have a close look at our hearts and – with God’s help – deal with any sickness that may be lurking there.

So there you have it. Begin with the basics and you will be amazed by the results. There is no time like the present to make a U-turn and start your journey towards a healthy mind, body and soul.

Be blessed!  Be healthy! Be prosperous!

     

Monday, 12 March 2018


REVOLUTIONARY NEW CANCER TREATMENT



A New Era in Cancer Treatment

Our partner clinic, Virotherapy & Immunotherapy Protocols Cancer Clinics (South Africa) is attended to by South Africa's first and only accredited and licenced prescribing Medical Doctor for Rigvir(R) virotherapy. 

What is Cancer Virotherapy?

Oncolytic Virotherapy specifically destroys cancer cells using a virus.  This virus is the world’s first clinically approved and registered oncolytic virus which is not genetically modified.
Virotherapy effectiveness is recognised as a safe and effective cancer treatment
Virotherapy effectiveness has been proven over many years of clinical studies.  In 2015, the medical journal Melanoma Research published a study that revealed that melanoma patients treated with Rigvir ® are 4 to 6 times more likely to survive than those who did not receive it.

Mode of Action

The virus finds and infects tumour cells.  This process is called oncotropism.  Subsequently, the virus replicates within the tumour cells and destroys them.  This process is called oncolysis.  Both processes are selective for tumour cells and normal healthy cells are minimally affected, if at all.

Welcome To Your Health!

Along with ozone therapy, dietary and supplementation changes, Specialised IV Infusions and Virotherapy, we offer this treatment plan to those who reject traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.
Please make an appointment with Trisch for more information.  trisch@theozonepod.co.za or 0114654514
OR
Dr. Steven Gunn at our Pretoria East Clinic
Contact Number:
012 9911 764 / 464
email: info@altmedcare.co.za
CLINICAL PRACTICE OF VIROTHERAPY IS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF THE FOLLOWING CANCERS :
  • Melanoma
  • Stomach Cancer
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Kidney Cancer
  • Uterine Cancer
  • Bladder Cancer
  • Lung Cancer
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Several types of Sarcoma

Sunday, 11 March 2018

Is your stress changing my brain?

Stress isn't just contagious; it alters the brain on a cellular level

Date:
March 8, 2018
Source:
University of Calgary
Summary:
Scientists have discovered that stress transmitted from others can change the brain in the same way as a real stress does.
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In a new study in Nature Neuroscience, Jaideep Bains, PhD, and his team at the Cumming School of Medicine's Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), at the University of Calgary have discovered that stress transmitted from others can change the brain in the same way as a real stress does. The study, in mice, also shows that the effects of stress on the brain are reversed in female mice following a social interaction. This was not true for male mice.
"Brain changes associated with stress underpin many mental illnesses including PTSD, anxiety disorders and depression," says Bains, professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and member of the HBI. "Recent studies indicate that stress and emotions can be 'contagious'. Whether this has lasting consequences for the brain is not known."
The Bains research team studied the effects of stress in pairs of male or female mice. They removed one mouse from each pair and exposed it to a mild stress before returning it to its partner. They then examined the responses of a specific population of cells, specifically CRH neurons which control the brain's response to stress, in each mouse, which revealed that networks in the brains of both the stressed mouse and naïve partner were altered in the same way.
The study's lead author, Toni-Lee Sterley, a postdoctoral associate in Bains' lab said, "What was remarkable was that CRH neurons from the partners, who were not themselves exposed to an actual stress, showed changes that were identical to those we measured in the stressed mice."
Next, the team used optogenetic approaches to engineer these neurons so that they could either turn them on or off with light. When the team silenced these neurons during stress, they prevented changes in the brain that would normally take place after stress. When they silenced the neurons in the partner during its interaction with a stressed individual, the stress did not transfer to the partner. Remarkably, when they activated these neurons using light in one mouse, even in the absence of stress, the brain of the mouse receiving light and that of the partner were changed just as they would be after a real stress.
The team discovered that the activation of these CRH neurons causes the release of a chemical signal, an 'alarm pheromone', from the mouse that alerts the partner. The partner who detects the signal can in turn alert additional members of the group. This propagation of stress signals reveals a key mechanism for transmission of information that may be critical in the formation of social networks in various species.
Another advantage of social networks is their ability to buffer the effects of adverse events. The Bains team also found evidence for buffering of stress, but this was selective. They noticed that in females the residual effects of stress on CRH neurons were cut almost in half following time with unstressed partners. The same was not true for males.
Bains suggests that these findings may also be present in humans. "We readily communicate our stress to others, sometimes without even knowing it. There is even evidence that some symptoms of stress can persist in family and loved ones of individuals who suffer from PTSD. On the flip side, the ability to sense another's emotional state is a key part of creating and building social bonds."
This research from the Bains lab indicates that stress and social interactions are intricately linked. The consequences of these interactions can be long-lasting and may influence behaviours at a later time.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of CalgaryNote: Content may be edited for style and length.
.

Thursday, 8 March 2018

Shocking Research - Baked Goods Causes Cancer


Bread and crisps in cancer risk scare


Staple foods including bread, chips and crisps, may contain high levels of a substance believed to cause cancer, a study suggests.

Tests showed they all contain high quantities of acrylamide, a chemical which is classified as a probable human carcinogen.

Researchers in Sweden found acrylamide was formed when carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes, rice or cereals are heated.

Such foods could pose a potential health risk to millions of people around the world.
The research was deemed so important that scientists took the unusual step of going public with their findings before the details had been officially published in an academic journal

The study was carried out by Stockholm University in collaboration with experts at Sweden's National Food Administration, a government food safety agency.Leif Busk, head of the Food Administration's research department, said: "I have been in this field for 30 years and I have never seen anything like this before."The study found that an ordinary bag of crisps may contain up to 500 times more of the substance than the top level allowed in drinking water by the World Health Organisation (WHO)

Fried food riskFrench fries sold at Swedish franchises of US fast-food chains contained about 100 times the one microgram per litre maximum permitted by the WHO in drinking water, the study showed.One milligram, or 0.001 gram, contains 1,000 micrograms.

The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies acrylamide, a colourless, crystalline solid, as a medium hazard probable human carcinogen.Acrylamide induces gene mutations and has been found in animal tests to cause benign and malignant stomach tumours.

It is also known to cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous system.Mr Busk said: "The discovery that acrylamide is formed during the preparation of food, and at high levels, is new knowledge.

"It may now be possible to explain some of the cases of cancer caused by food."The Food Administration said fried, oven-baked and deep-fried potato and cereal products may contain high levels of acrylamide.

Experts at Cancer Research UK believe the study is highly significant.The charity's carcinogens expert Professor David Phillips said: "We know already that the 'Western diet' leads to a different spectrum of cancers from those that are common in other parts of the world."It is likely that many aspects of our diet, rather than a single culprit, are responsible for this."We do not know for sure what the impact on human health of these levels of acrylamide in food is, but because it is a known animal carcinogen it is advisable that its formation during food preparation or production be minimised."

One crisp dangerCancer Research UK advises consumers to avoid a diet excessively high in fat and fried food.It suggests people eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and avoid overcooked or burnt food."For the food industry there is now a responsibility to monitor acrylamide formation in food products and to find ways of minimising its formation," said Professor Phillips.Margareta Tornqvist, an associate professor at Stockholm University's department of environmental chemistry said the consumption of a single potato crisp could take acrylamide intake up to the WHO maximum for drinking water.

However, she said the product analysis, based on more than 100 random samples, was not extensive enough for the Administration to recommend the withdrawal of any products from the supermarket shelves.Stefan Eriksson, marketing manager for Burger King's subsidiary in Sweden, said: "We have received the information and we are evaluating what it will mean."The Food Standards Agency said consumers do not need to change their diet in the light of this report.The WHO said the study results were worrying, but that more research was needed.Jorgen Schlundt, head of the WHO's food safety programme, said: "I am not saying that the world should simply stop eating these foods."

Mr Schlundt said the WHO planned to gather experts at its Geneva headquarters to examine the question, but it might be a couple of months before such a meeting could be held."We are not saying that everybody is going to be dying from this in 30 years, but we are saying that there is a potential problem and that we need to know more," he said.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1949413.stm

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Wednesday, 7 March 2018

Depression and the immune response

Depression and the immune response


The immune systems of people with depression have been found to produce an increased inflammatory response. This inflammation can lead to the production of neurotoxic compounds that kill brain cells.
In a negative cycle, depression leads to inflammation in the brain, which further increases the feelings of depression.
Dr. Angelos Halaris, lead author of the study and professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, wanted to investigate whether SSRIs had an impact on this immune response.
The study looked at patients with severe depression who were prescribed escitalopram, a common form of SSRI. Of the patients that completed the trial, 80% reported at least some degree of remission in their depressive symptoms.
To investigate the immunological component, the team took samples of the patients' blood and measured the levels of nine chemicals associated with an immune reaction. Of the nine substances, eight were found to be elevated above normal levels in the depressed participants.
The substances hsCRP, TNF-alpha, IL6 and MCP1 were also significantly higher than those observed in patients who did not have depression.
Reduction in toxins in patients treated with escitalopram
The results of the study showed that the patients treated with escitalopram displayed a significant drop in the levels of two neurotoxic compounds over the course of the trial.
Specifically, 3-hydroxykynurenine fell by almost 70% between weeks 8 and 12, and quinolinic acid dropped by 50% during the first eight weeks. Both substances are implicated in neurotoxicity via immune reactions.
The study, after drop-outs, utilized data from just 20 patients. As a result, the researchers warn, the results must be approached with caution.
Halaris hopes this small-scale study will induce further research into the potential neuroprotective actions of SSRIs. It is possible that other drugs, such as Prozac, might also show these anti-immune, neuroprotective characteristics.
Depression, in all of its forms, is a complex condition, and only with detailed investigation will its prevention become possible.

Credit: Full article:https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/303618.php

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