The Top 9 Herbs for Liver Cleansing
(DrEddyClinic News) Imagine a fish tank with a motorized water filter. If the filter is clogged with toxins from the tank, the entire tank becomes filled with the same contaminants. In our system, the filter is the liver, the tank is the body, and the fish that has to live in it is you.
Thankfully, a number of herbs for liver cleansing do exist. But first, let’s examine the role of the liver in detoxification a bit further.
The liver is the primary organ responsible for expelling and breaking down toxins entering the body. In particular, it produces bile, a detoxifying agent metabolically indispensable in breaking down fats from food. Even many traditional medical doctors are fully aware of just how important the health of your liver plays in the outcome of your overall health.
Dr. Karl Maret, M.D. :
“The proper functioning of the eyes, the heart, the brain, the gonads, the joints, and the kidneys, are all dependent on good liver activity… If the liver is impaired from constructing even one of the thousands of enzyme systems the body requires, there is an impairment in overall body function and a resultant greater metabolic stress on the individual.”
There are many herbs that can help with liver cleansing. Here are the top 9 herbs I use and recommend:
Borotutu Bark
Borotutu bark http://bit.ly/what-is-borututu-bark is by far one of the most powerful substances when it comes to liver cleansing and digestive system support. It has even shown promise in combating biliary colic, and jaundice. It’s also important to note that this herb contains powerful antioxidants which are known to help protect your liver cells from serious damage.
Milk Thistle Seed
Milk thistle http://bit.ly/benefits-of-milk-thistle-seed has been used for over two thousand years due to its remarkable effects on the liver and gallbladder. Galen and Pliny, the ancient philosophers recognized and used the power of milk thistle for liver cleansing and support. Milk thistle helps with the detoxification of poisons such as alcohol, regeneration of damaged liver tissue, stimulation of bile production, and improved digestion.
Chanca Piedra
The indigenous people of the amazon have used chanca piedra http://bit.ly/benefits-of-chanca-piedra for centuries to promote the body’s natural elimination of liver, gallbladder and kidney stones. It also stimulates the liver to purge itself of harmful toxins and foreign particles. Chanca piedra soothes the liver, increases bile production, and reduces the formation of calcified stones in the body.
Greater Celandine
The ancient greeks and romans considered celandine http://bit.ly/benefits-of-organic-greater-celandine to be one of the most powerful liver cleansing herbs. Maurice Mességué the famous french herbalist used greater celandine for all liver problems. Celandine stimulates enzyme production from the pancreas, helps the liver eliminate foreign particles, stimulates the production of bile, helps relieve gallbladder spasms and improves a sluggish liver.
Chicory Root
Known for its vibrant blue flowers, chicory http://bit.ly/benefits-of-chicory-root is also a medicinal herb celebrated for its ability to help cleanse the liver. Ancient Roman, Persian, Arabian, and Indian physicians used chicory leaves and root to aid against a slew of liver ailments including jaundice, gallbladder and liver stones, urinary stones, constipation, indigestion, depression, and headaches.
Dandelion Root
This humble weed—often hacked to bits by lawn care workers—is a liver cleanser that has been celebrated throughout the ages. Dandelion root http://bit.ly/benefits-of-dandelion-root stimulates bile flow from the liver, and is often used by herbalists to help fight fatty liver, cirrhosis, estrogen dominance, and even acne.
Organic Turmeric
This yellow root—a cousin of ginger—is a powerful liver protector and even liver cell regenerator. It not only helps stimulate enzymes responsible for flushing out toxins (including known carcinogens) from the body, but UCLA research found that turmeric http://bit.ly/turmeric-curcuma is capable of combating the effects of carcinogens.
Peppermint
Peppermint http://bit.ly/benefits-of-peppermint isn’t just for fresh breath. This herb stimulates bile flow and relaxes bile ducts, helping to break down fats. It also helps reduce bad cholesterol, which makes the liver’s job of filtering toxins easier. Peppermint also inhibits blockages in the kidney and gallbladder and calms the stomach for optimal digestion.
Organic Yellow Dock Root
This herb is known as a blood purifier and commonly used to cleanse toxins from the body. Yellow dock http://bit.ly/benefits-of-yellow-dock-root helps break down fatty foods by stimulating bile production, enhancing normal liver detoxification, improving the flow of digestive juices, helping the liver eliminate toxins, and has mild diuretic effects to help flush out harmful substances. It also helps reduce irritation of the liver and digestive system.
– Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
Probiotics and Gluten-Free Foods for Celiac Disease Diet
(DrEddyClinic News) Bowel diseases are numerous and unpleasant. Among them, celiac disease http://bit.ly/what-is-celiac-disease is perhaps one of the strangest and least understood. The condition is believed to stem from an abnormal reaction of the small intestines to gluten proteins, which triggers a sort of self-destructive immune response within the upper bowels. Fortunately, there is a growing body of scientific research which supports the use of beneficial probiotics http://bit.ly/health-benefits-of-probiotics and eating gluten-free foods, as part of your Celiac Disease diet, can help alleviate those uncomfortable symptoms.
Gluten is commonly found in a variety of foods and provides shape and texture. Healthy bodies are able to digest gluten like any other food. In patients who suffer from celiac disease however, gluten is treated very much like a severe allergen, and the presence of even small amounts can trigger intense flare-ups.
Common Foods to Avoid (Unless Labeled Gluten-Free)
- Beer
- Bread
- Candy
- Cereal
- Fries
- Artificial/Processed Meat
- Pastas
- Salad Dressing and Other Sauces
- Potato/Tortilla Chips
How Does Gluten Aggravate Celiac Disease?
The lining of the small intestines are covered with delicate, specialized tissue called villi. The name, which means “shaggy hairs” in Latin, accurately describes their appearance. Villi are responsible for the uptake of vital nutrients from food, and for patients with celiac disease, they can also become a source of agonizing pain.
When gluten proteins become entangled in the intestinal villi of a person with celiac disease, their body’s defense mechanism mistakenly attacks the gluten AND the villi. This interrupts the absorption of vitamins and minerals and can ignite a range of painful side effects. Typical symptoms of celiac disease include abdominal pain due to gas http://bit.ly/6-causes-of-flatulence and bloating http://bit.ly/what-is-bloating, constipation and diarrhea http://bit.ly/effects-of-diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. These can be periodic or constant depending on the individual.
Over time, the diminished ability to process nutrients can also lead to more serious issues such as anemia, depression, fatigue and body aches, even hair loss and stunted growth in children.
How Can Probiotics Possibly Alleviate Celiac Disease?
Researchers have had a great deal of success reducing the symptoms of a number of different digestive conditions using readily available strains of beneficial probiotic bacteria. During a recent study, scientists at the National Spanish Research Council in Valencia, Spain, created an artificial small intestine and synthesized the internal effects of the disease [1].
According to the Spanish researchers, experimentation with a variety of probiotic strains showed great potential in improving the resilience of intestinal tissue, as well as reducing the immune system’s overall hostility towards it. And although real world human medical trials are still needed, the use of probiotic bifidobacteria, specifically, appears especially promising as a long term option for patients with celiac disease.
Are you sensitive to gluten or do you have celiac disease? Have you had success with probiotics or other Celiac Disease diet? Leave a comment and we’ll discuss!
by Dr. Edward Group DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
References:
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Gut bacteria offer new insights and hope for people with celiac disease http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100429102818.htm. ScienceDaily. 2010 May 1.
A history of bad medical advice
By Joel Edwards
medical profession, history, bad advice
(DrEddyClinic News) "Trust your doctor" or so goes the saying. You wouldn't blindly trust a car salesman. You'd ask a lot of questions to see if a car is right for you. But most of us have been conditioned to believe our doctors are infallible. To question their judgment is akin to blasphemy. Students of medical history know better.
Bloodletting
Bloodletting was a popular treatment for all manner of ailments, widely used for more than 3,000 years. In 19th century Europe, bloodletting reached the height of its popularity.
In order to understand the rationalization of bleeding patients in order to "get them better" a (somewhat) convincing argument for the practice was made by the father of medicine, Hippocrates.
Hippocrates believed illness was caused by an imbalance of one or more of the four humors: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. To correct the imbalance, bloodletting, purging, catharsis, diuresis, and other treatments were utilized. Bloodletting became the most popular means of balancing the humors and "restoring health."
Presently, bloodletting is rarely seen as beneficial and it is used in only a select few instances, such as severe cases of hypertension.
Smoking Cigarettes is Good For You
It is common knowledge that smoking is bad for your health. This knowledge is so commonplace now that many of us take it for granted. For decades, tobacco companies used doctors http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2, and actors portraying doctors, to raise confidence in the safety of their products.
These promotions were very successful, and many doctors, especially throat doctors, were not only assuring the public that cigarette smoking wasn't bad, they claimed smoking was healthy and could even be used as a treatment for throat irritation. Beyond recommendations, doctors were also hired to do pseudoscientific studies, studies paid for by the tobacco industry that consistently produced unrealistic results that supported smoking. When physicians and science are for sale, lies can be perpetuated for a very long time.
Eat a High Carb Low Fat Diet
The USDA food pyramid was a low fat, high carbohydrate diet that was far from healthy. Our bodies are not designed to eat like this, but the government and many medical doctors still recommended it. The food pyramid was based on very expensive, highly flawed science.
During the 1980s, nearly a million Americans a year were dying of heart disease. Something had to be done. Problem is, what was done was worse than doing nothing at all.
Healthy fats were discovered when anthropologists noted that arctic people, such as the Inuit and Yupik, ate high protein, high fat diets and yet had very low rates of heart disease. This called into question the demonization of fat.
Replacing fats with carbohydrates may indeed slightly lower heart disease, but its close cousin, cardiovascular disease http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=106&t=32685, often afflicts those who follow high carb diets along with countless other health http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=16 problems such as obesity and diabetes. The pyramid and the new program, choose my plate.gov dietary guidelines (which is almost as unhealthy), point Americans in the direction of chronic disease and an early grave.
Mercurial Medicines
Mercury is a neurotoxin, but in the past medical professionals didn't understand how toxic it is to all forms of life. It was included in elixirs and ointments for thousands of years.
Today, mercury, under the name thimerosal, can be found in hundreds of prescription and over the counter medicines. It continues to be used in lotions, creams, eye drops, eardrops, and nasal sprays. Mercury is widely used in dentistry and it is still used in many vaccines. Mercury also has many names, making it harder for consumer to identify.
Mercury is also known as:
- Thimerosal
- Phenylmercuric acetate (PMA)
- Phenylmercuric nitrate (PMN)
- Mercuric acetate (MA)
- Mercuric nitrate (MN)
- Merbromin (MB)
- Mercuric oxide yellow (MOY)
Chemotherapy Kills Faster Than No Treatment At All
There is no finer example of bad medical advice than advising patients to undergo chemotherapy http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=91. Most people dismiss the idea that you can cure any cancer naturally with over a 90% success rate.
New research is confirming what the most committed natural practitioners already knew. It is likely that the radiation and chemotherapy that are used as treatments are too deadly, too heavy handed for cancer.
Dr. Jones's study published in the journal Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences shows chemotherapy is killing cancer patients four times faster than no treatment at all.
Conclusion
Bad advice is everywhere, and it can stem from every profession, even the medical profession. History has taught us that there are times the experts are nearly unified in their advice and are still dead wrong. The reasoning has always been the same, that the benefits outweigh the risks. When you're given bad medical advice, you run the risk while the benefits belong to the physician. Ultimately our health is too important to trust the experts without doing our own research. And speaking of bad medical advice, check out How to Detox From Vaccines http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/how-to-detoxify-from-antibiotics-and-other-chemical-antimicrobials, and How to Detox From Antibiotics http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/how-to-detoxify-from-antibiotics-and-other-chemical-antimicrobials.
Sources:
http://www.bcmj.org/premise/history-bloodletting#1
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2012/01/big-tobacco-led-throat-doctors-to-blow-smoke.html
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good
http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/contagion/syphilis.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19831290
http://www.safeminds.org/blog/2014/10/08/200-consumer-medical-products-still-contain-mercury/
http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/80/mercury
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755247/
http://naturalon.com/chemo-will-kill-you-faster-than-no-treatment-at-all/2/
About the author:
Joel learned long ago that pharmaceuticals were not the answer to health and vitality. He gave up on pharmaceuticals many years ago, and he also gave up wheat and refined sugars. His hobbies include gluten free baking, gardening, and fitness. Joel is passionate about agriculture and environmental issues. Joel believes that progressive, cutting-edge, organic agriculture can feed the world http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/can-progressive-cutting-edge-organic-agriculture-feed-everyone/.
The Health Benefits of Avocados
(DrEddyClinic News) Avocados are native to Central and South America and have been cultivated since approximately 8,000 B.C. By the mid-1800s, they had been introduced to Asia and Jamaica, but they did not arrive in the United States until the early 20th century. California and Florida produce most of the avocados grown in the USA with other commercial producers existing in Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.
Guacamole is a popular way to enjoy avocados and this delicious food contain other ingredients besides avocados that offer some surprising health benefits.
Ingredients in Organic Guacamole
- Organic Avocado – Contains Lutein (a carotenoid along with Vitamin E http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32131), Magnesium, and monounsaturated (healthy) fats. Avocado helps fight cancer of the mouth, breast, and prostate, and improves skin tone. It also improves absorption of nutrients in other foods.
- Himalayan Crystal Salt – Stabilizes blood sugar levels and regulates heart beat. Himalayan salt http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33229 also improves absorption and cell communication, and relieves the sinuses and lungs.
- Organic Lime Juice – Contains potassium and supports the immune system. It also helps to cleanse the blood and liver.
- Organic Cilantro – Contains several antioxidants http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=32801, and is a natural deodorizer. It relieves nausea, bloatinghttp://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=32757, urinary tract infections, and indigestion. Consumption of cilantrohttp://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=33333 also helps to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and has properties that make it beneficial against harmful organisms.
- Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Helps balance systemic redness and swelling, also promotes healthy blood pressure. It helps to increase metabolism http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=33240, and supports health of the ovaries and breasts.
- Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – Once lauded by Hippocrates, apple cider vinegar http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=32987 (raw & unfiltered) helps countless health ailments. It strengthens the immune system, improves metabolism and stamina, and provides relief for sore throats. I personally recommend Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=33501.
- Organic Cumin – A natural antioxidant that supports the liver, promotes digestion, and vitalizes the immune system.
- Organic Garlic – An antioxidant that may lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and helps to cleanse the liver. Garlic has unique benefits whether consumed raw, cooked, or aged. It also contains unique properties that make it an excellent fighter against stomach cancer.
- Organic Lemon Juice (fresh) http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33580 – May aid the body in removing gallstones http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=33200 when mixed with olive oil, relieves stomach discomfort, and may help reduce the risk of developing arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and kidney stones http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=33569.
- Organic Onion – Onions contain an antioxidant called Quercetin, which is a flavonoid. They also contain Vitamin E, Potassium, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, and Fiber. Onions are known to relieve congestion and allergy symptoms, and help to reduce cholesterol. In addition, they remove heavy metals from the body, and help fight cancer of the lungs, bladder, ovaries, and breast.
- Organic Pepper – Pepper contains an antioxidant called Capsaicin, which relieves congestion, headaches, allergies, colitis, ulcers, and discomfort. Eating peppers http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=33854 can aid with blood clotting, cholesterol reduction, and the rate of stroke. Peppers also increase metabolism.
Tips for Buying Organic Avocados
Buying Organic Avocados
Look for avocados that are slightly soft, but without dark sunken spots or cracks. Tree ripened avocados generally have a better flavor and can be identified by their slight neck. California avocados usually have a richer taste than avocados grown in Florida. Be sure that you only purchase avocados that have a dark green skin, light and bright skin is a sign the avocado is not ripe.
Organic Guacamole Recipe
Guacamole Recipe
2 ripe, medium organic avocados
Juice from 1 organic Lime (to taste)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh organic cilantro
½ Tsp organic olive oil http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=32417
½ Tsp raw organic apple cider vinegar
Juice from 1 organic lemon
½ Tsp organic Cumin
2 cloves organic Garlic
¼ cup finely chopped organic onion
¼ Tsp freshly ground organic pepper
¼-½ Tsp finely ground Himalayan Crystal Salt (to taste)
Peel avocados and remove the pit. Dice avocado; mince garlic cloves; chop onion and cilantro. Squeeze your lemon and lime and grind your pepper as needed. Combine all your ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Toss well instead of mixing, to maintain the chunky consistency.
– Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
Why chocolate helps you sleep better: Cacao nutrient found to regulate your biological clock for a full night's sleep
by: Sarah Landers
chocolate, magnesium, sleep quality
(DrEddyClinic News) It's unlikely that you need another excuse to eat more chocolate, but a recent report by the Daily Mail states that among the many other benefits of eating dark chocolate, it can also help you to get a good night's sleep http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=32344. Dark chocolate is richer in nutrients than milk or white chocolate, and is particularly high in magnesium http://www.nutrients.news/ – which researchers at Edinburgh and Cambridge Universities believe is essential for keeping your body clock running on time.
Magnesium is thought to influence your daily cycles of sleeping and waking, as well as your body's release of hormones and temperature regulation – or circadian rhythms. This is a really important discovery, as stated by the Daily Mail, because it could help with the development of chronotherapy – a treatment that is scheduled according to certain times of day.
The research found that human cells see a rise and fall in magnesium levels throughout the daily cycle, and that this oscillation in levels is vital for sustaining the 24-hour clock in cells. Magnesium levels also have an impact on your body's metabolism, affecting how quickly cells convert nutrients into energy.
Magnesium doesn't just play a vital role in how your cells keep their form of time, but also supports almost every function and tissue in your body – including your immune system, heart health and ability to fight cancer http://www.preventcancer.news/.
While you can take a food supplement to help make sure you get enough magnesium in your diet, it is always better to eat well, and to incorporate magnesium-rich foods into your diet http://www.cleanfood.news/.
So, dark chocolate is good for you?
According to Nutritional Anarchy, dark chocolate is also high in fiber, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium – nutrients which are all important for keeping your body functioning properly.
Chocolate is thought to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease – by lowering your blood pressure and because of its anti-inflammatory properties – as well as to lower your risk of diabetes http://www.diabetessciencenews.com/ by increasing your insulin sensitivity. Meanwhile, the flavonols found in cacao boost the blood flow to your brain, and increase your mental performance. Basically, there are a lot of reasons to incorporate more dark chocolate in your diet.
However, studies by Health Ranger Mike Adams have revealed that certain popular cacao powders might also be high in a toxic compound called cadmium http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33630. The Natural News Forensic Food Lab has found consistently high levels of cadmium in cacao powder across many of the main brands sold in the U.S. It is worth noting that the EU is going to strictly limit the sale of cacao products that are high in cadmium from the beginning of 2019.
Cadmium is a heavy metal http://www.heavymetals.news/ that bio-accumulates in cacao products, becoming highly concentrated over time. Cadmium has been linked to kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, skin disorders and many other health conditions. If the EU is banning products with high levels of cadmium, that is a good indication of why you don't want to be eating too much of it in your diet.
It's important that if you want to enjoy the health benefits of chocolate http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=31400 without consuming a lot of cadmium, you need to make smart decisions in your weekly shop – prioritizing brands such as Essential Living Foods, Earth Circle Organics and Health Ranger Select.
As reported by the Daily Mail, there are several other foods that are high in magnesium http://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=36430, such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, bananas and dried fruit. So try and find ways to eat more of these magnesium-rich foods, as well as treating yourself to some carefully chosen chocolate.
Sources include:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3537903/Want-good-night-s-sleep-Eat-dark-chocolate-Nutrient-treat-leafy-greens-keeps-body-clocks-running-time.html
http://www.nutritionalanarchy.com/2014/11/09/10-convincing-reasons-to-eat-chocolate/
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=120&t=32344
