5 Things You Need To Understand About Gut Health

Gut health is the "BIG ONE" in functional medicine and health circles these days. We are hearing more and more about research and studies that prove to us how optimal gut health plays a huge role in the human body's overall wellness.

We've heard of the good bacteria we have inside the gut that needs to be present for optimal immune system functioning. We also heard about probiotics that we can "feed" into our gut in order to replenish what was depleted from long-term antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, oral contraceptives and steroids use.

With all this rich new information on the super immune boosting effects of probiotics, why then do we still see so many battle with viral or bacterial infections every now and then? Why are some individuals still struggling with their allergies and other health issues that develop because of poor gut health?

The answers will lie on the fact that though optimal gut health is important for immune functioning and overall wellbeing, we need to understand that there's more to gut health that just probiotic supplementation. Here are the five things you need to understand about gut health.

1- Gut microbiota changes rapidly based on diet.

Lawrence David, an assistant professor at the Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy at Duke University, explored in his latest research conducted with a team of colleagues and published in Nature, how diet alter the community structure and activity of microorganisms in our intestinal tracts. 

The scientists observed that the microbial activity in the study participant's gut showed differences between an animal-based and plant-based diet. They discovered that the gut microbiome can rapidly respond to altered diet, and various bacteria species shifted within a day after the food hit the gut. Even more, David added that the bacteria started to change their behavior after about three days on each diet. He said, "The kind of genes turned on in the microbes changed in both diets."(1)

2- A plant-based diet is the most beneficial diet for the gut microflora.

Dr. David J. Jenkins and peers from the Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Boston, stated the following in their scientific review on gut microbiota, diet and heart disease.

"The gut microbiota of those consuming a Western diet are likely underutilized and depleted of metabolic fuels, resulting in a less than optimal gut microbial profile... While more research is required to clarify the potential link between gut microbiota and CHD risk reduction, consuming a therapeutic diet rich in plant foods, dietary fiber, and fermentable substrate would be a useful strategy for improving systemic health, possibly by altering the gut microbiota."

Nutrition and eating a more plant-based diet has been observed over and over again to be the best way to improve and maintain our gut health. No amount of probiotics will help if we continue to eat a Western diet which rapidly influences the microflora in the gut in a negative way. (2)

3- Prebiotics should play a vital role in managing and maintaining your gut's optimal health.

PREbiotics is the missing link in various optimal gut health pursuits of today. Most of us have forgotten how magnificently made the human body is and that it has been designed to do all the vital processes that maintain our optimum functionality, including the gut's ability to diversify its own gut microflora. 

Probiotics may help replenish the gut's microbiome, but without PREbiotics to feed these beneficial microbial community in the gut, our attempts to replenish with good probiotics will only become a waste of money if we neglect to provide them with the vital nutrition they need to thrive.

PREBIOTICS are generally the non-digestible polysaccharides and oligosaccharides found only in fruits and vegetables. They promote the growth of beneficial microbes in the gut and limits the proliferation of antagonistic, pathogenic microbes such as Salmonella sp. or E.coli. 

A peer review study showed PREbiotics having a positive influence on the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) and can modulate immune parameters at this level. The consumption of a PREbiotic-rich diet has also been reported to reduce the occurrence of preneoplastic lesions in the colon of rats treated with a carcinogen. Moreover, scientists observed the drug-like effect of lowering cholesterol levels and the reduction of cardiovascular disease and prevention of obesity with PREbiotics from a more plant-based diet.(3)

How do we make sure that we are getting proper PREbiotics? The recommended daily allowance for fruits and vegetables, which are the only sources of it, is about 7-10 servings on a daily basis. Keeping up with that recommendation will help you make available PREbiotics for your gut microbiota. (4)

4- Psychological Stress will wreck havoc on your gut microflora.

The gut is extremely vulnerable to chronic and acute stress. By design, there are many stress-induced changes that occur in the gut. These include changes in gastric secretion, gut motility, mucosal permeability and barrier function, visceral sensitivity and even mucosal blood flow. But, there is now also evidence that suggests stress to affect gut microbiota directly. This is due to a significant connection between the brain and the gut.(5) 

The intestinal mucosa has a network of nerve fibers and neuron cell bodies infiltrating it and they are influenced by signaling from the brain. In this sense, the human gut is an important part of the nervous system and many scientists currently coin the term "second brain" to pertain to the gut's nervous system role. 

Any kind of stress releases a family of peptides called corticotrophin releasing factors (CRF) which are responsible for the body's overall responses to stress. CRFs have a potent effect on the gut. They eventually modulate inflammation, which has been shown to actually cause changes in the composition of the gut microflora. Research in mice exposed to stress led to an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria while simultaneously  reducing microbial diversity in the colon.(6)

We cannot just take this aspect for granted because this is one area in a person's life that will either make or break one's optimal gut health.

5- Oxidative stress will affect your gut microbial community.

Oxidative stress is technically the "biochemical" stress from free radicals inside the body. These free radicals are generated by our body by various endogenous systems, exposure to different physiochemical conditions (for example, post working out) or pathological states. When there is an imbalance between the amount of free radicals in the body and that of antioxidant defenses, oxidative "stress" occurs.

A review update on the role of free radicals and antioxidant defense in human disease shows that a mounting clinical and experimental evidence indicates that free radicals play important roles in many physiological and pathological conditions.(7) Advancing research now shows an increasing evidence that genetics influence and interact with gut microbiota. Aging-associated oxidative stress cause morphologic changes in gut bacterial cells, influencing the virulence of pathologic bacteria.(8)

Thankfully, there is a proven factor that greatly reduces and keeps oxidative stress in check. Research now show the critical role that thousands of phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables play in helping protect our bodies from oxidative stress and free-radical damage. (9) This is how important regular consumption of fruits and vegetables is to the human body. We have been designed to thrive better on a more plant-based diet, after all.(10)

Bridging the nutrition gap

Only about 5% of children in the U.S. today eat the recommended 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis! This is a very disheartening picture of the health of the next generation. Even adults don't get their sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables regularly. There is a huge gap in the modern nutrition that our society is on today and this increases the risk to the development of modern health conditions that are brought about by a compromised gut health.

The way to bridge this gap is to either commit to eating 7-10 servings of a good variety of organic, raw fruits and vegetables daily or commit to a whole-food nutrition supplement that has been proven to significantly supply the body with the phytonutrients, micronutrients, and enzymes that allow for optimal gut health and overall well-being. To learn more about this, visit this link: www.sueedson.com


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Sources:
(1) http://www.medicaldaily.com/gut-bacteria-rapidly-changes-diet-gut-microbiome-more-sensitive-previously-believed-264899, accessed on December 17, 2014.
(2) (n.d.). Retrieved December 17, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22468338
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3376865/, accessed December 17, 2014
(4) http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-why.html, accessed December 17, 2014
(5) http://www.jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/12_11/pdf/591_12_11_article.pdf, accessed December 17, 2014
(6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20941511, accessed December 17, 2014
(7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10436261, accessed December 17, 2014
(8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25291121, accessed December 17, 2014
(9)http://www.researchgate.net/publication/262112680_Postprandial_oxidative_stress_is_increased_after_a_phytonutrient-poor_food_but_not_after_a_kJ_matched_phytonutrient-rich_food, accessed December 17, 2014
(10) http://biblehub.com/parallel/genesis/1-30.htm

Migraine (Be Gone) Surprise

Migraine surprise!
It has been a year and a half since I had a real migraine headache episode. I could almost no longer remember how debilitating the pain of a migraine headache is, and I really thought that I was already home free, but today I had a surprise visitor... a very familiar and bad ass visitor! Earlier today I was downed by a migraine headache! I really had to ask myself if it was my gut health going downhill again. (But, it's not that this time...)

You see, migraine headaches that debilitate most sufferers are likely linked to the gut's health, or lack thereof. A very unhealthy gut that is overpowered by Candida overgrowth leads to the development of many modern health issues, which include the very notorious migraine headaches.

Let me make this clear... I have been able to reshape my overall gut health with a powerful, specifically-targeting probiotic that's a part of my well trusted detox system. This has allowed me to become free of my used-to-be-regular monthly migraine headache problem. The brain fog that I used to have around that has also lifted, my severe allergies went poof!, and my entire health has really been reshaped. So, you can just imagine the surprise of mine when I started out with an unusual (and an all-too familiar aura) one-sided headache last night after doing a plyometric workout with the hubby. The trigger? I became so hungry after my workout!

Now I've transitioned into a totally DRUGLESS lifestyle and I no longer take anything synthetic for aches and pains. I do have some natural pain relief capsules available, so I popped two capsules before bed, hoping and praying it will all go away in the morning because I will be able to sleep it away. But the headache didn't go away this time and by 3 o'clock in the early morn, I woke up to a brain-busting-head-cracking-i-just-want-to-throw-up-full-blown migraine headache! 

Now, if you've never experienced a migraine headache before, you ought to be thankful. You are BLESSED to not have to go through a headache that will shut your entire day down. Here's what usually happens for those of us who suffer from it... (For those of you who know what it's like to have a migraine headache, I know you are familiar with the following)...

So my morning schedule was pretty much thrown outside the window today. Hubby and I didn't get to do our scheduled workout, and the kids' homeschooling was placed on hold because teacher mom couldn't make it!

I had to drag myself out of bed to fix some breakfast as my head was already throbbing and aching to the nth level! I felt like I could throw up if I made sudden movements that basically just makes things worse! I knew this could last a day or two as it was already a full-blown migraine headache! My initial plan was to take the fast relief pills round the clock for the next day or two and sleep the entire day or two away. That basically is what would help it go away for me in the past. Then, I remembered that I actually have another arsenal for this that I've never tried before.

Migraine-Be-Gone Surprise!!!
I then remember my box of Everyday Essential Oils that I recently got for our family. So I went to some trusted online resources (I searched online quickly with eyes squinted because I hated the glare of light), and I immediately grabbed five (5) of my everyday oils and used them as follows:

THIEVES OIL - 1 drop on the thumb placed on the roof of my mouth (CAUTION: use ONLY therapeutic-grade oils from here!!!) 

PEPPERMINT OIL - 1 drop spread over my forehead + 1 drop on three different locations on my throbbing head. Then, I placed 1 drop on my hand which I inhaled 5 times.

LAVENDER OIL -  1-2 drops massaged on both my ear auricles, and 2 drops massaged all over the back and front of my neck.

VALOR OIL -  1-2 drops massaged on both my ear auricles, and 2 drops massaged all over the back and front of my neck. 

 FRANKINCENSE OIL -  1 drop on top of my head (with a little prayer to God for His healing grace).

PEPPERMINT OIL -  1 drop in a glass of water. 

If you haven't read my post about essential oils, then I invite you to read about it here. You should NOT use any other essential oils other than the therapeutic-grade oils from Young Living! (Especially, that the above includes some ingesting of the essential oils.)

One full hour later and .......................................................OH MY GIDDIYAH!!! 

My migraine headache LIFTED!!! It TOTALLY, COMPLETELY lifted!!! If you've had migraine headaches and gone through the time when it lifts, the feeling is truly FREEING! It's like an entire Empire State building is lifted off from on top of your head!

My migraine headache was gone. I was able to move around without limitations, and the light didn't bother me anymore. This was around lunch time and I was able to eat under the bright light of the dining area and talk and laugh and move around okay! (Fortunately, hubby and the kids drove through Popeyes for our lunch.

I re-applied the above regimen one more time and gave myself a short nap. I woke up refreshed and without any trace of a migraine headache!

Hey, I felt so good that I was even able to complete an HOUR-LONG shoulders and arms exercise that I had scheduled for today!!! Can you believe how CrAzY that is?! Yeah, me neither! 

So, I just really want to let you know that there IS a way to heal by Design. Trusting in God's available resources for our lives is one huge leap of faith for many... but this leap of faith is oh-so-WORTH IT!!!!!!

If you want to learn more about the Basics of Essential Oils, then I invite you to this FREE 14-Day E-Course that will deliver content directly to your inbox! You won't regret the information you'll learn from this one! It may just change your life! ;)

Until next time...

The 'Oily' Path To Healing By Design

Not long ago we were a very conventionally-minded family. Synthetic medications were a normal part of our lives. We had health issues that sort of became somewhat like tradition in the family because we have to actually deal with them on a regular basis. My debilitating migraine headaches always visited me every month. Our son always had his seasonal allergies act up during Spring and Fall time. We usually spend the first few weeks of winter sick with some viral infection or a bacterial strep throat! Pills and inhalers were a part of our usual routine. Yet, all that changed for us.

Since I started my journey as a Health Coach with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I have become more intentional with living my life by God's Design. I've been looking more into consuming whole foods, supplementing our diet with natural supplements that helps with overall wellness & gut health, and using only natural ingredients in personal and household items as much as possible. Though we haven't really transitioned into a completely natural lifestyle, we are in the process of doing so.

One of the things that I learned in our transition to living and thriving by Design is the fact that I am able to put into action my faith in God's Design for the human body. That also actually included a chance to put my faith in action by developing a trust for the resources He's made available for us to utilize to thrive and heal.

Our overall wellness has tremendously improved when we trusted in God's Design for nutrition. Surprisingly, our willingness and determination to get to an optimum level of bio-individual functionality has also tremendously increased. I couldn't be more happier when hubby dropped inches and started wanting to work out again. I, myself, noticed an increased determination to build up my strength and functionality by getting on a high-intensity exercise program.

There's plenty of benefits to reap as we begin to trust in God's Design for living and thriving. And yet, the path doesn't end there. There is also still a part where healing is needed. 

We can't really deny the fact that we can still get exposed to so many bacteria and viruses in the environment today. We also can't help but deal with some minor cuts and bruises along the way as well. What about the occasional toothache, headache, sniffles, cough and fever? There has to be a way for us to heal by Design as well, right? Surely, God also has a Design for healing anything that's broken in the human body. Healing by Design is possible because God made available resources that He himself created for our physical, mental and emotional restoration.

I was recently brought to a very oily pathway in my search for the ways to heal by Design. This oily pathway has something to do with the use of available resources for restoring the body through the use of therapeutic-grade essential oils. This powerful resource is packed with God's healing and restorative powers and it amazes me every time how potent these oils can be.

If you know me, I always research and prefer to study about the modality that I will use for myself and my family, before I recommend the modality to my health coaching clients. So when I came to the oily path, I made sure to grow my knowledge on essential oils. As of today, the more I read and study about the use and benefits of essential oils, the more convinced I am that every family should utilize this resource in order to heal by Design.

Why essential oils?

Essential oils are basically the vital fluids found in plants. They are the life force of the plant just as the blood is for human beings. These oils are a mixture of hundreds of compounds and are so complex that, as yet, there hasn't been one that's completely analyzed for all of its ingredients.

Essential oils, as their name implies, are vital to the processes of living plants. They participate in the metabolism and nourishment of plants. They regulate plant functions and act like various types of hormones and ligands. They also afford various types of protection to plants and help them fight off viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Essential oils are considered adaptogens. They are smarter than pharmacological drugs and they attack only the harmful agents while nurturing the rest.

These oils perform many of the same functions in plants as they do for the human body. According to Dr. David Stewart, who is an internationally renowned teacher on both spiritual and scientific matters, these oils basically come as experienced and trained agents for health and healing.

I am very excited to share the powerful benefits of these essential oils with you. They are the resources I personally use for our family to restore and heal our bodies by Design. I honestly cannot say how amazing these oils are and the benefit of using them is endless!

Which essential oils to use?

There are various companies that offer lines of essential oils, but you need to understand that not all essential oils are the same. There are various different grades of oils out there in the market today and the only ones with restorative benefits for the human body are the therapeutic-grade oils. 

Perfume and Food-grade oils are only good for these specific properties they contain. Perfume-grade essential oils are useful only for the scent or fragrance property of the oil. Food-grade essential oils are only good for the flavors that they have. 

Therapeutic-grade essential oils are a very special kind of oils. They carry with them the therapeutic benefits of the plant's powerful volatile life force and can perform the many vital functions mentioned earlier in this post inside the human body. Not all oils are therapeutic. 

A therapeutic grade essential oil is defined as one that is specially distilled from plants that are cultivated organically or grown wild in a clean environment. These plants also must come from the proper botanical genus, species and cultivar, or they will not possess the specific therapeutic benefits. No chemicals are added during cultivation and the crops must be free of herbicides and pesticides. These oils must be extracted by steam distillation at minimum temperatures and using low-pressure at the proper length of time. Otherwise, significant loss or exclusion of components from the oils will happen. Everything in the process must be performed following the strictest standards for quality.

The company I Trust

As I've mentioned, there are many essential oils company in the market today. A lot of companies say that they are therapeutic-grade, but when it comes to quality and experience, there's one company that I trust for my therapeutic grade essential oils.

There are lots of information out there that one can find about essential oils company and the most common negative information you will get is that the (2) major companies in the U.S. that are selling therapeutic-grade essential oils are networking companies. But, these companies simply follow a multilevel marketing framework (which is actually the best business framework for the 21st century). Between the two companies, lots of information can be gathered about their competition and how one company is better that the other. I've done my own share of digging and reading into these two companies' backgrounds and all, and in the end, only one of them earned my full trust as an integrative health coach. 

Young Living Essential Oils (YLEO) has proven time and time again that their oils are far superior than others. The company has been in business for more than 20 years and has maintained the best standards for therapeutic essential oils all these years. Their oils have been the trusted therapeutic oils for the Raindrop Therapy, as well as well as the trusted oils for the therapies taught under CARE, the Center for Aromatherapy Research and Education.

This is the reason stated in CARE's website in relation to YLEO:

"Most oils sold in the United States are perfume or food grade and not suitable for therapeutic purposes. Furthermore, many brands purporting to be therapeutic grade are improperly distilled (and thus lack key constituents), were refined (certain components removed) or contain synthetics, dilutants, and other adulterants.  

According to Dr. Herve Casabianca (Ph.D.), Chairman of the International Standards Organization (ISO) Committee on Essential Oil Standards (a European agency whose acronym is AFNOR), there is only one company in North America who regularly sends samples to the AFNOR laboratory in France for testing to be measured against the international standards for therapeutic quality, and that is Young Living, Inc."

That is exactly the reason why I only trust the quality of the therapeutic essential oils that Young Living makes available worldwide. Their dedication for optimal quality of their products is evidenced by this very step of making sure their oils measure up against international standards for therapeutic quality.

If you want to learn more about Young Living's Essential Oils and how you can start transitioning your family into having a drugless medicine cabinet, then I invite you to visit the link below where you can find more specific information and grow your knowledge on the uses and benefits of therapeutic grade essential oils.

God's Healing Oils

I will soon be posting about the various benefits of these essential oils to your health journey. For now, you stay blessed!

What To Do in the Midst of the Ebola Scare

Guess Who Made the Headlines?

Every news agency in the U.S. today is covering the story of a potential outbreak of Ebola in the United States. 

There are simply so many stories about the potential spread of the virus from the first patient in the U.S. who died of Ebola to those exposed to him during his contagious period, including health care professionals at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

Not only do we read about various potential exposures and scares from different situations on board airplanes, buses and cruise ships, but we also hear about opposing information on whether we have to really be scared of the spread of Ebola in the U.S. or not be too concerned about it at all because everything is a hoax!

Setting the FACTS straight

So what is Ebola and what do we REALLY need to know about it? Well, here are some facts...

Those are the only information you need to know about Ebola for now. Nothing more, nothing less. It's enough to know HOW it will be transmitted and WHAT signs & symptoms to watch out for within 21 days of exposure. 

Now, Ebola is not something we should take lightly and I am in no way saying that we should not care about it because it's a hoax. Let me say this now, IT IS NOT A HOAX and Ebola is as REAL as the Flu. However, what's not real is the HYPED UP way that the media is putting it out to be. This "scare" that's building up basically molds everybody to look for "the cure" or "the vaccine" later on down the road. But is that what we really should look forward to in our quest to prepare for the spread of Ebola? 

Just like the Flu vaccine, are we also going to be running to the clinics later on to receive a vaccine that has been fast-tracked & not been properly tested in humans, may contain harmful ingredients, and which promise of immunity is empty because vaccinated people are still among the many infected in certain outbreaks? May we become more empowered and be more proactive in taking charge of our overall health in the presence (or absence) of an epidemic!

What you REALLY NEED TO DO...

While the rest of the country rattles about whether to believe the Ebola scare or not, and whether individuals exposed to the Ebola virus are positive for it or not, I think it is MORE IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK INTO THE WAYS WE CAN PREPARE & PROTECT OUR BODIES against any infectious disease that may come our way!

Because we all need clear directions on what we SHOULD REALLY DO AT THIS TIME, I would like to offer the following steps that you can take in order for you to face all this Ebola scare head on.

LOWER YOUR LIFE'S TOXIC LOAD

It is very important to understand that the human body is magnificently designed with a complete set of systems and processes that are more than capable of fighting against any kind of foreign organisms that invade the internal environment. 

An optimally functioning immune system in the body plays a HUGE ROLE in a person's ability to ward off diseases. Thus, it is very important that we take very good care of our immune system. A person with a compromised immune system will have a much higher risk to developing infections and may have the highest risk toward death. Anyone with an optimally functioning immune system can and will walk away from dreadful infectious diseases like Ebola. Ebola patient Dr. Kent Brantly was one example. Fatu Kekulah's family's story is another one. Someone can and will be able to walk away from infectious diseases depending on how strong their immune systems are at the time of infection.

Unfortunately for many people today, the modern diet and lifestyle leaves almost everybody with a compromised immune system. POOR GUT HEALTH and the S.A.D. diet (Standard American Diet) that modern families follow today has placed everyone in a very bad spot for immune system compromise. The gateway to the body's immune strength is through the gut and a leaky gut caused by stress, poor diet and sugar overload does not help along with nutrient deficiencies. 

The modern day diet & lifestyle are TOXIC and we must intentionally find ways to lower that toxic load on the body. A few dietary changes will tremendously prove to be beneficial in the end. The following are the MOST IMPORTANT TOXINS TO REMOVE from your diet:

• Sugar (in soda, sweet teas, desserts, etc.)--> use natural organic Stevia or Luo Han Go instead
• Dairy (Cow's Milk) --> use Goat's Milk or plant-based milk instead
• Gluten --> stay gluten-free (off of all wheat) as much as possible
• White flour --> use almond flour or other non-wheat whole grain flour instead
• Processed meat --> use uncured, organic, grass-fed meat instead 
• Fried foods --> use only organic coconut oil or olive oil for cooking at home

You have to LOWER your toxic load as much as possible and that includes toxicity at the mental and emotional levels as well. Turn OFF your TV and read a book instead. Take time off to relax and enjoy a peace and tranquil day outside with nature. Take deep breaths all throughout the day. Listen to tranquil, clean music and above all, take time to PRAY. Your spiritual health will play a huge role in your overall well-being as well. 

SUPPORT & NOURISH YOUR BODY'S BUILT IN DISEASE-FIGHTING SYSTEM

The body is built-in with automatic, autonomous systems that are responsible for the processing, detoxifying and fighting off of invading microorganisms. The next step to follow to make you ready for anything is to support and nourish your body's systems properly.

Most people today are deficient in a lot of nutrients primarily because of the S.A.D. diet that they follow. Most of the conventionally grown & farmed food items contain lots of pesticides and harmful chemicals. Some are deficient in nutrients because of the soil that plant products were planted in, and because of the poorly nourishing food served to animals grown in conventional farms. 

Supporting and nourishing the human body need not be difficult. We simply must remember a few of the most important nutrients to replenish the body and we can be good to go.

• Increase your intake of Vitamin D3. Majority of people are deficient in vitamin D3 today which leads to so many modern day health problems.
• Eat fermented vegetables and drink kombucha or coconut water kefir on a daily basis. Otherwise, take a superior quality probiotic daily to heal and maintain the health of your gut. 
• Add a magnesium supplement to your diet. Magnesium is another nutrient that is usually lacking in most people today. This mineral is an integral part of many of the body's important metabolic processes and a deficiency in this area leads to the development of many of today's health issues... including a compromised immune function!
• Find a good multivitamin that contains selenium, zinc and other power greens for immune system nutrition. (Men's multivitamins here)
• Replace your table salt with Celtic Sea Salt to get more minerals in your diet.
• Put and eat the rainbow into your diet. Eat fruits and vegetables that have the rainbow's colors through and through:
• Red - cherries, raspberries, red cabbage, strawberries
• Orange - carrots, citrus fruits, bell pepper
• Yellow - lemon, zucchini
• Green - leafy power greens (kale, spinach), cucumber, asparagus, broccoli
• Blue - blueberries, blackberries, eggplant

PREPARE & PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM AN INFECTIOUS INVASION

One of the overlooked aspect of preparation against infections is the fact that we can actually either ward off viruses, bacteria and other harmful elements from the body, or we can kill them as they enter our internal environment.

A powerful research-based arsenal that people can utilize to help them get protected against infections is the use of potent therapeutic-grade essential oils. Dating back to biblical times and maybe even before, the use of essential oils have been proven over and over again to be very effective against a number of harmful infections and diseases. 

It may not be so well-known in mainstream medicine, but high quality essential oils can actually kill the most virulent microorganisms that modern medicine has no cure for. Think the Bubonic plague, MRSA, H1N1 and for this matter, Ebola and other ugly viruses and bacteria going around today! (There are loads of scientific research on the power of essential oils and you can read some here, here, and here.) 

I cannot say enough about how every person and family today MUST HAVE at least a kit of essential oils at home to use to protect against the various diseases going around today. This is simply a way to thrive and heal by Design as we utilize the various powerful resources that God created for the purpose of healing. 

My highest recommendation is to make sure your family is equipped with the complete Premium Kit that contains your Everyday Essential Oils. This has to be a priority for every family today! Get your essential oils and prepare and protect yourself and your family for whatever may come your way. 

It is OUR RESPONSIBILITY...

I want to end this post with a note to remind us that we are responsible for our own optimal health and well-being. We must not rely on anybody else, not even on a government agency to protect and prepare us. 

We must take action for our own health. We must be proactive in following the steps outlined in this post. 

I believe God is sovereign over everything and prayers are powerful... and we must remember that God has created the human body with a wonderful and beautiful Design that He has established. It is our responsibility to live, thrive & heal by that Design as we are accountable for everything we do with the physical bodies we've been given. There is POWER within God's Design for the human body. Never be afraid to tap into it using the resources He's long made available for us to utilize.

Understanding The Reality of a TOXIC Load

Most people today fail to understand that toxicity is a part of modern living. It is no longer a question of "when" you will be exposed to toxins, but really "how much" of a toxic load you already have in your body.

A lot of those who are struggling with health issues and/or struggling with weight issues find themselves jumping from one health product to another just because they believe it has something to do with the efficacy (or lack thereof) of the products they are taking. 

We must become aware of the fact that the human body in today's world is loaded with toxins. Just imagine that there are 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals being placed into the environment EVERY YEAR! The average adult contains more or less 700 chemicals inside the body! No wonder so many today struggle with health issues.

Toxin burden on the body can cause very poor health and most people are not well-equipped to eliminate these toxins from the body. Those who are dealing with a heavy toxic load may just find themselves sucked into what I call the "Vicious Circle" and never really get out of it. 

Many also would think that taking supplements or some kind of health system will be the only answer to their predicament. However, just like the yo-yo dieting we see in so many people today, supplementing the body with nutrients and NOT lowering the toxic load will not really change anything.

If you've been struggling with weight issues, for example, and you are on a diet program for a while and yet you haven't seen results then maybe, just maybe you're compromised by the toxic load you have in the body. No matter what kind of program you will get yourself into, you will never find a breakthrough UNLESS you help your body lower the toxic load. 

These are 3 things you need to understand about TOXIC LOAD and what it can do to your body:

1. A heavy toxic load overwhelms the body's own detoxification system and will leave it unable to function optimally in the end. This will sabotage whatever health attempts you will have in your life as your hormonal and metabolic pathways are no longer really able to function the way they should.
2. A heavy toxic load keeps your immune system chained into a cycle of chronic inflammation. This chronic inflammatory response damages your own body's tissues and organs which will eventually lead to the development of many of today's autoimmune diseases.
3. A heavy toxic load will hinder your body from assimilating nutrients properly, thus, you are unable to properly utilize whatever supplement or health system you are currently taking. You will simply be wasting money in the long run if you just take your toxic load for granted.

If you are on a journey to lose weight or to feel better, your first priority MUST be to lower your toxic load. This is a very important step in your health journey. We will look into the different ways you can lower your toxic load in the next post, so hang in there!

Don't Be The "Biggest Loser"!

I'm going to be very honest and blunt in this post, because I personally believe many of us need a good wake up slap on the face call. There is an URGENT need for us to reshape the way we see ourselves and definitely reshape the way we think about "weight loss."

The Biggest Loser finale last night revealed an individual who lost 60% of her body weight, dropping from 260 pounds down to a whooping 105 pounds!!!!!! Did I say she lost 60% of her previous body weight? Yes, she did. Well, the show awarded this individual $250,000 for being able to do so. $250,000 to reward her for eventually reaching an UNHEALTHY edge. 

What is it with us today that makes us celebrate a very, very, very wrong message on health? I honestly am irritated of this focus on "weight loss" that our society imposes on everybody's mind today.   Now, don't get me wrong. I'm all for motivation and positive attitude in reaching health goals, but if the strategies we follow are as unhealthy as the one in the Biggest Loser show, and the motivation as superficial as $250,000, then we definitely have a problem.

Ever wonder why with shows like the Biggest Loser, we are still a nation whose obesity rate is rising as fast as the morals of this country is dropping? It's because we have swallowed a totally wrong pill for the problem. We are so engrossed with the lie that a quick weight loss and a HUGE weight loss is the winning way. Sadly, though, the reality is that IT ISN'T.

We focus too much on "WEIGHT LOSS" this and weight loss that, so we TOTALLY miss the point about HEALTHY LIVING. I understand we want to lose excess fat from the body, but what we fail to understand is that WRONG reasons, motivations and strategies will just make you run around in circles. You'll easily drop back to square one with the wrong everything because that path is simply NOT SUSTAINABLE.

Let me make my point clear. The message of the Biggest Loser show is not what would reshape your life for the better. In fact, I believe it doesn't have a message for healthy living at all! What you see is just another lottery mindset being glorified! It's a message of running after that BIG WIN that everybody believes will change their life. This mentality, however, doesn't get you anywhere! It's a hype and a one-time burst of hoorah! When all that hoopla fades, you're back to reality and that reality gives you a big slap on the face!

Now, before you become too aggravated on what I'm writing down here, let me share to you the reason behind my stand in all this. Do you know where the former contestants of the Biggest Loser are today? Well, here's something you might be interested to know...

Today.com actually caught up with the previous contestants and big winners of the show and this is how and where they found some of them at a couple years back...

Season 1

Ryan Benson

Starting weight: 330
Finale weight: 208
Current weight: 300

Since winning season one, Ryan has had three children, and also gotten more roles as an actor. He recently appeared in a film about weight and body issues called "Disfigured."

While at the ranch, Ryan said that he'd learned that with hard work he can do anything he puts his mind to, but said that the outward effects of the show only lasted for the next month.

"Unfortunately, keeping the weight off has been tough for me," Ryan said. "So the biggest way it's changed my life is I feel really guilty for gaining the weight back. I know the show inspires a lot of people, so I don't like being the guy to disappoint."

Season 2

Matt and Suzy Hoover

His starting weight: 339
Finale weight: 182 
Current weight: 237

Her starting weight: 227
Finale weight: 132 
Current: 175

After meeting on season two of "The Biggest Loser," Matt proposed to Suzy live on the TODAY show. The couple now have two kids.

Both have gained some of their old weight back. "If you've struggled at all with weight loss at any time in your life, you know you have to work at it, and we're no different," Matt said. "Our goal now as a family is to change our legacy."

To stay in shape, Matt challenges himself by setting fitness goals. His most recent was the daunting Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. It includes a 2.4-mile swim in the ocean, a 112-mile bike ride followed by a full 26.2-mile marathon.

"Sometimes you need to see a chubby guy taking off to do something he's not supposed to do," Matt said.

Season 3

Erik Chopin

His starting weight: 407
Finale weight: 193 
Current weight: 368

Erik Chopin's transformation was one of the most dramatic in the history of "The Biggest Loser," going from 407 pounds to 193. But when trainer Bob Harper heard that Erik, whom he had grown especially close to, had gained all the weight back, he dropped in for a surprise visit.

"I put some weight on obviously. A few months ago I was at 368, which was very close to where I was at the start of 'The Biggest Loser,' " Erik said. "I felt uncomfortable telling him (Bob) where I was at. I felt like I was going to disappoint him. I can't let him know because he's going to be pissed off at me."

Bob told him that he wasn't mad — and understood how hard it was to keep the weight off. "You know how to take it off and you know how to put it on, what you don't know is how to live your everyday life," Bob said.

Season 4

Bill Germanakos

Starting weight: 334
Finale weight: 170 
Current weight: 207

Season four champ Bill took on a new role at his company, Quest Diagnostics, since being on the show. He's now their Wellness Ambassador and Director of Employee Wellness Initiatives, giving him a chance to share what he's learned with others.

He's also become a Spinning instructor, and is leading classes locally, as well as around the country.

One lesson: Temptations are at home right where you left them.

"Every day is a struggle," he said. "I need to continue to make good choices at every turn."

Bill said he's become more active with his family, and still has the long-term goal of walking his daughters down the aisle.

Check out the rest of the list here... 

'Biggest Loser':  Where are they now?

~~~~~~~~~~

Now these are just some of those who went through the Biggest Loser experience, but struggled to keep their "healthy weight" on. There are, of course, those who were able to bring with them their experiences and take off with it on a new lifestyle. That is what's more important, you see... a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

The very fact that you hear these previous contestants say that they "STRUGGLE" at keeping the weight off simply shows that the experience they have in the show never really taught them what matters most. 

Our OVERALL HOLISTIC HEALTH is what matters most in the end. If we ever come to the point in our lives when we want to "lose weight," let us RESHAPE OUR THINKING and rename that into losing "EXCESS FAT" instead, because in reality that's what we want to lose from our bodies. 

Weight is NOT the issue here. It's the excess body fat that we have that is making us miserable from all the health issues it brings with it, and our reason for wanting to get rid of that should be because of a desire for a life of HEALTH! Nothing else should motivate you to change and follow a healthier path but the fact that your health will allow you to reach your greatest potential in life, as well as live the calling that God has placed in you. 

I would love for you to read more about this from the eBook I made available for you FREE here in my blog. Just fill in the box to the right of this post to get a copy of it. In the ebook is a series of tips that are the MOST important ones to consider when you are serious about losing excess fat in the body.

Your health will have a MAJOR impact in bringing about a quality outcome in your role in the family, in your community, and in the world. I truly hope and pray that you will REFOCUS on that which is more important... like time being spent with your family; or the ability to play with your children without passing out; or the strength to do the things that could touch other people's lives. Whatever it is that you're wanting to achieve in your health goals, may it be for reasons OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF!

So, don't be the biggest loser. Get rid of that lottery mentality that will lead you nowhere. Focus instead on your overall HEALTH and begin a journey to a sustainable LIFESTYLE of wellness.