Is Chronic Inflammation Making You Hot and Bothered?

If you’ve ever stubbed your toe or suffered a minor paper cut, then you’re familiar with the effects of inflammation. The heat, redness, and swelling you experienced following that minor injury was the result of acute inflammation, which is part of your immune system’s natural response to trauma.

But there’s another kind of inflammation with which you may not be aware. Unlike acute inflammation, which usually involves pain and is short lived, chronic inflammation can be a “silent fire” and last for weeks or even years.

In fact, most people don’t even realize they’re “on fire” until they’re diagnosed with a serious disease. This may be why chronic inflammation has been identified as a factor in such diverse disorders as autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, type II Diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

So, what is chronic inflammation? And more importantly, what can you do if you are suffering from it?

The Connection Between Inflammation and Your Immune System

Inflammation is an integral part of your body’s natural defenses. When threatened by harmful substances, such as a bacteria or viruses, your immune system sends wave after wave of white blood cells and chemicals to seek and destroy the offending organisms. This “inflammatory cascade” produces the heat, redness, and swelling which characterize acute inflammation. Once the offenders are destroyed the inflammatory cascade stops and healing begins.

During chronic inflammation, however, the inflammatory response is continual. Any number of factors can cause chronic inflammation.

Hereditary and environmental factors. Both may have a causal effect on autoimmune disease, such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis. In an autoimmune disease, your immune system mistakes its own tissues as “foreign,” unleashing the inflammatory response.

Typical Western lifestyle. Diets rich in sugars, fats, and food additives, as well as a sedentary lifestyle, may promote the production of inflammatory chemicals.

The “Fire” in Your Belly

Most people aren’t aware of the major role our gastrointestinal (GI) tract plays in our immune health. Besides digestion, our GI tract is home to nearly seventy percent of our immune system. It is a major source of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays a large role in defending the body against disease, and mast cells, which release histamines and other chemicals as part of an allergic response.

Calming the Flames—A Natural Approach

As home base for the majority of your immune system, your GI tract plays a vital role in your inflammatory response. By paying attention to your gut, you can minimize the effects of inflammation naturally. The following natural approaches can help:

Omega Essential Fatty Acids such as EPA and DHA may help decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease and support a healthy immune response. Although the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, non-fish food options include flaxseed, flaxseed oil, and walnuts.
Ginger and rosemary have been shown to support the healthy metabolism of inflammatory chemicals.

Turmeric extract inhibits the activities of a wide range of enzymes implicated in pain and inflammation.

Rice protein has been shown to have a lower allergy potential than other protein sources, making it a safer alternative.
You can also minimize chronic inflammation by eating a healthier diet (including more vegetables and nutrient-dense superfoods) and getting regular, moderate exercise. Both will reduce the amount of fat in your body, which research suggests may incite the inflammatory response.

By Cindy Clayton-Sudalnik, D.C.

The Most Powerful Natural Antioxidant You May Never Have Heard Of

Antioxidants can play an important role in reducing inflammation in the body. Antioxidants help to counteract oxidative stress. They neutralize excess free radicals to protect cells, prevent illness, and reduce inflammation.

The most powerful natural antioxidant discovered to date is Hydroxytyrosol.

Hydroxytyrosol has an ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity – its ability to absorb cell damaging free radicals) of 68,576 – which is considered to be 15 times higher than green tea and 3 times greater than CoQ10. It is recognized by scientists, because of numerous, well documented studies, for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effectiveness.

Hydroxytyrosol has the highest level of free radical absorption ever reported for a natural antioxidant. It has some very special characteristics that contribute to its effectiveness. It is:

* Rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and tissues where it can perform its free radical scavenging duties

* The only phenol (organic compound) that is able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which allows it to absorb free radicals throughout the central nervous system

* Both fat and water soluble, giving it the highest bioavailability of any antioxidant.

The Science Behind Hydroxytyrosol

In numerous human, animal and in vitro (test tube) studies, Hydroxytyrosol has been shown to:

* Reduce markers/indicators of inflammation

* Support healthy mitochondrial function and significantly increase ATP (a molecule that carries energy within cells) energy production

* Promote significant and rapid reduction of LDL (bad cholesterol)

* Boost eye health and reduce risk of macular degeneration

* Have a therapeutic effect on the heart and cardiovascular system.

Inflammation Relief is totally natural and derived from the juice of fresh organic olives (Olea europaea). Each capsule of Inflammation Relief delivers a high concentration of polyphenols (Hydroxytyrosol) and oleic acid and sets a new standard for a true bioavailable anti-inflammatory natural formula.

In addition, the olive polyphenols in Inflammation Relief deliver one of the highest levels of free radical scavenging activity against the damaging effects of free radicals on cells and body tissues. One capsule contains as much antioxidant polyphenols as 8 to 12 ounces of extra virgin olive oil but without the calories.

Inflammation Relief is a proprietary formula exclusive to Qgenics. At the core of this exclusive formulation is Cellinfusion™ Technology which provides 3.4 times greater absorption giving maximum bioavailability and potency of the olive phenol extract at the cellular level to achieve results.

Find out more and Order Inflammation Relief

Natural Help to Survive Seasonal Allergies

Allergies are versatile. They can show up just about anywhere in your body and create an incredible variety of symptoms. They can affect your nose, eyes, throat, lungs, stomach, skin and nervous system. They can give you a stomachache, a rash and even bring on fatigue and headache.

Allergy symptoms occur when your body’s immune system overreacts to a substance in your environment. But it is not the substance that causes the allergic reactions; it is the body’s reaction to that substance that prompts the reactions. The immune system overreacts and releases a chemical that the body uses to fight microbial invaders. But in allergies, the invaders are not viruses or bacteria. They are harmless substances: pollens, dust, mold spores and other substances including food.

When the immune system uses its weapons to fight off infection, the results are usually good. But if the immune system gets confused and mistakes pollen for bacteria, it can unleash those same weapons unnecessarily, wreaking havoc in the body.

People with allergies have immune systems that can react to just about anything that comes along. A tiny particle of the right substance puts your panicky immune system on the defensive. Your body strikes back by releasing a rush of a chemical that causes the familiar swelling and running in your nose, eyes and sinuses.

These overly sensitive immune cells (called mast cells) release a substance called histamine. Histamine causes small blood vessels to widen allowing fluid to pass from the bloodstream into the surrounding tissues, causing nasal conditions, runny eyes and nose and sometimes hives.

Histamine can make the smooth muscles in the walls of the lungs, blood vessels, stomach, intestines and bladder contract. This contraction can bring on a wide range of symptoms. Histamine in the lungs causes wheezing. Histamine also indirectly stimulates the production of thick, sticky mucus.

Hay fever is triggered by pollens. There are allergies to cat hairs, bee stings or certain foods or drugs.

They are all the result of the same thing; the immune system overreacts to the substance in your environment

What to do for allergies

In spring nearly 8% of Americans experience seasonal allergies.

Most conventional treatments are aimed at cooling off this inflammation. Standard treatment for allergies involves taking certain medications. While these drugs can be effective, they all have side effects, such as drowsiness, raised blood pressure, interference with sleep, and some may even suppress your immune system predisposing you to infections.

Natural help for allergies

Fortunately, there is natural help for allergies including eating certain foods, vitamins, herbs and immune-balancing foods. You can also reduce the number of allergens in your environment.

Reduce the allergen triggers in your environment
The Mayo Clinic offers the following suggestions for reducing exposure to allergy triggers:

a. Stay indoors on dry, windy days. The best time to go outside is after a good rain, which helps clear pollen from the air.

b. Delegate lawn mowing, weed pulling and other gardening chores that stir up allergens.

c. Remove clothes you’ve worn outside, and shower to rinse pollen from your skin and hair.

d. Don’t hang laundry outside — pollen can stick to sheets and towels.

e. Wear a pollen mask if you do outside chores, or work outside.

f. Check your local TV or radio station, your local newspaper, or the Internet for pollen forecasts and current pollen levels.

g. Close doors and windows at night or any other time when pollen counts are high.

h. Avoid outdoor activity in the early morning when pollen counts are highest.

i. Keep indoor air clean using a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your bedroom.

j. Clean floors often with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter.

k. Keep indoor air dry with a dehumidifier.

l. Use the air conditioning in your house and car.

2) Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables

Keep your immune system healthy by eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables. Blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and bell peppers are good choices. These foods are rich in flavonoids, which act like antihistamines. They also contain carotenes, which have anti-inflammatory activity. Eating garlic and onions can help retard the inflammatory reactions of allergies.

3) Take a supplement to support your immune system

Thankfully, there is much scientific evidence which points to beta-glucan providing natural relief for allergy symptoms.

Beta-glucan is a form of soluble fiber derived from the cell walls of baker’s yeast that can support and modulate the immune system.

Studies published on PubMed.gov have shown that beta-glucan supplementation for 4 weeks significantly improved allergy symptoms.

Beta-glucan may reduce runny nose, sneezing, congestion and itchy, watery eyes caused by pollen allergies. It also offered improved overall physical health and emotional wellbeing as compared to a placebo.

The health benefits of beta-glucans are well documented and show they support the immune system, the body’s first line of defense against illness, disease and allergies.

Immune Defense by Qgenics provides 1,953 mg of natural beta-glucan per serving. That’s up to 2 times more beta-glucan than most other brands giving better results and better value for your money.

Some people with autoimmune are very wary about “immune boosting supplements”. However…

Immune Defense could be called an immune system modulator. Immune Defense is made up of 70% pure 1,3 &1,6 beta-glucans derived from the cell wall of baker’s yeast. 70% purity is the maximum that can be reasonably used to avoid over stimulating the immune system, which results in health problems.

Click here for Immune Defense

Are your Beauty Products Toxic?

A lot of beauty products are on the market have chemicals that you put on ou skin and hair, and that matters.  Your skin can absorb those chemicals

Dr. Berg has created natural products for your hair & scalp,, face cream, and a “clear skin” product.

Check out his products here.  There is a section for his beauty products.

Dr. Berg Heath Formulas

What is the Difference Between Probiotics and Prebiotics?

Probiotics are strains of living bacteria or “good bacteria” essential to gut and overall health and that add to the population of good bacteria in your digestive system.

Prebiotics are specialized plant fibers that act as food for the good bacteria and actually stimulate growth among the preexisting good bacteria. It is believed that the prebiotic compounds in foods could actually alter the composition of organisms in the gut microbiome and enhance digestive health.

So in essence, probiotic foods and supplements add to the strength in numbers of soldiers to your army of good bacteria and prebiotics give the soldiers the support they need.

With so many people today suffering from a compromised gut, having the correct types of gut bacteria, and the correct ratio of the bacteria, has taken on greater importance.

The Gut Microbiome

According to Healthline:

“The incredible complexity of the gut and its importance to our overall health is a topic of increasing research in the medical community. Numerous studies in the past two decades have demonstrated links between gut health and the immune system, mood, mental health, autoimmune diseases, endocrine disorders, skin conditions, and cancer.

“At one time, our digestive system was considered a relatively “simple” body system, comprised essentially of one long tube for our food to pass through, be absorbed, and then excreted.

“The term “gut microbiome” refers specifically to the microorganisms living in your intestines. A person has about 300 to 500 different species of bacteria in their digestive tract. While some microorganisms are harmful to our health, many are incredibly beneficial and even necessary to a healthy body.

“According to Dr. E. M. Quigley in his study on gut bacteria in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, having a wide variety of these good bacteria in your gut can enhance your immune system function, improve symptoms of depression, help combat obesity, and provide numerous other benefits.

7 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

“There are a number of ways an unhealthy gut might manifest itself. Here are seven of the most common signs:

  1. Upset stomach
  2. A high-sugar diet
  3. Unintentional weight changes
  4. Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue
  5. Skin irritation
  6. Autoimmune conditions
  7. Food intolerances.”

For the full Healthline article, click here.

Supplementation with the needed forms of beneficial bacteria, and the correct ratio of those beneficial bacteria, will go a long way in helping improve gut health, as will consuming prebiotics to enhance the probiotics in the gut. Good gut health can then support a stronger immune system, better mood and mental health, and healthier skin.

Metabolic Boost is an exclusive formula containing a proprietary enzyme probiotic blend and prebiotic. Metabolic Boost is formulated to support healthy digestion and healthy metabolism.

Chicken Soup when You’re Sick

Okay, what is it about chicken soup that feels good when you’re sick?  Grandma and Mom were right — a bowl of chicken soup does make you feel better when you are sick.

Why this remedy?

Well, chicken soap contains cysteine, an amino acid that’s chemically similar to a bronchitis drug to help reduce inflammation. The broth also helps thin mucus, and the protein in the chicken helps you produce disease-fighting antibodies. It also contains zinc which has been called “nature’s penicillin”

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