Category Archives: Diseases

The Big, Bad and The Ugly…Killer Fats!

Category : Allergies , Arthritis , Diseases , News , Sleep

Hydrogenation is a process that turns polyunsaturates, which are normally liquid oils at room temperature, into fats that are solid or semi-solid at room temperature. This is a chemical process; the oils are altered under pressure with a metal catalyst for about six to eight hours. This process will break the double bond which is naturally occurring in the oil by adding hydrogen to make it into solid or semi-solid product. The really big problem here is that through this processing the chemical and metal catalysts remain in the oil, when the processed foods are eaten these toxins enter into our body will therefore contaminate us. These metal catalysts are nickel, aluminum, platinum, or cobalt. If the unsaturated fat chain is fully saturated by this chemical process, it becomes hard and stable, but completely dead. What that means it becomes pure fat, without its health benefits. The difference between partially hydrogenated and fully hydrogenated fats is that the partially hydrogenated fat creates trans-fat, because the fully hydrogenated returns to “zero-trans-fat” level.

So, you ask, what makes them killer fats? These laboratory altered fats are considered an inflammatory ingredient that get stuck inside the body; there isn’t any way for the body to metabolize them or excrete them out. Since your body can’t metabolize them, they sit in the fat tissues of the body hindering its ability to efficiently break down and use other proteins or fats which can keep the body in a healthy state. The blood becomes sticky and hard and can create cardio vascular issues. Triglycerides increase, LDL cholesterol (bad) also increases, while the HDL cholesterol (good) decreases. There is an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, stroke, disruption of hormones function, also interfering with the enzyme structure which the body needs to eliminate certain toxins. Also, these toxins create massive amounts of inflammation within the body, thus hindering the body’s healing process.

So, it is so important to not just look at the front label but to investigate and read the INGREDIENT label instead. Toxic fats are hydrogenated and trans fats. Margarine, shortening, and other man-made oils are particularly harmful. Some of these toxic fats are canola, corn, vegetable, soybean, cottonseed, safflower, grapeseed and peanut oil. These oils are highly processed and oxidize easily. Beware of these!

Very concerned,
Marie


Our Kitchens Hold The Power Of Healing!

Category : Allergies , Arthritis , Diseases , News

Do you know how much healing power we hold in the kitchen spice cabinet? Let’s look to this for our gems of healing. Throughout history many cultures turned to the herbs and spices alone for their medicinal purposes. People were actually healthier, healed quicker and less likely to even develop chronic diseases which runs so rampant today. When you grill or fry with spices it does decrease its antioxidants…but stewing or simmering heightens them.
Let’s check out a few:

In fact, did you know that there are some herbs that combat sugar cravings?
One herb is: Fenugreek seeds. Tasting like maple syrup, they makes a great sugar replacement; and are loaded with antioxidants and trace minerals. Cinnamon is another; lending a sweet taste to food without adding sugar… provides healthy heart benefits, offers reduction of high blood cholestrol and triglyceride levels… not to be used as a replacement for your medications, but is a helpful addition to a healthy lifestyle.

Turmeric reduces inflammation which is a common cause of discomfort and illness. Turmeric’s component called cucumin, researchers has shown may reduce brain inflammation which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and depression…also reduces pain of arthritis.

Ginger reduces stomach upset and travel sickness; even helps with chemotherapy nausea and vomiting when taken along with anti-nausea medication. (check with your doctor first, as some drugs may be conflicting.)

Garlic…Researchers have linked garlic intake with keeping blood vessels flexible, also reducing cholestrol and triglycerides.

Cayenne helps to ease pain. It contains the substance, capsaicin, which makes it spicey. It reduces the number of pain signals sent to your brain, so you don’t register as much discomfort. Also works on pain caused by arthritis and diabetes-nerve damage. Helps with reducing the ulcer-causing bacteria (H-pylori), reducing stomach acid and increasing blood flow.

Rosemary works for blood circuation, digestion and asthma, promotes alertness.

Sage may help with memory enhancement and functioning of the brain, possibly aiding those with Alzheimer’s disease.
Sage tea eases sore throats and stomach discomfort as well.

Oregano…you will get the same amount of powerful antioxidants from three cups of spinach comparing to one teaspoon of oregano. It is a great deliverer of Vitamin K, the nutrient for strong bones.

Keeping you informed,
Marie


Not All Fats Are Created Equal

Fat digestion begins mechanically in the mouth, but only a small amount actually breaks down there. On the way down the digestive tract the stomach grabs about 10%, with the help of the enzymes and stomach acids. Most of the metablism of fats though comes during the digestion in the small intestine.

An important and interesting fact is how fat reacts in the body with excess sugars. The body will turn these sugars into sticky and degenerative fats. Excess glucose, not used by the body for enegy will be stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. The excess amounts of glycogen not used by the liver are then released as triglicerides and dumped into the blood system and stored as fat. Fat is a carrier of toxins, the body stores them. So it is very important to choose your fats wisely.

Healthy fats feed the brain (the brain is made of 60% fat) and the body’s cells, The roles fatty acids accomplish are; promoting energy, carrying nutrients throughout the body, helping the body to maintain its temperatures, and helping in the many roles of metabolism. Fatty acids are one of the outstanding ways the body achieves its cell integrity and permeability. What that means is fats have a premier role in your body’y abilities to absorb and use the good foods that you eat, right down to the cellular level. Wow!

Fats taste good, I won’t deny that. God made those taste buds for a good reason; enhancing the taste buds on the tongue to allow the flavors to spread around the palate so we can fully savor our foods. He wants us to enjoy our foods and stay healthy at the same time.

Good healthy fats are: saturated fats, monosaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. This category consists of healing fats; and also hydrogenated fats and trans fats, the latter two are the killer fats. And believe it or not cholestrol is an important ingredient that our body needs to maintain optimal health. Actually cholestrol is refered to as a fat but a alcohol molecule that behaves like a fat. But it is needed by the body for its metabolic processes.

Most people think that saturated fats are “bad” and unsaturated are “good” fats. Saturated fats usually come from animal products, but coconut is actually a saturated fat. Unsaturated fats comes from plant sources, which doesn’t always mean that it is good for your health. Certian types of plant seeds such as corn, peanut, safflower and sunflower are highly inflammatory oils because of their processing. These are best avoided for health reasons.

Listing of good fats: butter, ghee, tallow, coconut milk and coconut oil, avocados and avocado oil, olive oil, fish oil and MCT oil (medium chain triglyerides), Omega 3 fatty acids.

Listing of bad fats: canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil, margarine, cottonseed oil, and peanut oil. Most of these are considered as trans fats due to their processing practices. (I will do a future article just on hydrogenated and trans fats, their processing, what makes them killer fats and what they do to the body).
Stay tuned!


Sometimes Doing Nothing Often Leads To The Very Best Something!!

Category : Diseases , News , References

Sometimes we learn our lessons by peeling back the layers of our life. Sometimes we keep repeating the same lessons like the ‘Ground Hog Day’ which the character kept experiencing the same day over and over. Sometimes we don’t want to look because it hurts too much or we just don’t want to deal with the emotions, it’s easier to just think than to feel. People fear the unknown, because we don’t know what we will find when we do look at it. As human beings we will deal with stress in our lives; with our outward busy lives and living with unconscious trigger patterns, our body’s stress levels get stuck and don’t shut down.

When we become adults we tend to lose our sense of self, our connection of who we really are. Instead we are taught the worldly work ethic; how to be efficient and productive, but this does not include fulfillment. We are  constantly comparing ourselves with others to be driven to succeed in everything we do; yet never finding satisfaction. Even when we continually check our phone messages and social media, our brain sees our phone as work, our brain is overstimulated, it also needs a time out.

Overworking ourselves eliminates leisure, playtime and most needed relaxation. We feel like we are drowning and will never get caught up. We become members of the cult of efficiency. What is that you may ask? It is a group of people who’s members all believe fervently in the virtue  of constant activity, finding the most efficient way to accomplish about anything and everything. They think that they are saving time and making the world a better place. They are wrong! Efficiency is a myth. Those who follow this lie, are all losing ground and actually becoming less productive. The more speed, the more errors there are and actually the slower we become. We are stressed and exhausted.  Our families and relationships suffer because we have nothing to give to them when we are spent. Our brain and bodies need light-heartedness to heal from the demands life has placed on it. We have to see the reality of all this. It isn’t the idea that everything should be slower, but that everything needs not to be so fast. We have to consciously choose a slower path or your body will be stuck in the stress mode and unable to heal itself.

Awareness is the first way to interrupt unconscious trigger patterns, living with our eyes wide open. We go to our mind to escape our emotions, instead we need to consciously become aware of what is happening in our system for us to be ready to change our mindset. It is going take action and will be a process but the price you pay will be far worth it. In the long run your brain, body and the people in your life will love the new you. Instaed of excessive working, let’s learn to give in to playing, smiling, laughing, bonding, relaxing, and reconnecting with ourselves and our loved ones. It is good to find our lost self and bring ourself home again. We can gain some wisdom from Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh, “Sometimes doing nothing often leads to the very best something.” Learn to sit and do nothing for 15 minutes a day, to reduce stress levels.  Learn to love ourself and life thus embracing all the blessings in it!

Caringly,
Marie


Do Solar Panels and Smart Meters Emit EMF Radiation?

Category : Allergies , Arthritis , Diseases , News , Sleep

Many people are now having solar panels installed on their homes and buisnesses.
The concern is now; do these panels create EMF radiation and harm our
health? Yes, solar panels do emit very small amounts of EMF radiation, but the
panels themselves are not the risk. The panels are nowhere near your body, and
even if they were to emit more EMF radiation, their distance will most likely
protect you entirely. The real issue is that the solar panel system or photovoltaic
system creates”dirty electricity” that ultimately radiates EMF radiation into the
home. The other concern comes from “smart meters” installed to monitor how
much solar energy is produced by the home.

Smart meters are simply the utility meters that track usage and transmit data wirelessly. The BIG problem with these meters; they emit large volumes  of RF (Radio Frequency) Radiation, thus exposing people that are near it. Many of these meters are on the outside wall opposite a bedroom and pose a real risk. Smart meters are extremely dangerous and the WHO…World Health Organization has classified them as a possible carcinogen.

What is “dirty electricity” you may ask? It is useable electricity that gets trapped
in your electrical wiring; that is what creates the EMF’s into the home. It is
erratic spikes and surges of elecrical energy traveling along power lines and
building wiring where only AC electricity should be.

Dirty electricity can interfere with the proper functioning of appliances and
electrical equipment and more important with the natural electrical processes
within the human body; which left unchecked can cause a wide variety of health
problems. To reduce the EMF radiation in the home; it is wise to purchase
“dirty electricity filters” which grounds/reduces and shorts out the exposure
of these spikes/surges. I personally purchased mine from Greenwavefilters.com,
a very reliable company and product. I also have invested in a Smart meter shield
to protect from the excess amounts of radiation emitted every few seconds.
From Smart Meter Covers.
Check out link for EMF information:
http://frombirthuntilsunset.com/2019/12/is-your-cellphone-emitting-radiation-intoyour-body/

Very concerned about our environment,
Marie


Stressful Body Equals Bad Pooping

To all my family of readers…Here is important news,

When you are under any type of stress–physical, emotional or mental…the digestive faculties are inhibited and digestion is ALWAYS suspended. What this means is that if you eat while suffering from stress, indigestion will always result. Eating while under stress is actually the worst thing you can do. The digestive system shuts down, food is suspended and held up in the stomach and intestinal tract. Constipation can occur…what that is, what happens is the large intestine becomes impacted with the undigested food particles and that substance lines the tract. Food putrifies and creates digestive distress. You begin taking more or fewer trips to the bathroom. Your poop doesn’t have the normal consistancy and perhaps you may have more symptoms of depression and anxiety. Don’t strain to eliminate…BAD BAD BAD! Diseases may be  connected to this stessful gut situation…Diverticulitis, IBS, Crohn’s, Cancer, and believe it or not your mental health is also affected. Mental health issues can be traced back to the gut. It isn’t just what goes in, but what can be absorbed and definitely what is excreted and eliminated.

It’s a good habit to check your stools before flushng to check for any irregulariteis or dyfunctions…color changes and texture changes indicates stress, diseases… to prepare and prevent any future disease issues. Here’s a visual chart to help you to see, reference, and compare your poop to know what is going on.
BRISTOL POOP CHART

The gut and the brain are connected in more ways than I can define in this short space. Stress changes the way your mind thinks and makes decisions. It means you may still end up making poor choices when it comes to food…emotional eating which is based on stressful eating. If you get time to read through in more detail of and it includes tips on reducing stress:
How Does Stress Impact Your Digestion?  

Try and recall a stressful event in your life; death of a loved one, change of job, illness, etc. Perhaps you failed to notice your bathroom habits also changed when these stressful events occured. Then you started to experience different digestive symptoms, including headaches, brain fog, difficult stools, chronic pain issues in other ares of your body, etc. Food allergies or sensitivites, leaky gut, stress are some causes.

Now it’s important to consider what you may be holding on to…or not releasing!! Negative thinking, foul moods are paralleled with the disease process. Slow down, work relaxation into your life BEFORE stress develops and tension sets in…is a great preventative treatment for stress. Chewing Well: A New Concept to Wellness
Keep a Food, Mood, and Poop Journal to keeping a log of what works for you and what doesn’t. History is always to learn from.
(Questions feel free:  jmdimercurio@webtv.net…I will answer all.)

Our body is the only one we get through life,
let’s take good care of it!
Marie


Protect Your Brain From Cognitive Decline

Category : Diseases , News , Sleep

The brain is made of 60% fat. It actually is the fattiest organ of the body. The foods you eat DO affect how your brain will function ans well as repair itself from the body’s daily abuses and detoxing of it’s wastes.

Blood sugar does not have a good effect on the brain. (One does not have to be diabetic to have high blood sugar.)  Thus, high blood sugar triggers a reaction called “glycation”. Simply put, glycation is a biological process whereby the glucose, proteins, and certian fats bind together and causing the body’s tissues and cells including those in the brain to become stiff and hardened.  This process called AGEs or Advanced-Glycation-End-Products; which is a contributing factor to the aging process.

This protein stiffness has been linked to inflammation and chronic diseases; such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cardiovascular disese. More importantly, these sugar molecules and brain proteins combine to create deadly new structures contributing more than any other factor to the degeneration of the brain and its functioning. The brain is extremely sensitive to the glycating devastating effects of glucose, because it is this glucose that can accelerate the damage. In other words, glycation can contribute to the shrinking of critical brain tissue.

If one is insulin resistant, this person’s body may not be able to break down a protein (amyloid) that forms plaques associated with brain disease. Also high blood sugar induces threatening biological reactions which injure the body by producing certian oxygen containg molecules; damaging cells and causing inflammation, thus, resulting in hardening and narrowing of the arteries in the brain as well as other areas in the body.  This condition (Atherosclerosis), leading to vascular dementia, which happens when blockages and strokes kill the brain tissue.

A most disturbing finding was made by Japanese researchers in 2011, when they looked at 1,000 men and women over 60 years of age, and found that “people with diabetes were twice as likely as the other study participants to develop Alzheimers’ disease within 15 years”.
Excerpt from Grain Brain, by  Dr. David Perlmutter…  Resources


Tapping Into Our Brain’s Hidden Resources

Category : Diseases , News , References , Sleep

Hidden in the center of our brain just behind the thalamus, sits our pineal gland. The pineal gland regulates our body’s sleep-wake cycle and circadian regulation (our cycles of day and night) or hormone balance in each 24-hour period. It is triggered by darkness. Pineal activity is inhibited by light, which is detected by the eye’s retina and sent along a series of nerve connections to the gland.
This gland contains photoreceptors, just like your eyes, and is activated by the light that passes through your eyes. I found it quite interesting that the pineal cells in composition as well as in the presence of proteins, are not found anywhere else in the body! It is our light sensitive gland tucked deep within our brains. Darkness removes this inhibition, and the pineal then releases its sleep hormone, melatonin. Melatonin is produced by the gland in the first three hours of sleep. As the light decreases, the pineal secretes more melatonin, which carries out the responses of the cycles of sleep and wakefulness. The amount of circulating melatonin rises at night, in dark conditions, creating a daily rhythm of rising and falling hormone levels. This is why sleeping in a very dark room is best for your health. Our natural melatonin reservoirs decrease through the aging process! As there are other factors inhibiting the natural production of melatonin; NSAIDS, large doses of vitamin B-12 especially the shots, caffeine, steroid drugs and alcohol consumption and of course stress. All the hormones in the body work together to keep our body unified in health. Supplementation of melatonin? Sometimes people can initially have vivid and weird dreams or morning drowsiness so start low, go slow. The one I like is a video called the Pineal Gland Activator;
link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h2mJnvRbZ8&feature=related
Light and motion! Play with it, what works best: on the length of time watching it, time of day, (I find later in the day is best for me). But I figure if the production may be decreasing then I will help it to increase, and it helps.


How Fast Do Your Wounds Heal?

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Category : Allergies , Diseases , News

Those pesky little cuts, whether paper cuts or knife cuts can be an interference in our daily lives because of nagging pain. Let us for a moment look into your body’s self-healing abilities. The stages of wound healing are: bleeding, swelling tissue, regrowth and scarring. Though each stage occurs at different rates for each person, there should still be a consistency in the body’s self-healing process. If the wound takes longer than five days to develop the regrowing of new tissues around the affected area you may be suffering from slow healing.
Some reasons for slow healing include
*poor nutrition; diet does have a lot to do with your immune system support and function.
*Diabetes and high blood sugar;  when there is an elevated presence of sugar in the blood, this sugar then prevents the nutrients from getting absorbed into the body’s receptor sites.
*Poor circulation; plagues seniors, those with limited mobility and smokers. The body’s circulation maintains adequate oxygen levels to flow throughout the body to promote the right nutrients to be delivered to the affected wound for proper healing.
*Poor wound care; steps include, always stop bleeding, then, clean the wound, applying antibiotic agent if necessary, cover wound properly, (and get stitches, if necessary).
*Other health issues may include vascular or arterial disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lack of sleep, stress, obesity, autoimmune deficiency conditions and some prescription drugs slow wound healing.
It is best to support your body’s immune system with the fuel it needs to heal. The right amount of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and proteins and zinc; will give your body the proper momentum in its healing process of your cuts.
Summary: When you have a wound, ensure that you have a clean diet, plenty of oxygen and use natures healing. You will be amazed how miraculously your self-healing body really is.

Comments are always appreciated,
jmdimercurio@webtv.net
Marie


How Are Choices Can Really Affect Us

Our choices affect us: physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and relationally…through our thoughts, actions, words and with others around us. In other words, these choices of ours affect every avenue of our lives. Some people do not want to take any responsibility for their behavior and actions, thus discounting anything they say and do, and putting the blame onto others. This alters the depth of their accountability and level of maturity.

No one can blame anyone for the consequences that overcome us or our regrets for our immature and irrational behavior.  If people knew what they would become in their future, do you think that one would make better choices in life? You can’t say “whoops”, wishing it would go away, just because they are suffering from their consequences. God forgave David  from his sin with Bathsheba, but God didn’t take away the conseguecnes of that sin.

Our choices are born from the deepness within us, our ability to respond to our soul. We learn to live in ways that do no harm to ourself or others. Many people are easily influenced by the decisions of others and respond that way, not of their own accord but they want to blame the person who influenced them when everything goes awry. We can’t blame our past and say “I never learned” Grow up, it’s time now! Let truth wash over you.

A good example comes to mind. In the Bible, Jesus stands with His tortured body in front of the crowds of sneering, screaming people who are yelling, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”.  This crowd was influenced in their decision, but in eternity they are all held responsible for their choices, words and actions. They all did wrong, even though it was to fulfill prophecy.

People today do the same; the way they feed their bodies, souls, and minds; all affecting their choices, but are still held responsible, in this life as well as in the eternal life afterward.

Choose Wisely,
Marie