Dr. Blyweiss wrote an eye-opening article called Are You Excited? last Wednesday. The article discuses the dangers of consuming food additives, or excitotoxins, like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartate (artificial sweeteners).

Food manufacturers use these food additives to enhance taste. They’re most often found in heavily processed foods like soups, snacks, sauces, diet foods, and gravies.

Researchers believe excitotoxins are dangerous because they over stimulate neuron receptors. This overstimulation of neuron receptors destroys significant numbers of brain cells and can lead to serious health problems including neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

Artificial sweeteners may also damage DNA. Acesulfame-K, aspartame, and saccharin trigger breaks in DNA strands. The damage to the DNA strands can lead to serious health problems including cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Some other problems that have been associated with excitotoxins are: headaches, water retention, skin problems, and other health complaints.

Here are some common MSG foods to avoid:

Potato chips
Flavored crackers
Canned soups
Dry soup mixes
Canned meats
Diet foods
Soy sauces
Salad dressings
Cured meats
And poultry injected with broth

Unfortunately, food additives tend to be so prevalent in our food supply that it’s extremely difficult to avoid them completely.

Do your best to reduce your intake as much as possible and you may also want to consider taking supplements to help neutralize their impact. Vitamin C, E, K, D, beta carotene, magnesium, zinc, and selenium help shield cells by protecting glutamate receptors from excessive excitotoxin absorption.

The very best thing you can do to avoid the harmful effects of excitotoxins is make sure to eat a diet full of fresh, whole foods.

If you have any questions about excitotoxins or how you can fight their harmful effects, please send us an email. Or if you would like to add anything, please leave a comment below!

An interesting study by researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine was publicized in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. For a brief summary of the study, check out Dr. Blyweiss’ full article called Good Cholesterol Cuts Cancer Risk.

Researchers still aren’t quite sure how “good cholesterol” affects cancer risk but there are about 4 hypothesis of why there’s a connection.

1. Having higher HDL levels boosts the immune system’s ability to fight precancerous lesions and cancerous tumors lurking in the body.
2. Higher HDL levels indicate a healthier lifestyle. People who exercise regularly, eat healthy, and don’t smoke tend to have higher HDL levels.
3. HDL has antioxidant properties that neutralize chemical compounds in the body that contribute to cancer by damaging cells.
4. HDL may reduce inflammation, which is associated with heart disease and cancer.

Unfortunately, it’s not all that easy to raise your good cholesterol. There aren’t any prescription drugs or “magic bullets” to increase your levels.

The best bet for you to increase your HDL levels is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eating right and getting plenty of exercise appears to help with this. There also seems to be a connection between “good cholesterol” and foods that contain monounsaturated fats (like olive oil, nuts, and the oil in salad dressings). Eating these foods, along with foods rich in Omega-3s are believed to be good for increasing HDL.

One more thing, if you smoke—you should quit right away. Nothing lowers HDL levels faster than smoking. It doesn’t even matter how long or how much you’ve smoked, if you quit, your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer drops almost immediately.

So good luck, and please post a comment below if you have anything to add!

You’re most likely one of the 60 million Americans that suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS.

IBS is characterized by at least 12 weeks out of a year of suffering from stomach pain, diarrhea, and/or constipation. Some other symptoms of IBS are: gas, bloating, nausea, vomiting, mucus in the stool, and getting a full sensation … even after even a small meal.

Some factors that may trigger or intensify IBS are:

• Food allergies
• Enzyme deficiency
• Disordered overgrowth of intestinal flora
• Stress

Some foods seem to trigger IBS and make matters worse, more so than others. Altering your diet is crucial to managing IBS. You should steer clear of processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, and possibly, gluten, fruit, and milk sugars.

If you have a high stress lifestyle or if you are one of those people that tend to internalize tension … you may want to consider exercising and meditating to help reduce your stress levels. In fact, meditation or simple “mindful breathing” exercises have proven to be a non-pharmacological method of decreasing stress cortisol levels.

Taking supplements can also help eliminate triggers and lessen the effects of IBS. See the list below of three supplements that been notoriously successful at helping IBS.

Three Supplements That Help With IBS Are:

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids- 1,000 mg. daily with meals
• Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacteriu)
• L-glutamine- 500-1,000 mg twice per day on an empty stomach

For more information about these supplements and for a more detailed explanation of how they benefit this health condition, check out Dr. Blyweiss’ full article: A Gut-Wrenching Problem.

With his helpful tips, and your hard work and research, you may just be able to help make that gas, pain, and strain disappear forever!

New statistics show that eczema affects over 15 million Americans. And it’s a truly painful and irritating skin condition to live with.

Some of the symptoms include redness, peeling skin, open sores, and incessant itching.

The treatments? Not so impressive. Conventional treatments for eczema can cause thinning of the skin, weakening of the immune system, and can even cause damage to the liver.

Natural Treatments

The first line of defense is avoidance. Find out what’s causing your eczema to flare up. The most common triggers are a dry climate, stress, illness, certain foods, fabrics, or chemicals used for cleaning. Once you identify what’s irritating your skin, do your best to avoid these triggers if possible.

Primrose Oil
Supplementing with primrose oil can really help improve the itching, swelling, crusting, and redness when it’s used for a period of four to eight weeks.

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
DHA is found in fatty fish like salmon, and it’s been shown to significantly improve eczema symptoms. Medical professionals suspect that it’s beneficial because it boosts omega-3 fatty acids and reduces levels of leukotriene B4, which has been linked to eczema.

Probiotics
Exposure to probiotics as a child helps reduce allergic reactions by improving digestion, by helping the intestinal tract control the absorption of food allergens, and by changing the immune system responses. If children are given probiotics at a young age, it may cut their risk of developing eczema later in life.

Topical Treatments
If you’re looking for a topical remedy for eczema I suggest trying a cream that contains chamomile or tamanu oil. They offer soothing relief almost immediately.

Unfortunately, people are never 100% free of the condition. Eczema comes and goes at a whim, so make sure you’re ready to go into attack mode when an outbreak pops up! For more information on natural skin care treatments, visit Advanced Natural Medicine.

The most common causes of joint pain are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and bursitis.

But luckily, there are a number of natural remedies for joint pain that can reduce suffering. I learned about these herbs from Dr. Blyweiss, in his article, Feeling Out Of Joint.

Green Lipped Mussel Extract
This herb’s been shown to relieve the pain and inflammation that’s associated with OA, RA, bursitis, and even sports injuries. It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids which helps ease joint pain and inflammation by increasing the production and activity of anti-inflammatory unsaturated fatty acids called prostaglandins.

Boswellia
Boswellia’s an anti-inflammatory herb that’s useful in reducing knee pain, increasing knee flexion, and lessening the frequency of swelling in the knee joint.

Turmeric
Turmeric’s been used for centuries as well in treating arthritis. The key is curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin should be taken with biperine to increase the absorbability of it.

Willow Bark
I always tell people to trade aspirin for willow bark. The active ingredient in willow bark is salicylic acid which is natural, it lasts longer, and it doesn’t pose as great a risk for gastrointestinal harm as aspirin does.

Treating your joint pain can change your life in so many ways. Being free of pain will really enhance your mobility and increase your range of motion.

For more articles on this topic, head over the ANM site, and check out the Joint Health section. There are a number of great articles available FREE to the public!

If you have any other herb or supplement recommendations, please leave a comment for us! We would love to share this tip with the whole community.

Be healthy!

It’s not just any old fat though, it’s called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and it’s a fatty acid that’s found in grass-fed meat and dairy.

CLA makes life miserable for fat cells. It inhibits an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase that shuttles fat molecules from the bloodstream into the cells. It encourages lipolysis, which is the breakdown of fat that’s already in storage.

In some studies, CLA has even shown an ability to encourage fat cells to commit cellular suicide (apoptosis), which results in fewer places for fat to hide. It also helps promote the transport of fat into exercising muscles, helping them burn off calories and become more toned.

For more information on some of the CLA studies that have been conducted, read Dr. Blyweiss’ article, Fight Fat With Fat.

Amazingly enough, CLA is also being studied for its ability to fend off cancer as well, especially colorectal cancer and breast cancer. It’s been shown to interfere with tumor development and helps keep cancerous cells from spreading to nearby organs.

This miracle substance also appears to regulate immunity by helping to strengthen the body’s natural defenses while protecting against the inflammatory damage the immune response can cause. Low-level inflammation has been linked to a number of disorders such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and arthritis so it should always be avoided.

Studies conducted with humans usually used about 1.8 to 6 grams of CLA per day.

Be cautious with CLA consumption, because there is some evidence that too much CLA can boost lipoprotein and blood glucose levels. To be safe, take no more than 3 grams of CLA daily, divided into three equal doses, for no more than three months at a time.

To get the most out of this supplement, make sure to eat a low glycemic diet, adopt better sleep habits, and a develop a regular exercise program that combines aerobic ad resistance training while taking it.

So get started, look for a CLA supplement near you by visiting your local drugstore. Visit the main Advanced Natural Medicine site for more weight loss tips.

Unfortunately, if you’re a woman, you can’t not help but think about it.

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives.

Right now, there’s no cure for breast cancer, although researchers are working relentlessly to find one. There are a few well-known natural strategies that can help lower your risk of developing breast cancer though, they are: exercise, eat a cancer-fighting diet, and use the right supplements.

Exercise
Exercising helps improve lymph circulation which aids in removing toxins from the body. It also helps to balance reproductive hormones, and increases sensitivity to insulin. The recommended timeframe for exercise is approximately three hours per week.

Cancer-Fighting Diet
Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans are thought to be good foods to prevent breast cancer as they are chock full of antioxidants and dietary fiber which are linked to a decreased incidence of breast cancer. Flaxseed, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, mushrooms, and onions are also good foods to eat to prevent breast cancer. Generally speaking, a diet low on the glycemic index is better than a high glycemic index diet. Swedish researchers found that women eating a low GI diet are 44 percent less likely to develop breast cancer.

Supplements
Vitamin D, Indole-3 Carbinol, Probiotics, Calcium-D-Glucarate, and Phosphatidylcholine may also stall the spread of breast cancers cells by boosting immune function. Consider adding these supplements to your daily supplement regimen to help reduce your risk.

The cure for breast cancer doesn’t seem to be coming any time soon. So, we all need to educate ourselves on the steps we can take to reduce the risk in the meantime. Tell your family, friends, and loved ones about the steps they can take to prevent and reduce their risk of developing this terrible disease today.

Like every other woman in America, I’m trying to watch my weight, so I usually opt for the diet option.

I know there’s controversial research going around about artificial sweeteners, and I know I shouldn’t consume them, but all those diseases come about years later, whereas those extra pounds will show up immediately.

After reading Dr. Blyweiss’ article Smart, Safe, and Sweet, I’ve come to the conclusion that all coke options are bad options … so it’s time that I make some serious adjustments to my diet.

While artificial sweeteners may not contain, they do contain other bad things.

A number of studies link artificial sweeteners to increased risk of developing cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, hypothyroidism, and increased risk of fibrocystic breast disease.

So if you’re craving something sweet you should really try naturally sweet foods, such as fresh fruit and sweet vegetables.  

If you must add sweetener to something, try a natural sweetener like honey, molasses, or agave. These sweeteners are much lower than sugar on the glycemic index and they provide vitamins and minerals unlike artificial sweeteners.

Xylitol and inulin are natural sweeteners that are good for Diabetics. And since it’s nearly impossible to avoid all sugar you need to consider natural alternatives.

Also, there are things you can do to help reduce the effect of sugar on your body by increasing the amount of soluble fiber that you consume. Some foods that contain large quantities of soluble fiber are dried beans, oatmeal, winter squash, dried figs, plums, apricots, and ground flaxseeds.

So remember, reduce sugar, eliminate artificial sweeteners, and inrease fiber, and you’re on your way to a healthier life! To learn more about the dangers of coke, click here.

You may be starting to develop age-related macular degeneration. It’s one of the most common causes of vision loss for people over the age of 65 … and it terribly devastating.

You can make changes to your lifestyle today to reduce your risk of developing ARMD and to slow down its progression.

Some of the risk factors for ARMD are age, smoking, obesity, race (Caucasians are more likely to develop ARMD than African-Americans), family history, and gender (women are higher risk than men). It’s important to understand your risk factor, so you can properly take precautions.

Researchers conducted a large clinical trial to test the effectiveness of supplements on eye-sight. They discovered that high doses of zinc, vitamin C and E, and beta-carotene can significantly reduce the risk of developing ARMD? by as much as 25%.

Eye health experts also recommend that people consume at least six milligrams of supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin every day. These supplements help reduce the risk of developing ARMD and also help reduce cataract formation. If you don’t want to take a supplement, or just want to boost your lutein and zeaxanthin intake, you can get these nutrients by eating kale, spinach, and egg yolks.

Healthy fats also help keep ARMD at bay. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish, flaxseed, and walnuts. If you can’t always get enough of these foods in your diet, consider taking a fish oil supplement daily, at least 3,000 mg.

You only get one set of eyes, so make sure to take care of them as best you can! Visit Advanced Natural Medicine for more articles on Vision Health and check out Uniscience Group to find supplements to support your eyesight!

But since we got so much rain last winter, we are still experiencing high pollen counts, leaving a lot of people still looking for allergy relief.

Antihistamines and decongestants do a pretty good job of easing our allergy symptoms, however, they often leave us feeling drowsy and they never seem to fully control our symptoms.

There are natural, more effective ways to get relief from allergies.

The first thing you should try to do is reduce your exposure to allergens.

Pollen counts are listed in local newspapers and news stations. Start checking the pollen counts and if you discover that the pollen count is going to be high on a particular day, limit your time outside and keep your windows closed. Check the pollen counts in your area by visiting Weather.com. Just type in your zip code, and it will tell you the pollen levels for your area.

Dusting and vacuuming on a regular basis should also help reduce your pollen exposure. In addition, make sure to change your air filters monthly and clean the air ducts at least once a year.

If you want to take it a step further, have your doctor test you for a variety of pollens, so you can avoid specific plants and allergens.

Natural Remedies For Allergy Sufferers

Neti Pot
You should irrigate your nasal passages with saline once a day. It will helps reduce your need for medication and keep things flowing freely.

Stinging Nettles
Can help stop allergy symptoms within 15 minutes. They’re most potent when they are in freeze-dried form and the recommended dose is 870 mg.

Quercetin
This flavonoid that can be found in yellow onions, garlic, citrus fruit, and buckwheat also helps prevent allergies by stemming the production of histamine from over reactive immune cells. The recommended dosage is 400 mg. twice a day between meals. You should start this regimen about 6 weeks before allergy season starts and continue until the season is over.

Butterbur
Butterbur’s an anti-inflammatory that can reduce allergy symptoms just as effectively as antihistamines but without all the side effects. It contains compounds, called petasins, that relax the blood vessels and smooth muscles in the body. When choosing a butterbur supplement, make sure you chose one that is free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, because they can cause liver damage.

Once you get your allergies under control, you may be able to enjoy the springtime once again!

To read the original article, The Problem With Pollen by Dr. David Blyweiss, visit Advanced Natural Medicine. For more information on allergies, check out Natural Treatments For Sinusitis.