Healthy Bacteria Make For A Healthy Body

Having a good balance of healthy bacteria in the large intestine of the body is extremely important because they not only aid the digestive process but they also support your immune system and provide many other benefits. The large intestine is home to about three pounds worth of bacteria, both good and bad, all working together and competing for nutrients and space. Balancing out the ratio of good to bad bacteria is key to being truly healthy. If the ratio of good to bad bacteria is out of balance then you are said to be in dysbiosis, which unfortunately, most people are.

The small intestine absorbs most of the nutrients from our food but any food that the small intestine is unable to utilize enters the large intestine where bacteria is able to break it down further. In doing this, the bacteria help to release more nutrients for absorption that would have otherwise been unavailable and they also synthesize and release vitamins themselves into our system for absorption. Vitamin K is a well known vitamin that is needed for blood clotting of which bacteria help to produce your daily supply of.

Good bacteria are also known to help prevent general food allergies, allergic inflammation and they help to heal the intestines. They also decrease Gas, Bloating, Indigestion, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), Diarrhea, Constipation, Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, Bad Breath, Body Odor, Candida Yeast Infections, Colds, Flu, Chronic Fatigue and high cholesterol levels.

The balance of good and bad bacteria can influence your body weight too. Studies have shown that slim people have a different mix of bacteria in their gut than obese people. This mix of bacteria proved important because the bacteria found in obese people was more efficient at extracting calories from food and depositing them into fat.

Studies have also shown that athletes can benefit greatly from having the correct balance of healthy bacteria in their gut. Not only do they help to reduce the incidence of infections like colds and flu but they also help the athlete to recover faster. Less sick days and faster recovery times mean more time to train and improve performance.

If you have a baby or are expecting one then it is important to breast feed because breast milk naturally contains healthy bacteria that establish in your baby’s gut and help to boost it’s immune system for a healthy start to life. It is also important to have a healthy balance of good bacteria when giving birth as the vaginal canal is the baby’s first introduction to bacteria which colonizes on the skin and helps to protect the baby from other, more harmful, bacteria.

The methods by which the good bacteria is able to assist the body in all of the above functions is varied. Some bacteria help to stimulate the body’s production of a natural immune system enhancer and virus inhibitor called alpha-interferon while other bacteria help the body to fend off disease by producing a protein that gives the immune system a boost. Some also help the body to detoxify by dislodging accumulated decay from the walls of your intestine so that it can be eliminated while other bacteria produce vitamins that your body needs for overall health.

How you eat has a huge impact on the balance of bacteria in your gut. Sugar and grains tend to feed the bad bacteria which gives them an advantage over the good bacteria. Chemicals in the air and water can also throw off the balance of good to bad bacteria. All packaged and processed foods contain chemicals, some of which are listed on the ingredients label and some that do not have to be, which are very effective at throwing your system out of balance. Even if the packaged food does not contain chemicals, it is likely to be highly refined and contain unnatural amounts of sugar that allow bad bacteria to thrive so make sure to eat plenty of whole raw fruits and vegetables rather than bags and boxes of pre-made junk.

Stress can also wreak havoc on your gut bacteria so doing as much as you can to alleviate stress can help the good guys to survive. Yoga, meditation, EFT; whatever helps to relax you should be in your weekly, if not daily, routine.

Garlic, Green Tea, onions, apples, berries and Ginseng can also help to support the healthy bacteria in your gut due to their high polyphenol content.

Antibiotics play a very large part in disrupting the balance of bacteria in the gut because they tend to kill everything in their path whether it be good or bad so avoiding the use of antibiotics except in emergency situations can do wonders for your health. If you do have to take antibiotics then following them with a strong course of probiotics is highly recommended. Using filtered water is also important as traces of antibiotics have been found in our water supply. Eating organic or pasture raised meat is also important as conventionally raised animals are often fed mass amounts of antibiotics which not only throws off their bacterial balance but also results in traces of antibiotic medication in the food supply.

Probiotic supplements work by establishing colonies of the good bacteria in your intestine which literally crowd out the bad bacteria leaving them little to no room to flourish themselves. It is a competition for living space within your gut and you want to help the good guys win. When you purchase a probiotic you should make sure that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated because the bacteria need to be strong enough to survive your stomach acid…. which is not refrigerated in case you didn’t already know that. Probiotic pearls are usually very small so even people who have trouble swallowing pills should be able to get these down with little effort. Some good probiotics include:

Mercola Complete Probiotics
Renew Life Ultimate Flora
Vitacost Search

You can also eat fermented foods which naturally contain good bacteria and help to give the good guys reinforcements. Fermented foods include: Fermented milk, Kefir, Yogurt, Natto, Miso, Kimchee, Tempeh, Olives, Sauerkraut and Pickles.

Foods high in soluble fiber also help good gut bacteria to thrive. Soluable fiber is found in foods like plums, lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruits, pears, prunes, psyllium seeds, oatmeal, broccoli, carrots, lentils, brussel sprouts, chickpeas, lima beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans; to name just a few.

Fructooligosaccharides and inulin are natural sugars found in certain foods and herbs that are known as Prebiotics. These prebiotics help the probiotics to survive the journey of digestion so that they can reach the large intestine. Some Prebiotics include bananas, chicory root, onions, leeks, fruit, sweet potatoes and asparagus. You can also purchase inulin powder if you feel you would like to supplement:
Now Foods Inulin Powder

One great way to support the healthy bacteria while kicking a bad habit is to substitute your coffee use with an herbal coffee which taste like coffee but are actually very healthy and cleansing for your liver while also having prebiotic properties. You can find herbal coffee here:
Mountain Rose Herbal Coffee
Dandy Blend Herbal Coffee

It is said that 80% of our immune system relies on healthy bacteria in the gut so taking whatever precautions you can to care for them and protect them can go a long way in resisting illness and disease.

Resources:

1) Thibodeau & Patton, Structure and Function of the Body, 13th Edition, 2008, p.406-407
2) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/10/18/bacteria-gut.aspx
Accessed: 06/16/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola, Rachael Droege
3) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/01/06/how-the-bacteria-in-your-gut-can-make-you-fat.aspx
Accessed: 06/16/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
4) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/02/18/good-bacteria-part-two.aspx
Accessed: 06/16/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola, Rachael Droege
5) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/18/probiotics-the-case-for-healthy-bowels.aspx
Accessed: 06/16/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
6) http://cholesterol.about.com/od/cholesterolloweringfoods/qt/solublfiberlist.htm
Accessed: 06/16/09
7) http://www.naturalnews.com/023934_probiotics_probiotic_infections.html
Accessed: 06/17/09, Author: David Gutierrez
8) http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/probiotics.aspx?id=1&campaignno=probiotics&adgroup=ag3pre&keywords=prebiotic
Accessed: 06/17/09, Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

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Surprise! Your Food Contains MSG!!

If you think this article doesn’t concern you because you don’t eat foods that contain MSG then you should think again because MSG is disguised under many names on ingredient lists and should be avoided at all costs if you value your brain. It can be considered more toxic to your long term health than cigarettes, alcohol and most drugs.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used as a flavor enhancer in many foods. It is believed that it stimulates glutamate receptors in the tongue which mimics meat-like flavors making a meal more “savory”. It also deceives your brain into craving more food that contains the substance even if you are already full. It is added to canned soups, crackers, meats, snack foods, salad dressings, infant formulas, frozen dinners and MANY, MANY other processed and packaged foods that you find in your local supermarket and even health food stores. It is added to food at restaurants, fast food chains and even school cafeterias.

So What is MSG?

MSG is an Excitotoxin which means that it is an amino acid that also serves as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Neurotransmitters are the chemicals used by your nervous system to communicate messages throughout the body. Excitotoxins, in excessive quantities, over-excite the neurons in your brain to the point of exhaustion which leads to cellular damage and eventually to the cell’s death. Excitotoxins, like MSG and Aspartame, have been linked to learning disabilities, Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s chorea, Lou Gehrig’s disease, Obesity, Eye Damage, Headaches, Fatigue, Disorientation, Depression and Cancer, just to name a few. Excitotoxins are known to not only promote cancer growth but they also make cancer cells more mobile which allows cancer to metastasize (spread) more easily and quickly throughout your body.

The link between MSG and obesity lies in the fact that MSG not only makes you eat more food than you are actually hungry for but it also reduces the thermogenicity of brown fat which can make people gain weight even when they decrease their caloric intake.

Chemically, MSG is the sodium salt of an amino acid called glutamic acid and is about 78 percent free glutamic acid, 21 percent sodium, and up to 1 percent contaminants. The problem with MSG actually lies in the FREE GLUTAMIC ACID. The fact is that many natural foods contain Glutamatic acid but it is most often bound to other amino acids which helps to slow down the absorption of Glutamate into your blood stream. FREE GLUTIMIC ACID, on the other hand, is absorbed very rapidly and thus travels through your blood stream in dangerously high concentrations that your body is not able to handle.

Almost every organ in the body contains glutamate receptors, which means that as you eat MSG, there are numerous pathways for it to be absorbed and to enter your bloodstream in large quantities. Once it enters your bloodstream, it travels to your brain where there are glutamate receptors on both sides of the blood brain barrier thus allowing glutamate to freely cross the blood-brain barrier and damage your brain.

In addition to the excitotoxic effects of MSG and Aspartame, the metabolization of these substances also produces formaldehyde in the body. This formaldehyde creates a very strong bond with cellular DNA and takes a very long time to remove. As the formaldehyde accumulates, it causes irreparable damage to the cell allowing disease to manifest more easily.

MSG Symptom Complex is an immediate reaction to the ingestion of free glutamatic acid which can initially cause:

1) A burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest
2) Numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back
3) Tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms
4) Facial pressure or tightness
5) Chest pain
6) Headache
7) Nausea
8) Rapid heartbeat
9) Bronchospasm (difficulty breathing) in MSG-intolerant people with asthma
10) Drowsiness
11) Weakness.

Soy has one of the highest levels of glutamate known in the plant kingdom making it particularly dangerous to ingest. Hydrolyzing soy releases this glutamate so make sure to avoid anything with hydrolyzed Soy anything. A 25 year study even revealed that people who eat the most soy in their diet tend to have the highest percentages of Dementia and brain atrophy. You can read about the others dangers of soy here:

Put The Fork Down And Step Away From The Tofu

There are over 40 labeled ingredients that contain glutamic acid and some foods tend to form glutamic acid during processing (hydrolyzing, Autolyzing, Yeast Enzymes, Etc.). The following list was taken from Dr. Mercola’s article on MSG.

Ingredients that ALWAYS contain MSG:

Autolyzed Yeast
Calcium Caseinate
Gelatin Glutamate
Glutamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate
Sodium Caseinate
Textured Protein
Yeast Extract
Yeast Food
Yeast Nutrient

Ingredients that OFTEN contain MSG or create MSG during processing:

Flavors and Flavorings
Seasonings
Natural Flavors and Flavorings
Natural Pork Flavoring
Natural Beef Flavoring
Natural Chicken Flavoring
Soy Sauce
Soy Protein Isolate
Soy Protein
Bouillon Stock
Broth
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Barley Malt
Whey Protein
Carrageenan
Maltodextrin
Pectin
Enzymes Protease
Corn Starch
Citric Acid
Powdered Milk
Anything Protein Fortified
Anything Enzyme Modified
Anything Ultra-Pasteurized

Food Additives that contain Excitotoxins other than just MSG include:

Aspartame
Autolyzed anything
Barley malt
Beef base
Beef flavoring
Beef stock
Broth of any kind
Carrageenan
Caseinate
Chicken base
Chicken broth
Chicken flavoring
Chicken stock
Disodium anything
Dough conditioner
Gelatin
Gelatinized anything
Glutamate
Gaur gum
Hydrolyzed anything
Kombu extract
L-cysteine
Malt or malted anything
Milk solids
Natural flavor
Nutrasweet
Pork base
Pork flavoring
Protein concentrate
Protein extract
Seasoned salt
Seasoning
Smoke flavoring
Solids of any kind
Soup base
Soy extract
Soy protein anything
Soy sauce
Spice
Stock
Textured protein
Textured vegetable protein
Umami
Vegetable gum
Whey anything
Yeast extract

If that wasn’t bad enough, Emerald BioAgriculture manufactures a “Crop Growth Enhancer” called Auxigrow, which is tainted with MSG. So even if you are miraculously able to avoid MSG in the ingredients of your food, you still wont know if the crop was sprayed with MSG during growth.

So What Can You Do To Protect Yourself From MSG?

Well short of avoiding all processed foods and never eating food that you have not meticulously cooked yourself there are a few herbs and minerals that can help to protect you from excitotoxins like MSG.

Magnesium helps to slow down glutamates from overloading glutamate receptors. Magnesium deficient people are most prone to MSG Symptom Complex and Cardiac Death due to MSG. You can find Magnesium in green, leafy vegetables, whole grains and many beans and nuts. You can also find supplements on the internet or in your local health food store.

Curcumin (found in Turmeric) and the herb Ginko Biloba also help to block glutamate receptors. Turmeric is a spice that you can add to your food and Gingko Biloba can be found in supplement form or as a fresh or dried herb to make teas and tinctures from.

Omega 3 fatty acids also block excitoxins and help to repair cellular damage. You can find Omega 3 Fats in Krill Oil Supplements, Green Lipped Muscle Supplements, Flax Seeds and a few other plant and animal sources.

Zinc and Selenium are also helpful at blocking glutamate receptors. They can both be found in supplement form and in many foods. Brazil Nuts are particularly high in Selenium.

Red Clover Essential Oil has been shown to produce a significant decline in brain cell neuron damage.

While eating out, try to avoid white sauces or Gravy on your food and creamy salad dressings as they tend to contain the most Glutamate. Opt instead for salad dressings that have an oil base or better yet just use olive oil and lemon.

This blog, in no way, covers all the dangers of MSG and other Excitotoxins but you can read the following book for a more detailed account of these poisens.

Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills by Dr. Russell Blaylock

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

Resources:
1. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/21/MSG-Is-This-Silent-Killer-Lurking-in-Your-Kitchen-Cabinets.aspx
Accessed: 04/21/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
2. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17608.cfm
Accessed: 04/22/09,
3. http://www.naturalnews.com/026157.html
Accessed: 04/30/09, Author: Paul Louis Fassa
4. http://www.naturalnews.com/026216.html
Accessed: 05/07/09, Author: Paul Fassa
5. http://www.naturalnews.com/026244.html
Accessed: 05/14/09, Author: Barbara Minton
6. The Truth About Aspartame, MSG and Excitotoxins, An Interview With Dr. Russell Blaylock
Author: Mike Adams, Truth Publishing International
7. http://www.foodsafety.gov/~lrd/msg.html
Accessed: 05/21/09

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Dark Chocolate, Red Wine… that Resveratrol is oh so Devine

Any discussion on an antioxidant should begin with explaining why they are important so if you already know about free radicals then skip to the next paragraph or you can continue on here for a refresher. Oxygen is necessary for life but, unfortunately, oxygen also causes chemical reactions within the body that generate free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that are missing electrons and are therefore unstable. In order to stabilize themselves, they must steal electrons from other molecules in the body which causes something called oxidative stress. Oxidative Stress is very damaging to the bodily tissues and causes wrinkles, muscle loss and a whole host of degenerative diseases. Oxidative stress is an ongoing process that cannot be stopped (because we need oxygen in order to live) and if left unchecked, it will eventually cause the tissues to breakdown so much that death will ensue. Luckily for us, we have discovered that antioxidants help to slow this process and that is why antioxidants are praised so highly and are considered so important.

Resveratrol or trans-resveratrol is in the polyphenol category of antioxidants and is produced in the skin and seeds of purple or red grapes as their natural means of inhibiting mold growth. It has also been found in Cocoa Powder, baking chocolate and Dark Chocolate products with cocoa powder containing the highest of those three but not more than red wine. Resveratrol is also produced by raspberries, mulberries and peanuts but at lower levels. Muscadine Grapes are known to have the highest levels of Resveratrol because their skins are thicker than most grapes and they also contain more seeds than most other varieties.

Resveratrol is an alcohol soluble compound which explains why Red Wine is known for its antioxidant power. Red wine contains anywhere from 1.5 to 3 milligrams (1500-3000 micrograms) of Resveratrol per liter while grape skins and seeds can yield 50 to 100 micrograms per gram making red wine a much more concentrated form of Resveratrol. Unfortunately for most of us, drinking any more than one glass of red wine per day actually offsets the benefits of Resveratrol and increases your risk of disease. Also, some red wine may not contain any Resveratrol at all unless the grapes were grown in damp/moldy areas or the grower refused to use fungicides since Resveratrol is the plant’s defense against fungus and mold.

So what is so special about Resveratrol?

This powerful antioxidant is thought to fight Alzheimer’s Disease and other brain disorders due to its very special ability to cross the blood brain barrier. Because it can cross this barrier, it is able to protect the brain and nervous system from oxidative stress and the diseases that come from it.

Resveratrol is also know to switch on a gene called SIRT1 within our bodies that can increase longevity or lifespan up to 70% (about 50 years) and is known to fight the signs of aging along with increasing your fat burning potential. It has been shown to help your liver metabolize fat and then helps to break down stored fat contained in your white adipose tissue.

It can also help to fight Cancer and Heart Disease while lowering blood pressure, raising good cholesterol, preserving red blood cells, protecting your body against fungal infections, assisting your anti-inflammatory response and helping to prevent blood clots that lead to stroke. In addition to all that, it has also been shown to protect the liver and pancreas, reduce cataracts, improve coordination, encourage bone health, reduce disk deterioration, protect joints, guard against Parkinson’s disease, improve erectile performance and help to regulate cell health while protecting against adverse cell changes.

Recent studies have even shown that Resveratrol can help to reduce and possibly even reverse the effects of alcohol induced fatty liver disease. Alcohol induced fatty liver disease occurs when the liver becomes damaged from alcohol abuse and cannot break down fat efficiently. Since the liver is unable to break down fat, the fat starts to build up within the liver eventually causing liver diseases like cirrhosis or fibrosis which can lead to total liver failure if left untreated. Our livers contain two proteins called SIRT1 and AMPK which are vital for breaking down fat in the liver but alcohol abuse tends to inhibit the ability of these proteins to do their job. Resveratrol has been shown to increase levels of these two proteins and their ability to breakdown fat. In addition to this, the higher levels and increased activity of SIRT1 and AMPK helped to decrease levels of proteins that are involved with the build up of liver fat and also increased levels of a hormone called adiponectin which metabolizes fat so not only does it help to break down exisiting fat but it also helps to metabolize fat more efficiently.

Growers have even found that coating their crops with trans-resveratrol can help to prevent mold, yeast, aging and microbial related spoilage.

If you chose to eat dark chocolate for the antioxidant benefits of Resveratrol then choosing a chocolate with the highest percentage of cacao will usually reap more benefits since it is the cocoa powder which contains the compound. 6.7 grams of chocolate a day, which is less than half a candy bar a week, provides the most benefit so don’t think this gives you free reign to gorge yourself on chocolate. A healthier option for eating chocolate is to buy Organic Cocoa powder and make your own by mixing it with honey, which is what I do. I add peppermint essential oil if I want the chocolate to be minty and you can also add different dried fruits, coconut, nuts or anything else you like in your chocolate. All you have to do is mix the ingredients to your taste preference and stick it in the fridge to harden and voila, a healthy chocolate that costs less and you know all the ingredients are safe and natural. Here are just a few sources for the ingredients:

Navitas Organic Cacao Powder

Mountain Rose Organic Cacao Powder

Organic Raw Honey From Vitacost

Tropical Traditions Raw Honey

Vitacost Search Peppermint Essential Oil

If you want the full daily benefits of Resveratrol you should consider taking a supplement that contains whole grape seeds and skins or the roots of the Japanese knotwood but don’t think that the more you take, the better the effects. We don’t know for sure what the effects of high doses may be so stick to the dosage guidelines and try to factor in your other dietary intakes of Resveratrol. Some sources for Resveratrol supplements include but are not limited to:

Purple Defense

NSI Muscadine Grape Seed

Vitacost Search Resveratrol

Vitaminlife Search Resveratrol

05/18/09 Updated to Include Information on Alcohol Induced Fatty Liver Disease

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

References:
1. http://www.naturalnews.com/024930.html
Accessed: 05/06/09, Author: Byron Richards
2. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/01/15/resveratrol.aspx
Accessed: 05/06/09
3. http://www.nutrientreference.com/resveratrol.html
Accessed: 05/06/09
4. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/10/28/resveratrol-also-found-in-dark-chocolate-and-cocoa.aspx
Accessed: 05/06/09
5. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/06/09/grape-skin.aspx
Accessed: 05/06/09
6. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/10/01/longevity-gene.aspx
Accessed: 05/06/09
7. http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/resveratrol.html
Accessed: 05/06/09
8. http://www.naturalnews.com/026274.html
Accessed: 05/18/09, Author: David Gutierrez

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Superoxide Dismutase- A Powerful Antioxidant

Oxygen is necessary for life but, unfortunately, oxygen also causes chemical reactions within the body that generate free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that are missing electrons and are therefore unstable. In order to stabilize themselves, they must steal electrons from other molecules in the body which causes something called oxidative stress. Oxidative Stress is very damaging to the bodily tissues and causes wrinkles, muscle loss and a whole host of degenerative diseases. Oxidative stress is an ongoing process that cannot be stopped (because we need oxygen in order to live) and if left unchecked, it will eventually cause the tissues to breakdown so much that death will ensue. Lucky for us, we have discovered that antioxidants help to slow this process and that is why antioxidants are praised so highly and are considered so important.

Superoxide is a particular type of Free Radical that is present in your body partly due to the actions of the immune system as it attacks invading pathogens. If I understand it correctly, superoxide can almost be thought of as a byproduct of the immune response. Unfortunately, this byproduct is a very toxic free radical because it needs to steal three electrons in order to stabilize itself while most free radicals only need to steal one electron. Because of this, Superoxide is recognized as one of the main causes of oxidative stress on the body.

Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) is considered to be a powerful antioxidant. SOD is a class of enzymes that encourage the reduction and oxidation of superoxide into its basic components of oxygen and hydrogen peroxide thus rendering it less harmful to our cells because oxygen and hydrogen peroxide do not need to steal electrons in order to be stable.

There are three types of SOD namely SOD1, SOD2 and SOD3. SOD1 helps to protect the cell’s cytoplasm, SOD2 helps to protect the mitochondria from free radical damage and SOD3 lies outside the cells. There was a study that showed that mice lacking SOD2 died within several days after birth due to massive oxidative stress. Mice lacking SOD1 develop a wide range of problems including hepatocellular carcinoma, an acceleration of age-related muscle mass loss, an earlier incidence of cataracts and a reduced lifespan.

As an antioxidant, SOD may help to reduce wrinkles and heal scar tissue, wounds and burns more quickly. It has also shown protective benefits against harmful UVA radiation while also delaying the time it takes to get sunburned. It helps to rejuvenate cells and to reduce cellular destruction and also helps to support healthy joint structure and function.

SOD’s antioxidant activity may be particularly helpful for athletes due to the amount of free radicals generated during aerobic activity. SOD has also been shown to support arterial function and health thus improving your cardiovascular system and has been shown to effectively reduce lactate buildup in the muscles during exercise.

As well as an anti-oxidant, SOD is also an anti-inflammatory which can help manage inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases like Alzheimer’s. It may also be helpful against the long term damage caused by smoke, radiation and cancer drugs.

SOD can be found in Cantaloupe, barley grass, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, wheatgrass, and most green plants but the process of digestion destroys the enzyme before it reaches the small intestine where it can be absorbed so food sources are pretty much useless. You can find SOD in supplement form but it needs to be taken in a form that will reach the small intestine without being destroyed by your stomach acid during digestion. There are three forms which will ensure that the enzyme is not destroyed.

1) Sub-lingual (under the tongue) supplements which are absorbed into the bloodstream immediately and bypasses the digestive process.
2) Enteric coated pills which will protect SOD from stomach acid as it goes through the digestive tract.
3) A form known as GliSODin where SOD is combined with a wheat protein called Gliadin which helps to protect it from the digestive processes. People allergic to wheat may have problems with this form though.

Places to find oral supplements Include:

Vitacost Search GliSODin
Super GliSODin
Vitaminlife Search GliSODin

You can either take the supplements in short term intervals or on a long term basis. You can read how to do this here:

GliSODin Supplementation Strategy

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superoxide_dismutase
Accessed 04/22/09
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superoxide
Accessed 04/22/09
3. http://www.vitaminstuff.com/superoxide-dismutase.html
Accessed 04/22/09
4. http://www.plthomas.com/glisodin%202006/glisodin%20new%20bullet6%20%20Helps%20reduce%20lactic%20acid%20buildup%20in%20humns%20un%20physical%20stress.htm
Accessed: 04/22/09
5. http://www.plthomas.com/glisodin%202006/glisodin%20new%20bullet4%20%20Help%20skin%20health%20against%20photo-oxidative%20stress%20caused%20by%20uv%20rays.htm
Accessed: 04/22/09
6. http://www.squidoo.com/superoxidedismutase
Accessed: 04/22/09

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Virgin Coconut Oil: Healthy To Eat, Healthy To Wear, Healthy For You

Virgin Coconut Oil is one of the absolute best oils you can possibly use for cooking and baking and it has so many benefits that I just had to devote a blog to it.

The first thing that you should know is that not all saturated fats are bad for you. The saturated fat in coconut oil is actually very good for you and can even help you to lose weight. Saturated fats were vilified a couple decades ago when some very flawed studies emerged which actually used hydrogenated coconut oil rather than virgin coconut oil. Hydrogenating oil turns it into a trans fat with very detrimental effects to your health, like promoting heart disease. Other industries jumped on the opportunity to denounce saturated fats and started to heavily promote their “heart healthy” oils like soy, canola and corn oils. What they didn’t tell you is how easily these oils go rancid and promote free radical damage and inflammation in your body. You can read about the dangers of soy here:

https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/put-the-fork-down-and-step-away-from-the-tofu/

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAT IN YOUR DIET………………

The importance of saturated fat in the diet cannot be overemphasized. For one, the membranes of every single cell in our bodies are 50% saturated fat and this is necessary in order to protect the contents of the cell. Without saturated fat, the cell membranes would lose their structural integrity and allow the contents of the cell to get crushed. Because of this fact, our brains are actually 60% fat so a low fat diet can in fact affect brain function.

Avoiding fat in your meals is NOT the way to lose weight and can have a negative impact on your body. Many vitamins like A, D, E and K are all fat soluble and therefore need fat in order for your body to be able to use them. Also, the mineral Calcium needs dietary fat in order for it to be absorbed and utilized by our bones and teeth in helping to prevent osteoporosis and tooth decay. Having fat in a meal also helps to slow down food’s absorption so that you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer and tend to eat less in the long run. It has also been shown that adding coconut fat to your diet actually helps to normalize body fat. It stimulates your metabolism thus increasing your fat burning potential and also signals your body to release white fat stores since you are giving it a normal supply of healthy fat and it doesn’t need to keep it in storage. So avoiding all fat is not the answer to weight loss, avoiding the WRONG types of fat is the answer.

Most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) which your body converts into energy almost immediately rather than being stored as fat. MCTs are well known by athletes to increase athletic performance and they are also antimicrobial so they benefit the immune system by helping to improve its anti-inflammatory response. Coconut oil is so easily digested that even people who have had their gallbladder removed can still consume it. The gallbladder is a key player in digesting fats so having it removed can make fatty meals very difficult to digest…. Unless the fat is from coconut that is.

If you want to know one of the causative factors behind the obesity epidemic then you should look to soy and corn oils (vegetable oils) in the diet rather than saturated fats. In the 1940s ranchers tried to fatten up their animals using coconut oil only to find that a high coconut oil diet made their animals lean, active and full of energy. They did find, however, that using soy and corn oils fattened the animals right up so they decided to use those oils instead.

SO LETS TALK ABOUT THE FAT IN COCONUT OIL………

About 2/3rds of the white fruit (copra) of a coconut is oil and from this copra is where the coconut oil is extracted. The oil can either be extracted from dried copra or from fresh wet copra but wet extraction is more expensive and time consuming so the final product will cost more.

The primary fat in coconut oil Lauric Acid which is a medium chain fatty acid and accounts for about 49% of the fat in coconut. Lauric acid can also be found in breast milk and is vital to an infant’s immune system so they also add it to formulas. When eaten, lauric acid turns into Monolaurin which the body uses to destroy viruses, bacteria and protozoa like HIV, herpes, cytomegalovirus, influenza, listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, helicobacter pylori and giardia lamblia. It is able to destroy viruses by dissolving their protective envelope (think of this as their body armor) thus exposing them to the chemicals in our bodies and killing them. Monolaurin has also been shown to inactivate fungi and the yeast known as Candida albicans which can cause a whole host of bodily disorders if allowed to multiply in excess. Even one course of antibiotics can throw off the bodily balance and allow a Candida overgrowth.

The second highest fat content in Coconut is in the form of Myristic Acid and accounts for approximately 18% of the fat content. Myrsitic Acid is another MCT and helps to promote a healthy metabolism and to stabilize cellular proteins.

Another eight percent of coconut oil is Palmitic acid which the heart uses as one of its preferred energy sources. The surfactant in our lungs, which helps to keep the walls of the lungs from sticking together, is about 68 percent palmitic acid so this fat also helps to support lung health.

About seven percent of the coconut fat is another MCT known as capric acid which has also been shown to have antiviral effects against HIV and possibly the herpes simplex virus and the sexually transmitted disease known as Chlamydia.

Because Coconut Oil is such an effective anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, it also helps to improve overall digestion of foods and to maintain the healthy bacteria in the digestive tract along with reducing the burden on your immune system. There was actually a study done on AIDS patients where their viral load dropped to almost undetectable levels when they ate a half coconut or 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil per day… that is how effective of an antiviral this stuff is. Just imagine if your immune system wasn’t burdened with all these random virus, bacteria and fungi the work it could do to promote your overall well being.

The remaining fatty acids in coconut oil include about eight percent as an MCT called caprylic acid, six percent as oleic acid which is an Omega 9 fat also found in olive oil, two percent as stearic acid and another two percent as linoleic acid which is an Omega 6 fat.

Coconut oil does not contain any trans fat and since it is stable at high temperatures, it does not turn into a trans fat during cooking like olive oil has a tendency to do. Coconut Oil has an impressive shelf life compared to other oils and does not turn rancid very easily unlike most of the oils you buy at the grocery store which are unsaturated and therefore unstable so they have probably already turned rancid before you buy them due to the light and heat exposure they experience.

One of the most important things to realize is that Saturated fat and Trans fats are NOT the same. Good saturated fats have many beneficial attributes like raising “good” cholesterol and lowering blood levels of heart disease causing (atherogenic) lipoproteins. Trans fats, on the other hand, have been shown to lower “good” cholesterol, raise atherogenic lipoproteins, cause a tissue loss of beneficial omega 3 fatty acids, inhibit insulin binding, interfere with enzyme functions and interfere with immune system function.

SO WHAT OTHER BENEFITS DOES COCONUT OIL PROVIDE…………..

Since coconut oil provides the cells with a quick energy source without raising blood sugar levels and without inhibiting insulin binding, it is also a great food for diabetics and those worried about diabetes.

Coconut oil has also been shown to preserve tissues stores of omega 3 fatty acids and can therefore help to balance the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio in your body which is very important considering how many omega 6 fats are in the typical American diet compared to omega 3 fats.

Another reason to replace your vegetable oil in cooking with coconut oil is because unsaturated fats like vegetable oils tend to impair thyroid function which can affect your metabolism, cholesterol levels and many more bodily functions. The saturated fats in coconut, on the other hand, have been shown to be supportive of healthy thyroid function. To find out how important the thyroid gland is you can go here:
https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/how-important-is-the-thyroid-gland/

Coconut Oil has also been shown to protect against alcohol damage to the liver.

The small structure of the saturated fat in coconut oil makes it one of the best oils to use on your skin. Not only does it make your skin very soft since it is absorbed quickly and easily but it also protects your cells against the aging and carcinogenic effects of UVA light from the sun. It is also 100% natural, unlike most lotions, creams and oils sold in stores which contain many toxic chemicals that absorb directly into your bloodstream. A motto to live by is that you should never put anything on your skin that you would not put into your mouth. Besides, think of how much money you will save on all those expensive creams and lotions that are loaded with toxic chemicals. If you want scent then you can always add essential oils of your choosing or cocoa butter to the coconut oil.

Using coconut oil on wounds can also help to soften scabs and reduce scarring.

Always buy VIRGIN Coconut Oil rather than the Bleached, Deodorized or Refined Oils as many of the health benefits are stripped from the oil during these processes. You can also reap the benefits of coconut fat by eating fresh or dried coconut and by using coconut milk in your cooking or smoothies. Make sure to buy the full fat versions of anything coconut as the fat is what makes the product healthy.

Coconut oil is solid up to 76 degrees Fahrenheit where it will then turn liquid so it will often be a solid white creamy mass during the winter and melt to clear liquid during the summer. You can buy it in most health food stores or online. I usually buy mine in bulk (five gallon bucket which lasts me about a year) because I use it for cooking, baking and on my skin as a daily moisturizer and mixed with Aloe vera gel as a sun protectant.

Here are a few of the online merchants that sell high quality Virgin Coconut Oil:

Mountain Rose Herbs

Vitacost Search Coconut Oil

Tropical Traditions

Now Foods Coconut Oil at Vitaminlife

Wilderness Family Naturals

There are some great books on the benefits of coconut oil if you are interested in finding out more detail but I have hopefully inspired you to at least try out some coconut oil and experience the benefits for yourself.

The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife

Eat Fat Lose Fat by Mary Enig & Sally Fallon

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

References:
1. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/09/13/coconut-oil-part-three.aspx
Accessed: 04/06/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
2. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/08/17/saturated-fat1.aspx
Accessed: 04/07/09, Author: Mary Enig, PhD, and Sally Fallon
3. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/28/coconut-health.aspx
Accessed: 04/09/09, Author: Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., F.A.C.N.
4. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/07/28/coconut-health3.aspx
Accessed: 04/09/09, Author: Mary G. Enig, Ph.D., F.A.C.N.
5. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/03/24/coconut-oil-part-one.aspx
Accessed: 04/09/09, Author: Ray Peat
6. http://www.naturalnews.com/022313.html
Accessed: 04/09/09, Author: Teya Skae
7. http://www.naturalnews.com/025388.html
Accessed: 04/09/09, Author: Sheryl Walters
8. http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html
Accessed: 04/09/09
9. Enig & Fallon, Eat Fat Lose Fat, 2005, Pg. 44
10. Enig, Know Your Fats, 2000, Pgs 114-115, 241, 256, 261, 264

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Bladder Infection, UTI, Cystitis… They All Spell P-A-I-N

Our urinary system plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. The urinary system includes, in the order that urine flows, the Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder and finally, the Urethra. The Urethra is the lowest point in the urinary system of which urine is then expelled from the body. Because the Urethra is closest to the outside world, it also provides an opportunity for pathogens to enter the system and spread to the bladder and kidneys. This is possible for both men and women but women are more susceptible to infection for a couple of reasons.

1) A woman’s Urethra is about 1 ½” long while a man’s Urethra is almost 8” long.
2) A woman’s Urethral opening is located more closely to the vaginal opening and the rectum.

Bladder infections, also known as Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) or Cystitis, can be caused by many factors.

1) Bacteria that live in the bowel, mainly E. coli, can enter the urethral opening due to improper hygiene techniques.
2) Sexual intercourse, even oral and manual, can push bacteria into the opening. Some women experience “Honey moon Cystitis” where they contract infection every time they have sex.
3) A woman with various sexual partners may be more susceptible than a woman in a monogamous relationship mostly due to an increased level of exposure to bacteria and to sexually transmitted disease like Chlamydia which has become an increasingly common source of infection.
4) When urine is not emptied from the bladder completely it can stagnate and host infection. Factors that prevent the bladder from emptying completely include holding urine in for too long which stretches and weakens the bladder muscles, wearing a diaphragm and pregnancy.
5) Catheter use in hospitals can also cause infection.

When bacteria enter the urethra and spread to the bladder, they attach to the walls and begin to multiply. When the bacteria attach to the bladder walls it causes inflammation and can cause blood to leak into the bladder.

For those women who have had a bladder infection, the symptoms are unmistakable. The most common symptom is a frequent and almost uncontrollable need to urinate followed by urine that burns and may be cloudy or even tinged with blood. The person may also feel a sore and uncomfortable sensation in the abdomen, back and sides. If the infection spreads to the kidneys then the individual may experience back pain, chills, fever, nausea and vomiting in addition to the above mentioned symptoms.

There are simple and natural ways to help prevent a Bladder Infection.

1. Urinating after intercourse can help to flush bacteria from the area.

2. Avoid wiping from back to front after using the restroom.

3. Avoid holding your urine in for long periods of time.

4. The Bacteria need an environment with a certain PH to thrive so maintaining an alkaline diet can be helpful. Taking Apple Cider Vinegar (the cloudy one that contains the “Mother”) can help to maintain alkaline urine while Umeboshi Plum concentrate can be taken to help acidify the urine.

5. Drinking plenty of pure water daily will help to flush the system.

6. B Vitamins help to maintain the muscles in the urogenital tract so taking a B Vitamin supplement can be helpful.

7. Taking high doses of Vitamin C (10,000 to 15,000 mg throughout the day) can help to boost immunity and fight infection.

8. The herbs Uva ursi and Goldenseal are both natural antibiotics that work well against the E. coli bacteria. Marshmallow (the herb, not the puffy junk food) helps to soothe the lining of the bladder and should be included in the herbal remedies.

9. Cranberry is helpful because it coats the bladder lining and prevents the bacteria from being able to attach to the bladder walls. Cranberry has been shown to be effective at both preventing and relieving cystitis. You can either take cranberry pills daily or drink cranberry juice but be sure to drink juice without added sugar because sugar can worsen the infection. The pills are often the most tolerable way to take cranberry as the unsweetened juice can be quite bitter. There are many Urinary Tract formulations that include cranberry and other beneficial herbs. Blueberries are also helpful for the same reasons.

10. Drinking ½ teaspoon of baking soda in eight ounces of water when the UTI is first noticed can also be helpful.

11. Parsley, garlic, nasturtium and rose hips all have ingredients that can help to stave off infection so including them in your diet is a simple preventative measure. You can also drink an infusion of parsley three to four times a day to help clear the infection.

12. You can also boil Hibiscus flowers “flor de jamaica” in water for few minutes, let the liquid cool and then drink it. Hibiscus flowers are a diuretic and can be helpful in prevention. They are also mucilaginous which helps to coat and soothe the urinary system. They also contain many proanthocyanidins which have antioxidant, fever-reducing, pain-relieving (analgesic) and anti-spasmodic properties which can all help to relieve the symptoms of cystitis.

13. There are a few Homeopathic remedies which can help with different symptoms of cystitis. Cantharis is helpful when the urine scalds and is passed drop by drop, Urtica urens helps when there is stinging and itching while urinating, Staphisagria for cystitis after intercourse and Sarsaparilla for burning after urinating.

14. Essential oils can also be used including:

• Cajeput oil: 1-drop on honey three times a day
• Eucalyptus globulus essential oil: 1-drop on honey three times a day, half an hour before each meal
• Juniper communis: 1-drop on honey after every meal, and rub the lower abdomen with olive oil mixed with 10% of juniper essential oil. If the infection has already spread to the kdneys then you should avoid use of Juniper though as it could further irritate the kidneys.
• Lavender angustifolia: 1-drop on honey half an hour after each meal
• Pine sylvestris: 1-drop on honey after each meal

You can also add essential oils of Juniper berry, sandalwood, chamomile, pine, tea tree or bergamot to your bath water during an infection to help clear it up.

Some people are sensitive to different essential oils though so make sure you have no allergies or sensitivities to an oil by performing a skin patch test before bathing in it. Also, some oils are not recommended during pregnancy so make sure you do some research on the oils before using any specific one.

Prevention is key but if you find yourself with a UTI and none of these remedies help then your doctor can likely prescribe you some antibiotics. It is important not to wait too long if you do not feel the symptoms improving as the infection can spread to the kidneys causing many more complications. Hopefully though, with the right preventative measures as outlined above, you won’t have to resort to your doctor and his prescription pad.

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

04/10/09 Updated to include Hibiscus Remedy
04/17/09 Updated to include Homeopathic Remedies and further explanation of Hibiscus
04/20/10 Updated to include Parsley Infusion and embedded links

References:

1. Thibodeau & Patton, Structure and Function of the Body, 13th Edition, 2008, pg. 450-451
2. http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/bladderhealth/a/UTI.htm
Accessed: 04/07/09, Author: Tracee Cornforth
3. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-bladder-infections-basic-information
Accessed: 04/07/09, Author: Marcel Horowitz, MD
4. Herb 201 Module 5 ACHS Course Material
5. http://www.livestrong.com/article/12494-bladder-infections/
Accessed: 04/08/09
6. http://health.howstuffworks.com/treating-a-bladder-infection-with-aromatherapy.htm
Accessed: 04/08/09
7. http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Urinary-Tract-Infection-(UTI).html
Accessed: 04/08/09
8. http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/15/48.cfm
Accessed: 04/08/09

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To Bar Or Not To Bar…. Or Maybe Just WHICH Protein Bar?

Many people with active lifestyles choose to eat protein bars either to add extra protein into their diet, as a meal replacement, a snack or just because they are quick and easy. There are a lot of bars out there that cannot be considered healthy though so knowing which ingredients to avoid can go a long way when it comes to your health. I’ve scanned the ingredients on a range of bars and listed some of the common ones below. The more of these ingredients that a bar contains, the less you should eat of them…. in my opinion of course.

High Fructose Corn Syrup and Corn Syrup should always be avoided. As soon as you see either of these on the label you should put it down and look for another bar. You can find out why HFCS is so detrimental to your health by going here:

https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/high-fructose-corn-syrup-is-not-fine-in-moderation/

High Maltose Corn Syrup has many of the same problems as HFCS and should also be avoided.

Soy products are not the health foods that you think they are and you can find out why here:

https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/put-the-fork-down-and-step-away-from-the-tofu/

If you decide to eat a bar that contains soy products then please make sure the label reads “Organic Soy” or “Non GMO Soy” or “Non GM Soy”…. something of that nature. You do not want to willingly eat Genetically Modified food crops as we have no idea what effects these products will have on our own DNA.

Sucralose is Splenda which means that it is an artificial sweetener. I will be devoting an entire blog to Sucralose/Splenda soon but in the mean time you should know that ALL artificial sweeteners should be avoided.

Artificial Colors and Artificial Flavors are created in a lab and can be toxic to your health.

Hydrogenated Oils or Partially Hydrogenated Oils are trans fats and are extremely detrimental to your health. I will be devoting a blog to them some day as well. I have reservations even about anything that says fractionated Oils but I have not listed those bars here.

So those are the main ingredients that I see as harmful to your health. Lets now take a look at the different bars. Please note that the links I am providing are so that you can see what the bars look like. The retailers are in no way responsible for the health of the specific bars:

THE GOOD

So first and foremost, here are the good guys in my opinion. This is a list of the bars that I found to contain no ingredients that I feel have adverse health effects. There may be others out there but I have not found them yet and will add them as I find them.

Biochem Sports 100% Raw Foods & Whey
Cocoa Cassava Bar
First Endurance EFS
Clif Nectar
Fiber35 FitSmart
FUBAR Organic Fuel Bar
Garden of Life
Greens Plus Energy
Greens Plus High Protein
Hammer Nutrition Hammer Bar
Honey Stinger Stinger Protein
Jay Robb JayBar
Jay Robb The “No Junk” JayBar
Jay Robb Yammit!
Larabar
Organic Food Bar
Organic Food Bar Active Greens
Organic Food Bar Organic Protein
Organic Food Bar Raw
Oskri Bars of Any Type
Physique Products Low Carb
PROsnack Natural Foods Elev8 Me!
The Smartest Snacks Gym:
Universal Doctor’s CarbRite Diet SugarFree

THE BAD AND THE UGLY

The following is a list of as many bars as I could find that contain the ingredients listed above that I believe to have adverse health effects. Some are better than others and you have to decide for yourself which ingredients you want to avoid but I would not personally chose to eat most of the following bars. They are in alphabetical order and list the ingredients they contain that I believe to be harmful to your health:

AllMax Nutrition Isoflex: Soy Protein/Oils, Artificial colors or flavors
AllMax Nutrition WaferPro: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
ANSI Oh, Soo… Good: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
AST Musclebar: Aspartame or Neotame
AST Vyo-Pro: Aspartame or Neotame
Apex Fit: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Artificial colors or flavors
Apex FIX: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both,
Apex Fruit: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Balance Bar Balance Gold: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Soy Protein/Oils
Balance Bar Balance Bare: Soy Protein/Oils
Balance Bar Carb Well: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, High Maltose Corn Syrup
BioNutritional Choklat: Sucralose
BioNutritional Power Crunch: Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Chef Jay’s Tri-O-Plex: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
CLIF Builder’s: Soy Protein/Oils,
Clif Clif: Soy Protein/Oils,
Clif Luna: Soy Protein/Oils,
CytoSport Muscle Milk: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Sucralose, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
CytoSport Muscle Milk Light: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Designer Supplements Sustain: Soy Protein/Oils,
Detour Biker: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils,
Detour Core Strength: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils,
Detour Detour: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Aspartame or Neotame,
Detour Detour Buzz: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Aspartame or Neotame
Detour Lean Muscle: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Aspartame or Neotame
Detour Runner: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both,
EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control: Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
EAS Myoplex Carb Control: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
EAS Myoplex Deluxe: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, High Maltose Corn Syrup, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
EAS Myoplex Lite: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
GeniSoy Protein: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils,
Herbalife Protein Bars: Hydrogenation, Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose
Honey Stinger Stinger Energy: Soy Protein/Oils,
ISS Research Oh Yeah!: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
ISS Research Oh Yeah! Natural: Soy Protein/Oils,
ISS Research Oh Yeah! Protein: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
ISS Research Pro42: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
Labrada Lean Body Double Dipped:Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Labrada Rockin’ Roll: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
MetRx Big100: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils,
Met-Rx Protein Plus: Sucralose
MHP Macrobolic Performance: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
MHP Up Your Mass: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose
MLO BioProtein: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils,
MLO Xtreme: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils,
Muscle Sandwich: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech: Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Next Designer Whey U-Turn: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
Next Proteins Detour: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
Optimum Lift Bar: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Artificial colors or flavors
Optimum Protein Diet: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Permalean: Soy Protein/Oils
Physique Products Power Meal Cookies: Soy Protein/Oils
PowerBar Harvest: Soy Protein/Oils
PowerBar PowerBars: Soy Protein/Oils
PowerBar Pria: Soy Protein/Oils
PowerBar Protein Plus: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
PowerBar Triple Threat Crisp: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
PowerBar Triple Threat Layered: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
Premier Nutrition Odyssey: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Premier Nutrition Premier Protein: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
Premier Nutrition Titan: Soy Protein/Oils, Artificial colors or flavors
Premier Nutrition Twisted: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
Promax Promax: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
Promax Promax 70: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
Promax Storm: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
Promax Triple Threat Layer Promax: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Artificial colors or flavors
PureFit: Soy Protein/Oils
SciFit Truth: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors, Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated oils
South Beach Diet Cereal Bars: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose,
South Beach Diet Meal Replacement: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose, Artificial colors or flavors
Supreme Protein Carb Conscious: Soy Protein/Oils
Think Thin: Soy Protein/Oils
Universal Animal Snak: Soy Protein/Oils
Universal Doctor’s CarbRite Diet: Soy Protein/Oils
VPX Zero Impact: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both,
Worldwide Protein Revolution: Soy Protein/Oils, Sucralose
Worldwide Pure Protein: Sucralose
Worldwide Pure Protein Karma: Soy Protein/Oils
Worldwide Sports Nutrition: Artificial colors or flavors
ZonePerfect: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
ZonePerfect Fruitified: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils
ZonePerfect All-Natural: HFCS, Corn Syrup or both, Soy Protein/Oils

I have done my best to include as many brands with their individual types of bars as possible but this list is in no way an exhaustive list for the healthy or unhealthy bars. I’m sure there are many I have missed but I hope that this list will help guide you to more healthful Energy/Protein bar choices.

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

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Is There Natural Relief For Asthma?

Asthma is considered a chronic respiratory condition that has no cure but has symptoms that can be managed. The symptoms of Asthma can include difficulty breathing, frequent coughing, wheezing, a feeling of suffocation, tightness in the chest, and violent coughing attacks which can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few days.

These symptoms occur when the airways of the lungs, called bronchi or bronchial tubes, become inflamed from an irritant of some sort. The muscles around the airways react to this inflammation by tightening up which further restricts airflow. In the meantime, the respiratory mucosa is producing an increased amount of mucus in order to try to flush out the initial irritant which causes the already narrowed airways to get plugged up with mucus making it even harder to breathe. Asthma attacks can occur day or night, even while doing simple activities such as sleeping, laughing or exercising.

The irritants that trigger asthma are numerous and varied. They include air pollutants like cigarette smoke and traffic emissions, strong odors or fumes, respiratory infection, pollen, emotional stress, drugs like aspirin or penicillin, poor nutrition, inadequate detoxification, high humidity, foods, pet hair or even plain old dust. It has also been found that children who were given even one course of antibiotics in their first year of life are at an increased risk for developing asthma. In addition, those born by C-Section Birth have a 79% increased chance of developing asthma.

Indoor air quality is sometimes of even more concern then outdoor air quality. Studies have shown that indoor air quality can often be even worse than outdoor air quality due to the cleaners and disinfectants that we use as well as the fumes let off by your furniture, paint and carpeting. Unless you air out your house daily, have a lot of house plants or own an air purification system then all these toxic odors and gasses are being trapped inside the home. Not only can this increase asthma symptoms but it can also lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue, hormone imbalances and damage to your liver, kidneys and central nervous system.

A yeast overgrowth of Candida albicans has also been linked with asthma. Candida albicans is usually a natural yeast that everyone has in their system but it can easily become an overgrowth when antibiotics have been used. Candida causes inflammation and widespread tissue damage.

Milk and other dairy products can worsen asthma symptoms because these products tend to increase the body’s production of mucus in the lungs. An undiagnosed milk allergy can worsen the situation and with Milk standing at one of the top three food allergens in the American Diet, it would be wise to have this checked. At the very least you should try to drink Organic RAW milk which can usually be tolerated even by those diagnosed as allergic to dairy.

Acetaminophen, like that found in Tylenol and some other pain relievers, has been linked to an increase in asthma and wheezing so avoiding products which contain it can be helpful.

Most people manage their asthma symptoms using glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are anti-inflammatory steroids generally taken via inhalation. There are many problems with this type of treatment though. Studies have shown that there is a 70% increased risk of heart disease when taking these steroids and that the higher the dose, the greater the risk. They have also found that long term use of these steroids cause impaired growth in children. Gluccocorticoids can also reduce T-Cell production and therefore impair your immune response.

There are some natural ways to combat asthma though. The first thing you should do is find out what is triggering the attacks and try to eliminate it either from your diet or from your environment. You can either do skin patch testing for environmental factors or try eliminating things from your diet then adding them back in to see if symptoms return.

Hypoglycemia has been linked with asthma so eating numerous, small but nutritious meals throughout the day could help. A deficiency in manganese is another causative factor in asthma so making sure to include green leafy vegetables, grapefruits, apricots, kelp, egg yolk, parsley, peppermint, strawberry leaves, and nasturtium in your meals could also help.

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower contain sulphoraphane which helps to protect against respiratory inflammation so trying to include those in your diet may be helpful.

Optimizing your intake ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats can also help as the Standard American Diet (SAD) normally contains a very unbalanced 50:1 ratio of Omega 6:3 when it should be closer to 1:1. Omega 6 fats are known to cause inflammation while Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory. You can get more Omega 3 in your diet by taking NKO Krill Oil, Green-Lipped Mussel Oil, Flax Seed Oil or Primrose Oil along with eating things like walnuts.

Vitamin D deficiency is also suspected of contributing to asthma since areas of widespread asthma also show widespread Vitamin D Deficiency. You can read about the importance of Vitamin D here:

https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/vitamin-d-a-true-hero-in-the-nutrition-world/

Daily deep breathing exercises can also help to open up the airways. You should avoid smoking, but that is true for many more reasons than just asthma which you can read about here:

https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/and-the-cilia-shall-be-paralyzed/

There are a few herbs which are considered bronchodilators which help to relax the bronchial muscle. These herbs include Lobelia, Valerian and Cayenne. Tinctures of these herbs can be used to bring relief from an attack.

Probiotics can also help those who suffer from asthma as they help to promote healthy intestinal barriers, immune reactions and help the body to deal with food allergies. A healthy immune response can decrease inflammation throughout the body, including the respiratory tract.

Essential oils of Eucalyptus, Lemon, Pine and Thyme have also been shown to help with asthmatics.

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

Updated 01/05/10 to include information on Milk, Acetaminophen and probiotics

References:

1) Thibodeau & Patton, Structure and Function of the Body, 13th Edition, 2008, pg. 370
2) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/04/12/inhaled-steroids.aspx
Accessed: 03/31/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
3) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/10/15/steroids-growth.aspx
Accessed:03/31/09, Author: Dr Joseph Mercola
4) http://www.naturalnews.com/025772.html
Accessed: 03/31/09, Author: Marianne Leigh
5) http://www.naturalnews.com/025771.html
Accessed: 03/31/09, Author: Sherry Baker
6) http://www.naturalnews.com/025518.html
Accessed: 03/31/09, Author: Mike Adams
7) http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html
Accessed: 03/31/09, Author: NHLBI
8) Radio Interview With Dr. McCombs Hour 2
http://ktradionetwork.com/Media/mp3/kevintrudeaushow_030409_hour2.mp3
Recorded: 03/04/09, Interviewer: Kevin Truedeau
9) http://www.naturalnews.com/026046.html
Accessed: 04/14/09, Author: David Gutierrez
10) http://www.naturalnews.com/010443_asthma_food_dairy_products.html
Accessed: 01/05/10, Author: Dani Veracity
11) http://www.naturalnews.com/027563_Tylenol_asthma.html
Accessed: 01/05/10, Author: S. L. Baker
12) http://www.naturalnews.com/027273_asthma_probiotics.html
Accessed: 01/05/10, Author: Mike Adams

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Chlorella Is A True Super Food

Chlorella is a unicellular, green algae that packs a very powerful punch against a whole host of bodily problems including cancer and the ravages of aging.

Chlorella’s benefits begin with the fact that it is a highly concentrated source of chlorophyll; more concentrated than any other known plant actually. Chlorophyll has been known to balance blood pressure levels and support tissue repair along with assisting liver function and the detoxification of the bowels. As a bonus, by helping to clean out the digestive tract, Chlorophyll helps to freshen breath and reduce body odor.

Chlorella is what’s known as an “intelligent detoxifier” for the body because it effectively searches out, binds to and eliminates harmful toxins while leaving all the valuable nutrients that our bodies need for nourishment. Chlorella has 22 different peptides that bind with their own specific toxins. Uranium, Plutonium and Arsenic are included on Chlorella’s search and destroy list.

Not only does it leave plenty of nutrients as it detoxifies but it also provides a plethora of its own nutrition. Chlorella contains all of the B Vitamins along with Vitamin C and Vitamin E. It also contains beta-carotene, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, potassium, rare trace minerals, Omega 6 fatty acids, and polysaccharides. It is over 50% protein and contains all of the essential amino acids. Along with all of those important vitamins and minerals, Chlorella also contains one of the most vital “vitamins” our bodies need; Vitamin D. I’ve posted about the importance of Vitamin D here:
https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/vitamin-d-a-true-hero-in-the-nutrition-world/

Chlorella not only binds with toxins but it also binds with heavy metals and removes them from our bodies. You know how an ant can carry something like 10-50 times its own body weight? Well, Chlorella can bind with a multiple of its own body weight also so it’s like a powerlifter in the heavy metal detox world. Heavy metals like mercury, aluminum, lead and cadmium can be very toxic to our bodies and have been linked to many diseases including Autism, Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Crone’s Disease, irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue. Removing these heavy metals can have amazing cognitive and physical benefits. For those of you who eat a lot of fish you may want to consider adding chlorella as a daily detox agent just to help protect you from the rising levels of mercury being found in all types of fish.

Chlorella is also a powerful immune system booster as it encourages T-Cell activity. This increased T-Cell activity makes Chlorella a powerful cancer fighter. To find out more about what T-Cells do in our bodies you can go here:
https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/ever-wonder-what-the-lymph-nodes-do/

Chlorella also aids in the digestion of food because it contains enzymes like pepsin and chlorophyllase.

If all that weren’t enough, Chlorella also helps to support the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract which can easily be depleted with antibiotics, harmful foods and stress. These beneficial bacteria are absolutely vital to our health and well being helping to prevent yeast overgrowth and encourage our elimination process.

Chlorella is also 18% chlorella growth factor (CGF) which is similar to Insulin Like Growth factor (IGF-1). IGF-1 has been touted as a fountain of youth and excellent muscle repair supplement. CGF has been shown to enhance the RNA/DNA functions responsible for the production of proteins, enzymes and energy at the cellular level which stimulates tissue repair and protects cells against some toxic substances. IGF-1 has risks concerning tumor growth but obtaining it in the form of CGF from chlorella might actually offset these risks since Chlorella is such a powerful cancer fighter. You can find out more about the risks and benefits of IGF-1 here:
https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/18/is-igf-1-really-a-safe-fountain-of-youth/

You can find chlorella in powder or tablet form. The tablets are usually very small and you will need to take about 15 a day to receive the health benefits but you should follow the dosage instructions on the specific supplement you buy. You would be surprised how easy it is to swallow a large amount of these tablets though because of how small they are. Before purchasing any type of chlorella supplement you should make sure that the cell wall has been broken. If it is not “broken cell wall” or “cracked cell wall” then the product is likely to go right through you without any of the above mentioned benefits.

There are no known side effects of long term use of chlorella that I could find, even in very high doses. Chlorella, then, can potentially provide valuable detoxing benefits for life. With all the toxins and chemicals that we face on a daily basis through diet, air pollution, etc, detoxing is one of the most healing steps you can take to prevent bodily problems.

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

References:
1. http://www.naturalnews.com/008527.html
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Dani Veracity
2. http://www.naturalnews.com/025104.html
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Sheryl Walters
3. http://www.naturalnews.com/024505.html
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Barbara Minton
4. http://products.mercola.com/chlorella/
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
5. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1184523/the_amazing_health_benefits_of_chlorella.html
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Jason Earls
6. http://products.mercola.com/faq/chlorella.htm
Accessed: 03/24/09
7. http://www.naturalways.com/chlorella-growth-factor.htm
Accessed: 03/24/09
8. www.mercola.com Audio Interview Transcript with Dr. Dietrich Klingheardt
Accessed: 03/25/09, Pg. 23

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Isn’t There A Happy Pill That Will Make Everything Better?

Depression is something that many people in our society face. Especially now days when people are unhappy with their weight, unhappy with their jobs, unhappy with their relationships and are losing all their savings in the stock market. Many people think that getting a prescription for an anti-depressant will make everything better but I think you should understand how they work before you decide to put a “happy pill band-aid” on your life.

The first thing you need to know is that Neurotransmitters are chemicals that our cells use to communicate with one another. Serotonin is a specific neurotransmitter that is involved in mental states such as aggression, pain, sleep, appetite, anxiety, depression and migraines.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are one class of anti-depressants that include such medications as Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft just to name a few of the most popular.

Understanding how SSRIs work will be easier if you can understand the process by which messages are communicated in the Central Nervous System: (I have put emphasis on “PRE” and “POST” just to make it easier to read)

a. PREsynaptic cells (the cells that SEND messages) release serotonin (their message to be communicated) into a small gap called a synapse that lies between the PREsynaptic and the POSTsynaptic nerve cells (the cells that RECEIVE the message and pass it along).
b. The Serotonin binds with the POSTsynaptic cell which stimulates that cell to relay the message (i.e. to be happy).

If the POSTsynaptic cell does not bind and become stimulated by the serotonin then it will not relay the necessary messages and the serotonin will be reabsorbed by the PREsynaptic nerve cell. SSRIs prevent the reuptake or re-absorption of serotonin into the PREsynaptic cell thereby allowing more serotonin to remain in the synapse for longer. This gives the Seratonin more time to bind with and stimulate the POSTsynaptic cell so that the message to “be happy” is more likely to work.

SSRIs are prescribed to people that have been diagnosed with depression but can have many side effects such as:
Anhedonia, Apathy, Nausea, Drowsiness, Headache, Clenching of teeth, Extremely vivid and strange dreams, Dizziness, Changes in appetite, Weight loss/gain, Higher risk of bone fractures and injuries, Changes in sexual behaviour, Increased feelings of depression and anxiety (which may sometimes provoke panic attacks), Tremors, Autonomic dysfunction, Akathisia, Liver or renal impairment, Thoughts of suicide, Photosensitivity and Sexual Dysfunction.

The other type of Antidepressant is a Monamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI).

Monoamine Oxidase is an enzyme in our brains which helps to break down the serotonin that is not being used. MAOIs work by preventing this enzyme from breaking down the serotonin at the synaptic cleft. They essentially serve the same function as an SSRI but just go about it in a different way.

SSRIs are usually not prescribed alongside MAOIs due to the possibility of ‘Serotonin Sydrome’ which can be described as an overabundance of serotonin in the Central Nervous System. You are effectively poisoned by too much serotonin. An increase in the availability of serotonin due to SSRIs along with the inability to break down the existing serotonin due to MAOIs can result in symptoms as mild as shivering to severe symptoms such as hypertension and tachycardia that can lead to shock. Diagnosing Serotonin Syndrome can only be done through observation of symptoms and the patient’s history as there are no lab tests that can be performed.

Something to consider before taking anti-depressants is that they have been linked to accelerated aging and wrinkles.

There are also herbs that work in a similar manner as anti-depressants but with less side affects usually. St. Johns Wort is probably one of the most popular of these herbs and operates much like an SSRI but is known for having far fewer dangerous side effects. Vitamin D has also been linked to depression and most commonly with Seasonal Affective Disorder so optimizing your Vitamin D levels can make a huge difference. Read how important Vitamin D is here:
https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/vitamin-d-a-true-hero-in-the-nutrition-world/

Exercise also helps to release endorphins which can be mood elevators not to mention it could help to solve the possible cause of your depression rather than just putting a bandaid on the symptom if you are depressed due to your weight. There are also essential oils that can be uplifting such as Bergamont, Clary Sage, Jasmine, Patchouli, Rose and Ylang Ylang among others. You can read about how aromatherapy works here:
https://wisdomthatheals.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/an-introduction-to-smell-and-why-aromatherapy-works/

The most important thing that you have to remember is that your diet has an extreme influence on your body physiology. The bottom line is that if you eat crap then you will feel like crap. Supplying your body with plenty of healthy, high quality food and nutrients will allow your body to function at its optimum. I highly recommend that you take a good look at your diet and lifestyle before you decide to run to your doctor and demand a prescription.

– For Educational Purposes Only
– Not meant to diagnose or treat any medical condition
-These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA
– These statements are my opinions and conclusion from the knowledge I have thus far

1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_serotonin_reuptake_inhibitor
Accessed 12/02/2008
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serotonin_syndrome
Accessed 12/02/2008
3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase_inhibitor
Accessed 12/02/08
4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Johns_Wort
Accessed 12/02/08
5)
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
6)
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Dr. Joseph Mercola
7) http://www.naturalnews.com/025840.html
Accessed: 03/24/09, Author: Dr. Julian Whitaker, MD
8) http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/essential_oils.html
Accessed 03/24/09
9)

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