Back to Coconut Oil

I recommend the book, The Coconut Oil Miracle, 5th Edition, by Bruce Fife. The fifth edition is updated with current information about the benefits of coconut oil.  It gives ways to use coconut oil that will maximize its effect.  The book also includes a nutrition plan with 50 recipes! When used as a dietary supplement in good or applied to the skin, it has been found to:

• strengthen the immune system
• promote weight loss
• improve digestion
• prevent heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases
• beautify skin and hair
• prevent premature aging of skin

The author, Dr. Bruce Fife, is one of the leading authorities on the health benefits of coconut oil.  He references the latest studies that link coconut oil to heart function, bodily detoxification, Alzheimer’s prevention, weight loss, and more.

 

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1yxdiSE

Follow Your Child’s Daydreams

William Martin once wrote, “Do you have agendas for your children that are more important than the children themselves?” In today’s society it seems that the lives of children are far too occupied for them to pursue and develop a particular interest. The joyful and sometimes slow creative process is trampled by the perceived necessity to get things done as quickly as possible.

“Do they have time to daydream? From your children’s dreams will emerge the practices and activities that will make self-discipline as natural as breathing,” said Martin. We can often lose sight of this idea given the tough demands on our daily lives, but most parents would agree that this is exactly what they want for their children.

Actively listening to your children will provide you with the necessary clues to discover what truly motivates them. Awareness of these interests can help them engage intellectually and really focus their efforts. In time, creativity and self-discipline will indeed become as natural as breathing.

While there are those who like to think some people are born geniuses, the expert consensus is that genius takes time and opportunity to develop. As noted by neuropsychologist Rex Jung, exceptionally high-level achievement is a dynamic interplay between intelligence and creativity. Experts also agree that creativity is a significant component of genius. Intelligence, expertise, and creativity are the result of a parent listening to their children’s passions, not trying to dictate them.

Simple everyday activities like daydreaming and recess can have significant impact on this development, as children are given the opportunity to try different things, and make mistakes. As time passes, curiosity begins to transform into passions, and is thus transformed in creativity and genius. The simple act of listening to your child can be the difference between the ordinary and extraordinary.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1uw1zEF

It’s Flu Season: Get your Vitamin D!

During flu season, it’s vital for children to keep their vitamin D at optimum levels. The common flu in scientific terms is a deficiency of vitamin D. A sufficient amount of vitamin D produces enough antimicrobial peptides, which protect the body from the flu. Vitamin D deficiency has been increasing in the United States in the last two decades. Below are 10 of symptoms that one might endure when experiencing a vitamin D deficiency.

1) Muscle weakness – When someone is experiencing muscle weakness, they are most likely lacking in vitamin D. People who suffer from a deficiency in vitamin D are often having trouble with certain muscle functions.

2) Chronic pain – People experiencing chronic pain in their bones or muscles could have an issue with their vitamin D levels.  A study in Minneapolis took into account 150 patients with chronic pain. 93% of those patients had very low levels of vitamin D.

3) Constant fatigue – one of the main attributes of vitamin D is that it produces energy for the body. If someone is constantly tired, it’s best if they get their vitamin D levels checked.

4) Psoriasis – Vitamin D plays a major role in treating patients with psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that could possibly be related to low vitamin D levels.

5) Depression – this psychological disorder might just be an issue with your diet and nutrition. Vitamin D is vital for producing serotonin in the brain.  Some people who suffer from depression might only suffer during the winter months. This is because a lack of sun is directly correlated with a lack of vitamin D.

6) Regular respiratory issues – if low levels of vitamin D coincide with the flu, then it only makes sense that people who have a consistent symptom of the flu (respiratory issues) might have low levels of vitamin D.

7) Sweaty head – A sweaty head is a symptom of rickets, which is the most dangerous and common form of vitamin D deficiency in kids.

8) Hypertension – A deficiency is vitamin D is a factor that might lead to hear failure. People who suffer from high blood pressure are often told to increase their dosage of vitamin D in the form of fermented cod liver oil.

9) Chronic Kidney Disease – Heart failure and disease is commonly linked to kidney disease. Seeing as hear failure is connected to low volumes of vitamin D, we can only conclude that there is also a connection to kidney diseases.

10)  Vitamin D is an important element in creating a stronger immune system. If someone is constantly sick, then they might be suffering from diminished Vitamin D levels.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1uN69zX

Five Functions of Tea Tree Oil

In trying to live a healthy lifestyle, there’s much to consider besides diet. Many cosmetic and domestic products include a long list of synthetic ingredients that, as synthetic ingredients often do, pose a risk to health. But fret not! There are many natural alternatives for many cosmetic and household products. Tea tree oil is a good natural alternative to many different topical medicines.

1. Acne. Acne is often caused by a greasy or oily diet and poor hygiene, but is strongly linked to a genetic predisposition as well, and can cause severe grief and embarrassment, and leave behind unsightly scars. Tea tree oil can help diminish blemishes associated with acne, and doesn’t irritate the skin like most conventional topical acne medicines do.
2. Athlete’s Foot. Athlete’s foot is oh so irritating, as there are few worse places to have an itch than the bottom of your foot. Also, it’s personally frustrating to suffer through something that probably could have been prevented as simply as wearing flip flops in the locker room. Tea tree oil is an effective anti-fungal, and works wonders in the treatment of Athlete’s foot.
3. Nail Fungus. Nail fungus is a common condition, though it may indicate a more serious fungal problem. Tea tree oil can help suppress the discomfort and appearance of nail fungus.
4. Dandruff. Tea tree oil is a common ingredient among shampoo, and has been effective for many in the treatment of dandruff, not to mention it leaves your scalp feeling clean and tingly.
5. Yeast infections. Tea tree oil is as effective against yeast infections as it is against fungus.

These are but a few of the many applications tea tree oil is handy for. As research continues to develop our knowledge of the uses of tea tree oil, it’s a useful item to have at your convenience at home.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://kathleenberryhebert.net/five-functions-of-tea-tree-oil/

Cinnamon

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1tG80C7

All About Cinnamon

Many of us carelessly stir a spoonful into our coffee, drop a pinch into our stewed apples, or sprinkle a dash atop a bright, orange slice of pumpkin pie without a passing thought. Though this delightfully robust spice is rarely considered beneath the surface level, it’s implications on our health may be more significant than expected, and it’s history spans back to ancient times.

Today, cinnamon is widely cultivated and distributed at relatively low cost, but there was a time when cinnamon was highly coveted. Cinnamon has been used by humans since as early as 2000 BC, was toted along treacherous trade routes for the famed and wealthy Europeans of the Middle Ages, and battled over fiercely by the Dutch and Portuguese in the 16th and 17th Centuries. After the cultivation of Chinese cinnamon, our bold and fragrant spice was made accessible to a much broader consumer market, and today there are four varieties commonly available, including Ceylon, Chinese, Saigon, and Korintje. Chinese, Saigon, and Korintje Cinnamon are all grouped under the same umbrella of Cassia Cinnamon. Cassia differs from Ceylon Cinnamon in that it is stronger in taste and cheaper to produce. Though there is contention over the health benefits of the more refined Ceylon Cinnamon trumping those of the more cheaply produced Cassia Cinnamon, there’s also evidence that the nutrition of these two major varieties are virtually the same.

Cinnamon has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for several millennia, and is known to treat headaches, inflammation, loss of appetite, nausea and indigestion, diarrhea, sinus blockage, and more. Also, it is known to aid in glycemic control for those with type II diabetes. However, to reap the full benefit of cinnamon, it’s of chief importance to be sure your supply is kept fresh. Otherwise, cinnamon is prone to go stale and lose much of it’s medicinal and aesthetic properties. To take full advantage of what cinnamon has to offer, buy fresh bark and use a cinnamon or coffee grinder in your home. As with most things, there’s much more to cinnamon than meets the eye. Since eating tree bark isn’t exactly a common practice, It’s strange to imagine the first person to try cinnamon. Maybe they shaved a bit off and masticated in delight, or maybe they just dug their teeth right into that tree. Whatever the case, we should all consider ourselves fortunate to now have convenient access to such a plant as cinnamon.  Read more here.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1vLrZ5J

Parents Urged Not to Skip Vitamin K Shots

Typically, when a baby is born in a hospital, it is standard operating procedure that the infant receives a Vitamin K shot.  This is issued due to the fact that babies are born with naturally low levels of Vitamin K in their bodies.  The low level of the vitamin can cause internal bleeding, which can lead to hemorrhaging.  If the injection is administered, there is very little chances of internal bleeding.

However, despite the obvious benefits behind the injection, some parents are choosing not to allow the doctors to administer it.  This has become common, rooted in a developing myth that the Vitamin K injection is a vaccine; therefore, the shot gets included when parents who are against vaccinations say no to all administrations.  There is also some resistance to the injection, based in a concern that there are preservatives in the shot.  But, according to an article recently completed by The Stir, neither one of these reasons should outweigh the benefits of the injections.  This is especially true, as the myth about the injection being a vaccination is completely untrue; it is nothing more than an injectable vitamin.  There are also brands of Vitamin K that are free of preservatives.

In addition, the possible outcomes of choosing not to administer the injection could be catastrophic.  Doctors at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee discovered the connection between possible hemorrhaging and the choice not to administer the injection.  The staff discovered a spike in internal bleeding, finding five babies in just eight months that suffered dangerous or fatal hemorrhages; all babies that suffered had not received the Vitamin K shot.  Therefore, the suffering has become known as Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding, otherwise known as VKDB.  The staff of the Vanderbilt Hospital reported their findings to the Centers for Disease Control.  As a result, a case-control study is currently under way to assess what other risk factors that may have contributed to VKDB.  Thus far, the CDC has found that failing to administer the Vitamin K injection makes the child eighty one times more likely to suffer dangerous or fatal internal bleeding.

One alternative to the shot that has been pursued is providing Vitamin K in pill form.  However, doctors do not encourage this alternative, as there is no oral administration of the vitamin that is approved by the FDA.  In addition, the pill needs to be administered repeatedly over the first month of the infant’s life, which can become increasingly difficult.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1s8o3Nt

GAPS

For those of you who struggle with some diseases or have loved ones who suffer, I strongly recommend learning about GAPS. The book, “Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD has a ton of information worth learning, even for the consumer with no issues.  Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride coined GAPS, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, when she successfully healed her son of autism.

The GAPS condition establishes a connection between the gut and the brain. The root of many mental and physical problems is the digestive systems. Mental problems include autism, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders, eating disorders, and many more. Dr. Campbell-McBride’s book teaches how this syndrome develops and how to effectively treat the condition with what is referred to as the GAPS Protocol.

Some of these symptoms manifest in physical illness as well. For example, the patient may develop allergies, asthma, eczema, chronic cystitis, digestive disorders and malnourishment.

One important concept to consider is that mothers pass on their unique gut micro-flora to their children. An adult carries 2 kg of bacteria in the gut, on average. There are more cells in that microbial mass than there are cells in the entire human body. Certain species of bacteria are crucial to our health, both mentally and physically. A study of hundreds of cases of children with neurological and psychiatric conditions revealed an interesting point. Modern mothers were not breast fed as babies because it went out of fashion in 60s and 70s. Bottle fed babies develop completely different gut flora than breast fed babies. Bottle fed babies are exposed to compromised gut flora, which can predispose the babies to health problems. Then, antibiotics wipe out the good strains of bacteria in the gut. The combination of these things plus the woman taking a contraceptive pill at the age of 16 can result in damaging the good gut flora. Contraceptive pills have a terrible affect on the beneficial bacteria in the gut. The good bacteria controls about 500 different, known to science, species of pathogenic microbes. With no good bacteria, the opportunistic microbes can grow into large colonies and take up space in the digestive tract. Modern diets, which consist of processed and fast foods, provide nourishment for these pathogenic (bad) microbes. This is probably the diet that a modern mother has indulged in. All of these factors combined lead to compromised gut flora is most modern mothers. Abnormal gut flora is present in almost 100% of mothers of children with neurological and psychiatric conditions.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1s5uPln

FDA Updates Labeling for Some Medications Used for Pediatric Neurology

Recently, an article was completed by AAP News to detail an update made by the Food and Drug Administration, which served to address some of the five hundred products that have received new pediatric labeling information.  These changes have been ongoing over the course of the last seventeen years, with nineteen neurology products being studied resulting in thirty one changes to the Food and Drug Administration approved labels.

Safety and effectiveness were the two focused facets of studies on most of the drugs.  Both components could be established in studies conducted on eleven of the products.  Eight of these medications are used to treat pediatric epilepsy, two for migraines and one is intended to counter organophosphate poisoning.  Alternatively, safety and effectiveness could not be established for eight different products.  Five of these were used to treat pediatric migraines, two for insomnia associated with those who suffer from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and one for narcolepsy.

Pediatric subpopulations were considered for safety and effectiveness as well.  Two products were able to declare safety and effectiveness of use in one subpopulation, but not in another.  Both products are used for adjunctive treatment for pediatric epilepsy, but failed to establish effectiveness in pediatric patients two years after the origin of use.

There were also several studies that could not be engaged in.  For instance, products used for monotherapy in pediatric epilepsy could not be evaluated, due to the fact that using placebos in studies of antiepileptic drugs without providing adjunctive seizure therapy is considered unethical.  However, in some cases, bridging data was sought out, in an attempt to find some evaluation.  Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics bridging data was used to determine effectiveness of topiramate as an initial treatment for monotherapy in pediatric patients ranging from two to nine years old.  This approach allowed and permitted alterations to pediatric labeling when studies weren’t possible.

 

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1s4rBi6

Probiotics Help Stomach Health

In the digestive system, there are over five hundred different bacterial species.  In a healthy stomach, approximately eighty five percent of these bacteria are beneficial; fifteen percent are pathogens, or bad bacteria.  A balance of both positive and negative bacteria is to be expected.  However, according to an article recently completed by The Healthy Home Economist, most people have an inverse of the healthy gut—a majority of pathogens, instead of beneficial bacteria.

This imbalance can be brought on by a variety of things.  The use of antibiotics, birth control pills and other various medications can introduce allow more negative bacteria into the stomach.  Consuming an excess of processed foods or items high in sugar also works to feed pathogens.

If stomachs have a higher amount of pathogens, many consequences can occur.  The individual can suffer from a variety of issues, including diarrhea, constipation, excessive gas, bloating, allergies, eczema, irritable bowl, inflammatory bowl, kidney stones, ear infections, strep throat, colds, yeast infections, Crohn’s disease, lactose intolerance and many other concerning conditions.

If an individual suffers from a negative imbalance, the first step in the solution is an easy one.  Introducing a probiotic throughout the course of the day can help introduce more positive bacteria and prevent growth of pathogens, yeast and fungi in the gut, along with many other benefits for various locations spread out across the body.

The most crucial and difficult part of introducing a probiotic is knowing when to take it.  To work towards implementing a better balance to the digestive system, the probiotic should be ingested immediately following a meal.  If taken on an empty stomach, the high levels of stomach acid could destroy some of the probiotic bacteria.

However, if the consumer wishes to seek the benefits of the probiotic somewhere else in the body—it can be very beneficial for clearing out the mouth, throat, nasal passages and ears as well—taking the bacteria on an empty stomach will direct the benefits elsewhere.  Specifically, if the consumer seeks to open up the nasal passages and clear out the mouth and throat, it is suggested that the capsule be emptied in the mouth and gurgled there before being swallowed.  Avoid water for some period after, as to allow the bacteria to sink in and set to work.

from Kathleen Berry-Hebert http://ift.tt/1t6q4rg