According to a new study coming out of Canada, Vitamin d supplements have shown the ability to counter the negative effects associated with Crohn’s disease.

Recommended Vitamin D Supplement

A team of researchers from McGill University Health Centre in Montreal suggest that if you suffer from Crohn’s Disease, having a deficiency in vitamin d can actually make it worse. To help with Crohn’s, it is suggested you get more sun or take a supplement to help fight off the deficiency.

Marc J. Servant, professor and collaborator on this project:

“This discovery is exciting, since it shows how an over-the-counter supplement such as Vitamin D could help people defend themselves against Crohn’s disease. We have identified a new treatment avenue for people with Crohn’s disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases.”

Continue reading: “New Research: Vitamin D Supplements could help fight Crohn’s Disease”

Recent news from The Washington Post sheds light on a story that reveals yet another shocking example of how we, as a collective, continually sacrifice human health for profit gain. The Post states that 17,000 potentially toxic chemicals have been kept under wraps due to an obscure law that protects chemical companies.

The Loophole in the Toxic Substances Control Act

Currently there are over 80,000 different chemicals being used commercially in the United States alone. The Toxic Substances Control Act, passed in 1974, requires that U.S. companies state all chemicals that are used in the manufacturing process of their product. And yet, even with this supposed law for clarity, many consumers are unaware of the amount of chemicals in common household products.

Why is this? A “watered down” portion of the bill allows companies to hide up to twenty percent of all chemicals from the public eye. And this is not only from consumers. The law allows the chemicals to be hidden from state regulation committees, medical professionals, and even emergency response personnel.

It may sound like a conspiracy theory, but both the government and chemical companies are well aware of the fact that if the “secret 20 percent” of hidden chemicals were revealed to the public, consumers would be too afraid to purchase these toxic products. In essence, potentially toxic and lethal chemicals are hidden for business profits.

In fact, the law states that companies can keep any chemical secret if they feel that it will protect their profitability, or as the Washington Post reports, chemicals that “could harm their bottom line.” And it stands to reason that no company would intentionally hide a chemical from the public if it was completely harmless. It doesn’t take a massive leap of logic to assume that the chemicals the companies are hiding could be the most deadly and toxic of all.

Continue reading: “Report: U.S. Companies have kept over 17,000 toxic chemicals secret to protect their profits”

Many consumers are unaware that different cell phones emit different amounts of harmful radiation, particularly when used closed to the ear and head. And, the debate as to whether radiation from these cell phones can be directly linked to cancer has been circulating for years.

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Recent reports from the watchdog agency, the Environmental Working Group, show that cellphone radiation levels may vary widely according to brands, and that some phones may be dangerously high. This comes as additional clarification on reports from the EWG showing that individuals using cellphones for over ten years may have higher cancer risk than those who have not been using phones.

On the other end of the fence is the CTIA, a cellphone industry lobbying group, which fully denies the link between radiation and harmful health effects, stating that “scientific evidence has overwhelmingly indicated that wireless devices do not pose risk.”

Within these two ranges of differing opinions, what are we, the consumer, supposed to believe?

Perhaps the better questions is to ask ourselves, “Within the on-going debate and emerging research, is it helpful to know which cell phones are emitting high amounts of radiation?” The answer is an emphatic, “yes.”

Continue reading: “Study: Cell Phone Radiation May Vary According to Brand”

Zinc Orotate is a mineral salt found in the human body in trace amounts. Discovered by Dr. Hans Nieper, each molecule of zinc orotate is composed of two molecules of orotic acid and one zinc atom.

Learn More About Zinc Orotates

This innovative German doctor found that this particular form of zinc was more readily absorbed by the human body, and thus was more indicative for the treatment and prevention of disease. Nieper also showed that zinc orotate, when compared to zinc carbonates, chlorides and sulfates, provided increased bioavailability in the body.

Many of us are aware that zinc is an essential element for not only humans, but all living things. But what few of us are aware of is the fact that many forms of zinc supplementation are not absorbed within the cellular membrane.

Research shows that zinc orotate, which is essentially a chelated form of zinc, has the ability to enhance absorption through cellular membranes.

Continue reading: “The Benefits of Zinc Orotates”

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No one likes the looks of ugly toenail fungus. Brittle, distorted and discolored toenails can be the source of major insecurity for many people, as well as a real hassle to get rid of. This form of fungus can be extremely difficult to treat, as oftentimes several forms of fungus are present in the infected toenail simultaneously.

Lets start by defining toenail fungus, listing its major causes and symptoms, as well as information on how you can naturally and effectively prevent and reduce these types of infections.

Continue reading: “The Signs of Toenail Fungus: Do You know if your feet are infected?”

Recently there has been some e-mails circulating online regarding the use of onions for reducing or preventing flu symptoms. I have been asked to comment on this and give my opinion on the validity of this remedy. So here is what I have found.

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What centuries of grandmothers have instinctively known is now being confirmed by everyone from modern scientists to naturopathic doctors. Onions may have the ability to ward off and relieve symptoms of the common flu. And in a world where, according to the CDC, many Americans will get the seasonal flu every year, the simple method of boiling onions into a drinkable broth may be a good practice to return to.

Moreover, the outbreak of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, has caused many people to consider getting flu vaccinations that, in my opinion, will do more harm than good. Prevention is the best method, and the following post will offer some insight into this ancient technique of using onions for flu prevention.

How Onions Help with the Flu

The idea that onions could ward off disease through their potent medicinal properties hails back thousands of years. Ancient Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine revered onions for their anti-inflammatory and congestion-relieving properties. The Ancient Greeks rubbed onions on sore muscles and the Native Americans used them to ward off the common cold and flu.

Continue reading: “Will Onions Help Fight the Flu?”

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There are five different types of Vitamin D (D1, D2, D3, D4 & D5), but D2 and D3 are the only types that our bodies can use. When something just says “vitamin D” it is generally referring to D2 or D3 (or a combination of the two).

Vitamin D is a prohormone, which is the precursor to a hormone. In its raw form (sun exposure, foods, supplements), Vitamin D is inert and has to go through a series of complex biochemical reactions before your body can use it. These reactions produce calcitriol, which is the form of Vitamin D that is used by your body (D2 and D3).

Vitamin D is one of the only vitamins that your body can produce by itself. What is the catalyst that gets your D production going? Good old fashioned sunshine! It’s the ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB) that enables vitamin D production to occur in the skin.

Vitamin D is produced in equal amounts in both people with fairly pigmented and darkly pigmented skin after exposure to UVB radiation (sunlight). Sunlight is important for Vitamin D production, but the strength of sunlight and the intensity of UVB exposure can be affected by season, distance from the equator, and even personal habits. If you have a job that keeps you indoors during daylight hours, or you work nights, you don’t produce as much Vitamin D as someone who is outside for at least ten to fifteen minutes each day.

Vitamin D can be supplemented by eating the right foods. See my previous blogpost about foods containing Vitamin D.

Continue reading: “Vitamin D: The Benefits & Side Effects of the Sunshine Vitamin”

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Have you ever noticed how a new shower curtain smells? There is a distinctive toxic odor in shower curtains pulled fresh from the packaging. This noxious odor is plastic softener, a potently hazard chemical compound that may be doing more than softening our curtains.

Today companies selling many of the products that we us on daily basis, spray these products down in a plethora of chemicals meant to soften the plastic, sterilize and keep things from going up in flames. One of the many down-sides to this practice is that we are literally coating our household items in a host of toxic “gender-bending chemicals.”

In fact, a scientific study ^[PDF] from the a conglomerate of environmental agencies such as The Center for Health, Environment and Justice’s (CHEJ), People for Puget Sound, the Washington Toxics Coalition, the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition and the Work Group for Safe Markets, found that the toxins coating shower curtains, flooring and many common children’s toys can lead to low birth-weight in babies.

The study also confirmed that these items may be linked to other serious health problems in both children and adults.

Continue reading: “Is Your Shower Curtain Toxic?”

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Remember what a drag it was when Mom used to nag at you to eat your veggies at dinner? She may have been saving your life.

A study conducted in part by scientists at Oxford University’s Cancer Epidemiology Unit indicates that vegetarians develop some cancers, including bladder and stomach cancers and leukemia, up to 45% less than persons who eat red meat, that’s nearly half the risk! The study was published in the British Journal of Cancer earlier this year.

According to the National Cancer Institute, limiting your fruit and vegetable intake actually puts you at risk of developing cancer. Consider fruits and vegetables to your body like income to your bank account. The more you eat, and fill up your body’s bank account, the more “stuff” you can do, like fight off diseases, maintain healthy vision and organ function, be athletic, travel, focus, learn.

When your body is low on funds, you run into problems paying the bills and meeting the demands of life. Keeping your body’s bank account full is like keeping a nest egg or an emergency fund. As long as you’ve continued feeding your body good live things, you’re better equipped to handle whatever comes your way, mentally, emotionally and physically.

Continue reading: “Study: Vegetarians Are 45% Less Likely to Develop Cancer”

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Are the new reforms on healthcare really reforming the way we respond to health and imbalance? Are these reforms truly making anyone healthier?

No one can deny that the healthcare issue is a serious debate, and yet what many are failing to mention is the fact that any form of healthcare reform is destined to fail, due to the inherent lack of focus on prevention and the root cause of disease. The current model in Washington takes a narrow approach, focusing mainly on one problem: the current cost and exclusivity of healthcare.

What is more, Obama’s health team is still jumping on the bandwagon of chemically-based drugs, as well as harmful antibiotics and vaccines, encouraging drug companies to reduce their prices so that more and more Americans can consume these drugs. These drugs are the cause of disease and only cover up the symptoms and never address the root cause!

Moreover, the current healthcare bill is painfully focused on appeasing the interests of the big business model of healthcare, including special interest groups and the very pharmaceutical companies that are doing more harm than good to the average American.

Some may even consider the fact that since the current chemical-based model of medicine does not treat the root-causes of disease (for example, improper digestion and elimination, leading to chronic toxicity), this so-called healthcare system is actually designed to keep people lined up at the doctor’s office.

Without a clear understanding of the root causes of disease, unfortunately, any new healthcare reform is missing the main point. On a whole, there are some 48 million Americans who lack healthcare coverage. Simply offering these individuals access to medical care is not enough. Oftentimes, the same individuals who lack decent healthcare coverage are the very individuals most prone to chronic, lifestyle-based disease issues.

Continue reading: “Why Healthcare Reform Will Inevitably Fail”