Tag Archives: Men’s Health

9 Easy Ways to Support Liver Health

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

Your liver is responsible for filtering every drop of blood that comes from the digestive tract, and then it metabolizes and eliminates the toxins and chemicals that it encounters. It’s also responsible for secreting bile, an aid in the digestive process.

A sluggish liver that’s not operating optimally will affect the health of your whole body. The toxins the liver usually removes can stay in the body, causing damage and making you feel unwell. Thankfully, there are several simple things you can do that can have a positive impact on your liver!
1. Eat liver-happy foods. These include garlic, leafy greens, grapefruit, green tea, and grains, along with apples and avocados. These foods are known to help support and nourish the liver, while not overburdening it.

2. When your liver needs a little love, avoid processed foods, alcohol, and foods high in sodium and sugar.

3. Stay hydrated. Drinking the right amount of liquids helps the body to flush toxins out of the liver and increase optimum health.

4. Do gentle liver-stimulating exercises. One simple exercise you can do is to sit crosslegged on the floor with your back straight. Simply turn slightly to the right and then to the left. This helps stimulate and increase blood flow to the area without putting undue strain on the body. Start with 10 repetitions, then gradually increase to 100 per day. Moderate exercise also can be beneficial as it helps to decrease insulin resistance and fatty deposits in the liver.

5. Avoid unnecessary medications. Ask your doctor which of your medications are metabolized through your liver and if there are alternatives you could use instead. Replacing some popular pain reducers with alternatives such as Arnica Homeopathics can decrease the burden on your liver.

6. Love your gut. Some studies have shown that liver health is directly impacted by gut health and poor gut flora. Using fermented foods or a daily probiotic can help to both increase and diversify the population of gut flora.

7. Sip some tea. Several herbs have historically been used to help support the liver. Dandelion, Turmeric, Peppermint, Milk Thistle, Barberry, and Rosemary are the most well known.

8. Use spices and herbs in cooking. Garlic, Turmeric, Rosemary, Oregano, and Thyme are encouraging to the liver and can be used regularly in cooking to provide ongoing support.

9. Take your liver-happy supplements. Silymarin Liver Support, Digestive Enzymes and Digest Best, Red Raspberry Leaf, and Vitamin C (Gentle C, Rosehip C, and ChewC) can all contribute to the liver’s wellbeing.

Dig deeper! Learn about choosing probiotics, improving gut health, and creating herbal tea blends and brewing tea.

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A Hill for Men (NOT) to Die On

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Beeyoutiful Toni Leave a comment

This information was originally printed in a slightly different form in our Fall 2008 Catalog.

A few years ago, I turned half a century old. Our family celebration was thoroughly Cajun style, with “blackened” everything: streamers and balloons, over-the-hill signs, even a cake noir. My son presented me with a pair of “old man” Velcro shoes, while my sisters provided rotten false teeth and a cane. One especially caring card announced that the time had come for regular colonoscopies.

The significance of my age milestone was not lost on my wife. As I’ve come to realize about most loving wives and their husbands, she worries more about my health than I do. Not long after the party, she and I enjoyed some quiet moments one evening on our deck, reminiscing about backpacking trips through the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park two decades earlier.

“You know,” Nancy spoke into the darkness, “your birthday cards joked about old man diseases, but you need to take good care of yourself so we’ll still be healthy enough for backpacking when we get the chance again.” Naturally, my first reaction was to point out that I’m still in much better shape than she is, so I’m not the one to worry about. But to leave it there ignores a small part of me (and every aging male) that can cause big problems if not managed correctly.

GLAND AWARENESS

While men have carried a prostate gland around all their lives, most have little idea what it does for them (and arguably for their wives too). A walnut-sized gland situated just below the bladder, it wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body. It produces a fluid that is a major ingredient in semen, while defending the genital and urinary tract against infection. You may have seen the prostate diagrammed at some point as part of the male reproductive system, but as a back-stage player, its function is much less exciting than some other components in the array.

Great. So, the prostate is an unsung hero of things male. What’s that got to do with turning 50? Well, when a man reaches middle age, his hormones change, causing the prostate gland to grow. And its proximity to the urethra can cause problems, kind of like how a python causes problems for small animals! The expanding gland can constrict the urethra and make bad things happen like:

Frequent urge to urinate (or difficulty in doing so)
Blood in urine or semen
Painful or burning urination
Dribbling of urine
Difficulty having an erection
Painful ejaculation
Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.

These problems can be caused by prostate inflammation or infection (prostatitis), enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH), and/or cancer. Health-gloom-wise, prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women. The second leading cause of cancer death in men, 90% of cases go undetected until it is untreatable and has spread to the lymph system (most men don’t worry about their health, remember?).

This disaster is just waiting to happen in most adult males. By age 50, 35% have developed some cancer cells in the prostate. The result is that 97% of all men will be affected with some manner of prostate problem at some point in life. The typical solution is surgery. Yet even in successful cases the outcome can be, shall we say, unhappy.

The two big “I” words, incontinence and impotence, happen every year to a large contingent of the 400,000 American men who undergo prostate surgery. Unfortunately, the drugs most popular for treating the ailments are similarly ripe with dangerous side effects. But then, the alternative to treatment is pretty dangerous, too: lethal, in fact.

NEW TWIST ON AN OLD PRESCRIPTION

The discouraging facts about my potential health could make a man my age wonder if thoughts of future backpacking adventures are nothing more than pipe dreams. But taking care of the inner piping is possible!

While the prescription for good health is familiar (maintain an active lifestyle, eat a nutrient-rich diet, and take high-quality supplements), there are a number of elements in this typical health recommendation that especially benefit prostate functioning.

Exercise

Sedentary men are 30% more likely to get prostate cancer and 40% more likely to have BPH, a non-cancerous condition. The same stats apply to highly stressed men. Both experience low levels of glutathione (an antioxidant produced inside the body and induced by exercise) in their cells, a situation that lowers the body’s resistance to cell and DNA damage.

Sitting for long periods also pinches nerves in the vertebrae that transmit messages from the brain to the prostate. This reduces the flow of fresh blood to the gland, allowing toxins to build up. Prostate-specific exercise can free up nerves and blood flow. And routine outdoor exercise adds a winning touch, since Vitamin D, essential to prostate well-being, is manufactured naturally by the body when exposed to sunlight.

Diet

Foods rich in antioxidants, the cancer-fighting wonders found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, are crucial. In addition, lamb, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, and oysters and other shellfish contain zinc, an important mineral for prostate health and replacement of seminal fluid.

The Weston A. Price Foundation (an organization committed to education about natural, healthful eating) encourages the use of raw milk from grass-fed cows. It’s high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) for powerful protection against cancer of all types. If raw milk is not available, whole (not low-fat) organic milk can be a good second choice.

Excessive caffeine or alcohol should be avoided since both are immune suppressors. And contrary to some dietitians, processed soy products have been linked to increased prostate cancer risk and should be avoided. Although soy manufacturers often brag that Asian men (who eat a lot of soy) demonstrate a low incidence of prostate cancer, they don’t point out that soy mostly consumed by Asians is fermented into healthful tempeh or miso, very different from the processed Americanized form. Regular consumption of meat substitutes, energy bars, and protein shakes made with soy can mean a person ingests 100 times the level of soy intake considered safe.

Supplements

Only a few supplements directly improve and maintain prostate functioning, and none better than Beeyoutiful’s Clinical Strength Prostate Health. As men age, the body’s ratio of estrogen (yes, the female hormone!) to testosterone increases, but Prostate Health contains Stinging Nettle Root Extract to counter the effects of excess estrogen production. Many cheaper health products use only the stems and leaves, not the root of this herb, which renders it significantly less effective.

That ingredient is only the beginning. The complete rundown on what Clinical Strength Prostate Health delivers is impressive.

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) supports normal urinary flow and calms inflammation. Berries from the saw palmetto plant, which grows in the southeastern United States, are used to inhibit production of an unwanted form of testosterone suspected of contributing to enlargement of the prostate. “Bargain brands” use a powdered form of the plant which does not perform as well as berry-based formulations like Beeyoutiful’s. Clinical Strength Prostate Health, in fact, contains an especially high percentage of healthful fatty acids. And while saw palmetto’s blocking of the enzyme responsible for prostate enlargement can cause another enzyme to kick into high gear and make estrogen, the stinging nettle root in this formula counter-balances this tendency.

Pygeum, made from the bark of an evergreen tree found in the higher elevations of Africa and used by the natives for centuries for what they call “old man’s disease,” enhances the saw palmetto/stinging nettle combo, facilitating urination and helping the bladder empty completely.

Pumpkin seed oil is high in four free fatty acids and is now considered as vital to prostate health as lycopene.

Lycopene, the natural pigment that makes tomatoes red, has been shown to slow or even halt the advancement of BPH.

Zinc offers an anti-bacterial effect to help stave off genito-urinary infections. (In prostatitis, zinc levels are only one-tenth of those in a normal prostate.) Men are more vulnerable than women to having low zinc because they lose that particular mineral in every ejaculation.

Vitamin B6 supplements the zinc and stinging nettle in regulating the enzyme which makes “bad testosterone.” B6 helps control inflammation of the bladder and counteracts the development of prostate tumors.

Clinical Strength Prostate Health offers all-in-one prostate protection. If someone you know isn’t already taking it by the time he turns 50, add a bottle to the gag gift pile. The name will fit with one of the “kind” cards he’s certain to get, and the pills are just the color you’d want: basic black. This is one over-the-hill gift to keep on giving so men can enjoy celebrating not only 50, but 60, 70, and beyond.

Greg Webster is a freelance writer, homeschooling father of eight, and owner of The Gregory Group advertising, marketing, and design firm. He and his family enjoy natural country living near Columbia, Tennessee.

PROSTATE EXERCISE

Stand and take a few deep breaths. Exhale until all the air is gone from your lungs. Without breathing in, suck in your stomach, pulling it up as high as possible into your chest. Use hands to help lift it and squeeze your sides as well. This reverses the negative effects of gravity, which is constantly pulling down on your organs, with the prostate gland at the bottom of the heap. Feel the muscles in the lower back and side tighten. Then relax and inhale. After a minute or two, repeat.

If you notice any pain (very possibly your prostate), do this exercise 10 times throughout the day. You’re likely to feel some soreness after the first few sessions because toxic blood trapped in the prostate area is now moving out, irritating the surrounding tissues. Stick with it, and within days there should be only a feeling of relief and refreshment after exercising. Three to four sessions a day is a good maintenance routine.

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Liv(er)ing Beeyoutiful- Fall 2013 Catalog

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

from the catalog archives Livering Beeyoutiful from Beeyoutiful.com

By Nancy Webster

Have you ever felt unappreciated for all the behind-the-scenes work you do to keep things running smoothly at home or at the office? Especially after extra busy days, I admit to having more than once considered hanging an “I Quit” sign in our kitchen, thinking it wouldn’t take long before my non-stop work there was missed.

Your liver may wish it, too, could hang out a white flag when it is suffering from burn-out, but all it can do is drop hints in the form of health problems—unless the work has totally overcome it, causing cancer or cirrhosis. A multi-tasking workhorse, the liver runs over 400 metabolic functions every day to keep you going strong for even your biggest days. When it goes down, so does your entire digestive system, your brain, your central nervous system and everything they direct.

Honestly, in my younger years, I didn’t give my liver much thought. But now, as middle age is full upon me along with a few accompanying issues, I see this neglect was a big mistake. Liver care is important even for children, who may enter the world with weak livers due to their mom’s unhealthy liver.

Liver 101

Pretty much everyone knows the liver is a filter to keep toxins from harming us. Everything must pass through your liver: any food, drink, pesticides or pills you consume; lotions, soaps, make-up or bug sprays you apply; injections/immunizations you receive; and even fragrances and gas station fumes you breathe. But that’s just one of its many jobs. This 3-4 pound organ plays a key role in digestion, the formation of our blood, and in immune defense.

During digestion, the liver secretes bile into the small intestine to lubricate the intestinal walls. The bitter bile regulates friendly bacteria; destroys dangerous organisms (like parasites and candida); stimulates peristalsis (muscle activity to move out fecal matter); and, with digestive fluid from its team player, the pancreas, helps us digest fats, proteins, and starches.

When the liver is abused by bad diet and chemicals and even not enough sleep (because it catches up on “housework” during the night), it becomes weak and congested. The bile it secretes turns toxic, ultimately contributing to what we now call a “leaky gut”, which leads to allergies, acne, eczema and other skin issues, food sensitivities, and even autism and bi-polar disorder.

The liver also does blood quality control. It regulates clotting factors, weeds out old red blood cells and helps grow new ones, and provides proteins needed to make white blood cells to fight germs.

How is My Liver Livin’?

Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet, suggests a quick test of liver health you can do right now. Place the fingers of your right hand underneath your right rib cage. You may find it feels hard, “congested”, and even tender. If you can’t extend your fingers up to the second knuckle, your liver definitely needs help.

Although the liver is involved in a long list of ailments, here is a short checklist to see how yours is faring:
1)Abdominal bloating
2)Pain or discomfort over the liver
3)Excessive abdominal fat, pot belly, or roll around upper abdomen
4)Trouble digesting fatty foods
5)Gallbladder has been removed
6)Acid reflux/heartburn
7)Dark spots (“liver spots”) or tiny red flecks that come and go on skin
8)Overheating of body; excessive perspiration
9)Acne, rosacea, or itchy, blotchy skin
10)Unexplained weight gain or inability to lose weight even with calorie restriction
Also, watch for high blood pressure, fatigue, high cholesterol and triglycerides, mood swings, depression, sleep apnea or snoring, and fatty yellowish lumps around your eyes.*

Alcoholics aren’t the only ones with liver problems. If you eat a diet mainly composed of high-carbohydrate, processed foods, you risk insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Dandy Help for a Prickly Situation

Your liver can get healthy again, but you need to make some changes first. Switch your personal care and cleaning products to organic, chemical-free ones. Lessen your exposure to electromagnetic forces by keeping wireless and other electric devices a minimum of eight feet from your bed. Eat more whole, organic foods and lacto-fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. Avoid processed, sugary foods and bad oils like canola and soybean.

You also need to support all these changes with liver-healing supplements. In the old days, Native Americans and pioneers sought out chicory, dandelion, and prickly milk thistle plants when the weather warmed. They may not have known a healthier liver was the reason, but they knew eating these plants made their bodies feel lighter and cleaner after a long winter of salted meat and potatoes.

My family enjoys wild foraging and has sought out and eaten all three of these plants. Although gathering and eating these medicinal plants is fun and definitely puts a spring in our step, it takes time and is only possible in the growing seasons.

In their Silymarin Liver Support, Beeyoutiful offers a much easier way to supplement for a healthier liver. The main liver-strengthening ingredient extracted from the milk thistle plant seeds is silymarin, a powerful antioxidant said to protect liver and other cells in the brain and body from toxins (it has even been used to prevent death from accidentally ingested poisonous Deathcap mushrooms!). Silymarin promotes the growth of new liver cells (which you’ll keep healthy by your diet and lifestyle changes) and discourages the formation of fibrous tissue (hard, congested spots). It also helps your body hang onto the aggressive antioxidant called glutathione, which is famous for its role in improving autism and other problems.

Other known benefits of silymarin are protection from certain cancers including colon and prostate, improvement in the glycemic profile of Type 2 diabetics, and increase in milk production by nursing mothers. And I know that taking 1-3 capsules per day of Silymarin Liver Extract enhanced with dandelion and artichoke compounds is way easier than dealing with prickly milk thistle plants!

To complement their silymarin supplement, Beeyoutiful also offers Every Day Detox Tea. To stimulate your liver’s natural detoxification processes, roasted dandelion and chicory roots are combined with schisandra berries, in use even 5000 years ago. Called “five flavor berry” in Chinese, schisandra is unique in that it has all five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent (or warmly spicy). A cup of this delightful, complex-tasting tea should be enjoyed 2-3 times daily. What a pleasant way to heal!

Large amounts of friendly bacteria are essential for keeping the liver clean and healthy. Fermented foods are an excellent source, but if your liver and/or gut need help, probiotics like Beeyoutiful’s Tummy Tune-Up and Gut Guardian are a needful addition to your daily supplements. Also, you can use Beeyoutiful’s Liquid Chlorophyll added to water, juice, or even kombucha to aid in liver cleansing.

Get Clean First

To jump-start your liver and overall healing routine, consider doing a bowel cleanse. It is necessary for the bowels to be clear and working well so as the liver begins dumping toxins, they can move right on out of the body. Many homemade recipes for bowel cleansing are available online, including water enemas, a salt water flush, a psyllium/bentonite clay/ginger/apple juice “shake”, and the well-known, ten-day Master Cleanse of just drinking lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne, and water. There are also packaged herbal cleanses available. Even after an initial cleanse, if your liver was especially toxic, you may want to do some coffee enemas to help lessen uncomfortable detox symptoms in the eyes, joints, and skin. Take care not to get constipated!

Many times naturopaths will also recommend a parasite and kidney cleanse followed by a liver cleanse, often with recipes based on the work of Hulda Clark, author of Cure for All Diseases. If you choose to follow these routines, research carefully and preferably get under the care of a good naturopath. You do not have to complete all these cleanses before benefiting from Silymarin Liver Support or Every Day Detox Tea.

Live well. Make your liver well. And you will be well.

*list from http://nourishholisticnutrition.com/heart-health/ten-signals-your-liver-is-telling-you-you-need-to-detox/#sthash.qdzKMVaB.dpuf

Nancy Webster enjoys researching and writing about alternative health. She leads the Southern Middle Tennessee chapter of The Weston A. Price Foundation. A homeschooling mother of eight (and a new grandmother, too!), Nancy, her husband, Greg, and their children live on a partially-working farm in Middle Tennessee. They have fun publishing a free, online e-zine at http://www.CreativeCountryLiving.com.

Products mentioned:

Silymarin Liver Support

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Got Fat (-Soluble Vitamins)?

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Beeyoutiful Toni One comment

This post originally appeared in a slightly different form in our Fall 2013 catalog.

Are you struggling with prematurely-aging skin, poor vision in dim light, or decreased immunity?

What about muscle aches, joint pain, lowered resistance to infection, depression, difficulty managing your weight, or susceptibility to respiratory conditions such as asthma?

Do you bruise easily, have poor gut health, or suffer from any of a number of blood disorders?

While that might sound like an advertisement for the side-effects of a prescription drug, you can tell it’s not, because there is no mention of “and in rare cases, death.” For many of us, these are symptoms of an easily reversible problem: a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins.

One of the most widely accepted dietary travesties in our civilization is the “low-fat diet”. Fats in all shapes and sizes, good fats and bad fats, have been vilified for causing obesity. Meanwhile, the real problem grows as junk food, sugars, and simple carbs are consumed in ever greater quantities. Not coincidentally, obesity rates are skyrocketing. Plus, all of the nutrients that are found in good fats are missed including vitamins A, D, and K.

FAT-SOLUBLE and WATER-SOLUBLE

Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble. Most of us are more familiar with water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C and the B vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins are found mostly in foods from plants, they dissolve easily in water, and are not stored in the body in any great quantity. We need to ingest these vitamins daily because the body cannot manufacture them and when the body burns what it needs, the excess is expelled through the urine. Most of us are also familiar with pro vitamin A, otherwise known as Beta Carotene, another water soluble nutrient. Some people think that taking Beta Carotene is the same as supplementing or eating Vitamin A. It is not. Beta Carotene must be converted in the presence of fats in order to become Vitamin A. This conversion is inefficient at best and in some individuals it just doesn’t happen at all.

But the fat-soluble vitamins are either made by the body or come from animal products (traditionally-raised, that is!). The body stores these nutrients in the fatty tissues for later use. Because the excess of these vitamins is stored, there is a possibility of toxicity from overdose which has led to a lot of misinformed fear-mongering. That is why most of us have never heard of the importance of these vitamins, why there is little or none of them in multivitamins (in their most bio-available, fat-soluble form), and why many people are deficient. Prepare to be informed!

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A plays two roles in the health of cells: it protects existing cells from damage as an antioxidant, and lends crucial assistance to the growth of new cells. This can be especially evident in the skin, bringing the youthful, resilient qualities we so desire. It also boosts the immune system, guarding against infection and disease.

Vitamin A, and the other fat-soluble vitamins, enhance the mineral absorption of the digestive system. It makes the minerals in your food more bio-available to the body, unlocking them for efficient use. On a plant-based diet without sufficient fats, the body may be literally starving for minerals despite the high dietary levels, simply because they are not partnered with the appropriate nutrients to assist in processing.

VITAMIN D

Calcium deficiency, responsible for porous and weakened bones, can often be blamed on insufficient vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 increases the absorption of calcium and works in concert with vitamin A to process minerals into useful forms that contribute to healthy bones and teeth. D3 is also incredibly important for the immune system and is especially good for combatting viruses!

VITAMIN K2

After vitamins A and D have overseen the process of protein production, a near-magical substance activates the proteins, turning them on for use in the body. The renowned Dr. Weston A. Price noticed its powers in his studies, but its actual identity remained a mystery and he referred to it as “Activator X.” It was later identified as vitamin K2.

Vitamin K2 is probably best known for its essential role in blood clotting. The liver needs it in order to produce prothrombin, a substance that helps the coagulation of blood. Without K2, even a small cut could result in major blood loss.

While vitamin D helps increase calcium absorbtion, vitamin K2 tells it where to go. We don’t want calcium to contribute to plaque deposits in our arteries or any other soft tissue, and K2 helps direct it to bones and teeth where it’s really needed.

Synergy!

The relationship between A, D, and K2 is important. When fat-soluble vitamins are taken together rather than as isolated supplements, they form a synergy, a cooperation that works better than when the parts are alone. For example, large doses of vitamin D or vitamin A taken alone without its partners may have little benefit and could even prove toxic. However, massive doses of A, D and K2 have been given to animals without toxicity, when they were in proper proportions. It appears that a unique buffering and protection happens to prevent toxicity when all three are consumed together. This is why it’s always best to get vitamins from a nourishing diet built around nutrient-dense foods and high-quality, food-based supplements.

How do I get enough?

Back in the 1930’s, Dr. Weston A. Price discovered that cultures with traditional lifestyles took in ten times more of the vitamins A and D than Americans did. Note that back then, the average American diet was still fairly nutritious, with a lot of whole, locally-grown, home-prepared foods. In the years since Dr. Price’s research, there was an explosion of factory farming and processed convenience foods, so now, eighty years later, it isn’t much of a stretch to presume our deficiency is even worse. How can we reverse this trend?

Vitamins A, D3, and K2 are found only in animal products (and in the case of D, through sunlight synthesis); a plant-based diet or a processed-food diet won’t have enough of these crucial nutrients. Seafood, especially fish eggs, fish livers, fish oil, and certain fish and mammals, provide high amounts of this trio. Wild-caught seafood that is fresh, frozen, or dried are higher-quality sources of fat-soluble vitamins than canned or farm-raised seafood.

Regular sunshine, about twenty minutes daily, can help raise your body’s vitamin D reserves. It is best if the sun is directly overhead, especially midday in the summer; the skin is not as efficient at D-production with the slanted rays of morning or evening sunshine. Darker skin is slower at absorbing sunlight and often requires longer exposure to the sun to raise vitamin D levels. Because many of are unable or unwilling to get out enough in the heat of the day, sunshine alone is often inadequate and most of the world (unless you live along the equator!) will need to include a dietary source of vitamin D3. If we can’t get enough sunlight ourselves, we can get it from grass-fed animals raised in sunlight.

You can find high concentrations of the fat-soluble vitamins in the meat and organs of traditionally-raised animals as well as in butter, cream, egg yolks, and animal fats such as lard and duck fat. Industrially-raised animals that are not pastured have only negligible levels of vitamins A and K2, and without sunlight, D as well. To optimize your grocery investments, target the highest quality possible for eggs and butter. Look for foods from pastured animals instead of grain-fed. Nutrient-dense sources pack a mighty punch in a small package. Don’t waste valuable space filling your grocery basket with high-calorie but low-nutrient foods!

Add cream or butter to soups to provide more nutrients and to enhance the absorption of the nutrients present in the vegetables. Top cooked vegetables with high-quality butter or coconut oil. Eat salads with rich homemade dressings made from fresh, healthy fats such as olive oil.

Cod liver oil and butter oil are some of the best sources of fat-soluble vitamins. Paired together they offer an incredible health boost. We believe this to be the highest quality whole food supplement available for this vital trilogy of fat soluble nutrients. For a more affordable option, Beeyoutiful’s Dynamic Duo provides vitamins A and D3 in good proportions to each other and is sourced from fish oils. D3 is available in a liquid and gel-cap form as well.

A diet rich in leafy greens will provide adequate amounts vitamin K1, but vitamin K2 is still needed. K2 is found in grass-fed animal products, especially cheese, meat, liver, and egg yolks. Supplementing your diet with one capsule of Beeyoutiful’s Katalyst every day could help increase vitamin K2 reserves and prevent a deficiency of this crucial nutrient.

KatalystStephWebsite For supplementation we recommend a ratio of 4-10:1 A to D3, and 10:1 D3 to K2. As always, for full utilization of nutrients extracted from their food form, take with a meal, as the body is designed to process nutrients from a food source rather than from an isolated supplement taken on an empty stomach. You’ll get more from both your supplements and your food.

Fat-soluble vitamins are crucial for health and a long life and are only available to the body through traditionally-raised animal products or careful supplementation. Don’t allow your health to stay permanently compromised due to a lack of these crucial, health supporting vitamins. Buy high quality whole food sources as life logistics and personal budgets allow. If life constraints are such that food sources are not an option the supplemental form of these nutrients will do exactly what they are designed to do, bridge the gap.

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Natural Energy for You and Your Little House- Spring 2013 Catalog

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

Natural Energy for You and Your Little House

Nancy Webster

Ma Ingalls and her girls gave their house a thorough scrub-down every spring. But if you’re like me, you’re exhausted at the mere thought of doing a Little-House-onthe-Prairie style spring cleaning on top of the regular dishes and laundry. You may also wonder exactly why it seems so hard to accomplish the things on your to-do list.

Do your hair and nails look as dragged out as you feel? Are seasonal allergies your excuse? Or maybe you’re pregnant and just counting down the months until you can feel like yourself again—who cares about clean windows anyway?

Off to a Super Start

Even if you’ve made great changes in favor of eating more nutrient-dense, whole foods, it also takes superfoods to help your body stay in top health. These days, pollution, stress, your past history of junky eating and pharmaceutical use all work against every glass of raw milk or organic veggies you consume. Superfoods, though, are super full of nutrition, and because they are nature-made, your body can easily absorb and use their goodness.

So where do you start with adding superfoods to your diet? Which one will jumpstart your system and help you feel like washing windows after folding four loads of laundry, cooking for a crowd, and/or a long day at the office? Spirulina!

This humble, algae-like plant (called a cyanobacteria) is one of the most potent protein and nutrient sources available. And boosting energy is just one of its many abilities. Spirulina also works to relieve congestion, sniffling, and sneezing caused by all types of allergies. It boosts the immune system, helps control high blood pressure and cholesterol, protects from cancer, and more.

How does spirulina come by this impressive resume? As a source of protein, it is 65 percent complete protein. By comparison, beef is only 22 percent complete. This also makes it a far healthier choice than those much-touted, dubious protein powders, especially when you consider all the other goodies you get with spirulina (see http://holisticsquid.com/the-problem-with-protein-powders/). Spirulina contains all the essential amino acids, plus some, and provides a healthy portion of Omega-3 (like in salmon) as well as Omega 6 and 9. Omega-6 is gamma linoleic acid (GLA), known to be anti -inflammatory (for arthritis relief!), to increase fat burn after exercising, and to make beautiful hair and nails.

Spirulina is high in chlorophyll, which removes toxins from the blood and boosts the immune system. Chlorophyll and iron are a great friend to pregnant mamas, as the tendency for anemia at this season of life is significant. That’s why spirulina is a main ingredient in Beeyoutiful’s SuperMom multi-vitamins. The easily absorbable, non-constipating iron content of spirulina is 58 times that of raw spinach and 28 times that of raw beef liver 1. Spirulina is replete with vital minerals most of those pretty veggies at the store can’t provide any more, thanks to being grown in depleted soils.

Better Off Teeth, Nerves, and Both Brains

If weeds get the best of your garden, or your kids (or you!) don’t like vegetables, or you simply wish you could juice but just can’t swing it, handy, mineral-rich spirulina is the way to get your cancer-fighting daily quota of greens. Calcium and phosphorus are two of the major mineral players in this fantastic superfood. If these minerals are lacking or out of balance in the blood, tooth decay is in your near future. So spirulina is also recommended as part of a tooth remineralization program. And because the calcium content is more than 26 times that of milk, spirulina is excellent for children, the elderly, and pregnant women, and especially for folks who are casein- or lactose-intolerant.

If your nerves are on edge or your digestion is off, you need spirulina for all the B complex vitamins it contains. Our gut is our “second brain,” and it needs the B’s to work well. Do you have candida? Most people do these days, and spirulina has been shown to encourage and support the growth of healthy bacterial gut flora, which helps keep candida overgrowth under control. Because candida will cause and worsen symptoms, this is especially important if you have an autoimmune disease such as Crohn’s, chronic fatigue, lupus, or fibromyalgia.

Yet another feature of spirulina is its ability to chelate arsenic from the body. Hair analysis on one of our daughters showed her to be loaded with arsenic, which mystified me until I learned of the many places she might have encountered it in her young life. Arsenic is often present in well water, in pressure-treated wood like that at playgrounds, and in insect and rodent poison (used in public places even if not at your house). Last year, the news came out that it can be present even in rice, which especially impacts the gluten-free crowd. Yet the good news for my family was that after taking spirulina for six months, repeated tests showed the arsenic had cleared from my daughter’s body!

“But wait….There’s more!”

Spirulina’s antioxidant ability ranks 24,000 on the ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical A irulina’s antioxidant ability ranks 24,000 on the ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), right up there with weird spices we might use only in teeny amounts and four times the ORAC score of blueberries. Feed your eyesight with spirulina’s antioxidant-rich carotenoids (nutrients found in green and brightly-colored vegetables) including beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. The high antioxidant amounts in spirulina also lower risk of strokes, inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, and regulate blood pressure. They also normalize extreme cholesterol levels without the need for dangerous statin drugs 2.

Although the sixteenth century Aztecs harvested and ate spirulina from Mexico’sLake Texcoco, Spirulina is now often grown in protected, organic ponds. Otherwise, spirulina from polluted sources can cause excess levels of lead, mercury, and cadmium in the body. Beeyoutiful does multiple sample mass spectrometer testing on each and every batch harvested to assure that no environmental, pesticide or heavy metal contaminants are present in the end product they offer their customers. So you can have peace of mind knowing it is truly pure and safe! Spirulina does wonders for almost everyone, but if you are prone to gout, have hyperparathyroidism, PKU, or a seafood or iodine allergy, you should avoid it. Because it does have some carbs, you should also consult a physician before using spirulina if you have Type 2 diabetes.

So how much spirulina do you need to get you going? A therapeutic serving size is between three and five grams, preferably broken up throughout the day. Since six tablets of Beeyoutiful brand spirulina equal three grams, a bottle will last one person approximately one month. For more serious health conditions, take the higher amount, but build up slowly to this dose to avoid detox reactions. Once you re-energize with spirulina, you’ll be ready to tackle that makeover spring cleaning—and to give Ma Ingalls a run for her money!

Nancy Webster is a homeschool mother of eight and leader of the Southern Middle Tennessee chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation. She is an ardent researcher on nutrition and alternative approaches to good health. Nancy lives with her family on their “partially working” farm in Tennessee.

[1] But don’t let these facts keep you from taking cod liver oil daily and eating liver weekly as well. Liver, also a superfood, contains full-blown vitamin B12 and vitamin A—not the pre-cursors present in spirulina. The pre-cursors are generally usable in the body, but young children and many adults with even mild digestive issues have trouble converting beta-carotene into vitamin A. Also, since it is disputed whether or not the body is able to absorb the B12 found in spirulina, animal products are necessary, too.

[2] The Weston A. Price Foundation says “young and middle-aged men…who have cholesterol levels just below 350 are at no greater risk than those whose cholesterol is very low. For elderly men and for women of all ages, high cholesterol is associated with a longer lifespan.”

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Prevention Basics – Winter 2012-2013 Catalog

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Beeyoutiful Mary Leave a comment

Prevention Basics

Jill Krantz

It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How true that statement is, especially in the area of family health and wellness! In 16 years of parenting, I’ve learned there are some reliable ways to prevent many common viruses and bacteria from getting my family down for days or weeks at a time.

Knowledge is the number one ally against illness. This includes knowing how viruses and bacteria are caught and spread, as well has how they manifest in different ways. It also includes knowledge of keeping our bodies as strong and healthy as possible to avoid catching every bug that works its way through school, church, workplace, or community. We have the tools in our homes, kitchens, grocery stores, and right here at Beeyoutiful to help build the body’s defenses against both acute and chronic illness. Let’s highlight the stars of prevention.

Diet

Foods free of chemicals (dyes, preservatives, additives, MSG, nitrates, etc.) will fuel your body, giving it strength rather than depleting it of energy. When a virus threatens to invade a body where all systems are functioning at peak performance, that sad little virus doesn’t stand a chance. When our bodies are not taxed by unhealthy foods, they become strong fighting machines.

One of the most nutritious foods available and one of the easiest to make at home is bone broth. You can find a recipe in the Fall/Winter 2012 Beeyoutiful catalog. Don’t throw out those wonderful poultry or beef bones. Instead, use them to brew a pot rich in minerals, vitamins, and good fat.

And when you can’t get everything you need from food, Beeyoutiful has several products and resources to help fill in the gaps. SuperDad, SuperMom, and SuperKids are excellent daily vitamin supplements. Also, look in the “Books” section of this catalog to find what may be the number one book available for a well-rounded guide to a nutritious and healthy diet: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

Exercise

Move your body, every day if you can. We are designed to move and stretch, build and grow. Doing a specific kind of exercise is less crucial than simply to do some exercise. From the gentlest of stretching movements to the most vigorous running or swimming, your body will benefit.

Get to know what your body can do and accomplish, set a pattern of regular movement at least 4 or 5 times a week, and you’ll be amazed at the difference in your strength and energy. Exercise releases endorphins, which in turn boost mood, improve mental clarity, stabilize rest/sleep patterns, and strengthen immune function. Our culture focuses on the results of exercise on the outside of the body, but it also does wonders for our internal systems!

Sunshine and Vitamin D Vitamin D “triggers and arms” the immune system. Yet there’s enough information swirling in today’s media about the importance of Vitamin D—and enough controversy about the best source of it—to confuse even a well-informed consumer! Most sources recommend 15 to 20 minutes per day of direct sunlight on the skin as the best source of Vitamin D. Those of us who live in northern climates, however, often have difficulty achieving that goal. For us, a Vitamin D supplement is a great solution.[i] Beeyoutiful offers both D3 Gel caps and D3 liquid, so you can choose which best meets the needs of your family.

Vitamin A

This essential nutrient is most often found in animal food sources (meat, dairy, eggs) and in bright-colored vegetables. Vitamin A aids the production of white blood cells, which fight infection, and it regenerates the mucosal barrier in the intestines, blocking infection from invading the body. Beeyoutiful carries two great sources of Vitamin A: Dynamic Duo (in combination with Vitamin D) and Cod Liver Oil.

Vitamin C

Every cell in the body needs Vitamin C. This well-known vitamin helps produce the vital white blood cells used to fight infections and viruses. Try either Gentle C or Rosehip C for a daily intake of immune power.

Gut Health

In our world of stress, poor diet, antibiotics, and other medications, the digestive system can get worn out and depleted of good bacteria that help fight off viruses and bad bacteria. Turn to Acidophilus Blast, Tummy Tune-up, Ultimate Defense, or Beeyoutiful’s newest and most potent strain of probiotics, Gut Guardian and Gut Guardian Supreme.

Attitude

This was a key missing in my life for many years. I honestly feared illness! Reports of bugs would circulate around church, and stories of “super bugs” were featured on the news almost weekly. Being in prime pregnancy and child-rearing years, I often feared my family would get sick. As I matured and grew in knowledge, I realized that an occasional virus can actually strengthen the immune system. So I learned to relax.

We still adhere to a strict family practice of washing hands frequently, and we maintain our bodies as best we can, but beyond that, I fear not! Fear is stress, stress is a weakening factor, and none of us can control every germ in our community. A happy and confident mom, combined with a cheerful and loving home, can go farther than anything else we have available.

Stress Management

This may be one of the most important factors of all. We live in a world overwhelmed by stress. Busy schedules, media overload, and work and home pressures can all lead to a worn-out body and mind. Stress affects every system of the body, including circulatory, digestion, breathing, and even skin. Committing to focused times of stress management can improve your family’s health. It may be a resolve to exercise regularly, dedicate time to prayer and devotions, or make regular visits to the chiropractor and/or massage therapist.Beeyoutiful offers several products that provide natural relief for stress and anxiety. Calm Mist Spray, with its combination of lavender, sweet orange, and chamomile essential oils, sprayed on a bath towel, or a pillow before nap or bed time, will soothe and calm both anxious children and adults, providing for good rest. Essentials oils shown to aid in stress relief are available in handy bottles: Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender, Sage, and Ylang Ylang. They can be used in a diffuser or combined with a carrier oil such as Almond or Jojoba for a relaxing and healing massage.

Arming yourself with knowledge and excellent products can defend against the assault of viruses and infections in our families. Confidence in doing the very best we can for the people we love is the best “medicine” available today!

Jill Krantz lives in the suburbs near Minneapolis. She’s been married to her best friend, Eric, for 19 years, and they have six children. Other than homeschooling, gardening, and literature, Jill’s great passions are gourmet cooking and healthy living.

[i] A note about S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder): For many people, the lack of sunlight during the winter months can cause mild or moderate bouts of feeling blue. Energy and focus dwindle, making the prospect of a long winter dismal. However, an easy and effective remedy is right at your fingertips, thanks to Beeyoutiful’s essential oils. Citrus oils are especially helpful in brightening mood and helping with mental clarity and focus. Try Lemon, Lemongrass, or Orange, or a combination in one of the excellent diffusers available from Beeyoutiful. I keep mine on the kitchen counter on dark days, and not only does my house smell fresh and summery, but we all get a lift to our spirits!

Products Listed in this Article:

Nourishing Traditions

Cod Liver Oil Options

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Health Chocolate- Fall 2010 Catalog

Posted on December 8, 2010 by stevetallent

Healthy Chocolate

And Now For Something Completely Different: Chocolate That Heals

By Greg Webster

The chip in the rim of my Durango-Silverton souvenir coffee mug reminds me each morning of how well-loved that gift is. My 12 year-old daughter brought it to me from her life-changing trip to a natural-healing specialist in Colorado.

Lily struggles with Asperger syndrome, an autism-spectrum disorder whose biochemical cause seems to have evaded most medical practitioners except Dr. Shauna Young. Through a disciplined diet combined with targeted nutritional supplements, Dr. Young’s “Spectrum Balance Protocol” has helped Lily develop more age-appropriate behaviors and social skills.* We follow the diet more rigidly at some times than others, but during the “strict” times, it’s a challenge to keep a fun-loving 12 year-old on a regimen that excludes all processed foods and nearly every type of sweet treat enjoyed by most kids her age.

We attribute much of her success in staying on the diet to one particular, delectable and surprising supplement Dr. Young recommends to her patients of all ages. Lily eats chocolate. That may sound strange to anyone marginally aware of health food do’s and don’ts, but the secret of why it works lies in a new-found version of an ancient food used in a time when chocolate was anything but junk.

It Wasn’t Always So

We think of chocolate as a decadent candy, but in the long history of cocoa consumption that is an anomaly. Thirty centuries ago, Mayans imbibed a spicy raw cocoa concoction of a mainstay of a high nutrition diet. It remained a health meal-in-a-cup for over 2500 years until Europeans decided they preferred mixing cocoa with sugar and milk rather than the cayenne and chili peppers that added an energetic kick to the ancient South American brew.

It became standard procedure to separate cocoa powder from cocoa butter (ditching), add chemicals to moderate the bitter taste, and boil the mixture to blend the added ingredients together. Americans did their part by introducing the first milk chocolate candy bar in the 1880’s. So now we think of chocolate primarily as a “sinful delight”.

There have been murmurings in the past ten years or so about the health benefits of dark chocolate, and the rumors are true-to a point. Cacao, from which cocoa is produced, is the ultimate antioxidant food. It far outstrips blueberries, spinach, broccoli, red wine, or any other competitor that has been trumpeted as a great source of free-radical fighting antioxidants. And since eliminating free radicals is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellness, that means there’s a scientifically sound reason the early South Americans knew it was good for them.

Chocolate’s Dark Secret

Cocoa is likely the healthiest vegetable around. For example, 3 ounces of raw cocoa has the same antioxidant content and other nutrients as more than 6 pounds of tomatoes. It’s nature’s most complex superfood, with over 300 identifiable compounds, including most vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and “bliss chemicals” like dopamine and serotonin.

Cocoa is a natural anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancerous agent. And because an estimated 200 or more degenerative diseases start with inflammation, cocoa can help with a stunning variety of ailments.

Various studies have reported that dark cocoa consumption can provide the following benefits:

– Decrease cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol levels and stopping bad cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking to vessel walls.

– Prevent the formation of blood clots, which otherwise can lead to heart attacks and strokes

– Increase the flexibility of blood vessels in order to lower blood pressure and decrease stress on the heart.

– Help the body better utilize sugars, curbing diabetes and decreasing complications suffered by diabetics

– Reduce dental cavities and periodontal disease;

– Improve memory and slow the onset of dementia

– Improve skin quality

– Decrease inflammation associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other inflammation diseases

– Alleviate depression

– Help with weight loss by decreasing appetite

It’s the high antioxidant value of cocoa, and the corresponding ability to eliminate free radicals, that accounts for much of the benefit of chocolate. Free radicals are cellular terrorists-atoms with mission electrons that steal them from healthy atoms. This ongoing process is called oxidation and, just as rust eats into metal, free radicals eat into our cells and destroy the DNA. Free radical damage is linked to more than 100 conditions, ranging from heart disease and arthritis to dementia, diabetes, and even cancer.

These days we are bombarded with more free radicals than ever, thanks to environmental toxins in the air and water, cigarette smoke, pesticides, and processed food, to name some of the worst offenders, but foods risk in antioxidants are an effective weapon against this damage. Antioxidants provide electron mates for free radicals and normalize the chemical situation in the body.

The USDA uses the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) scale to measure the antioxidant capacity of different foods and it recommends a minimum of 3,000 ORAC daily. The average American diet, however, delivers only about 800 ORAC per day.

Studies have shown that the more the ORAC value you take in throughout the day, the healthier you will be. Dr. Richard Cutler, past Director of the Anti-Aging Research Department of the National Institute of Health in Washington, DC notes that “the amount of antioxidants that you maintain in your body is directly related to how long and how healthy you will live.”

Cocoa is nature’s highest-scoring ORAC food in its natural form. It delivers a variety of vital flavonoids (antioxidants) in a form that helps the body put them to good use.

To give an example of what just one of several important cocoa flavonoids do: The epicatechin has been shown to boost nitric oxide levels in the blood which, in turn, relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and reducing stress on the heart. To highlight its importance, Norman Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, says in Chemical and Industry, “We all agree that penicillin and anesthesia are enormously important. But epicatechin could potentially rid of four of the five most common disease in the Western world.” For more health information and testimonies about healthy chocolate, see www.PatentedChocolateResearch.org.

So What’s the Catch?

If the rumors about the health benefits of dark chocolate are true “to a point,” what is that point? It’s this: Most commercially produced dark chocolates are still cooked and then laden with less-than-healthy additives. As with any vegetable, the hotter and longer you cook them, the less nutrition-especially antioxidant value-is left. Roasting and sustained high temperatures (processes most large chocolate companies follow) notably decrease the beneficial amounts of flavonoids in cocoa. Heat-processing cooks out more than 80 percent of its antioxidants and nutrients. On top of that, some combination of wax, fat, fillers, and sugar are usually added. This is even true of most chocolate bars found in health food stores.

Chocolate products with the highest flavonoid content are those that use blanched, unfermented, sun-dried, non-roasted, and cold-pressed cocoa. In fact, cocoa that has undergone these processes boasts of 4 to 8 times the levels of antioxidants and nutrients than cocoa produced with standard processing. And there’s really only one source of truly good-tasting raw chocolate that delivers the full benefit of cocoa.

The MXI Corporation of Nevada created a patented cold-pressing process for making dark chocolate. Not only is the chocolate raw, it is enhanced, not with unhealthy fillers, but with acai berry(the second highest ORAC food on earth), blueberries, grapes, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Then it’s sweetened with low-glycemic raw cane crystals to take an edge off the natural bitterness of coca, and the process delivers chocolate that is naturally caffeine-free. Three one-ounce servings is roughly the nutritional equivalent of 1-1/2 pounds of spinach.

Because Beeyoutiful is committed to researching and delivering only the best available health supplements and because MXI network marketing system is the sole source for this truly healthful and delicious raw chocolate, Beeyoutiful offers the chocolate outside of its normal channels of website and catalog sales. Marketed in several forms under the brand name Xocai (“show-sigh”), it is available through Beeyoutiful’s MXI distributorship. You’ll find details in how to order in the accompanying sidebar.

So, yes, Lily eats chocolate on her diet. Dr. Young advocates the raw Xocai version as a fun and nutritionally supercharged supplement to her autism recovery protocol. But you don’t have to have an autism disorder to benefit. It’s a delicious and healthful addition to any diet.

We’ve made a series of brief videos about our experience. Check out YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=styo8tiaXcc (“Autism Recover Story Part 1”) and www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDjPeynOmio&feature=related (Autism Recovery Story Part 2)

Greg Webster is a free-lance writer, homeschool father of eight, the co-founder of New Vantage Books custom publishing company, and bronze executive with MXI Corporation. But he is best known as husband of Nancy Webster whose health and nutrition articles appear in every issue of Beeyoutiful’s catalog.

Side Bar Ordering Information:

Making Chocolate the Order of the Day

One of the questions often asked, a bit cynically, of network marketers is: “Are you trying to sell me the business or your product?” In the case of Beeyoutiful and Xocai (“show-sigh”) Chocolate, the answer is emphatically: “We are selling the product,” There is a business component, for sure, that some people use to offset the cost of buying and using the chocolate and that some develop into an ongoing home business, but buying Xocai through Beeyoutiful means, first and foremost, buying healthy-really, really healthy-chocolate. While MXI Corporation offers nearly a dozen different formulations of Xocai, the five that Beeyoutiful recommends are:

– Power Squares

– Nuggets

– Xobiotics (with probiotics added to the chocolate)

– Omega Squares (includes Omega-3 fatty acids)

– Activ liquid chocolate

Each packaged in amounts that provide the recommended intake for one person for one month. To find out about pricing and ordering, call Beeyoutiful’s customer service at 1-800-556-0967. [For product and ordering information, go to http://www.BeeyoutifulChocolate.com]

A Magnificent Solution for Colon Health- Fall 2010 Catalog

Posted on November 19, 2010 by stevetallent Leave a comment

A Magnificent Solution for Colon Health

By Nancy Webster

I don’t get as much reading done these days as I used to. Andeven though I love to read, I don’t mind the change in lifestyle. Magnesium Citrate has come between me and my reading. Along with Aloe Vera, it came into my life through a colon therapist a while back, when my innards were in crisis. Now I wish we’d known each other a long time ago. But if you’re still keeping a small library in your bathroom, maybe I can help you move on to better places for reading.

A History of Colon Abuse

My story goes back fifty years to Mama’s kitchen, where my digestive system was assaulted by regular courses of white flour cakes and cookies after lunch and supper. To help the inevitable problem that resulted, Mama kept books beside the potty. It took so long for my tummy to do its things, I think I learned to read there.

In those early days, my only “supplement” was penicillin for chronic ear infections and later, long stretches of tetracycline for teenage skin. These, plus cookies and Fritos, continued to assure me of throne room study time. Then, laxatives and fiver supplements got me semi-comfortably through late night trips to Dunkin Donuts and vending machines during college.

Finally, in our early homeschooling days, the children and I began baking golden loaves of fresh-ground, whole wheat bread. That reduced my time in the reading room but we didn’t yet know about pre-soaking or fermenting grains for better digestibility. The benefits backfired after awhile, giving me gas and bloating.

A visit to a naturopath shifted me into my “raw phase.” Along with 50-pound bags of carrots for juicing, I bought organic coffee-but not to drink. Much to my coffee-loving husband’s dismay, I used it for enemas! But at last my mid-section stayed flat and comfy.

The naturopath taught me the importance of keeping my bowels clean. Removing stagnant waste material and hardened, impacted toxic residue rejuvenates the ummue tissues in the intestines so beneficial bacteria can take hold.

Love Thine Enemas

Enemas have been used as medicine for centuries but went out of bogue with the invention of easy-to-swallow laxatives. Now, alternative health providers are re-popularizing them as a treatment for headaches, backaches, fatigue, bad breath, body odor, irritability, confusion, skin problems, abdominal gas, bloating, diarrhea*, sciatic pain—oh, and constipation-all related to toxic build up in the colon.

If you don’t have a few easy moments in the bathroom at least once-and preferably two or three times-a day (after meals), your colon may benefit from a good washing. Enema kits are sold for $10 to $300 in drugstores and online, where you can find all sorts of “how to” information. Avoid the boxed, ready-to-go enemas, as they contain salts, which trigger elimination by irritating your bowels rather than stimulating their natural action.

A few months after starting regular enemas, I became pregnant with our eighth child. Since I had previously experienced the flashing colorful auras of migraines during early months of pregnancy, the naturopath suggested I do an enema at the onset of symptoms. He theorized that migraines are a sign of the body having trouble detoxing, and his idea worked for me-the symptoms stopped immediately!

Once the bowels have been cleansed with an enema using either coffee or simply warm water, periodically repopulate the bowel with good bacteria with a retention enea. Dissolve plain yogurt or about a teaspoon or two of probiotic supplement like Beeyoutiful’s Tummy Tune Up (open a couple of capsules) in warm water and hold the enema as long as posbbile to help the good bacteria settle in.

Enemas were a welcome relief to a lifelong problem for me. But because I used them as a crutch more than a tool, they started another problem that was just as bad: I became enema dependent. Too late, I learned an enema should be taken after the body has tone its thing on its own.

After years of daily enemas, they stopped working for me. I thought I was going to explode! In desparaion, I sought out a colon hydrotherapist** who told me to take magnesium, Aloe Vera, and probiotics. A few colonics and a week of supplements later, I was a new woman, on my way to better gut health. To rebuild the gut after overuse of enemas, easting well, oral probiotics like Beeyoutiful’s Tummy Tune Up, and digestive enzymes like those available from Beeyoutiful under the name Disgestive Enzyme and Yeast Assassin Lite are needed.

Supplemental Balance

I knew Aloe Vera helped lubricate the intestines and that probiotics filled them with a good bacteria, but the importance of magnesium was new to me.

About half of the magnesium in our bodies is combined with calcium and phosphorus in our bones while the other half helps cell functioning in the body tissue and organs. A crucial mineral for overall health, magnesium plays a major role in muscle and nerve function, heart rhythm, blood pressure, immune system functioning, and maintenance of blood sugar level. Good sources of dietary magnesium include dark green leafy vegetables, some legumes, nuts and seeds, whole unrefined grains, and-get this-dark chocolate, especially raw chocolate.

A deficiency in magnesium is hard to detect from a blood sample, because only one percent of our body’s magnesium supply is found in blood. However, a deficiency is likely in most of us due to depleted, processed foods and chronic stress of modern life.

When stressed, the body puts stress hormones, including magnesium and calcium team, into the bloodstream. Calcium excites nerves while magnesium calms them. Calcium makes muscles contract but magnesium is needed for muscles to relax. Calcium helps wounds clot but magnesium keeps blood flowing freely enough to prevent dangerious clots. It’s a balancing act between the two that can get off kilter easily.

Todays’ diets are low in magnesium. What’s worse is that unhealthy guts cannot absorb it well. Plus, to prevent osteoporosis, extra calcium is added to many supplements and foods. Yet we can’t even absorb calcium properly without a balanced portion of magnesium. A variety of other problems have been linked to magnesium deficiency.

Magnesium deficiency was my problem. Within a few days of starting the supplement, I had immediate relief from wakeful nights I had thought were from my changing hormones. I also was free from the jumpy legs that wouldn’t let me relax and from irrational panic that hit me when driving over bridges.

Best of all, I finally “work”-easily and completely! No reading material or (regular) enema kits required! Magnesium relaxes muscles in the intestines, establishing a smoother rhythm of peristalsis (waves of muscle action which move the stool out of the body). It also attracts water to the colon to help soften stools.

The recommended usage per day is about 300 mg/day for women over 20 (roughly the same if lactating) and about 350mg/day if pregnant. Males 19-30 should take 400mg/day, increasing to 420mg/day after age 30.

In cases of depletion like mine, it may be necessary to take extra until things get stabilized. Your bowels will let you know what’s right. You don’t want diarrhea, which will result if you take too much. And be sure to drink a full glass of water when you take a magnesium supplement.

Bear in mind, though, that just because the label reads Magnesium on the drugstore brand, I have not found anything but magnesium oxide at chain drugstores, and that form is not especially bioavailable and will irritate your bowels. All oral magnesium supplements must be combined with another substance for expedient delivery, and Beeyoutiful’s Magnesium Citrate offers an excellent delivery system.

Magnesium supplements work best, of course, in the context of better eating. The bone broths, healthy fats, cod liver oil, and lacto-fermented, probiotic rich foods explained in the info-cookbook Nourishing Traditions should accompany your gut healing program.*

Try some occasional cleansings from enemas plus regular Magnesium Citrate supplementation and those of you who have suffered as I used to do might begin doing more of your reading on the front porch, in bed, or on the beach!

Important: Magnesium is excreted through the kidneys. If your kidneys do not function normally, as your doctor before supplementing with magnesium.

Although diarrhea may seem like the opposite of constipation, it can be caused by a blockage, around which still-liquid feces leak uncontrollably. This condition is called encopresis. We took one of our children to a pediatric gastroenterologist repeatedly to treat this condition, but ultimately went away thanks to regular enemas allowing the colon to regain its natural tone and start working on its own.

*For serious bowel problems, a colon hydroptherapist administers colonics using 40 to 80 quarts of water—compared to only two quarts for a typical home enema. This high volume is administered in a sequence that should be done only by a trained professional.

**Notice I’m not advocating increased fiber intake. In Fiber Menace, Konstantin Monastyrsky details how high-fiber diets produce large stools which stretch the intestinal tract beyond its normal range-eventually resulting in intestinal damage-and a drastic upset of the natural bacterial flora of the gut. You can read more about this politically incorrect approach to digestive health at www.gutsense.org.

Nancy Webster is a freelance writer and homeschool mother of eight. She now does most of her nutritional and health research online in the family room instead of the bathroom library.

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Activating Activator X in Your Diet – Spring 2010 Catalog

Posted on June 10, 2010 by stevetallent

Activating Activator X in Your Diet

By Christy Stouffer

Desperate situations can inspire us to think outside the box. Not long ago, a family member reacted adversely to a bout with chemotherapy, so we looked for help beyond conventional medicine.

Deteriorating quickly, Joan* was hospitalized. To make matters worse, she broke her hip and struggled to recover. Because she had no appetite, Joan quickly lost weight and had little energy or stamina.

A friend recommended that we look into giving Joan something called high vitamin butter oil. We scrambled to learn about it and at every turn were amazed at what we read!

X-actly What the Doctor Ordered

This golden butter was “discovered” more than 50 years ago by Weston A. Price. Dr. Price studied people groups from around the globe and learned that those who were healthy and thriving had something in common: they consumed high levels of vitamins A and D, and these vitamins were activated by vitamin K₂. Sometimes called the X-Factor, K₂ is found in high vitamin butter oil.

High vitamin butter oil is extracted from deep yellow butter fat using no heat. It is derived from the milk of cows that feed solely on 100% rapidly growing grass. Research shows that K₂ “instructs” the body on how to utilize vitamins A and D. Yet this crucial nutrient is almost nonexistent in today’s Western diet.

Vitamin K₂ is the most biologically active form of the K vitamin. This marvelous product of nature contains the power to strengthen bones and protect against tooth decay. It supports growth, helps the body rebuild tissue, repairs teeth and bones, and is a key component in reproductive health. The wonder of K₂ is its ability to serve as a catalyst to move inactive or passive vitamins into their most efficient state.

I was thrilled to learn that Beeyoutiful now offers K₂ as a dietary supplement. Adding this to your diet can ensure that you get maximum benefits from vitamins A and D. This product, appropriately named Katalyst, also includes alfalfa, a rich source of vitamin K. In addition, Beeyoutiful carries the Dynamic Duo (vitamins A and D₃) and when used in conjunction with Katalyst, you’ll boost and build a healthy immune system.

Oil Recovery

When we compiled our facts, it was obvious Joan could benefit from high vitamin butter oil. We gave her a small dose twice each day and within a week, her appetite revived, cognitive skills sharpened, and she gained weight. Her strength increased daily and where she had previously been completely bedridden, she began to walk the halls of the hospital with the help of her physical therapist.

We continued to give Joan butter oil, and her progress persisted. At one point, the doctor pulled her chart, surveyed her blood tests, and admitted that he couldn’t explain the turnaround in Joan, but we believe the high vitamin butter oil stimulated and strengthened her immune system. The doctors had given no hope for Joan’s recovery-and in fact, advised us to call hospice-but today she is back at home, has a good appetite, and takes her butter oil daily.

High vitamin butter oil boasts numerous benefits, and it’s no surprise that the people groups Dr. Price studied were sturdy, healthy folks. Take a look at what’s in this remarkable food:

– Butyric Acid – Reduces inflammation in intestines, has antifungal and antitumor effects;

– Stearic Acid – Works to steady blood pressure and stimulates heart muscles to contract, helps lower total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol;

– Caproic Acid – Contains anti-viral effects;

– Lauric Acid – Has ability to kill many strains of fungi and yeast;

– Glycosphingolipids – Protects against gastrointestinal infections, particularly in those most susceptible (young children and the elderly);

– Oleic Acid – Reduces plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol;

– CLA Isomer 9, 11 – A naturally-occurring trans fat that may inhibit tumor growth, prevent heart disease, and reduce body fat;

– Myristic Acid – A significant factor that increases the good cholesterol, HDL;

– Quinones – A group of organic compounds that includes K and E vitamins as well as CoQ enzyme families.

Who would have thought butter could provide such a variety of benefits? When our family learned about such a beneficial food product that occurs naturally, is derived without chemical intervention, and doesn’t involve a restructure of molecular design, we were hooked. We all now regularly use high vitamin butter oil to ensure that the above ingredients aren’t left out of our diets.

Butter Days Are Here Again

Additional research by Dr. Price revealed that when butter and cod liver oils are taken together, they complement one another. High-vitamin butter oil contains an omega-6 fatty acid, while cod liver oil is rich in omega-3. The saturated fatty acids in the butter oil launch and efficiently use the unsaturated fatty acids in the cod liver oil.

The crew at Beeyoutiful now offers Organic 3 Extra Virgin Butter Oil – Available in butter-gel which can be taken by spoon with honey or syrup, can be used on toast, or taken straight (delivers a creamy, rich taste).

This delectable golden butter offers benefits for any person-young, old, or in between! Our modern diets (even those without processed foods) lack the dense vitamins that butterfat delivers. A dose of high vitamin butter oil offers a powerful boost to anyone who wants to better utilize the minerals in his or her diet. So I say, bring on the butter!

_____________________

*Not her real name

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Health

The Essential Work of Digestive Enzymes- Fall 2009 Catalog

Posted on November 4, 2009 by stevetallent Leave a comment

The Essential Work of Digestive Enzymes

By Christy Stouffer

Busy schedules and a desire for convenience had taken a toll on my family’s diet, but not long ago. I decided to get us back on the wagon of nutritious eating. While eating whole and healthy foods has always been my focus, we had gotten so we didn’t take time to prepare fresh, nutritious foods.

Our family garden and the weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) basket gave us a plentiful supply of delicious and healthy foods, so we have no excuse for not eating well. I knew our bodies craved better foods and noticed my own energy level had dropped considerably. I was fatigued much of the time. So I tweaked our family menus, and we were once again eating nature’s bounty. To my surprise, however, my fatigue lingered, along with occasional bouts of acid reflux. Our diets had improved, but I didn’t feel the commensurate improvement in my body.

Fortunately, about this time, a friend told me a bit about digestive enzymes, and I set out to learn more.

How the Good in Good Food is Lost

I discovered that proper nourishment involves more than just eating healthy foods. It’s possible to eat a wide variety of the best foods, use only organically-grown fare, and still be deficient in adequate nutrition. But why is this so? The key to good health lies in both eating healthy foods and properly digesting them.

We’re born with an ample supply of enzymes to break down the food we eat and process it so nutrients are released. Nutrients in our food, when properly digested, strengthen our immune systems, enhance cell growth and repair, and boost energy levels. The SAD (Standard American Diet) however is an enemy of digestive enzymes. Our overly abundant non-living and processed foods actually destroy digestive enzymes. Consequently, research shoes, older people and people with chronic diseases have fewer enzymes in their salvia, urine, and tissues. Time and poor diets whittle away the supply of digestive enzymes, particularly if our diets have been low in fresh, cultured, and raw fruits and vegetables.

Enzymes are also destroyed by stress and environmental toxins. And once these enzymes are gone, the digestive system struggles to compensate for the loss of these essential workers. When enzymes are not plentiful and functioning, a person may experience any or all of the following: fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, bloated feeling, heartburn, acid reflux, excessive gas, and food cravings.

The Great Enzyme Comeback

The good news is that vital digestive enzymes can be restored to the body. Even if your body is depleted of its natural digestive enzymes, you can, through supplemental digestive enzymes, rebuild your body’s inventory of these necessary enzymes:

Betaine– a naturally-occurring enzyme in the stomach that helps break down fats and proteins.
Pancreatin–a mixture of amylaste, protease, and lipase, this enzyme fills the gap where pancreatic secretions are deficient. It has been associated with helping food allergies, celiac disease, automimmune disease, cancer, and weight loss.
Papain– derived from papaya and certain other plants, this enzyme has a mild, soothing effect on the stomach and aids in protein digestion. Papain helps digest protein thoroughly and frees amino acids for quick absorption. It works in acid, alkaline, or neutral environments and is especially valuable for the elderly or anyone who has weak digestion due to enzyme deficiencies.
Ox Bile Extract–Excreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, this important enzyme assists in digestion of lipids and fats. It also assists in metabolizing cholesterol and fat and in absorption of Vitamins K, A, D, and E.
Pepsin Enzymes–Pepsin is produced in the mucosal lining of the stomach and acts to degrade protein.
Bromelain– Found in the stems and plants of the pineapple, this enzyme is often used to aid irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas, and other digestive problems. It is effective in breaking down proteins and rendering them as available nutrition for the body

The Enzyme Solution

Some nutritional experts recommend that at least 70% of your diet should consist of raw, cultured, or juiced foods, all which will boost enzyme production and which also provide healthy levels of fiver, another important element of healthy digestion. Off-the-shelf varieties, though, may not always do the trick.

Since heat kills enzymes during cooking and pasteurization, milk products that are pasteurized have no life to aid digestion. These products are essentially dead and end up burdening your digestive system. It is far better to use live dairy products. Those made from raw milk are best. Yogurt, for instance, contains beneficial probiotics and is simple to make at home from raw milk.

The book The Untold Story of Milk has a revolutionizing wealth of information and is available at http://www.beyoutiful.com. It explains everything from the history of the dairy industry to common myths and misconceptions about milk to the many documented health benefits of raw dairy products.

When making the shift to a more natural diet, though, go slowly. Introduce raw foods gradually, and allow your body to adjust to the new “climate” you’re creating in your digestive system.

As I discovered, eating raw fruits and vegetables did not immediately cure my fatigue. In my case, I needed help from a supplement to restore my digestive balance and to help my body absorb nutrients in the healthy foods. I started by taking one table of Beeyoutiful’s Digestive Enzyme with each meal. After about a week, I was able to tolerate foods better, and the tired, sluggish feelings I had been experiencing during the day were gone! I no longer wanted a mid-day nap and felt energetic and stronger each day.

If you’re experiencing symptoms that may indicate an enzyme deficiency, you may benefit from a supplemental boost of digestive enzymes. I was amazed at how, in a week’s time, I had more energy—and the occasional acid reflux completely disappeared. The road to better health begins with proper digestion!

Christy Stouffer moved from the “big city” to rural middle Tennessee where she enjoys gardening, living in a small community among friends, learning about the natural things God has given us for nutrition, and homsechooling her four children with her husband. She is a pianist in her church fellowship and a valued resource of encouragement and wisdom for younger women in her life. Christy’s enthusiasm and research about nutrition and wholesome living is appreciated by all who know her.