Tag Archives: Candida Treatment

Questions & Answers

The Downsides To Sugar Consumption

Sugar used to be a very, very expensive commodity. Hundreds of years ago, buying sugar was like buying gold dust.

Things changed over time, with a particularly big shake-up occurring in the late 1950s. Around that time, the ability to manufacture corn-syrup and extract fructose and glucose from sugar developed.

Many researchers also point out the obesity crisis is literally in line with the production of high-fructose corn syrup.In the United States, obesity is out of control. 70% of the population now are overweight or obese.

Cargill is the biggest manufacturer of high-fructose corn syrup. This type of sugar is added to a vast range of foods, from cereal to soda, and from protein bars to salad dressings.

50 to 70% of all foods now available in supermarkets contain high fructose corn syrup. When fructose goes to the liver, it is split up, and one component contributes to triglyceride production. As a result, the risk of stroke and cardiovascular problems can go up.

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Multiple studies show that soft drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup are linked to obesity. One meta-analysis I read concluded that there’s overwhelming proof that people who drink one to two soda drinks per day will pile on the weight over time. High-fructose corn syrup also increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and goodness knows what else.

If you get used to having sugar in your diet at a young age, it gets harder and harder to break the habit. Of course, it’s crucial to differentiate between industrial sugar like corny syrup and the natural sugar found in fruit. Sometimes people get so sugar phobic that it can trigger an eating disorder, as they avoid anything with even a naturally occurring sugar content.

Remember, there is a big difference between high-fructose corn syrup and something growing on a tree that happens to contain fructose.

Big companies will continue to push profit over health and encourage the intake of lots of sugar. Keep your eye on your health and eat accordingly. I genuinely believe that high-fructose corn syrup will one day be seen as unfit for human consumption.

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Questions & Answers

Drinking water and weight: What you need to know

Can drinking plain water help you lose weight?

A study done in 2008 followed close to 200 premenopausal women between ages 25 to 50. When the researchers adjusted for diet, exercise, and other variables, water intake was still a significant determinant of weight. It turns out that overweight women on diets lose more weight if they drink a liter of water per day.

The question is, do you need to drink eight cups a day? Do you only lose weight if you consume a certain number of ounces of water each day?

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Actually, I don’t think the amount of water is so much the issue. I think the key factor is to drink regularly throughout the day. When you drink regularly, your body will craving more and will keep your consumption high.

The body is no different than a garden. You’ve got to water it. The body is about 77% water, so keeping our water content up is very important.

I drink all year round although less in winter compared to summer.

Water helps generate a feeling of satiety. If you combine ample water with eating smaller servings and increasing your physical activity, weight loss becomes less difficult.

Science has shown us that water can indeed contribute to weight loss success.

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Questions & Answers

Walking As A Weight Loss Tool

An interesting study was conducted in 2002, related to walking and weight loss.

The researchers found that walking no only improved weight but also cholesterol and waist circumference. The study also found that people had better outcomes if they dieted and walked rather than dieting alone.

The improvements were also more significant for people who walked thirty minutes daily compared to people who walked for sixty minutes, once or twice a week.

However, you don’t have to walk to lose weight. You can be active in other ways. I love to garden, and I get a lot of activity by bending, stretching, and walking through my yard. I have friends who prefer yoga, running and cycling. The important thing is to find an activity you enjoy, walking or otherwise.

Further readings:

Being active is one of the critical habits that I try to encourage people to practice throughout their lives. It’s crucial to avoid the dreaded “sitting disease” that develops when you spend day in and day out in front of the screen. Some people find a fitness tracker very helpful. In some cases, these gadgets can also monitor sleep and relaxation. These trackers don’t only help people get off their butt, but sometimes gets them to get on their butt and relax!

If you want something a little less fancy, pedometers can keep track of your steps.

I think being active, whether it be via walking or something else, is crucial for keeping your weight, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity in check. It can also reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Activity is truly one of the best “medicines” out there.

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Questions & Answers

Is Apple Cider Vinegar a Weight Loss Aid?

Apple cider vinegar is an incredible compound that has been around for centuries.

I read an article about a Dr. Shmerling from Harvard who said he was surprised to see the apple cider vinegar diet as one of the hottest trends on Google in 2017. He was even more surprised when he looked into apple cider vinegar and its health benefits. Dr. Shmerling went on to quote a 2009 study involving 175 obese people. The study participants lost between two to four pounds by drinking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar each day for twelve weeks. Triglyceride levels also went down during this study.

Apple cider vinegar also has a beneficial effect on the human microbiome. I think science will someday realize that apple cider vinegar is one of the best medicines for the GI tract. I would put a good quality apple cider vinegar in the same category as yogurt. Their benefits are somewhat similar.

The exciting thing about the acetic acid in apple cider vinegar is that it has a profoundly positive impact on the upper GI tract. For many people over sixty, one to tablespoons a day can reduce heartburn and improve protein digestion.

Further readings:

So far, conventional, evidence-based Western medicine hasn’t clicked on to apple cider vinegar. I think that is at least in part because western medicine has been too busy given people proton pump inhibitors.

Apple cider vinegar helps to balance gut function and inhibit harmful bacteria. Just remember, I’m not referring to the white, highly processed vinegar you can buy at the supermarket. That vinegar is the result of industrial processing. It’s probably suitable for cleaning the bathroom but not for drinking.

In contrast, apple cider vinegar is naturally fermented. It’s been linked to weight loss, as I mentioned. It’s associated with improving skin, hair, and nails, as well as reducing gas.

If you have weight and digestive issues, I recommend a trial of one tablespoon of apple vinegar per day, just before a meal. Over time you may be able to step it up to one tablespoon twice a day.

Apple cider vinegar is not made by big pharmaceutical companies. That could be one reason that it’s not heavily promoted. It’s also cheap and readily available.

Give it a try and judge for yourself.

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Questions & Answers

Treating SIBO With Colloidal Silver: What You Need To Know

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=942y7DyPnlE

Have you heard of colloidal silver?

Hopefully, you haven’t been scared off by Google. There is a guy called Blue Man who developed argyria, blue skin, by drinking homemade colloidal silver in very high concentrations.That is not what I’m recommending! You’re not going to be drinking a gallon of homemade high concentration colloidal silver every day to treat SIBO.

There are many different brands of colloidal silver available. You can get anywhere from five to twenty parts per millions. Usually, ten to fifteen parts per million is more than adequate. Firstly, no matter what gut condition you’re treating, do not take colloidal silver on a long-term basis. Period.

Colloidal silver should only be used in short bursts, not for months at a time.

Secondly, I highly recommend that you don’t take colloidal silver until you have a sensitivity report that confirms it will be effective against the pathogens in your gut. A stool test is better than a breath test for that purpose.

Further readings:

Some will argue that a stool test doesn’t give you a measure of small intestinal bacteria. There’s merit to that statement as the stool test focuses on the contents of the colon. Still, in my experience, I’ve had far better outcomes using a comprehensive stool analysis to guide my SIBO treatment than when I used breath tests.

Colloidal silver often comes up high on susceptibility panels from my SIBO clients. I usually use the silver for between three to six weeks, and then I’ll give the patient a break for fourteen days. Then, we might do another three to six weeks of colloidal silver treatment. However, colloidal silver is not the primary agent I use for SIBO. I think antimicrobials like standardize garlic, standardized oregano, and grapefruit seed extract work even better than colloidal silver for SIBO.

In my experience, 10 to 15 ppm of colloidal silver is more than enough. I particularly love the colloidal silver from Silver Biotics, a company out of Utah.

Colloidal silver can be used orally. I know some people who brush their gums with a toothbrush dipped in a dilute colloidal silver. Colloidal silver is good for the oral cavity and the entire GI tract. It also has some value when treating Helicobacter pylori. For H. pylori, you can take 30 mills twice a day on an empty stomach. I’d also combine it with aloe vera when treating H. pylori.

Again, let me reiterate, don’t take colloidal silver for any longer than three to six weeks at a time. Stop for at least fourteen days between courses. You don’t want to get any complications from using too much colloidal silver.

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