Her symptoms, which also included memory loss, severe dizziness and depression, had all appeared within one week’s time.

After undergoing several expensive tests with no answers, her doctor finally asked Judy to keep a food and activity journal to see if it could provide any clues. On a hunch, he asked her to stop drinking a powdered tea mix she had recently purchased to see if that helped. Amazingly, it did.

The pain was completely gone within a week of stopping use of the aspartame-containing product. To confirm the diagnosis, her doctor instructed her to begin adding aspartame back into her diet for a challenge test.

After each of three challenges, says Judy, “my whole body ached from my toes to the neck. I felt as though I had arthritis in my whole body and it hurt to move an arm or even my hand….Since that time, I have not touched anything sweetened with aspartame, and have experienced no unusual aches, joint pain, memory loss or dizziness.”

Judy’s not alone. The artificial sweetener aspartame, consumed by Americans at the rate of about 20 million pounds a year, may well be the cause behind any number of painful and life-altering conditions, including joint
pain, headaches, severe drowsiness, extreme irritability, depression, and weight gain.

How Much Is Too Much?

It doesn’t take a tremendous amount of aspartame to cause trouble. In fact, just three or four 12-ounce diet drinks per day contain enough aspartame to harm us.

Don’t drink diet soda? You don’t have to. Aspartame is found in over 6,000 processed foods – from powdered drinks, gelatin, tea, coffee, cocoa, juices, frozen desserts, to chewing gums. It’s even in vitamins (including children’s) and medications.

This means the very source of your chronic pain could be in your kitchen cabinet or refrigerator right now.

Sweet Discovery

The introduction of aspartame as a sweetener started after chemist James Schlatter accidentally tasted the new anti-ulcer drug he was developing in 1965, not realizing he had discovered a goldmine. What he discovered was a product 200 times sweeter than sugar.

By the early 70s, aspartame spread quickly to tables in restaurants, diners, and the homes of Americans under the brand names Nutrasweet, Equal, Equal-Measure and Spoonful. Aspartame gained popularity quickly because it didn’t have the aftertaste that its predecessor, saccharine did.

What is Aspartame… exactly?

Aspartame has three components: phenylalanine (50 percent), aspartic acid (40 percent) and methanol, also termed wood alcohol (10 percent). It’s classified as an excitotoxic amino acid. What that means for you is it reacts with specialized receptors in your brain in a way that causes the destruction of certain types of brain cells.

Methanol itself is a poison to your body. The EPA defines a safe consumption limit of it as 7.8 milligrams per day. The problem is a small one-liter bottle of your favorite diet beverage sweetened with aspartame contains about 56 milligrams, or eight times the EPA’s own limit, of this poison!

Remember free radicals?

If you’ve read much about health related issues at all, you’ve likely heard of free radicals. In a nutshell, these are the unstable organic molecules floating around your body which promote aging and the general breakdown of your body.

They’re implicated in many degenerative illnesses including atherosclerosis, cancer, coronary artery disease and arthritis.

Once you realize excitotoxins like aspartame help generate free radicals, not to mention direct effects such as headaches, mental confusion, and balance problems, the long list of aspartame related illnesses and disorders becomes less surprising. Of course, the effects are subtle, cumulative and develop over a prolonged period of time which is why most people don’t immediately suspect aspartame in conditions like:

• Birth defects
• Migraines and severe headaches
• Seizures
• Insomnia
• Infections
• Hives and other allergic reactions
• Endocrine disorders
• Specific types of obesity
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Increasing severity and progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Cancer Risk Higher Than Thought

Independent scientists have long suspected a link between aspartame and cancer. But a few years ago, a massive study conducted at the European Ramazzini Foundation in Italy conclusively documented the direct link.

The study fed groups of rats from 8 weeks old until their natural death a feed mix laced with varying concentrations of aspartame. A significant increase in lymphomas, leukemias and other cancers were found in rats that were fed aspartame, particularly those fed daily doses equal to 20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Compare this to the 50-milligram level currently deemed acceptable for humans in the United States. A year later, a second study confirmed the results.

Now what?

The best thing to do is stop using any form of aspartame immediately. While discontinuing use of aspartame can lead to the disappearance of many of the above symptoms, patients who develop full-grown tumors, diabetes, and other more serious diseases cannot usually be cured. Omitting aspartame from one’s diet, however, can sometimes potentially lessen the severity and ongoing degeneration associated with certain disorders. Exercising, improving your nutrition, and adding the appropriate supplements to reduce inflammation will also help. In other words, it’s never too late to start doing the right thing for your body.

Aspartame Alternatives

I really shouldn’t have to spell this out for you, but if you’re using any form of aspartame… stop, right now! Like Judy, you may quickly notice an improvement in pain symptoms. Or you may simply reduce the risk of dying of cancer or suffering from horrible degenerative diseases for the rest of your life. Either way, the change is worth it.

Clearly, adding a ton of sugar back into your diet isn’t great for your health, either. But if you must use sweeteners, honey, maple syrup, and even turbinado sugar (raw sugar) are all healthier alternatives to aspartame.

Another great alternative is stevia, produced from the leaves of a native South American shrub by the same name. The leaves themselves are at least 30 times sweeter than table sugar. Extracts can be ten times sweeter than the raw leaf, yet still have virtually no effect on blood glucose levels.

So, toss the aspartame-containing products you’ve been using and look for those using natural alternatives. Your body will thank you in the long run.

References

Olney JW, et al. Increasing brain tumor rates: is there a link to aspartame? Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 1996 Nov;55(11):1115-23.

Roberts HJ. Aspartame as a cause of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Archives of internal medicine. 1996 May 13;156(9):1027-8.

Soffritti M, et al. First experimental demonstration of the multipotential carcinogenic effects of aspartame administered in the feed to Sprague-Dawley rats. Environmental health perspectives. 2006 Mar;114(3):379-85.

Trocho C, et al. Formaldehyde derived from dietary aspartame binds to tissue components in vivo. Life sciences. 1998;63(5):337-49.

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3. How to Reverse Diabetes

Do you suffer from diabetes, monitor your blood sugar all the time, have serious blood sugar and insulin imbalances, or have elevated cholesterol, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels? If so, you may find this remarkable story of one my patient’s very interesting.

One evening, after a lecture in New York, a man approached me about becoming my patient. He was rotund, with a round, ruddy face, a booming voice, and a gentle manner. Everything about him was large — his appetite, his belly, and his heart.

Sam was nearly 60 years old, and his love of everything big was waning as he felt the encroachment of death. As we talked, he described years of feeding his fat, drinking a pint of heavy whipping cream every night before bed to keep his weight up.

In the end, the big presence that Sam’s 300-plus pound corpus gave him was not worth the infirmities he suffered. He was diabetic. His insulin was over 200, normal is less than 20. He also had dangerous cholesterol levels, angina, sleep apnea, a sluggish thyroid, and was doggedly fatigued, short of breath at nearly every step, had nasal congestion, swollen legs, dry skin, and yeast grew all over his body.

Sam may sound like a hopeless case, but the truth is that everything Sam had done to his body he did himself and could undo. I told him that if he did everything I suggested he would lose weight, feel better, and all his symptoms would go away. Enthusiastic, though somewhat skeptical, he left my office determined. Three months later when I spoke to him again, he lost 30 pounds, had more energy, his nasal congestion was gone, his
fluid-filled, swollen legs were better, and all of his cravings were gone — he never felt hungry, and he found the program I prescribed
to him easy to follow.

Fourteen months later I saw him again and repeated his blood tests. I was shocked when he weighed in. He had lost 110 pounds without being on a strict deprivation diet. He simply changed his eating and his lifestyle. His diabetes was CURED. His blood sugar dropped from 130 to 74 (greater than 126 fasting denotes diabetes). His HDL and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were normal without any medication. And he was exercising vigorously three to four times a week.

After a lifetime of uncontrollable appetites, Sam finally found balance and health without suffering. Yes, he changed his diet and lifestyle, but he was able to continue taking pleasure in food. Most importantly, he looked and felt twenty years younger. Now, I know Sam’s story is an extreme one. You may or may not be suffering from problems as severe as those he faced. Even so, I’m sure you can relate to some of what Sam experienced if you are overweight, have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, have problems with your blood sugar, or have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes …

You may feel twenty years older than you are, and, deep down, you may even be terrified by the possibility of additional health complications like heart disease, stroke, dementia, nerve damage, blindness, and amputation or even cancer. Like so many others that suffer with this condition, you just want to live a normal life and get back some of your energy and vitality; you want to turn back the clock and reverse your diabetes …

You can do that. I know most people are skeptical when a doctor tells them they can reverse diabetes, but over the course of this three-part series of blogs I’m going to show you how. You can have the same experience Sam did, and you don’t have to suffer or starve to make that happen.

Later in this blog series, I will tell you how you can do that. Today, I want to explain what I mean by the term “diabesity”. If you have diabetes you have it. But you don’t have to have diabetes or even have symptoms to be suffering from diabesity. In fact most people who have it don’t know they are suffering from a deadly condition that is 100% reversible.

**************IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT*************

I’ve received so many questions about diabesity that I’ve decided to hold a special webinar during which you’ll discover the 7 keys to overcoming diabesity and reclaiming a normal life. My tech team tells me that only 500 viewers can watch at once, so if it’s something that interests you — whether you are overweight, have been diagnosed with diabetes, or are worried about developing it — you may want to reserve your spot now before all of the spots are filled.

****************************************************

Many Names, One Disease — Defining Diabesity You may be one among millions of people who are suffering from a health problem that is now epidemic in our country. Your doctor might have diagnosed you with one of many seemingly different diseases. He may have said you have:

Insulin resistance

Pre-diabetes

Metabolic syndrome

Obesity

Syndrome X

Adult onset diabetes

Type 2 diabetes

What he likely didn’t tell you is that ALL of these conditions are basically the same thing — just with varying degrees of severity. The underlying causes of ALL of these conditions are the same. And because they are all the same condition, the treatment for all of them is also the same.

That is why I have set aside these conventional diagnoses in place of a new name that more accurately defines the health problems you may suffer from. That term is diabesity.(i) Diabesity is the condition of metabolic imbalance and disease that ranges all the way from mild blood sugar imbalance to full blow diabetes.

Whether you are suffering from a little extra weight around the middle or you have been diagnosed with insulin resistance or even type 2 diabetes, the fundamental underlying biological causes of ALL of these conditions are the same. This is what I’ve discovered in over 20 years seeing thousands of patients.

Diabesity, in its various forms, affects over 1 billion people worldwide. It is a massive global problem, and our current approach to prevention and treatment is obviously not working because millions more are affected every year in a dramatic increase of a condition that was once very rare.

Diabesity is also the leading cause of most chronic disease in the 21st century.(ii) Those with diabesity are at an increased risk of heart disease (iii), (iv),  stroke, dementia(v), cancer(vi), high blood pressure, blindness, and kidney failure. Nervous system damage also affects 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes and can lead to a loss of sensation in the hands and feet, slow digestion of food in the stomach, carpal tunnel syndrome, sexual dysfunction, and other nerve problems.

So this is VERY real and VERY serious for those who suffer from the condition. Given all of this, one would think the questions on everyone’s mind would be: Why is this happening? What has caused this diabesity epidemic? Why are our current approaches to treating the problem failing so miserably? And what new approaches could we take that would more effectively treat the problem? Few in medicine today are asking these questions, yet their answers are disarmingly simple.

The Problems with Diabesity Treatment — Symptoms, Not Causes

The reason our current approach to treating diabesity fails is because it focuses on treating the symptoms or risk factors of the disease rather than the causes. All of our attention is on treatments that:

• Lower blood sugar (diabetes drugs and insulin)
•  Lower high blood pressure (anti-hypertensive drugs)
•  Lower cholesterol (statins)
• Thin the blood (aspirin)

But we never ever ask the most important question: Why is your blood sugar, blood pressure, or blood cholesterol too high and why is your blood too sticky and likely to clot? Put another way: What are the root causes of diabesity?

Answering that question must be the focus of our diagnosis and treatment of this disease if we are going to solve this global epidemic.

In truth, diabetes, elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol are simply downstream symptoms that result from problems with our
diet, lifestyle, and environmental toxins interacting with our unique genetic susceptibilities. These are the real causes of diabesity. Unfortunately, few are taking the time to treat them. Using medication or surgery to treat symptoms like imbalanced blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and the other complications of diabetes is like mopping up the floor while the sink overflows.

In medicine today we have a choice. We can continue to mop up this overflow, or we can deal with the source of the problem and turn off the faucet — that is, treat the root problems that are causing your illness. In this three-part blog series, I am going to show you how to turn off the faucet so you can heal from your diabesity and achieve optimal health.

The real solution for diabesity is a comprehensive diet and lifestyle program. And in this series of three blogs I am going to teach you how you can integrate such an approach into your life to heal from your symptoms. I will show you why conventional treatments typically fail, what you can really do to treat diabesity, and explain how healing the 7 key underlying systems in your body is the real solution to the problem.

By following this system you may see many of your lifelong health symptoms evaporate in a matter of weeks or even days in some cases, and you may — for the first time — achieve vibrant health.

Now I’d like to hear from you …

Do you believe you can be healed from diabesity? Have you tried conventional medical treatments? How have they worked for you? Are you ready to try a radically new approach that may help you heal once and for all?

Let me know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, MD

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The harvested oleoresin contains a mixture of naturally occurring organic acids. These acids inhibit pain and inflammation causing enzymes. They also limit the synthesis of fatty immune system molecules called leukotrienes which contribute to inflammation.

Effective arthritis pain relief

One six-month study compared the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Boswellia extract with the prescription drug valdecoxib (no longer available in the U.S. market due to health risks). The patients enrolled in the study suffered from osteoarthritis of the knee and received either 10mg of valdecoxib taken once daily or 333mg of Boswellia extract (containing 40% boswellic acids) taken three times daily.

The study found patients who took valdecoxib presented statistically significant improvement after one month, but the relief quickly subsided when the drug was stopped. The Boswellia test subjects did not show statistically significant improvement until the second month. However, the on-going relief of Boswellia extract clearly bested the drug by its longer lasting effects. When the valdecoxib was stopped, the pain returned within a day or two. But those who had been taking boswellia reported continued effects a full month after the test had ended.

The researchers reported in their conclusion that “in terms of safety, efficacy and duration of action, the present study shows that [Boswellia serrata extract] was superior to valdecoxib, except for the slower onset of action.”

Hundreds of other studies on boswellia extract have proven it both safe and effective at treating not only osteoarthritis, but also rheumatoid arthritis.

Safer than NSAIDs

Inflammation is a killer, but so are many of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used to treat it. Boswellia extract fights inflammation as well as most NSAIDs, but without the stomach irritation or ulceration. In fact, at least one study found boswellia more effective at treating ulcerative colitis than the commonly prescribed sulfasalazine. Boswellia also doesn’t carry the severe risk of heart attack and stroke found with some of the newer NSAIDs.

Even though it has been safely used for centuries, a comprehensive safety study was conducted on boswellia just a few years ago. The study found no significant adverse effects other than minor eye irritation. Other studies noted only rare but minor side effects, such as nausea, skin rash or diarrhea.

Of course it’s always a good idea to speak with your health care provider or pharmacist before taking herbs or dietary supplements, particularly if you are taking any prescriptions.

Related references

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She later described the initial pain in her head like “a burning, sharp pain that felt like I was being electrocuted.” As bad as the pain felt, it soon grew even worse.

Before long, Karen’s monster headache had transformed into a full-body experience. Most of her body was wracked with pain so severe she would curl into a fetal position and try not to cry – even her tears felt like sulfuric acid sliding down her cheeks. The only parts of her body that didn’t hurt were areas mainly on her left side
left numb and paralyzed from whatever disease she had become afflicted with.

Six months of endless MRIs, spinal taps, and other tests later, her doctors through a process of elimination finally diagnosed her condition: a systemic inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis. In Karen’s case, the disease attacked her central nervous system, leaving her partially paralyzed to this day.

While sarcoidosis may affect virtually any area of the body, it most commonly attacks the lungs and lymph nodes where small nodules of immune cells called granulomas are formed. Sometimes these nodules disappear on their own. Other times they leave behind areas of fibrosis, or internal scar tissue.

In the lungs this scarring can permanently impair breathing through pulmonary fibrosis. Actor Bernie Mac, known for his comedic roles in
numerous television shows and movies, was another high profile individual known to have suffered from sarcoidosis. After being hospitalized in 2008 with pneumonia, his publicist announced his sarcoidosis had been in remission for three years and Bernie was expected to make a full recovery. Sadly, Bernie passed away several days later.

Christmas night 2004, yet another legend passed away. Hall of fame defensive end Reggie White, better known to fans as “The Minister of
Defense,” died in his sleep of a cardiac arrhythmia. Sarcoidosis affecting his heart and lungs was ruled the primary cause of death.

While sarcoidosis is a fairly rare autoimmune disorder, inflammation and fibrosis affects every one of us. Half of all heart attacks are caused by inflammation. Considering the widespread problem, no wonder heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States. But that’s not all. Inflammation is also strongly linked to strokes, arthritis, chronic fatigue, and even Alzheimer’s and
other dementing diseases.

Fortunately, the mechanisms behind controlling systemic inflammation are fairly well understood. It boils down to the level of proteolytic
enzymes which counter the body’s inflammatory response to injury, sickness, or tissue irritation.

When we’re young, our bodies heal quickly. Around our mid-20s, a precipitous drop in bodily production of proteolytic enzymes lead to
extended recovery periods from injuries. The older we get, the longer it takes to heal.

Proteolytic enzymes do more than fight inflammation. They also clean your blood, help fight off viral and bacterial infections, and break down excess scar-creating fibrin. Taking supplemental systemic enzymes not only helps your body keep inflammation in check, it keeps you
healthier by boosting cardiovascular, respiratory and immune system functions throughout your body.

The inflammation fighting and scar erasing properties of proteolytic enzymes haven’t been clinically studied yet (to my knowledge) for the specific treatment of sarcoidosis, but anecdotal evidence from members of sarcoidosis support groups who have tried them indicates it has helped alleviate even symptoms of this harsh disease.

It’s certainly worth further study for sarcoidosis patients – and worth taking to maintain good health in everyone else over age 25. A
30-day supply of systemic enzymes and other natural anti-inflammatory ingredients is currently being offered free at The Healthy Back Institute’s website for those who would like to try them.

Related references
Carney, K. Former MTV VJ tells of battle with chronic illness. CNN Headline News. 2003, Sep 19.
Duffy, K. Model Patient: My Life As an Incurable Wise-Ass. Harper Paperbacks. 2001.
Mignot, S. Actor And Comedian Bernie Mac Dies At Age 50. CBS 2 Chicago. 2008, Aug 9.
Sun-Times Media Wire. Bernie Mac Expected To Recover, Publicist Says. Chicago Sun-Times. 2008, Aug 3.
FastStats – Heart Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2010, Apr 15.
Mecklenburg County Office of the Medical Examiner. Report of Autopsy Examination for Reginald Howard White. 2005, Apr 25.

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Most people would readily agree there is too much salt in processed foods. That an increase in salt corresponds to an increase in blood pressure. And that Americans, as well as citizens of most other western nations, consume more salt than their government recommends.

Millions of dollars have been pumped into numerous studies in an attempt to prove the negative impact of this orgy of excess salt on human health. The assumption is that because there appears to be a relationship between salt and high blood pressure, that there is a corresponding relationship between cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Based on this assumption, the FDA sponsored a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) titled “Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States,” released on April 20th. While the FDA insists it’s seeking only voluntary cutbacks by the food industry at this time, FDA spokeswoman Meghan Scott also declared, “Nothing is off the table.” She continued, “Everyone’s in agreement that something needs to be done… We just don’t know what it’s going to look like.”

That might be a little less than honest. You’ll find this little gem buried on page 253 of the IOM’s report: “While efforts to reduce the sodium content of the food supply can result in considerable progress toward reducing sodium intake, supporting strategies are needed to ensure that consumers achieve current recommendations.”

In other words, the American public must “voluntarily” comply with the FDA’s target salt consumption or they’ll force you. The report then goes on to outline recommendations for the FDA to actively regulate salt usage and to set mandatory national standards for sodium content in foods.

Again, where the rubber meets the road here is on the assumption that salt intake is responsible for increased disease and mortality. The preface of the report itself states that “High sodium intake puts the whole population…at risk for hypertension and subsequent cardiovascular events such as heart failure and stroke.”

Is that right? Do the facts really support that contention, or is it merely a case of repeating something often enough until you finally believe it? One study from the University of Helsinki in Finland frequently pointed to by advocates of mandatory salt reduction is a good case in point.

The authors of the study noted a one-third decrease in average salt intake over three decades among the Finnish population due to an aggressive salt reduction program, similar to the one now advocated for the United States . At the same time a significant drop in blood pressure and a nearly 80% decrease in stroke and coronary heart disease mortality was accomplished.

The authors then compared the Finnish drop in salt usage with the United States increase in salt consumption of roughly 55% between the mid-80s and late-90s due to a lack of an aggressive salt reduction campaign.

There you go. Decreased salt consumption, lower death rates. Increased salt consumption, higher death rates? Not so fast.

What the study authors failed to note is that even while U.S. citizens consumed more salt, their ischaemic heart disease mortality rate per capita declined faster than Finland’s. Same with Italy, Sweden, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and even Canada which reduced its mortality rate by double the rate of Finland’s – all with no claimed drop in dietary salt intake.

Almost looks to me like eating less salt increases your mortality rate compared to those who continue eating more salt. I’m not the only one who notices something amiss.

Dr. Michael Alderman, an epidemiologist and professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, believes that while salt reduction may reduce average blood pressure by mid-low single digits, he worries it could also lead to “unintended consequences.” Side effects of sodium restriction include increased insulin resistance, activation of the renin-angiotensin system (which itself can increase blood pressure), and increased sympathetic nerve activity (which induces the body’s stress response mechanism).

What really takes the cake is his careful review of the large-scale Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which actually found lower sodium was associated with higher mortality. He cautions that these were modest rates of higher mortality, but at the same time, it certainly indicates “higher sodium is unlikely to be independently associated with higher cardiovascular disease or all-cause mortality.”

Dr. Alderman’s findings are good enough for me. The salt shaker remains on the table. Perhaps the FDA should review a few more studies before taking the IOM’s drastic recommendations to heart as well.

In the meanwhile, I continue to protect my heart’s health by taking a high potency Omega-3 and CoQ10 supplement and reduce internal inflammation and blood-clogging scar tissue with systemic enzymes. I recommend you do the same.

Related references:

Karppanen, H, Mervaala E. Sodium intake and hypertension. Progress in cardiovascular diseases. 2006 Sep-Oct;49(2):59-75.
Satin, M. Health Outcomes Lessons From Finland’s Salt Reduction. Salt & Health. Summer 2007. Vol. 2 No. 3.
Alderman MH. Evidence relating dietary sodium to cardiovascular disease. Journal of the American College of Nutrition.. 2006 Jun;25(3 Suppl):256S-261S.
Cohen HW, Hailpern SM, Alderman MH. Sodium intake and mortality follow-up in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Journal of general internal medicine. 2008 Sep;23(9):1297-302.

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The people of Guadeloupe introduced Christopher Columbus to this tasty tropical healer in 1493, but native South and Central American tribes had discovered its amazing attributes long before he sailed in. Today we call it the pineapple.

What makes the pineapple special are enzymes found throughout the plant called bromelain. Bromelain is a protease, or proteolytic enzyme, which means it breaks down protein. That’s why you’ll find it commonly used as a meat tenderizer.

You may be thinking tenderizing your already sore muscles is the last thing you want. But there’s another type of protein bromelain eats up too. It’s a protein called Circulating Immune Complex (CIC). Let me explain.

Our cells talk to each other through receptors. When we’re injured they tell our immune system to produce CIC proteins. The CICs are rushed to the scene of injury or irritation. Pain signals are generated to alert your body to trouble while inflammatory substances are called to build a protective wall around the injured area. These continue until our body sends proteolytic enzymes to counteract the CIC-induced inflammation.

The problem is our body may not produce enough proteolytic enzymes to tell the CICs to stop producing pain and inflammation when they should. That’s because by our mid-20s production of proteolytic enzymes drops off dramatically leaving us vulnerable to runaway inflammation. Left unchecked, inflammation increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, arthritis and dementia related disorders like Alzheimer’s. It causes hidden damage to tissues and organs throughout your body. And it just plain makes it harder for our bodies to heal and stop hurting.

Fortunately there’s a simple answer. Since the cause of runaway inflammation is a lack of proteolytic enzymes, the natural response is to get more of those into our system. That’s why pineapple with its natural proteolytic enzymes in the form of bromelain is such a great find. Eating pineapple increases the supply of proteolytic enzymes present in your body. You do have to eat the pineapple raw though. Cooking or heating destroys the enzymes’ effectiveness. This means canned pineapple won’t work either.

The highest concentration of bromelain is found in the stem of the plant. I’ll admit you would have to really love pigging out on tough raw pineapple stems every day to get the most benefit. Or you can just take a proteolytic enzyme supplement with bromelain harvested from pineapple by peeling and crushing the stem then purified and dried into a powder form to be taken orally without getting the sore mouth.

By the way, pineapple isn’t the only source of proteolytic enzymes. You can also find them in papaya (papain), figs (ficin) and kiwi fruit (actinidin). Good supplements will usually combine various forms of the enzymes for maximum effect. Restoring your body’s proteolytic enzyme levels will go a long ways towards reducing inflammation and ending chronic pain.

Related references:
Murachi, T and Neurtil, H.; Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Washington; Fractionation and Specificity on Stem Bromelain
Blumenthal, M., Goldberg, A., Brinkman, J.; ed. Herbal Medicine, Expanded Commission E monographs; Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:33-35
Kapes, B.; Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine; Bromelain, April 6, 2001
Vukovic, L.; Better Nutrition: Pineapple Power; July 2007

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Once inflammation has served its purpose to eliminate the external nasties the healing process can begin. Sometimes though, the body fails to end the inflammatory cycle and systemic chronic inflammation results.

While acute inflammation can save your life, chronic inflammation may help end it. When chronic inflammation becomes systemic the body actually turns on itself. It leads to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, magnifies the harmful effects of Alzheimer’s, and even promotes an internal environment favorable for cancer.

While many drugs will decrease inflammation in the body, they are not safe to consume for extended periods of time. These drugs themselves have been linked to heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. They can also damage your kidneys and other vital organs, lead to internal bleeding, and even death.

What is needed is a safer approach to reducing both localized and systemic inflammation in the body. Fortunately there are several options. And they can be used interchangeably. The four most recommended natural methods for reducing inflammation are:

1. Ice & Heat Therapy — Ice and heat can relieve both pain and inflammation
2. Dietary Changes — Many foods increase your body’s inflammatory response (such as dairy, wheat, gluten, sugar, fried foods), while some other foods reduce inflammation
3. Natural Medicines — Herbs and other homeopathic remedies can be as effective at eliminating inflammation as drugs without the harmful side effects; systemic proteolytic enzymes are also important in treating chronic inflammation as they break down harmful fibrin (scar tissue) caused by the excess inflammation
4. Mind/Body Techniques — Stress related tension is directly or indirectly contributes to a significant number of disease states including inflammation; end the stress and help break the inflammatory cycle

This short video on fighting inflammation introduces these options.

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Hello, my name is Michael Murray. Back in the summer of 2002, there wasn’t one day where I didn’t ask myself, “Can I ever stop feeling so sick and tired?”

That was how I felt pretty much every morning at age 32!

Every joint and muscle in my body hurt as I spent hours in the gym sweating. Sure, I lost a few pounds and felt a little better… But it wouldn’t last very long. And I still felt tired every morning and afternoon, and couldn’t get myself to do anything at all when I got home from work.

I had tried everything to get back into shape. I had made drastic changes to my lifestyle to feel better and to lose weight. And I had nothing to show for it other than the emotional pain and financial waste of yo-yo dieting.

Then I went to a Tony Robbins seminar. It turns out I was not alone with how I was feeling. A serious problem common to so many people…

Most People Don’t Feel Anywhere Near As Good As They’d Like To

In fact, the vast majority of people feel that their lack of health and energy is just part of the aging process.

The Dangerous Myth That’s Eating Away At Your Life

The funny thing is, so many people I know have nagging health problems. They’re baffled why they no longer feel as good as they did when they were a child.

In fact, they haven’t got a clue. And that really makes sense when you consider the types of foods they’re eating day-to-day, and the dangerous, often toxic, medications they’ve used throughout life.

But let me ask you something: Do you think medication is the answer to health problems?

Of course not. If medication or a magic pill was the real answer, then you’d already feel as good as you want to be.

The Secret To Abundant Energy and Vibrant Health

Although for many years mainstream medicine ignored the role that diet can play in both health and disease, more recently it, too, began emphasizing the need to eat healthfully for keeping illness at bay.

In truth, the light came over the horizon more than a hundred years ago. But the radical work of some great pioneering scientists has been overlooked by a mainstream model so deeply involved in it’s own myths that is was blind to larger truths. Until now.

Recently, one of the most exciting discoveries has been the effect some foods have on the body’s acid-alkaline pH levels when digested.

A Slightly Alkaline Body Is Crucial For Good Health

Regardless of how much you work out and try to eat right, if you can’t balance the acids in your body, you’ll never feel as good as you’d like to be.

The problem is, on a whole, the average western diet is acid-producing. And when acidic wastes accumulate, they can cause organs to malfunction and break down.

We are forcing our bodies to work with less than optimal inner terrain. This creates a fertile breeding ground for various forms of chronic illness that are now experienced by more than half the population. An alkaline diet delivers so many benefits… less aches and pains, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, more energy and on and on and on…

If you often feel tired, it’s a safe bet that you are overly acidic. The simple fact is, most people are.

Click here to learn more about how an alkaline diet can dramatically improve your health

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1. Do You Suffer from Adrenal Fatigue?
2. Unbalanced Blood pH . . . Is It Keeping You in Pain?
3. How to Stick With an Exercise Program or Diet

As she grows older, she still needs lots of love and patience. And just like the rest of us, she needs extra nutritional support and even help with arthritis pain as her joints become inflamed and worn in her golden years.

Of course, dogs can’t come right out and say “I’m hurting right here.” But we know by watching their gradual transition from leaping across the yard chasing a thrown ball to gingerly taking the stairs just to get off the porch that their hips, knees, and other joints ache increasingly over the years.

Fortunately, dogs can benefit from many of the same arthritis pain relief and joint support supplements humans take. They just need a dose scaled to their size.

One of the most useful supplements for fighting painfully inflamed joints are proteolytic enzymes. Rather than an anti-inflammatory drug, enzymes are derived from herbs and edible fungi. They work by neutralizing the inflammation causing bio-chemicals in the body. In turn, inflammation and pain decreases.

Systemic proteolytic enzymes also work wonders on increasing circulation and soft tissue repair by breaking down and removing excess fibrin. They even break down old scar tissue which helps your pet not only return to normal movement but decrease risks related to fibrosis buildup in the heart and kidneys.

Most people think of glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM first when arthritis supplements come to mind. Combined, these ingredients give us the nutrients needed to slow down joint wear — and even help our bodies rebuild broken down cartilage. Once again, these work just as well for dogs as humans.

Giving our pets the love and nutritional support they need allow them to live a longer, healthier, more active lives. That in itself carries its own reward.

Here’s a video of The Healthy Back Institute’s Steve Hefferon with his 10 year old golden retriever, Zoey. Steve has used proteolytic systemic enzymes for years to help his dogs manage pain and inflammation and a glucosamine / chondroitin / MSM formulation to help them rebuild their joints.

Here Are Two Proven Formulas That Are Safe for Dogs:

Super Joint Support

Help your dog rebuild his/her joints by providing them with the raw materials needed. This powerful liquid formula contains MSM, Glucosamine, Chondrotin and more. Click here to learn more

Heal-n-Soothe™

Heal-n-Soothe™ is a combination of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory and pain relieving ingredients known to man… and have been scientifically proven to work. And unlike NSAID’s, there are no dangerous side effects… and it’s safe for dogs!
Click here to learn more

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2. Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Miracle Joint Cure?
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Most cortisone injections are conducted in a doctor office and may take as little as a 10 minute visit. The site of injection is cleaned and may be sprayed with a local anesthetic. Then the needle is inserted directly into the painfully inflamed joint for medicine delivery.

After receiving the shot, one might be advised to minimize use of the joint for 24-48 hours. For example, in the case of a shoulder injection immediate heavy lifting should be avoided. Sometimes a cortisone flare occurs when the cortisone crystallizes which can cause intense pain for up to 48 hours even worse than before the shot.

While rare, severe side effects such as joint infection, nerve damage, and weakening of nearby tendons and bones are possible. More shots increase the risk of severe side effects so many doctors limit the number of injections to three or less. Since cortisone shots offer pain relief for only several weeks and work for only about half of those receiving a shot, they should be considered a treatment aid at best, not a cure.

One approach to avoid using cortisone injections is to systemically minimize inflammation in the body and focus on treating underlying causes of pain and inflammation. That’s one reason cortisone shots don’t work for everyone — sometimes they are attempting to treat the wrong kind of pain.

There are two types of pain, muscular or tissue based pain and nerve based pain. Treating the wrong type of pain may result in no impact on levels of pain. That’s why a proper diagnosis of the underlying conditions leading to inflammation is critical for long-term pain relief.

Pros for cortisone injections:

• Can reduce inflammation in localized areas
• May relieve pain related to inflammation
• May be helpful as part of a broader treatment program

Cons for cortisone injections:

• Provides pain relief for only about half of shot recipients
• May cause more pain in short term
• Can cause severe permanent side effects

Related posts:

1. What You Can Learn About Pain Relief From Olympic Level Athletes
2. Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Miracle Joint Cure?
3. Osteoarthritis Joint Pain Relief Breakthrough?