Staying Healthy into your 70s and Beyond

A friend of ours asked me about doing a blog about health, in general. Maybe some of you know, but I have been an advocate of low carbohydrate, clean eating for many years. This blog will include information I have found on exercise, food, vitamins, etc. My first suggestion is to look at your own habits - are they making you feel good, or do you feel like crap? Do you need to lose some weight? How much sugary foods do you eat in a day? (Be sure to click on all the blue highlighted links for more info.)

If you smoke - QUIT. 

What does smoking do to the body? Smoking can cause long-term negative effects on the body, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Smoking’s Effect on the Skin: How Smoking Ages You. Smoking’s effect on the skin might not be the most pressing of the reasons to quit smoking – since the risk of lung cancer and heart disease are much more serious – but the premature aging that occurs in smokers is yet another reason to make every effort to go smoke-free.

Stories from Former Smokers

These are the blackened lungs of a 52-year-old man who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 30 years. Wild...

Smoking is is one of the biggest causes of visible ageing, estimated to age skin prematurely by up to 20 years. And it’s not just looks that suffer. Smoking kills around seven million people every year and is the single most preventable cause of death worldwide. Smokers are more likely to have health problems that shorten life, including asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis, dementia, and cancer. And it’s not just lung cancer – smoking increases the risk of leukemia and many other cancers. (Eat Better, Live Longer, Dr. Sarah Brewer and Juliette Kellow, RD)

Cigarettes are not the only problem -- vaping is also associated with lung disease. It causes severe lung inflammation and damage. Your lungs can take on a condition called popcorn lung, or bronchiolitis obliterans. It's a rare disease that damages the small airways in the lungs, leading to scarring and narrowing. You can also contract COPD and asthma. General lung inflammation and damage occur. The full long-term effects are still being studied, but the evidence shows that it can cause significant lung injury and disease.

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Alcohol

I stopped drinking in October 2019. I just drank wine, but did not like the way it made me feel -- loopy. Also, wine is full of sugar, which does not help with weight loss. Alcohol sabotages weight loss. When you drink, your body stops in order to process the alcohol first and then the food gets stored as fat. It also messes with your hunger hormones.

It also messes up your thyroid. Since I am hypothyroid and have Hashimoto's, giving up alcohol was very beneficial to my overall health.

Alcohol acts like a toxin to your thyroid and liver, damaging both and lowering hormone conversion from T4 to T3. It harms thyroid cells and slows metabolism. It damages the liver, which is critical for thyroid hormone activation.  Even small amounts can worsen fatigue, weight gain, and Hashimoto's symptoms. 

I have decided to do an entire blog post on what alcohol (wine, beer, hard liquor) does to the body, with a link to that post here.

Regularly drinking too much alcohol hastens the ageing process. Externally, the skin suffers with redness, puffiness, and premature wrinkles. Internally, excessive alcohol increases the risk of liver disease, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, and depression.

Alcoholic drinks are high in calories and excessive drinking can cause unwanted weight gain, while draining the body of nutrients. Alcohol can also have a detrimental effect on the quality of sleep. (Eat Better, Live Longer, Dr. Sarah Brewer and Juliette Kellow, RD)

How to Stop Drinking Alcohol:

"Meat causes gout because of purines!" Gout was called the "disease of kings" because only the wealthy could afford meat, seafood, and alcohol. Turns out, it was the alcohol and sugar causing gout, not the meat. Fructose and alcohol raise uric acid within minutes of consumption. Purines from meat take hours to break down into uric acid. Gout is highly correlated with metabolic syndrome: insulin resistance, obesity, high blood sugar. Fix the metabolic dysfunction and gout resolves. Carnivore is exceptionally effective at reversing metabolic syndrome by: - Eliminating sugar and fructose (primary culprits) - Eliminating alcohol (if you choose) - Lowering insulin resistance - Reducing inflammation Beef is also low in purines compared to organ meats, sardines, and shellfish. If you're metabolically healthy, purines aren't a problem. If you're metabolically dysfunctional, carnivore removes the actual triggers while fixing the underlying dysfunction. Medieval kings weren't getting gout from the meat. They were getting it from the wine and honey.

I've been told: You're no fun since you stopped drinking. My thoughts on that: Why do you think you have to drink to have fun and enjoy life? How can you enjoy your life if your body aches; you are overweight and can hardly walk? I would rather be healthy with no body aches ~~ that is enjoying life.

Alcohol is also the No. 1 thing that stops you from losing belly fat:

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WATER

So, what are you supposed to drink? Why WATER, of course (and electrolytes). What is hydration on a cellular level and why is it important? To achieve optimal intracellular hydration, focus on consuming ample fluids, especially water, and incorporating foods high in water content and electrolytes. 

Make water your primary beverage: Prioritize water over sugary drinks or alcohol. Drink room-temperature water: Some suggest that drinking room-temperature water can be more easily absorbed by the body.

Inner Cellular Hydration and Weight Loss. Inner cellular hydration is the process of getting water directly into your cells, indicating how hydrated your cells are at the foundational level. This is crucial for your health, as your cells are integral in running your body’s operations, and they need water to function properly.

Cellular hydration is important as hydrated cells are more efficient at carrying out their necessary processes. Water helps cells absorb nutrients, eliminate waste, and operate better. Because our bodies are simply collections of trillions of cells, more efficient cells equates to better overall health and wellness. Altogether, hydrated cells can lead to improved energy levels, a boost in cognitive function, and enhanced physical capabilities.

In fact, dehydration is accompanied by a variety of health risks, like Alzheimer’s, obesity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and diabetes.

The number one way to boost your cellular hydration levels is to get a healthy intake of water. Drinking water will give your cells a direct boost of hydration, so it’s important to prioritize drinking plenty of water throughout the course of the day.

I read that after sleeping for 6 to 8 hours without fluids, your body is dehydrated. Drinking water first thing in the morning helps lubricate your joints, increase circulation, and reduce brain fog.

When we're not properly hydrated, our kidneys don't function as well as they should. The liver will then step in to assist with filtering and removing toxins. This takes its attention away from regulating metabolism. So, by drinking more water, you're helping your body burn more calories naturally.

Avoid Dehydrating Activities

Just as you should focus on taking steps to hydrate your body, you should also focus on avoiding steps that will lead to dehydration. Lifestyle choices like drinking alcohol and sugary drinks will only make it more difficult to sustain cellular hydration as these are inherently dehydrating.

It’s best to limit your intake of alcohol and sugary drinks as much as possible. When you crave a sugary drink, turn to water or an electrolyte-rich drink instead. Sure, it might not be as exciting as a blast of sugar, but your body will thank you for it.

More on water ~~ Some people say they don't want to drink before bed so you don't have to get up at night to go to the bathroom. A cardiologist was asked: why do people (especially old people) pee so much at night.

His answer was: When you stand or sit, the force of gravity holds water in your lower body. This is why legs can swell. When you lie down, your lower body seeks balance with the kidneys. So the kidneys remove the water along with the trash because then it's easier.

Water is essential to remove waste from your body. When is the best time to drink water. He answered me:

Drinking water at well defined times maximizes efficiency in the body ~~

- 2 glasses of water right after waking up activates internal organs.

- 1 glass of water 30 minutes before each meal improves digestion.

- 1 glass of water before taking a bath (or shower) lowers blood pressure.

- 1 glass of water before going to bed, prevents stroke or heart attack.

Drink water before bed, avoid leg cramps during the night. Your leg muscles, when you have cramps, are particularly seeking water and moisture.

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Dr. Livingood sets out his 5 breakfast rules to burn belly fat:

In addition, he has a video on how to burn fat during sleep. Scientists discover 10 bedtime habits that burn fat while you sleep Are you doing everything right with diet and exercise but still struggling to lose weight? 

The answer might be hiding in your bedroom. These 10 science-backed nighttime habits can transform your body into a fat-burning machine while you sleep - and most people have never heard of the most powerful one. What if I told you that one simple bedtime habit helped study participants lose SIX TIMES more fat than those who didn't use it? Or that sleeping at the wrong temperature could be sabotaging months of hard work? The research behind these discoveries will change how you think about weight loss forever. 

Here's what decades of sleep and metabolism research reveal: your body's most powerful fat-burning happens during specific sleep phases, but only when the conditions are exactly right. Get them wrong, and your hormones work against you - storing fat instead of burning it, no matter how perfect your daytime routine is. In this comprehensive video, you'll discover the ONLY 10 nighttime strategies that actually move the needle on fat loss. From the optimal bedroom temperature that increases brown fat by 42% to the surprising supplement that outperformed placebo by over 10 pounds in just 16 weeks, every recommendation is backed by clinical trials and real results. Why do most bedtime fat loss tips fail?

Because they ignore the science of sleep-based metabolism. Your body follows precise hormonal rhythms - melatonin, cortisol, insulin, and growth hormone all work together to either promote fat storage or fat burning during sleep. When you understand how to optimize these natural cycles, weight loss becomes automatic. The most shocking discovery? People who slept with even dim light exposure were 22% more likely to gain significant weight over 6 years, regardless of their diet or exercise routine. And those who ate dinner just 4 hours later burned 10% less fat overnight - from timing alone.

But here's where it gets really interesting. The final habit I reveal - something called the "miracle tree" approach - produced results that even surprised researchers. Study participants lost nearly 12 pounds in 16 weeks while the control group lost less than 2. That's not just better results , that's a complete metabolic transformation. Whether you're over 45 and fighting a slowing metabolism, dealing with stubborn belly fat, or simply want to maximize every hour of sleep for fat loss, these aren't just tips, they're scientifically validated protocols that work even when traditional approaches fail. 

Ready to turn your bedroom into a fat-burning sanctuary? Every habit builds on the last, creating a powerful system that works around the clock. By the end, you'll know exactly why some people effortlessly maintain their weight while others struggle, and which side of that equation you want to be on.

Dr. Anil Rajani: Lose the Menopot belly Today. 

Stubborn fat we get around the waist at 40. Struggling with stubborn belly fat after 40? That dreaded "menopot" isn’t just about calories—it’s driven by hormonal shifts, stress, and metabolism changes that most people are treating the wrong way. In this video, I’ll break down why traditional weight loss methods fail and reveal the real science-backed solutions to target menopausal belly fat. From key hormones and lifestyle tweaks to powerful supplements and fat-burning foods, I’ll show you how to take control and reshape your midsection naturally. Let’s dive in!

Fat loss is one of the most misunderstood topics in health. Most people blame slow metabolism, bad genetics, or the wrong diet when progress stalls, but the real reasons are often much simpler and far less talked about. 

In this episode, the doctors break down what actually drives fat loss and why so many popular strategies fail. From calorie balance to hormones, muscle mass, and daily habits, we explain what matters most and what people waste time worrying about. This is not about trends, detoxes, or extreme plans just the science behind losing body fat in a sustainable way.

After spending 15 years eliminating visceral fat and 13 years tracking it with MRIs, I've put together a tier list of the most effective strategies for getting rid of this hidden health threat. First up, remember that quality is more important than quantity. It's crucial to understand and track your visceral fat, and I recommend using an MRI for the best visualization. Restoring your microbiome to its optimal state is another top-tier strategy. 

I can't stress enough how vital a healthy microbiome is for reducing visceral fat. Also, focus on eating a sterile diet—nothing processed, just clean, pure foods. Fasting is another powerful tool. While intermittent fasting is popular, extended fasting up to 72 hours once a week can yield significant results. It's important to ease into it to avoid overwhelming yourself. Finally, while ruminant meats like beef can be beneficial, keep in mind that they rank lower on my list compared to the other strategies. These approaches can truly transform your health if you're willing to commit.

If you've tried belly fat workouts and keep gaining the weight back, it's not your fault, exercise on a broken metabolism makes you hungrier and fatter. This is a great video that breaks down what insulin resistance does in your body and how to fix your metabolism.

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I’ve always been a “health nut” and even went through a phase of vegetarian eating when the kids were growing up. Little did I know, but children need good quality protein in order to grow and stay healthy. There are some nutrients that the body can only get from eating meat. I’m glad that phase did not last, and I eventually went back to eating meat. The problem with being vegetarian is that you have to eat beans and legumes, which are carbohydrates, for your protein. To me that is too many carbs (and are high in oxalates), which does not adequately supply a body’s needs for nutrition, like meat does.

From a story done by Epoch Times: Why Animal Foods are Essential for Brain Health. ~~ Colorful fruits and vegetables are dietary superheroes—no doubt about that. But a growing number of experts are saying that forsaking all animal products could starve the brain of crucial nutrients. Strictly vegan regimes lack nutrients such as complete proteins, certain healthy fats, zinc, and iron, and may fail to adequately nourish the brain, potentially hampering mood, memory, and cognitive prowess.

Want to understand what food does to your body? Stop eating everything. Eat only beef, eggs, butter, and water for 30 days. By day 30, you will know exactly which of the foods you removed was causing you problems. Not because you read it somewhere. Because you've been without it long enough for the inflammation to resolve, and every reintroduction will announce itself clearly. The aching joints. The bloating. The brain fog. The skin flare. The mood shift. Carnivore is the most honest food experiment you can run. It removes every variable simultaneously. Then you add them back, one by one, and your body tells you everything. Most people get to day 30, feel better than they have in years, and decide reintroduction isn't particularly interesting after all.

What did humans evolve to eat? Dr. Kevin Stock breaks down how humans evolved from plant eaters to meat eaters and why our brains need meat. Your brain on meat. Evidence for a Meat-Based Diet.

In 1958, Dr. Richard Mackarness published "Eat Fat and Grow Slim." No sugar, no carbs ... just meat, butter and cream. Seed oils were barely a thing at this point. He had it figured out 68 years ago. We spent the next seven decades doing the exact opposite, getting sicker, and calling it science.

Ex-Vegans' testimonials ~~

Another ex-vegan's testimony:

That video was about Josie Lieder. She wrote a book about becoming carnivore. From Vegan Struggles to Carnivore Success: Discover How a Meat-Based Diet Can Restore Your Energy, Balance Hormones, Improve Digestion, and Reveal Your Natural Radiance!

I'm enjoying listening to Bella, the Steak & Butter Gal on YouTube. A former Vegan, she outlines why she turned carnivore and what to do as a carnivore. Her videos are very helpful and her recipes are delicious.

A book you may be interested in called The Great Plant-Based Con: Why Eating Plants Only Diet Won't Improve Your Health or Save the Planet. We are hearing ~~ Plant-based is best for health, go vegan to help save the planet, eat less meat... Almost every day we are bombarded with the seemingly incontrovertible message that we must reduce our consumption of meat and dairy - or eliminate them from our diets altogether.

But what if the pervasive message that the plant-based diet will improve our health and save the planet is misleading - or even false? What if removing animal foods from our diet is a serious threat to human health, and a red herring in the fight against climate change.

In THE GREAT PLANT-BASED CON, Jayne Buxton demonstrates that each of these 'what-ifs' is, in fact, a reality. Drawing on the work of numerous health experts and researchers, she uncovers how the separate efforts of a constellation of individuals, companies and organizations are leading us down a dietary road that will have severe repercussions for our health and wellbeing, and for the future of the planet.

THE GREAT PLANT-BASED CON is neither anti-plant nor anti-vegan - it is a call for us to take an honest look at the facts about human diets and their effect on the environment. Shocking and eye-opening, this book outlines everything you need to know to make more informed decisions about the food you choose to eat.

Here is another reason why women need meat -- The Truth about Hormones and eating Carnivore

I have removed a lot of the information that was in this blog regarding the carnivore way of eating and moved it into its own blog entitled What Doctors are Saying about Eating Carnivore. 

Why we are Carnivores: 

Fat, and in particular meat, became bad.

In the mid 1960s, the sugar industry was concerned about mounting scientific evidence that their product was causing serious health problems. They formulated a plan. They recruited Harvard scientists to publish a review in the most respected medical journal in the world. The efforts of those scientists, along with the anti-fat framework laid by Ancel Keys, would reshape dietary advice across the world for the next 50 years. Saturated fat was declared public health enemy #1 and the sugar industry reaped the benefits of, arguably, the best $50,000 investment in the history of the US dollar. It wasn't until 2016 that researchers learned the funding source for this review when they discovered the original documents in archives. But a half a century of misinformation is hard to overcome and like it or not, most of us have been on a low fat diet for most, if not all, of our lives. Time to wake up, people. The alarm clock went off 10 years ago.

Grains (“healthy carbs”) and vegetable oils (“healthy fats”) became good. Sugar was considered innocuous (“empty calories”). What gets lost in history is that Keys excluded 22 other countries from the study that didn’t support his hypothesis.

Keys published his “research” showing 6 countries with high animal fat intake and their associated higher risk of death from heart disease.
This was a catalyst to the low-fat, high-carb recommendations of the last century – and is one of the biggest contributors to our skyrocketing epidemics of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

His conclusions were based on epidemiology (observational studies) and these are limited in many ways even without cherry-picking the data.

In a large study of 17,791 heart disease patients, researchers found an inverse relationship between cholesterol levels and death.

The lower the cholesterol level, the greater the incidence of death. Exactly the opposite of what you’ve been led to believe.

But how did we get this so wrong? Why have we been told a lie about cholesterol and urged to take a drug we don’t need?

It started with the popular physiologist made famous for creating WWII K rations — Ancel Keys. He postulated that a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet caused heart disease, and he undertook a 22-country study to prove it.

Just one problem — Keys let his ego get in the way of the facts.

When his results didn’t fit his thesis, he narrowed the study to just seven countries that did: England, Canada, the U.S., Australia, Italy, Japan, and — convenient to Keys’ thesis — Wales, which he counted as a separate country, even though it’s part of the U.K. Italy and Japan ate more fish and had little heart disease. England, Wales, and the U.S. ate more fatty meats and had more heart disease. He got the conclusion he wanted by cherry-picking the stats.

Unfortunately, his theory rapidly gained traction with the medical industry and was endorsed by the U.S. government.

But later, when researchers went back to look at Keys’ original work on 22 countries, his thesis completely fell apart.

Many countries with high-fat diets had no problems with heart disease. As we know today, it wasn’t the fat in the diet causing heart disease, but rather the sugar and refined carbohydrates, as well as inflammatory oils used in processed foods. And all of this is ubiquitous in the standard American diet.

Regardless, with the medical establishment and many governments accepting Keys’ conclusions, Big Pharma went to work creating a cholesterol-lowering drug.

Once they succeeded, it was off to the races with the most successful mass marketing campaign in history.

More on Keys' study:

Ancel Keys had data from 22 countries showing the relationship between dietary fat and heart disease. He published a graph using 7 of them. The other 15 countries didn't make it into his landmark 1953 paper. Not because the data was bad. Because the data contradicted his conclusion. France: High saturated fat intake, low heart disease. Switzerland: Ate mountains of cheese, low heart disease. West Germany: Meat consumption rising, heart disease falling. All ignored. Keys knew about these countries. He had their data. He chose not to include them because they made his graph look wrong. When statistician Jacob Yerushalmy re-analysed the full 22-country dataset in 1957, he found that Keys' correlation disappeared. You could draw any conclusion you wanted depending on which countries you selected. Keys' choice wasn't random. It was deliberate. But by then Keys had something more valuable than data: institutional power. He'd secured a position on the American Heart Association's nutrition committee. When other scientists pointed out the cherry-picking, Keys didn't engage scientifically. He destroyed them personally. Dr. John Yudkin suggested sugar might be causing heart disease instead of fat. Keys called him a fool in academic journals, lobbied to cut his research funding, and successfully blocked his papers from major publications. Yudkin's career was effectively ended. He died in obscurity. His sugar hypothesis was vindicated forty years later, but he wasn't around to see it. Anyone who questioned the fat hypothesis faced the same treatment. You either supported Keys or you stopped publishing. Major journals wouldn't touch anti-Keys papers. Grant committees wouldn't fund research that challenged him. Academic conferences didn't invite speakers who disagreed. Keys didn't just have bad data. He weaponised academic institutions to prevent anyone from checking his work properly. For thirty years, questioning dietary fat was career suicide. Not because the science was solid. Because the politics made disagreement impossible. The most damaging part wasn't the bad science. It was how thoroughly he captured the institutions that should have caught it. By the time better data emerged showing Keys was wrong, those same institutions had spent decades building dietary guidelines, public health campaigns, and pharmaceutical markets around his hypothesis. Admitting error would mean acknowledging that millions of people had been given harmful advice by trusted authorities for half a century. So they didn't admit error. They doubled down. Keys selected 7 countries out of 22 to prove his predetermined conclusion, then spent thirty years ensuring nobody could say so out loud. That's not science. That's a protection racket for a failed hypothesis. And your dietary guidelines are still based on it.

A short history of saturated fat: the making and unmaking of a scientific consensus.

How Seed Oils Poisoned The Planet. And one of the biggest contributors to this poisoning was Ancel Keys. His story is included in this article.

Carnivore for women. Specifically: the number of women who have resolved hormonal dysfunction, PCOS, endometriosis symptoms, perimenopausal chaos, and two decades of unexplained fatigue by removing plants and eating animal foods. The thyroid requires iodine, selenium, and zinc. Beef and seafood. It requires conversion of T4 to T3, a process disrupted by chronic inflammation. Seed oils. It requires adequate cholesterol for hormone synthesis. The thing you've been told to minimize. Oestrogen is synthesized from cholesterol. Progesterone is synthesized from cholesterol. Every sex hormone requires the substrate that dietary guidelines have spent fifty years telling women to eat less of. The advice to eat less fat, more fibre, and plenty of wholegrains has been directed disproportionately at women, has been delivered disproportionately in the context of weight management, and has produced a generation of women with disrupted hormonal function, brittle bones, depleted iron, and the persistent suggestion that these problems require medication rather than food. Eat the fat. Eat the meat. Let your hormones work.

Sama Hoole on X:

Carnivore is not a weight loss diet. That framing is the smallest possible way to understand what's actually happening.

Yes, people lose weight. They also lose the bloating they'd had for a decade and assumed was just how their stomach worked. They lose the brain fog they'd written off as ageing. They lose the joint inflammation they'd been managing with ibuprofen every other day for three years. They lose the 3pm crash that had become so reliable they'd built their day around it. They lose the anxiety that spiked after every high-carbohydrate meal and that no one had ever connected to the food. These are not weight loss side effects. These are the body fixing problems you had stopped noticing. That's the thing about adapting to dysfunction. The dysfunction becomes the baseline. You forget what the absence of it feels like. You don't know the joint ache is abnormal. You don't know the fatigue is optional. You've been told that feeling rough after 40 is just how it goes, and you believed it, because everyone around you feels the same way and they've been eating the same things. Carnivore works because it removes the variables. Not the fat. Not the protein. The things that came in the last six minutes of the evolutionary clock: the seed oils, the refined grains, the antinutrients in the plants that evolved specifically to not be eaten, the lectins, the phytates, the oxalates, the compounds that bind to minerals and prevent absorption and irritate the gut lining of animals that did not evolve eating them. You remove all of that. And the body, finally running on the substrate it spent 2.5 million years developing the machinery to process, starts doing what it was built to do. It is not magic. It is not a hack. It is not optimisation culture or biohacking or a fad. It is the most conservative dietary decision a human being can make. You are eating what your genome expects. You are removing everything it doesn't recognise. You are giving the body the one diet it has spent the entirety of its existence learning to run on. The improvements are not the body responding to something new. They are the body responding to the absence of something wrong. Everything you need. None of the baggage. So maybe don't call it a diet. Call it a factory reset.

In today’s podcast, Paul Saladino unpacks the myth that eating red meat is counterproductive to longevity. He explains all of the unique nutrients found in red meat, how much red meat he believes we need, and why he believes that red meat, in fact, reverses aging.

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I found this guy on YouTube and he calls himself Dogman (I think that's because he is part of a dog rescue team). Anyway, he has some pretty interesting videos on what he did to lose over 100 lbs. and gain his health back ~~

This one he posted in November 2025, talking about what he did to get off of disability, and how he improved his life:

If you really want to quit drinking… it starts long before you stop. Most people never fix the life that makes quitting possible. Quitting drinking isn’t just about willpower. It’s about building a stable life first—one where you’re not surrounded by drinking buddies, chaos, or old habits that pull you right back in. 

In this video dated December 2025, I talk honestly about why I quit drinking, how I enjoyed it but didn’t use it as a crutch, and why so many people fail when they try to stop. The truth is simple: until you get control over your life and your environment, quitting alcohol becomes a revolving door. If you’re trying to quit, thinking about it, or just curious why it’s so hard, this video will give you the perspective nobody else is talking about.

Two years ago, I was over 317 lbs. Today, I’m 194 lbs — and I didn’t just lose weight, I got my life back. I have more energy now than I’ve had in decades. I can work, move, build, and live again without constant pain, exhaustion, or feeling out of breath. I didn’t achieve this with surgery, weight-loss drugs, or prescriptions. I achieved it by changing what I eat.

In the following video dated February 2026, I show actual footage of what I looked like just a couple of years ago and explain what finally worked for me after years of thinking that pain, fatigue, and slowing down were “just part of getting old.” I follow an almost-carnivore lifestyle — meat, eggs, butter, and animal-based foods — with very few exceptions. Over time, the weight came off, inflammation disappeared, joint pain went away, energy returned, and my overall health improved dramatically. 

I’m not selling anything. I’m not giving medical advice. I’m simply sharing my real experience in the hope it helps someone else who feels stuck. If you’ve tried everything and nothing has worked, maybe it’s time to try something different — even for just 30 days.

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One of the books that I read about 15 years ago that helped me with deciding what to eat was called The Schwarzbein Principle. Dr. Schwarzbein is an endocrinologist and her task was to help diabetics get better. To heal the body you have to eliminate all sugars, chemicals and drugs, reduce carbohydrates and provide your body with needed proteins and fats so your body can reverse insulin resistance and repair your metabolism. You need to eat real food that you could in theory, pick, gather, milk, hunt, or fish. Do not eat man-made carbohydrates. Do not ingest artificial sweeteners. Do not eat processed packaged foods.

Recommended Books to Read:

Recently, I have read Toxic Superfoods by Sally K. Norton, Lies My Doctor Told Me by Dr. Ken Berry, and The Dietitian's Dilemma by Michelle Hurn. I'm  working my way through Forever Strong by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat by Richard J. Johnson.

Also Good Fat is Good for Women

Listen to Dr. Livingood with this advice for women in menopause. He says to put 1-2 T into your coffee or a shake every day. Like the above title says: good fat is good for women.

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Diabetes

Diabetes will destroy your body and mind if ignored or partially treated. Listen to this inspiring true story about using a Carnivore Diet to reverse Type 2 Diabetes! You can completely reverse Type 2 Diabetes by following a Carnivore Diet. 

There are a few drugs out there that diabetics and people looking to lose weight use, such as Ozempic and Wegovi. Listen to this short video by Dr. Ardis explaining the dangers of these drugs.

"You Cannot Have Type 2 Diabetes If You Don't Eat Carbohydrates." ~~ Dr. Robert Cywes Everybody with a true diagnosis of T2D can put their disease into remission. There are 537 million people "living with Diabetes." Don't manage it, reverse it. Your very life depends upon it. The most important thing to understand is that it's your relationship with carbohydrates that causes harm. Once you understand that & you begin to eliminate Carbohydrates from your diet, you cannot have type 2 diabetes. No damage, with normal A1C, normal blood sugar, if they don't eat carbohydrates. That's the principle of the Ketogenic Diet Treatment for Diabetes. Get rid of the sugar. Eat fat so that you're burning fat as a fuel source, not sugar, & you're not converting protein to sugar. In the US, 80% of lower-limb amputations are caused by complications from diabetes. This means that every 3 minutes and 30 seconds, a limb is amputated in the US due to diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, with approximately 40% of people with diabetes developing kidney disease severe enough to require dialysis or transplantation, meaning a significant portion of individuals with diabetes experience organ failure, primarily affecting the kidneys.

REVERSE Type 2 Diabetes in 5 Easy Steps (Yes You Can!)

Step 1: Eliminate all sugar, including added sugar and natural sugar.

Step 2: Stop eating all grains ~~ wheat, corn, oats, rice, amaranth, millet and quinoa.

Step 3: Remove all vegetable oils -- corn, canola, soybean, sunflower, safflower, peanut, cotton seed.

Step 4: Include lots of fatty meat in your diet. Fat and protein do not raise your blood sugar.

Step 5: Get any carbohydrates that you do eat from above ground, non-starchy vegetables.

Lab tests you should get:

Fasting Glucose

Hemoglobin A1C (Hb A1C)

C-peptide 

Fasting Insulin

What is the Ketogenic Diet? Dr. Berry explains:

What is the Ketogenic Diet? The keto way of eating is exploding in popularity, and for very good reasons. No other diet can give the amazing short-term and long-term results like keto can. Keto lets you eat until you are full, and lets you enjoy delicious, real, whole-foods. What could be more sustainable? Keto is very do-able and very sustainable. 

There are 1000's of foods you can choose to enjoy on keto, all of which are natural and healthy. You never need to spend money on powders, bars, shakes or potions when you eat keto, you just get to eat lots of healthy, delicious food. Keto is the diet your ancestors ate, and the diet you should eat too. It is easy, natural and healthy, and oh so tasty. 

If you have ever struggled with your weight, low energy, pre-diabetes or even type 2 diabetes, this is a conversation that could change your life. Dr. David Unwin is an NHS GP who not only put his own type 2 diabetes into drug free remission, he has also helped over 150 patients do the same in a standard UK general practice – with ordinary people, on ordinary budgets, using food and lifestyle. It’s estimated that around 7/8ths of the adult population are metabolically unhealthy, which means that only a tiny minority of us are truly metabolically well. And this is a serious issue because poor metabolic health is one of the root cause drivers of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s and many forms of cancer.

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The low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet (LCKD) may be effective for improving glycemia and reducing medications in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Carbohydrates and the Carnivore Diet by Dr. Kevin Stock. The title “Carbohydrates and the Carnivore Diet” doesn’t even make sense. Meat has virtually no carbohydrates. Nearly all carbs and sugars in our diet come from plant-based foods. Inside of this article you will find a link to "Health Dangers of a Plant Based Diet." 

What carbohydrates have to do with the carnivore diet. What are carbohydrates? Without going into all the biochemistry, there are a few things to know about carbs.

We store carbohydrates as glycogen in our liver (~120 grams) and muscles (~400 grams). You can think of the liver and muscles as limited, short-term gas (energy) tanks. When the gas tank is full, excess fuel (carbohydrates) gets stored as fat, which is our long-term energy storage.

Carbohydrates are sugars. Ultimately when we eat carbohydrates they get broken down into glucose, fructose, or a combination of the two.

Most of our dietary carbohydrates come from plants. Virtually none come from animal tissue.

Foods to Avoid

Processed Carbohydrates, refined grains, and sugars disrupt insulin signaling. Studies consistently show their association with metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. The rapid blood sugar spikes they cause may trigger inflammation and oxidative stress.

Industrial Seed Oils Vegetable oils like soybean, corn, and canola oil are high in omega-6 fatty acids. When consumed disproportionately to omega-3s, they promote inflammatory prostaglandins. These modern oils undergo extensive processing involving chemical solvents and high heat.

Legumes and Nightshades Beans, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes contain compounds like lectins and alkaloids. These may impair nutrient absorption and worsen autoimmune conditions in sensitive individuals. Traditional cultures typically processed these foods extensively to neutralize anti-nutrients.

I read this by Sama Hoole on X: He said people come back from carnivore to carbs all the time. That's fine. Carbs are not inherently poison. You can include them and be perfectly healthy. Some people do. Some people thrive on it. I have no objection. The interesting part is what sometimes happens next.

A subset of people leave carnivore, reintroduce carbohydrates, and within a few weeks find themselves in a very familiar place: thinking about food constantly, struggling with energy between meals, having "just one" of something seventeen times a day, feeling like their willpower has evaporated. They conclude from this that the human body requires carbohydrates to function normally. What they've actually demonstrated is how addiction works. Sugar stimulates dopaminergic reward pathways. It creates tolerance. It creates withdrawal. It creates craving states that feel like hunger and register as need. Coming off it feels like deprivation. Getting back on it feels like relief. This is not your body telling you it needs glucose. This is your brain telling you it remembers the spike. Your body can make all the glucose it needs through gluconeogenesis. It has done this for the duration of human evolution, including all the stretches when fruit wasn't available, harvest hadn't come, and the only carbohydrates in the landscape were incidental. Eat carbs if you want. But when you feel like you can't function without them after three weeks back on bread and orange juice, don't call it physiology. Call it what it is.

Simple, sharable steps to adopt a Proper Human Diet ~~

1. Eliminate anything containing added sugar from your diet. This sugar provides no benefit to your body and leads to high blood sugar, high insulin levels & chronic inflammation. This includes fruit juices which in many cases contain more sugar than a Coke. 2. Eliminate all grains & legumes from your diet. Wheat, rice, oats, corn, soybeans, etc. These have very little in the way of meaningful nutrition and contain two things to avoid: 1. starch-long chains of sugar that break down into sugar in your body & 2. gluten-like inflammatory proteins that lead to chronic inflammation. Oats are not a health food. They're a socially acceptable way to eat glyphosate for breakfast.

Non-organic oats are among the most heavily glyphosate-sprayed crops in existence. Glyphosate is applied right before harvest as a desiccant: to dry the crop faster. I soaks directly into the grain.

Oats also contain: - Avenin (a gluten-adjacent protein many people react to) - High phytic acid (mineral blocker) - Beta-glucan (fine in isolation, but oversold as cardiovascular magic) - Frequently contaminated with mycotoxins from storage fungi The cholesterol studies used to sell oats as heart-healthy were largely funded by Quaker Oats. You're eating a pesticide-soaked grain with a cardiovascular halo bought and paid for by the company selling it to you, and calling it a clean breakfast. 3. Eliminate seed oils from your diet. Canola, soybean, corn, peanut, sunflower, safflower, etc. These oils are new to the human diet and contain too much Omega-6 fatty acids that research has shown to lead to chronic inflammation in some people. *** These 1st 3 steps will remove 100% of ultra-processed food from your diet and will give immediate results (in weeks) for 80% of people. 4. Make sure each meal contains meat, seafood or eggs. These foods were eaten by your ancestors for millions of years and are very nutrient-dense. Although many main-stream sources claim that these foods are inflammatory, we've seen bloodwork from 10,000's of people whose inflammatory markers go down on meat.

Make sure what you eat is actually food. Look at this chart comparing foods from the 70s to today.

Carbohydrate Knob theory: Some people can tolerate more carbs than others. People who fatten easily or develop diabetes easily need to turn down their carb intake knob closer to zero. Young, active people can tolerate more natural carbs in their diet. Remember, there is no Need for carbs in the diet. As you turn down the Carb Intake Knob more & more you will be eating more meat, eggs & seafood. Snacking: Snacking is never healthy, regardless of the snack. Eat discrete meals during the day separated by periods of not eating. Eating due to boredom or stress is never a healthy choice. Plant Toxins: All plants use chemical defense chemicals to protect their parts, this is inarguable. Some plants are more toxic than others. Some people can tolerate these toxins more than others. Anyone suffering from inflammatory or auto-immune disease should try 90 days of Carnivore to see if they are reacting to the plant chemicals. DAIRY: All mammals (you) can tolerate dairy as an infant. At about age 4-8 years most people (70% +/-) become lactose intolerant. That is not the only problem with dairy. Many people also become sensitive to the Caseins & Whey in milk. This manifests in inflammatory conditions of the skin, joints, gut, mental.

Dairy also contains caso-morphins that mimic morphine in the brain and can make dairy addictive to some people. This is good for keeping babies interested in mother's milk, but can cause adults to over eat/drink dairy for the good feeling. Some cheeses actually concentrate the caso-morphin content.

In a nutshell: Literally just start eating more beef & fat every week, eliminate sugar, gluten, oxalates, lectins. Soon you’ll feel better, as you do you’ll crave beef and will find that’s what you need to nourish your body. Enjoy all cuts of beef, ground, roasts, make bone broth using the bones. Eat steak once a week.

Here is a YouTube video with four different doctors who advocate the carnivore diet and tell their patients to try it. PLUS! A World Premiere of a 2 minute clip from the new Carnivore documentary. Get ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about nutrition. Animal is a groundbreaking documentary that delves into the science, stories, and societal shifts surrounding the carnivore lifestyle. Featuring insights from leading experts and transformative personal journeys, this film aims to ignite a global conversation about what it truly means to eat ancestrally. Join us as we explore the path back to our roots—one bite at a time. (I think they changed the name to Healing Humanity.)

I also look at Judy Cho and Nutrition with Judy. She wrote a book entitled Carnivore Cure. Check out her website.

Red meat has been demonized for too long when it is a superfood. And make sure to get the red meat with extra fat!

I’m grateful that the fattier cuts of ground beef are cheaper but it shows how wrong our nutritional guidance is currently.

We need fat for so many reasons, some including hormone health, immune health, skin health, and mental health.

If you cook ground beef on the pan, make sure to use all the drippings in the pan, otherwise, you’re eating lean ground beef.

And if you get loose stools when you consume rendered fat, it’s time to heal your gut.

You should be able to tolerate any amount of fat—even 80% of total calories. Yes, if you can’t, you need some gut healing.

So why is digestion so important?

Just because an 8 oz serving of meat has 142% of your DV% for vitamin B12, that does not mean you are absorbing all of it. We are all different. There are many co-factors and enzymes in the body that need to all play nicely (and be present) together for nutrients to do their job.

Let me give you the example of digestion. B12 is primarily created in the large intestine (some B12 can be absorbed in the small intestine). If your digestive process is not functioning optimally, much of the B12 may not get absorbed.

If you ate low-fat and now switching to meat-based, your gallbladder may be struggling. Your gallbladder has to release bile in order for fat to break down. (Liver has bile too). With a low-fat diet, the bile can get old and when fat needs to be broken down, the gallbladder tries to contract but is unable to release the viscous bile. Enter rancidity in the colon and the runs.

If you have leaky gut, it’s likely you need digestive support. Fix your gut to really ensure you’re absorbing your nutrients.

But even if you have a health condition, metabolic disorders, or autoimmune issues, you'll have a better chance at absorbing nutrients from meat than from vegetables, especially nutrients like iron and B12.

Unfortunately, vegetables lack B12 and contain non-heme iron (which the body has a more difficult time absorbing than meat's heme iron.)

Another thing you need to look out for is "Modified Food Starch" -- one of the toxic thing you can eat:

The most dangerous carbohydrate people eat. Most people don’t realize how common the problems caused by this food are—or how much damage it can do in just a few days. After years of seeing the same patterns repeat in patients, doctors are finally speaking up. I’ll also reveal something about this food that almost no one warns you about.

Well, I had already looked into the Paleo diet, which is a good lifestyle program, allowing meats, fish, fats, eggs, veggies, green leafy veggies, root veggies, winter and summer squash, nuts and seeds. What is not allowed is grains, legumes, added sugars, vegetable seed oils, processed foods and dairy. I tried it for a while but I did not want to give up dairy (even though dairy can cause inflammation), so I opted for the Ketogenic diet, which is basically the same as Paleo, but allows dairy. Here is another site that explains the Ketogenic Diet.

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Visceral Fat

This is what "visceral" fat looks like:

Visceral fat is a type of fat that's stored deep within the abdominal cavity, surrounding the liver, stomach, and intestines. It's also known as "toxic" fat because it produces hormones and chemicals that can be harmful to the body.

Visceral fat is more dangerous than subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that's visible and can be felt just below the skin. Too much visceral fat is linked to an increased risk of serious health problems, including:

• Diabetes
• Prediabetes
Heart disease
Metabolic syndrome, which includes higher blood pressure, blood sugar, and triglyceride levels, and lower HDL (good) cholesterol
Dementia

How do you get rid of this visceral fat? Eliminate ultra-processed foods. Eat real food. Base your diet on foods with high nutritional and protein density. The fewer ingredients the better. Look at the composition on the labels.

As a rule... eat foods that you could have found 100 years ago (this is an exaggeration, but that's the idea.) - The modern food industry doesn't care about you. It looks out for its own interests.

EXERCISE! Walk at least 6-10K steps a day. Maybe it seems like a lot to you. Start small and work your way up. If you don't like walking, you can play sports like basketball, tennis, soccer... or go cycling. The more you move, the better. That's how it is. Walk after meals.

Strength train. Do it at least 2 to 3 times a week. Lift weights or train with your body weight (calisthenics). Gaining muscle mass will make you a much more efficient "fat burning" machine. Don't think about it ... just do it.

HYDRATE! Men should drink at least 100oz of water a day; women 70oz. Give up or limit alcohol. It will make your metabolism work better, as well as your body and your brain. Also, if you drink before meals, you will feel less hungry.

Get a good night's sleep. Have a good sleep routine. This is key. Try to sleep between 7-8 hours. Always go to bed and get up at the same time. This affects your entire body, mind and of course weight loss and muscle gain. It will change your life.

Consume 1.5-2g of protein per kg of body weight. Your muscle gain will be greater and you will lose fat more easily. Proteins should predominate in your meals. You will feel fuller and less hungry. You can eat until you are full ~~ meat, fish, eggs.

Expose yourself to the sun. The list of benefits of the sun on our body is enormous. Try to expose yourself to sunlight for at least 20-30 minutes a day. A few minutes of sun in the morning will do you good.

Create mental space. If you spend time every day reflecting and having a clearer mind, you will be in a better position to fight for your goals. You can meditate, take a walk, use breathing techniques... whatever works best for you.

Spend time in nature. You can take advantage of the opportunity to go hiking, do adventure sports... or just take a walk. It's another "hack" that seems to be of no importance. It will also give you greater clarity.

Another perspective by Marko Katanic (Health & Fitness Coach):

The hidden danger that's slowly killing you ~~ Visceral fat. Here is his protocol for getting rid of visceral fat.

These real X-ray visuals show how obesity affects the body from the inside out:

• Joints and spine bear crushing pressure, leading to arthritis and back pain

• The heart strains to pump blood through excess tissue

• Organs like the liver and pancreas struggle, risking fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes

• Obesity is linked to 13 types of cancer and increases the risk of stroke

Obesity isn’t just ‘extra weight’ — it’s a chronic disease that shortens lives. But it’s also treatable and preventable.

Healthy lifestyle changes, medical care, and supportive environments can make a difference.

Let’s fight the stigma and recognize the serious medical reality of obesity — because self-love and health go hand in hand.

What Does 250 Lbs vs. 125 Lbs Look Like… Inside Your Body?

This MRI body scan comparison reveals something powerful:

Left: A woman weighing 250 lbs

Right: A woman at 125 lbs

It’s not just size — it’s what’s happening under the skin:

Visceral fat (fat around your organs) is much higher in the heavier body, crowding the heart, lungs, and digestive organs.

This fat is linked to diabetes, heart disease, and inflammation — even if you’re “technically” just overweight.

Meanwhile, the 125-lb scan shows:

Leaner muscle mass

Less organ compression

Healthier fat distribution

More space for vital systems to function properly

MRIs like this are used in medical research to highlight how fat distribution, not just weight, impacts health. It’s a reminder:

Losing weight isn’t just cosmetic — it’s biological.

Small lifestyle changes = big internal benefits

Let this scan be your motivation — not for appearance, but for longevity.

Your organs deserve room to breathe.

First, WHAT Is visceral fat? Visceral fat isn't the fat you pinch on your stomach. It's the dangerous fat hidden deep within your abdomen, wrapping around your liver, pancreas, and intestines.

Unlike subcutaneous fat (the stuff right under your skin), visceral fat is metabolically active. Think of it like this: Subcutaneous fat is the insulation on your house. One is visible but harmless. The other is hidden but deadly. You can be skinny and still have dangerous levels of visceral fat. That's why some "thin" people still develop diabetes and heart disease. Visceral fat is a fire burning inside your walls.

How do you know if you have too much visceral fat? Simple test: Measure your height, then your waist. If your waist measurement is more than half your height, you have too much visceral fat. A man's waist shoud be less than 40" a woman's less than 35.

Second, WHY is visceral fat dangerous for your health? Visceral fat isn't passive. It constantly releases inflammatory compounds and stress hormones directly into your liver. This creates chronic inflammation throughout your body. The result? Insulin resistance, heart disease, cancer, and dementia. Visceral fat disrupts every hormone in your body. It lowers testosterone in men, creates estrogen imbalances in women, and spikes cortisol in everyone.

Here is a good drink to help with fatty liver and visceral fat.

Why It Helps:

This drink aids in promoting digestion, reducing inflammation, and boosting metabolism. Ginger and turmeric are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Combined with a clean diet and daily exercise, this remedy can work wonders! 🌟

3 Important Steps:

1️⃣ Walk for 30 minutes (or more) daily 🚶‍♂️

2️⃣ Maintain a clean, healthy diet 🥩

3️⃣ Drink this liver-cleansing elixir every morning ☕️

Ingredients:

🥤 1 cup warm water

💝 2 capsules Qunol Turmeric (Walmart)

⃞ 1/4 t Real Sea Salt

🍎 2 T Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with the "Mother" in it)

🍋 1 capsule freeze-dried whole Lemon (or juice one whole lemon)

     2 capsules Liver Support + NAC

 

Each pound of visceral fat is like adding another factory of poison production to your body. The longer it stays, the more damage it causes. And this damage can be permanent. To lose weight, you first need to get your blood work checked. If your hormones are not optimized, you are not going to lose any weight. Obesity is caused by abnormal hormone actions, balances and levels in your body, and inappropriate dietary choices, plus or minus hormone imbalances. For a man, include thyroid, adrenal and testosterone in your blood work. For a woman, include thyroid, adrenal, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone.

Cut processed carbs completely. Replace them with lean protein sources: eggs, chicken, grass-fed beef, wild fish. Double your protein intake while cutting overall calories.

Practice intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and voluntary fasting on a regular schedule. It doesn't dictate what to eat, but rather when to eat, focusing on the timing of meals rather than specific dietary restrictions. Common methods include time-restricted eating (e.g., 16/8), where one eats within a set window (e.g., 8 hours) and fasts for the remaining hours, or 5:2 fasting, where one eats normally for five days and restricts calories on two non-consecutive days. For example:

You can drop 5 pounds of visceral fat and completely transform your health while barely changing the scale. You want to switch your body from a carb, starch, and sugar burner to a fat burner.

To get your body into ketosis is practically impossible, even through eating a ketogenic diet. The only way to get your body to produce ketones is by adding Polyphenols and MCTs to your diet. According to Dr. Steven Gundry, these two items activate what he calls "caloric bypass." They go straight to your liver and are converted into ketones, which then activate caloric bypass. He has developed a product called MCT Wellness, which gives your the boosters your body needs to burn fat. You can also add intermittent fasting to this regimen.

However, you have to quit drinking alcohol if you really want to lose weight with the MCTs and Polyphenols mixture. Alcohol stops or significantly suppresses the fat-burning process initiated by MCTs and polyphenols. When you consume alcohol, your body treats it as a toxin and prioritizes metabolizing and eliminating it from your system. This causes your metabolism to slow down the oxidation (burning) of other fuels, including fats from any source. 

How alcohol interferes with fat burning:

• Metabolic priority shift: Your liver, which normally metabolizes fats, is diverted to process alcohol first. This temporary halt in normal metabolic processes can last for several hours, depending on how much you drink.
• Suppressed fat oxidation: Studies have shown that alcohol can decrease total body fat oxidation by a large percentage. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that ethanol decreased total four-hour fat oxidation by 79%.
• Conversion to acetate: The metabolism of alcohol produces a toxic compound called acetaldehyde, which is quickly broken down into acetate. Your body then burns this acetate for energy in place of fat, effectively putting fat burning on hold. 

Why MCTs and polyphenols don't override alcohol

• MCTs: Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are typically burned for energy very quickly, bypassing the liver to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. However, the liver's metabolic prioritization of alcohol will still override this process. While alcohol is being processed, the calories from MCTs will be used less efficiently, and your body will favor burning the acetate from the alcohol instead.
• Polyphenols: Compounds like those found in red wine are known to improve fat metabolism and increase thermogenesis (calorie-burning). But as with MCTs, the powerful, immediate metabolic demands of processing alcohol cancel out these beneficial effects. Any fat-burning boost from polyphenols is overridden while the body works to remove the alcohol. 

I ordered Mighty Reds from Dr. Gundry ~~ These sugar-free, vegan gummies are made with prebiotic fiber, polyphenols, and Vitamin D3 to help support gut integrity, and immune system health.

Healthy Digestion ~~ Prebiotic fiber at the heart of Mighty Reds directly feeds your “gut buddies,” so you can feel satisfied after meals and stop worrying about occasional bloating, gas, or indigestion.

Weight Management ~~ The polyphenols in Mighty Reds can help your body burn fat and turn it into energy. They can also reduce unhealthy cravings, so you have an easier time reaching your health goals, guilt-free.

Daily Energy ~~ Mighty Reds boost your mitochondria (your cell “batteries”) to keep up your energy levels. Our fruit extracts also support healthy blood sugar levels already within normal range, to help you avoid afternoon energy crashes.

Immune Support ~~ The Vitamin D3 in Mighty Reds is a close friend of your immune system. It can help you fight pathogens and feel healthy, so you can make the most of each day.

Youthful Mobility ~~ Mighty Reds ingredients all work together to support strong muscles and limber joints. Vitamin D3 helps deliver calcium to fortify your bones, polyphenols can soothe uncomfortable joints, and prebiotic fiber helps give your cells the energy they need to stay active.

The bottom line for your diet ~~

To maximize the fat-burning effects of MCTs and polyphenols, it is best to consume them separately from alcohol. Since alcohol provides "empty" calories and halts your body's fat-burning processes, drinking excessively will negate the benefits of these health-promoting compounds.

I read  an article by Dr. Ashley Lucas, founder of PHD Weight Loss, and this is what she is saying about visceral -- belly fat -- and it's pretty scary. This deep, gel-like fat packs in your belly area, fills up your organs, squeezes them tight, and makes your liver look like a Kobe beef steak (i.e., fatty liver). It is different from the rest of the fat in your body because you can't melt, laser, suck or sculpt it away. This special fat grows blood vessels, has an oxygen supply, and secretes toxic hormones. What you have actually accumulated in your belly is really metabolically active tissue. 

This fat mass has its own agenda -- a mind of its own -- and it is completely unregulated. All this tissue wants to do is continue to grow as fast as possible, much like a tumor does. All of the hormones it secretes in your body are intended to encourage its continued growth. This fat is an entity in and of itself. It has urges, demands, desires and cravings. The more fat mass you have, the more additions to food you have. This fat slows your metabolism, makes you hungry, triggers cravings, and makes you "lazy"; your body doesn't want to move and only wants to store more fat. At this point in your weight gain, your signals of hunger and fullness are out of whack and you don't know up from down in terms of what your body is telling you to eat or not eat.

This visceral, tumor-like fat also secretes significant inflammatory hormones. It lowers testosterone in men and increases risk of estrogen-dependent breast cancer in women. As we travel through life we experience different "triggers" that change the way we tolerate our food. (For example, Bill, a 55-year-old PHD client, came in to see us with about 70lbs to drop. His triggers were a stressful job and an unhappy marriage. He carried the majority of his weight in his belly, chest, and throat area. As a result, he suffered from heartburn, sleep apnea, hormonal imbalance [low testosterone and high estrogen], and high blood pressure.) This is why Bill had low testosterone and higher estrogen levels. If you're a man and carry belly fat, you're likely right there with him. Carrying weight in the belly will disrupt your hormones, and as you continue to gain more fat, it will accumulate in your belly, chest and throat areas, indicative of higher estrogen levels and putting you at risk for high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and heart attack.

So what to do? You have to remove the love shine from the foods and drinks proven to increase weight gain, sickness, inflammation, and pain. Slowly, you must break the ties with the foods you say you love, but don't love you back. Avoid heavy, greasy carbs. These are hard to digest and will leave you feeling too full and lethargic: hamburgers with fries; bowls heavy with rice, corn and beans; sandwiches with potato chips; or an apple, soda, and a cookie will cause a blood glucose spike with a low to follow, making the 3-5pm slump a huge struggle.

Visceral fat is an unsightly and dangerous problem that affects millions of people. Visceral fat increases your risk of heart attack and many other bad outcomes. The problem is that most of the advice doesn't help you shrink it, and some advice will make it worse. In this video, Dr. Berry talks about what steps to take to get rid of visceral fat:

(1) Eliminate ultra processed foods from your diet.

(2) Stop drinking sugar (soda, fruit juice, fruit smoothies).

(3) Stop drinking alcohol.

(4) Reduce carbohydrates.

(5) Avoid seed oils.

(6) Eat mostly fatty fed meat/egg yolks/seafood.

(7) Engage in vigorous exercise.

(8) Spend time in the sun - 5 minutes of morning sun.

(9) Track your progress.

(10) Be patient.

The best diet to lose visceral fat is a ketogenic diet. Here is a complete YouTube series by Dr. Berry on the ketogenic diet.

A discussion between Dr. Berry and Dr. Sean O'mara talking about visceral fat:

How do you know if you have Ascites or just plain Belly Fat. Ascites typically develops over a few weeks or months and is characterized by a significant change in body shape and a smooth belly that feels hard to the touch. Common symptoms of ascites include frequent urination, difficulty breathing, swollen feet and legs, hemorrhoids, and nausea. 

In contrast to ascites, belly fat causes a soft belly that tends to develop slowly due to poor dietary and lifestyle habits. While belly fat doesn’t cause significant symptoms, excess fat around the organs can impact cardiovascular functioning and cause shortness of breath and hypertension. 

Causes of ascites

Ascites is a serious medical condition that indicates impaired kidney and liver function and may require immediate treatment. Factors that can cause or contribute to ascites include:

Hepatitis B or C infections
Chronic alcohol abuse
Fatty liver disease
Genetic predisposition to cirrhosis
Congestive heart failure
Ovarian cancer
Portal hypertension

Can Ascites be fixed?

If You're Waking Up to Pee, It's Not Your Bladder

Where Your Body Fat Hides Might Determine Your Cancer Risk Your waistline may be a better predictor of cancer risk than your bathroom scale. While obesity has long been linked to higher rates of cancer, research points to a more precise culprit: where fat is stored in the body. Visceral fat, the deep belly fat that wraps around the liver, pancreas, and intestines, doesn’t just sit there. It actively releases inflammatory chemicals and hormones that create ideal conditions for cancer to develop and spread. Unlike subcutaneous fat, the fat just under the skin, visceral fat often goes unseen and can bypass the scale—meaning even people with a normal body mass index are at hidden cancer risk. To understand why visceral fat is so risky and how it can be targeted, it helps to know exactly what and where it is.

Are you struggling with stubborn visceral fat that just won’t go away—no matter what you try? This hidden fat around your organs is not just about appearance—it’s strongly linked to serious health risks like diabetes, heart disease, and inflammation. 

In today’s video, we reveal the #1 fasting hack inspired by Dr. William Li that can help your body naturally target and burn visceral fat. This is not a crash diet or extreme plan—it's a science-backed method designed to activate your metabolism and support long-term fat loss.

What Makes Visceral Fat Different?

Visceral fat sits deep in the abdominal cavity, surrounding organs including the liver, pancreas, and intestines. You can’t pinch it or see it in the mirror, which is why many people don’t realize they’re carrying it.

“Visceral fat is also called active fat, as it’s an endocrine organ that releases harmful compounds directly into the bloodstream and into the portal vein that goes straight to the liver. The main danger is that it releases pro-inflammatory cytokines,” Dr. Wiljon Beltre, a board-certified, fellowship-trained bariatric and metabolic surgeon, told The Epoch Times.

This type of fat is particularly dangerous because it secretes significantly higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and hormones than subcutaneous fat, contributing to chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation.

Visceral fat is measured using imaging techniques such as MRI, CT scans, or estimated with simple waist-to-hip ratio calculations. A waist circumference of more than 35 inches or women and 40 inches for men is considered a red flag for elevated visceral fat and associated health risks.

How Visceral Fat Promotes Cancer

Visceral fat creates what researchers call a “pro-tumor microenvironment”—ideal conditions for cancer to take root and grow.

“There’s a direct link to cancer due to the constant, low-grade systemic inflammation. This damages DNA and makes cells more prone to malignant transformation,” Beltre said.

The mechanism involves several pathways. Visceral fat secretes inflammatory cytokines, which promote oxidative stress, drive abnormal cell growth, impair normal immune function, and hormones such as leptin that disrupt normal cell function.

Excess visceral fat also drives insulin resistance, raising circulating insulin and insulin-like growth factor levels, which promote cancer cell proliferation and survival.

A December 2025 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that higher visceral fat significantly increases liver cancer risk, with affected individuals showing about four times higher odds of developing the disease.

“Insulin affects your inflammatory profile and your sex hormone profile. It is all like one big network. It’s one perfect storm,” Emma Hazelwood, a research associate in cancer evolution at the University of Cambridge’s Early Cancer Institute and lead author of the liver cancer study, told The Epoch Times.

“Liver fat increases your risk of liver cancer. That makes sense—the fat’s right there secreting pro-inflammatory cytokines,” Hazelwood said.

A 2021 study published in Nutrients confirmed that a pro-tumor microenvironment increases the risk of colorectal, pancreatic, liver, breast, endometrial, ovarian, and esophageal cancers, even in people with a normal body mass index. High visceral fat correlated with worse prognosis, higher recurrence, and increased mortality.

A 2023 study published in BMC Cancer found that higher visceral fat in endometrial cancer patients was linked to more aggressive tumors and worse progression-free survival, suggesting the fat influences not just whether cancer develops, but how aggressively it behaves.

How to Target Visceral Fat

Because visceral fat is so metabolically active, it responds well to targeted lifestyle interventions.

Diet

“From a nutrition standpoint, reducing ultra-processed foods and added sugars helps lower inflammation and stabilize insulin, which is key for shrinking visceral fat,” Jennifer Scherer, a registered dietitian nutritionist and medical exercise specialist, told The Epoch Times in an email.

She suggested focusing meals around protein, produce, and whole-food carbs. Higher-fiber meals, adequate protein, and eating protein first and carbs last, also help stabilize blood sugar and reduce visceral fat accumulation.

Clinical evidence supports low-carbohydrate approaches. A 2020 study published in Nutrition & Metabolism found that in adults with obesity, a very low-carbohydrate diet led to significantly greater total fat loss, particularly visceral fat, compared to a standard low-fat diet. Other research has shown that very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets can also effectively reduce visceral fat.

Beltre recommends limiting processed foods and drinks, as well as trans and saturated fats, and increasing fiber and lean proteins.

Exercise

Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to burn visceral fat, even without significant weight loss.

“You don’t have to ‘spot reduce,’ but you can target visceral fat through training,” Scherer said. Strength training improves insulin sensitivity and directly reduces visceral fat storage, whereas moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise enhances abdominal fat oxidation.

A 2023 systematic review published in Obesity Reviews found that regular exercise, including aerobic, resistance, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), reduced visceral fat and improved body composition in people with overweight or obesity. Vigorous aerobic exercise and HIIT were most effective, while resistance training worked mainly in men and those with lower body fat percentages.

Even brief, consistent activity throughout the day can add up, making a tangible difference. “Ten-minute ‘exercise snacks,’ brisk walking, or incline walking can move the needle,” Scherer said.

For practical, sustainable results, she recommends resistance training two to three times per week, combined with 7,000 to 10,000 steps daily or other consistent low-grade movement such as walking the dog or opting for the stairs over the elevator.

“Aerobic exercises like jogging, cycling, or swimming, at least 30 minutes per day, can be particularly beneficial,” Beltre said. “Lean muscle mass can increase resting metabolism and assist with fat burning throughout the day.”

The most effective approach combines both strategies. A 2024 meta-analysis published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that long-term interventions pairing diet and exercise were effective at reducing visceral fat in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas diet-only or exercise-only interventions were less effective.

Other Critical Factors

Sleep and stress management matter significantly. “Not getting enough sleep and chronic stress can raise cortisol levels, which promote abdominal fat,” Beltre said. He recommended meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises to help manage stress and reduce cortisol levels.

Limiting alcohol is critical. Scherer noted that it is one of the fastest ways to reduce visceral fat, as the liver prioritizes alcohol metabolism over the metabolism of fat stores.

Ultimately, because visceral fat can accumulate silently, a comprehensive approach that combines diet, exercise, and lifestyle strategies is key. Hidden fat poses a cancer risk even in people who appear healthy or aren’t visibly overweight, so the goal isn’t just lowering the number on the scale—it’s targeting the fat that matters.

Some practitioners advocate for more radical dietary changes. Amanda King, an integrative metabolic oncology nutritionist and naturopath, poses the challenge: “What would happen to your health if you just gave yourself 30 days, cut out the grains, cut out the seed oils [and] have healthy animal-based protein, eggs, some oily fish, vegetables, a small amount of fruit, and lots and lots of healthy fats?”

“We need to flip nutrition on its head,” King said.

Visceral fat typically begins to respond within three months of consistent lifestyle modifications, and often shows results before significant changes appear on the scale.

“These are the needle-movers that reduce visceral fat and—importantly—lower chronic inflammation,” Scherer said. “Which is one of the strongest links between abdominal fat and cancer risk.

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LEAKY GUT

What is leaky gut? Leaky gut is a condition of the digestive system in which bacteria and toxins leak out through the walls of the intestines into the bloodstream. When it is working correctly, the lining of the intestines forms a barrier that allows helpful substances to be absorbed in the bloodstream, while blocking harmful substances.

ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is a complex, chronic condition characterized by persistent fatigue that lasts for at least six months and is not relieved by rest. Other symptoms may include:

Muscle weakness
Joint pain
Headache
Sleep disturbances
Cognitive problems (e.g., difficulty concentrating, memory loss)
Orthostatic intolerance (symptoms worsen when standing up)
Sensitivity to light, noise, or chemicals

Leaky gut syndrome is not recognized as an official condition by some doctors and can be difficult for all healthcare providers to identify. The symptoms often look very similar to other health conditions, so it is hard to distinguish the underlying cause. Constipation, bloating, and chronic diarrhea are leaky gut symptoms that also show up in numerous gastrointestinal illnesses and conditions. Nutritional deficiencies are also often seen. Fatigue, headache, trouble concentrating, and confusion, are vague and hard-to-diagnose symptoms. Widespread inflammation, joint pain, and skin conditions like eczema, rashes, and acne are associated with leaky gut but can also have a variety of other causes.

How do you know if you have leaky gut syndrome? There are some common digestive diseases as well as diseases found in other parts of the body that are often associated with leaky gut. These include conditions like Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as diabetes and liver disease. Many of these are considered autoimmune diseases or contain an autoimmune component. Autoimmune responses have been shown to be made worse by the presence of harmful substances that enter the bloodstream from the intestines. When these substances cross the intestinal barrier, the body recognizes them as foreign or harmful objects to be attacked through an immune response. Food allergies are another condition associated with leaky gut that can result in digestive issues and serious health problems. Heartburn, acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) commonly occur due to food allergies and food sensitivities.

Loose stools and leaky gut syndrome (increased intestinal permeability) can be caused by a combination of factors, including diet, stress, infections, and certain medications. A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats, as well as excessive alcohol consumption and long-term NSAID use, can damage the gut lining and disrupt the gut microbiome. Stress, infections like Candida overgrowth or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), and autoimmune disorders can also contribute to leaky gut.

Poor diet: A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats can negatively impact the gut microbiome and increase intestinal permeability.

Food sensitivities and allergies: Immune reactions to certain foods can cause inflammation and damage to the gut lining.

Gluten: Gluten, found in wheat, barley, and rye, can trigger the release of zonulin, a protein that may weaken the tight junctions between intestinal cells. 

Chronic stress: Prolonged physical or emotional stress can disrupt the gut-brain axis, affecting the intestinal barrier and potentially leading to leaky gut.

NSAIDs: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and aspirin can cause inflammation and damage to the gut lining.

Excessive alcohol consumption: Alcohol can damage the gut lining and disrupt the gut microbiome.

Gut Lining: The gut lining naturally weakens with age, potentially increasing susceptibility to leaky gut.

In summary, a combination of factors, including diet, stress, infections, and medications, can contribute to both loose stools and leaky gut syndrome.  Addressing these underlying causes through dietary changes, stress management, and potentially targeted therapies can help improve gut health and reduce symptoms, according to Verywell Health. 

What to eat? A Low FODMAP diet. Your doctor may recommend that you try a special diet—called the low FODMAP diet—to reduce or avoid certain foods that contain carbohydrates that are hard to digest. These carbohydrates are called FODMAPs.

Examples of foods that contain FODMAPs include:

• fruits such as apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, mango, nectarines, pears, plums, and watermelon, or juice containing any of these fruits
• canned fruit in natural fruit juice, or large amounts of fruit juice or dried fruit
• vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic and garlic salts, lentils, mushrooms, onions, and sugar snap or snow peas
• dairy products such as milk, milk products, soft cheeses, yogurt, custard, and ice cream
• wheat and rye products
• honey and foods with high-fructose corn syrup
• products, including candy and gum, with sweeteners ending in “–ol,” such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and maltitol

Listen to Dr. Steven Gundy discuss your gut.

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LIVER OVERLOAD

Your liver is the engine that keeps your body running. But 90% of people destroy their liver without even knowing it. Liver damage skyrockets the risk of cancer, diabetes, and chronic diseases. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of liver dysfunction include:

• Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
• Abdominal pain and swelling
• Swelling in the legs and ankles
• Itchy skin
• Dark urine color
• Pale stool color
• Chronic fatigue
• Nausea or vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Tendency to bruise easily

Liver

 disease can be genetic. Other factors like viral infections, age, obesity, or excessive alcohol use may also cause liver damage or dysfunction. If left untreated, this damage can be fatal.

Most people are walking around with a damaged or fatty liver... and they have no idea. You might feel tired, foggy, moody, inflamed or stuck, and never realize your liver is the root cause. In this video, I sit down with Coach Lisa and Dr. Nelson to break down: 

✔ WHY so many people today have fatty liver (even people who are not overweight) 

✔ How a fatty liver leads to hormonal issues, depression, blood sugar problems, anxiety, and low energy 

✔ 6 SPECIFIC & ACTIONABLE things you can do to begin reversing fatty liver and restore real health Your liver is like a filter - and when it’s clogged, everything in your body is affected. This video will show you how to unclog it... naturally. Let’s fix this together.

Your liver works like a detox factory. Every day, it processes chemicals, hormones, and heavy metals to keep every system in your body working properly. But when it gets overloaded, damage builds up—slowly and quietly. Here’s how that plays out over time…

When liver function declines, so does your health: • Higher cancer risk • Blood sugar instability • Fat around vital organs • Hormone imbalance • Chronic fatigue

Besides regulating your blood sugar, insulin is also your body’s fat switch. When insulin levels rise, you store fat. When they fall, you burn it. And the real reason people can’t lose weight?

The root issue is insulin resistance. That's when your cells don't respond well to insulin. It can develop from: • An inactive lifestyle • Having excess weight • A diet high in carbohydrates Your body decreases its uptake of glucose, leading to higher blood sugar levels.

To compensate, your pancreas floods your bloodstream with more insulin to regulate blood sugar. And just like that, fat loss becomes nearly impossible. So, the REAL key to fat loss? Getting your insulin down.

Dr. Eric Berg: The 7 worst offenders for your liver health. Here’s what they are and why you need to avoid them:

Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It helps: • Detoxify poisons • Support digestion • Produce clotting factors • Maintain skin health But certain foods quietly harm it every day. 1) Soy protein isolates These are highly processed using hexane, a petroleum byproduct and neurotoxin. They are commonly found in diet shakes, protein bars, and veggie burgers. Regular consumption has been linked to liver inflammation and digestive problems. (I made the mistake of listening to a woman we met in Minnesota who was camping a few sites down from us in September 2023. She was pushing a diet program called Optavia. The food that was used in this program was composed of soy protein isolates. Jim tried this diet program and did lose weight, but got sick from it. He did not even finish the first month of eating it when I stopped giving it to him. Wish I would have done more research!)

2) Fructose Fructose, especially high-fructose corn syrup, can only be metabolized by your liver. When consumed in excess, it contributes to fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. Other sources like agave nectar and processed sugars can have the same harmful effect.

3) Vegetable oils Corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oils are often marketed as “heart-healthy.” However, these oils are highly processed, inflammatory, and often derived from GMO crops. Excessive omega-6 fats damage cell membranes and increase liver stress.

4) Whey protein powder Often marketed as a healthy protein source, but in its isolated form it’s stripped of natural fats and nutrients. This makes it harder on the liver and more inflammatory. Protein is best eaten in whole foods where fats and nutrients are intact. We use Bone Broth Protein Powder.

5) Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a synthetic sugar with a glycemic index higher than glucose. It is commonly found in protein powders, supplements, and even “keto-friendly” foods. It spikes blood sugar, stresses the pancreas, and contributes to fatty liver. (If you read my section on sugar, it will tell you that this is one of the worst sugars you can consume.)

6) Aflatoxins Aflatoxins are toxins produced by fungi that are highly carcinogenic to the liver. They are most often found in peanuts stored in humid conditions. If you choose to eat peanuts, ensure they are fresh and properly stored to minimize exposure.

7) MSG (monosodium glutamate) MSG is a flavor enhancer hidden in many processed foods. It can trigger overeating, cause fluid retention, and place additional stress on your liver. It may also appear under names like “modified food starch” or “hydrolyzed protein.”

Another thing you need to look out for is "Modified Food Starch" -- one of the toxic thing you can eat:

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Dr. Lisa Wiederman, an optometrist, has been on a carnivore diet for over 13 years. Here is a great discussion on health and eye health with Dr. Ken Berry:

CARNIVORE Diet (Beginner's Guide) All You Need to Get Started ~~

Dr. Ken Berry's Keto101, 7 Steps to Starting the Keto Diet:

1. Remove all sugars from your diet

2. Remove all grains, including wheat and rice

3. Remove all seed oils

4. Include healthy fats in your diet (butter)

5. Do not be afraid of salt (this salt is good for you)

6. Eat whole, real foods

7. Mind your electrolytes (we use Nuun) I tried the LMNT electrolytes and they were awful. Dr. Berry and his wife drink them, but I think the Nuun has a better flavor). I'm also trying Virentis, an electrolyte without citric acid (that makes the fizz). They have different flavors, but no coloring to the drink.

Butter is the most nutrient dense condiment on Earth. Anyone who says otherwise is brainwashed, lying or trying to sell margarine.

Another thing that goes along with number 1 and sugar is fatty liver, which is caused by eating too much fructose. Listen to Dr. Berry explain how to fix a fatty liver:

I listen to Dr. Ken Berry discuss health topics and interview people and doctors on many topics. Here is his Rumble channel for your ready reference.

This is an excellent video with Dr. Ken Berry and Elizabeth Bright on why Animal FAT and Cholesterol is essential for Women's and Girl's health.

Seven Foods that Rot your Brain:

Store bought bread: G.R.A.S....Generally Recognized As Safe. A Legal Loophole.....it gives poisons a "pass."

Dr. Jack Wolfson: 5 Things I Would Never Do As A Cardiologist.....

Never tell people to avoid Eggs

Never tell people to stop Coffee

Never tell people to eat Oatmeal

Never tell people to eat Low Fat

Never follow Big Pharma

I am cautious about eating vegetables containing goitrogens (which interfere with iodine utilization by the thyroid), lectins (they increase inflammation, cause digestive woes and chronic diseases and they can make you fat), and oxalates (there is a laundry list of what these do to the body).  I want to stick with a Keto diet with a minimum amount of carbs, so I eat a lot of meat and eggs, and along with those come the veggies and fruits.

Why you should avoid lectins in your diet ~~ Dr. David Jockers. Lectins are a way that nature has equipped itself with its own system of defense and the way that vegetation defends itself against larger predators such as humans and animals.  Lectins found in grains, nuts, legumes, and nightshade vegetables have been linked with digestive distress, leaky gut syndrome, and chronic inflammation. Find out how to minimize the damaging effects of lectins in your diet.

Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins that are present in both plants and animals.  Their role is to protect plant species and they also support immunological functions within their respective species.  They are sticky molecules that bind sugars and cause functional shifts in the body.  Lectins have been reported to damage the gastrointestinal lining and create states of chronic systemic inflammation.

Foods That Contain the Most Lectins: Legumes (especially soy) Grains of all Kinds; Raw Nuts, Dairy, Corn; Nightshade Vegetables such as Eggplant, Tomatoes, Potatoes & Peppers.

Dr. Steven Gundry also talks about avoiding lectins.

I read a lot on X by Valerie Anne Smith. She is a wealth of knowledge from all the research she has done healing herself, her daughter, and her husband. She also posts links to her research. Today someone asked her about oxalates and phytates. Here is her answer:

Oxalates & Phytates are 2 of 6 Plant Anti-Nutrient Groups. All Plants have unique ways of defending themselves from being consumed by predators. Many people can handle small amounts without issue, but many people cannot. Historically, humans ate these foods seasonally in small quantities with months in between & the body would chelate out any toxic load. For example, we only used to eat nuts at holidays like Christmas. Only eating Rhubarb, Sweet Potatoes & Spinach during home grown Garden season. Now, we can buy lbs & lbs of Spinach & Almonds everyday, 365 days a year, which causes our bodies to be overridden with stored toxins that never chelate from our cells. Causing a host of illnesses from Arthritis/Joint issues, Mental Health Issues, Kidney/Urinary Issues......too many illnesses to even list. These Anti-Nutrients block absorption of crucial minerals like Iron, Potassium, Zinc & Magnesium. Some, like Goitrogens, harm Thyroid Function. Lectins & Phytates can cause inflammation & GI Distress leading to Gut Permeability. And they also will block absorption of those same key minerals if they are eaten at the same time as animal foods. For example, the famous 1970s Oyster Study showed that when Corn Tortillas are eaten with Oysters, which are high in Zinc......the Phytic Acid in Corn stopped all absorption of Zinc in the Oysters. This accounts for the massive Mineral Deficiencies that 85+% of people have & the illnesses caused by Mineral Deficiencies. Many of my 26 illnesses would not have healed if I hadn't done the Lion Diet in 2018, removing high Anti-Nutrient Plant Foods from my daily diet. Doctors deemed these incurable & all healed in 12 months on the Lion Diet, removing plant foods & supplementing to heal deficiencies: Interstitial Cystitis Kidney/Bladder Infections Vulvodynia Overactive Bladder Tinnitus Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Hypothyroid Joint Pain Back Pain Dermatitis Pityrosporum Folliculitis These Anti-Nutrients are something to be aware of if lingering illnesses are still being experienced, even on a healing Ketogenic or Low Carb Diet which includes Vegetables, Seeds, Nuts & Grains. Do not live in fear of any food, but knowledge & informed consent will allow each person to evaluate their own health & their own ability to handle plant foods in their daily diet.

Anti-nutrient books:

Anti-Nutrients: Finding the Forest for the Trees

The Dark Side of Plants: Meet the Cast of Anti-Nutrients

Here is a book about anti-nutrients in food called Toxic Greens, the Untold Story of Anti-Nutrients in Plant Foods.

I also read the book Toxic Superfoods, which talked about the toxicity in many of the foods people deem "superfoods."

Another thing that keeps me from eating leafy veggies like spinach and kale is that they are full of heavy metals and oxalates. Sure people like to think they are superfoods, but that's not the case.

We don't eat any grains either except for occasionally organic white rice. However, some people think quinoa is good for you, which it is not. It’s loaded with saponins, phytates, and protease inhibitors - basically compounds that block nutrient absorption and irritate your gut.

5 Surprising Truths About Plant-Based Diets Your Body Knows 

(But You Might Not)

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Some think that the yolks in eggs are bad for you because they contain cholesterol, but you need the cholesterol. Your body and brain need it to survive and thrive. Here is an article on eggs ~~ they are a treasure trove of goodness. In addition to being highly nutritious, they have a long and proven history of medicinal use. I also did a blog on cholesterol.

I think good quality eggs are very important. You want egg yolks to have a rich orange color -- not the pale orange that you see in many commercial eggs. These are the eggs that I buy:

These are what the egg yolks look like:

They are sold by Vital Times, a company that brings ethically produced food to the table by coordinating a collection of family farms to operate with a well-defined set of agricultural practices that accentuates the humane treatment of farm animals as the central tenet. They are not cheap -- I pay over $6 per dozen at Walmart. But I want the quality.

Look at the difference in these egg yolks ~~ the one on the top is from Vital Farms and the one on the bottom is from Marketside Organic "cage-free" eggs. Vital Farms' eggs are pasture raised. I had to buy the Marketside because they were out of the Vital Farms' eggs.

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EXERCISE

One thing that I have stayed vigilant with is exercise. Even when I worked at a desk job for 27 years, our building had a great exercise room in the basement with equipment and people who came in to teach classes. I was down there almost every day at lunch to exercise. After awhile my co-worker, Marilyn, wanted me to start walking with her, so we would head out at noon and walk around the local neighborhood. We got in about a half hour walk before heading back to the office, then back to my desk to eat my lunch (a salad). 

I try to get between 3,000 and 8,000 steps per day. I also do push-ups on a picnic table seat (35) and also weight lifting (5 lb. weights) and other exercises that my daughter-in-law gave me (she's a fitness instructor). At 74 years old I weigh 105 pounds and feel great. If you have a hard time exercising, WALK, or try chair yoga, or regular yoga. There is no excuse for not exercising.

This lady should give all of us some inspiration and put us to shame for NOT exercising:

This is cute, for a laugh:

Found this on X posted by Joey Yochheim: The most powerful medicine is free.

• It's not a drug. • It’s not a plant. • It's not a supplement. In fact, you do it every day… Walking.

7 reasons why walking is the ultimate health hack:

1. Walking rewires your brain Most people think it's just for fitness. But walking literally changes your brain by: • Increasing blood flow • Enhancing creativity • Boosting memory • Sharpening focus Your brain works better when you move.

2. Walking fixes your heart. No expensive medications needed. 30 minutes of walking: • Improves cholesterol • Drops blood pressure • Strengthens your heart Simple movement = powerful medicine.

3. Walking kills stress. Your body wasn't designed to sit all day. Walking: • Releases feel-good chemicals • Lowers stress hormones • Gives you time to pray Nature walks for bonus points.

4. Walking melts fat. Forget complicated fat loss protocols. Walking, especially fasted or after meals: • Burns stored fat • Controls blood sugar • Improves metabolism The leaner you get, the better it works.

5. Walking heals joints. Your joints need movement to stay healthy. Regular walking:

• Fights arthritis • Reduces knee pain • Improves hip mobility Movement is medicine.

6. Walking fixes digestion. Feeling bloated after meals? A 10-15 minute walk: • Improves gut movement • Reduces acid reflux • Prevents bloating Your gut was designed to move.

7. Walking extends life. Research shows regular walkers live longer by avoiding: • Heart disease • Early death • Diabetes • Stroke Each step adds time to your life.

8. Here's what you need: • 7,000-10,000 steps = Good health • Post-meal walks = Better metabolism • 12,000+ steps = Greatly increases longevity Start where you are. Build slowly.

9. How to walk more: • Use the stairs • Walk after meals • Park further away • Move throughout day • Take walking meetings These small changes add up fast.

10. Here's the truth: Walking is more than just exercise. It's one of the best medicines you can get. The more you do it, the better everything works.

Do these ancient moves every day and you’ll look 40 at 80

There is 1 single exercise proven by a nice trial called LIFTMOR. This trial showed that exercise, specific ones, can reverse bone loss. Bone loss is the top reason people "look older". Yes skin, fat pads and muscles play a role but nobody talks about bone loss. There are 3 top exercises and 1 clear winner. Vitamin k2 d3 is also a clear winner here helping calcium get to where it needs to go. Into your bone and not into your vessels and ligaments.

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Does anyone suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome? In a recent email update I get from Judy Cho, this is her recommendation.

Restless Legs Syndrome Guidelines: Iron Before Dopamine

Based on updates: HERE

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition characterized by an overwhelming urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations such as tingling, itching, or a crawling sensation. These symptoms usually worsen in the evening or at night, particularly during periods of rest or inactivity. Movement such as stretching or walking can temporarily relieve the discomfort, but it's temporary. This is why RLS can significantly disrupt sleep and reduce quality of life.

 

RLS affects approximately 8% of the population worldwide, with women more commonly affected. While the exact cause is still not fully understood, mounting research now links RLS to disturbances in brain iron regulation and dopamine function.

 

(Clinical Pearl: We often see RLS with mineral imbalances and then ultimately with CIRS as an underlying root-cause issue.)

 

Why Treatment Recommendations Are Changing

For years, the most common treatment for moderate to severe RLS involved dopaminergic medications, such as pramipexole, ropinirole, and rotigotine. These drugs act on dopamine receptors in the brain and can provide short-term relief. 

 

However, long-term use has been shown to cause augmentation, a condition where symptoms worsen, appear earlier in the day, or spread to other parts of the body.

 

Because of this "augmentation" risk, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recently removed dopaminergic drugs from its first-line treatment recommendations for RLS. 

 

This shift is partially due to the concerns about widespread overuse and misuse of dopaminergic meds, with U.S. registry revealing that over 60% of RLS patients were being treated with these medications, and 20% were receiving doses above recommended limits.

 

Neurologists, in particular, tend to prescribe higher doses of these medications, in part because they also use them to treat Parkinson’s disease, where much larger doses are standard. 

 

This prescribing pattern may unintentionally contribute to worsening outcomes in RLS.

 

Five Clinical Criteria

According to a 2016 consensus from the SFRMS, RLS diagnosis is based on five clinical criteria:

1. An intense and irresistible urge to move the lower limbs accompanied by unpleasant sensations
2. Worsening symptoms at rest, the patient is unable to stay still
3. Relief of symptoms through movement such as walking or stretching
4. Increased severity of symptoms in the evening and at night
5. The absence of other causes, such as myalgia, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, venous insufficiency, and obliterative arteriopathy of the lower limbs

Iron Now Recognized as a First-Line Approach

Instead of starting with dopaminergic drugs, the new guidelines recommend iron repletion, specifically intravenous (IV) iron, for patients with low or borderline ferritin levels (below 75 µg/L). The analysis includes measuring C-reactive protein to ensure there is no inflammation, which reduces iron bioavailability.

 

Even if a patient’s iron levels fall within the normal range for general health, studies show that RLS is often linked to iron deficiency in the brain, not just in the blood. (Always find the why. Search for root-cause answers.)

 

MRI studies have demonstrated that people with RLS often have reduced iron concentrations in specific brain regions, likely due to impaired iron transport across the blood-brain barrier. This disruption may lead to an overactivation of dopamine and glutamate pathways, contributing to the hallmark sensations and sleep disruption seen in RLS.

 

Iron replacement can be initiated orally initially, but if symptoms persist or ferritin levels remain low after three months, IV options such as ferric carboxymaltose or ferric sucrose are recommended.

 

(Clinical Pearl: Our suggestion would be to first try gut supports such as hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes and zinc supports to ensure you are getting enough iron from the meats you are consuming before supplementing iron.) 

Other Treatment Strategies

Polysomnography remains optional in such cases. Again, if ferritin levels are below 75 µg/L, iron supplementation is recommended. Treatment also involves addressing factors that worsen symptoms, such as caffeine and alcohol consumption and smoking. It is advisable to stop or switch medications that may aggravate symptoms, such as antidepressants and antihistamines.

 

The antidepressants involved are serotonergic, particularly serotonin reuptake inhibitors, with a long half-life. If stopping treatment is not possible, switching to antidepressants with a short half-life, such as venlafaxine or duloxetine taken in the morning, is recommended.

 

If iron repletion does not adequately relieve symptoms, additional therapies may be considered. However, these options come with critical caveats regarding dependency and long-term safety.

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When we retired in 2012 and started on our full-time RV adventure, I did not stop walking. I went out before sunrise with Hayley and Lucy and walked all over. It is now 2026 and I still walk. Lucy and I get up around 6:00am and are out the door before sunrise and walk anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 miles. We also walk in the afternoon. We get an average of 3 to 4 miles per day. The app I use is called "Pedometer Step Counter."  

Along with walking and weights, I do face exercises, which I found from a newspaper article by Judith Paige. She wrote the book "Choice Years: Health, Happiness, and Beauty Through Menopause and Beyond." It was written in 1991, but I put a link here anyway. Face exercises increase blood circulation to the face, enhance collagen and elastin production. The following exercises are from her book. They are meant to be done mildly, at least two times a day.

Scalp Tightener: It prevents the face from falling in the brow area. Raise eyebrows without frowning. Your forehead muscle will raise and there should be no change in your expression. Doing this helps you find the scalp muscles. As you raise your brows, you will feel the forehead and top of the scalp tighten. Finding them takes practice but once you have found them, you can move those muscles independently by contracting and releasing repeatedly. If you are doing this exercise correctly, the fact still has the feeling of being startled while your hair moves up and down. Release and repeat 20 times.

Upper Cheek Lift: Tones the muscles of the upper cheek and gives that high-cheekbone look. Using a mirror initially, make a crooked grin with the right side of your mouth. Place a finger on your cheek, below the outer corner of your right eye. Your finger is now resting on the muscle to be exercised. Identifying the muscle with your finger, use this muscle to slowly push the lower lid of your right eye closed. Hold. Slowly return to normal position. Repeat 8 times. Repeat on left side.

Chin Tightener: Exercises are area under the chin. Open your mouth, stick out your tongue and point the tope of your tongue as far toward the top of your nose as possible. Release, withdrawing it back to between the lips. Repeat 25 times.

Face Stretch: This stretches the cheek muscles. By including stretching with contraction, the work is balanced and the face is left relaxed. Close your mouth and push it as far to the right as possible while using the facial muscles on the left to pull the flesh of your cheek as far to the right as you can. Relax your left cheek but not entirely and stretch again, repeating eight times. Repeat on other side.

I found this today. They call it the only Face Yoga poses you need to learn ~~ I'm going to try them.

 

Did you know that the average woman absorbs four pounds and six ounces of chemicals through makeup in a year? Why is nobody talking about it? Here’s what you need to know.

Clear skin starts on your plate ~~ Dr. Kiltz

By reducing inflammation and balancing insulin, the carnivore diet tackles acne and skin issues at the root. Say goodbye to flare-ups and hello to glow.

Heal from within.

I will also share the products I use on my face. I have been using products from DHC Care for many years. They are made in Japan using olive oil as a base in many of them. They have a great selection for all facial types, so I hope you enjoy perusing their website. I do not use any make up at all ~~ I wash my face twice per day; and face lotion twice per day. Never go to bed with makeup on your face.

Dec. 2022

Dec. 24, 2023

November 29, 2024. Another trip around the sun, and I'm still going strong. Exercise every day and a healthy diet keeps me at age 73 around 105 pounds, which feels good on me.

Nov. 29, 2024

November 29, 2025. In Houston to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family. Today we are heading to The Rouxpour, a Creole restaurant to celebrate another birthday.

November 30, 2025

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Breakfast is turkey sausage (homemade), two eggs and Kerrygold Dubliner cheese. My recipe for my homemade turkey sausage is as follows:

1.5 lb. ground turkey

1-1/2 t ground sage

1-1/2 t thyme

1/2 t rosemary

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

        1/4 t Cayenne pepper (opt)
      1/4 t Red Pepper Flakes (opt)

This gets put into sandwich baggies and frozen. That way I can take out one baggie at a time to unfreeze and make my breakfast.

Even though I do not eat salads anymore, I am including my own salad dressing recipe ~~ Buttermilk Ranch ~~ using dry buttermilk powder and sour cream because it's healthier than store bought salad dressing. 

You can also use non-fat yogurt instead of the sour cream. I'm happy to share my recipe for the salad dressing. I mix this all together and keep it in a small jar. (I use this concoction to add to my Bacon Ranch Casserole dish.) You can also use this recipe for a Ranch Dressing dip for veggies, just mix with sour cream.

1/2 c buttermilk powder

3 t parsley

1 t dill

1/2 t thyme

1/4 t onion powder

1/4 t garlic powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

2 t chives

To make the dressing, I mix the following in a 12oz jar:

6 oz sour cream, or 1 carton non-fat yogurt

3 T dry mix

3-4 T water (approx)

1 t ACV

Mix together then add some extra-light olive oil. This is all your own judgment as to how much water and oil to add to make it the consistency you want.

I used to eat a salad for lunch for many, many years. I am thinking that all the raw veggies gave me gas and bloating, along with all the dairy in the salad dressing. I am now eating a tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese, some avocado and chicken rotisserie (from Walmart). It's not the best but, I believe it's better than eating a salad. It's definitely more protein. I also have a small cup of whole milk Greek yogurt plain and add some honey and real vanilla.

I rarely eat any veggies, and am beginning to think that I don't need to eat them. I'm not a fan of veggies and neither is Jim. I like fruits, but most of them are too high in fructose. The best fruits are berries, Granny Smith Apples, kiwi and avocado.

If you eat veggies, you just cannot get totally away from goitrogens, lectins or oxalates. So, I limit my intake of veggies and fruits. If you tried to not eat any of them, the only thing left to eat is MEAT! 

This is our favorite dessert for after dinner. I don't make it very often; it's a treat. 

Strawberry Cheesecake

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 pint fresh strawberries, chopped (or your favorite fruit)
2 cups heavy cream (or 1 cup heavy cream & 1 stick of unsalted butter)

1/3 cup Turbinado Cane sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

With electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla at medium speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes.  Add the heavy cream and mix at low speed until blended, then beat at medium high until thick and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the strawberries and mix until the berries are mixed in. Pour into pan and refrigerate.

Recipe to clean your veggies and fruit: 

4 cups water

1 cup vinegar

1 T baking soda

Let sit for 5 minutes; rinse in clean water.

Even though I do not use almond flour anymore, occasionally I make biscuits from scratch using regular organic unbleached flour. Here is my recipe:

This makes 4 biscuits.

1 cup flour 
1-1/2 t baking powder
½ t salt 
3 T nonfat dry milk or dry buttermilk
1 T oil
1 T honey
½ cup water 

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and dry milk. Then add the oil, honey and water. Mix well. Form into 4 balls and bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

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My list of vitamins and herbs that I take includes a morning Shake Mix of psyllium husks, bone broth protein, collagen, creatine monohydrate and organic cacao powder. I think that collagen is one of the most important things to take to keep your hair, nails and joints healthy. I mix those items in my BlendJet, and drink that along with my handful of vitamins that I break apart and add to the shake. (We used to take Metamucil, but it has too much sugar in it, so I opted for plain psyllium husks. I also removed the Flaxseed from our shake as I have read that it's not good for those with thyroid issues, nor is it good for men's testosterone.)

2 t psyllium husks

1 scoop Creatine Monohydrate

1 scoop Bone Broth Protein powder

1 scoop Organic Cacao powder 

5-6 oz water

Why do I include Creatine Monohydrate? I have read that it is beneficial to increase muscle mass and energy. Creatine is a natural source of energy that helps your skeletal muscles flex (contract). It helps create a steady supply of energy in your muscles so they can keep working, especially while you’re exercising. As we age, working out with weights -- weight bearing exercises -- is important to keep your bones from developing into osteoporosis. Creatine monohydrate is a highly beneficial, safe, and evidence-based supplement for women over 40, helping combat age-related declines by preserving lean muscle mass, increasing strength, supporting bone density, and boosting cognitive function. It assists in mitigating perimenopause/menopause-related fatigue and improving metabolism. (I buy this at Walmart.)

Why do you need collagen?  And how much do you need? Your natural collagen levels start to decline as early as your 20s. When this happens, your skin begins to lose its vibrant youthful glow, your joints get achy, and you experience more digestive issues. (There is collagen in the Bone Broth Protein Powder.)

By the time you hit your 30s, you can lose up to 1.5% of collagen each year. This loss might not seem like much, but it adds up over time. By the time you hit 50 years of age, your collagen levels have plummeted from 100% to just 50%. Apart from aging, collagen is also depleted from factors like pollution, sugar intake, low estrogen, and more. (I buy this from Walmart.)

The Cacao Powder contains anti-oxidant flavanols; it supports heart health by improving blood flow, lowering blood pressure, and reducing "bad" cholesterol. (I buy this from Walmart.)

Jim takes a whole different regime of vitamins than I do. I also take special vitamins for my thyroid. The following is a list of vitamins and minerals that I take and recommend for everyone.

I purchase the following vitamins from Vitacost:

Vitamin D (2,000 IU)

Vitamin C (1000mg)

Zinc Picolinate

MCT + Omega 3 w/ coconut oil

Magnesium Glycinate

Magnesium Transporters

Turmeric Extract by Root

Multiminerals + Boron (bone health)

I buy the multi-vitamin from this company:

Immuno 150 (multi-vitamin)

Do you know that magnesium is important to us? There are at least 17 different types of magnesium, and they all do something different in our bodies. 

Citrate (supports digestion, alleviate constipation and acid indigestion, gentle laxative effect, relaxation, kidney stone prevention, and helps muscle cramps & spasms)

Taurate (cardiovascular health, calming of nervous system, anti-diabetic compound, controls blood sugar, reduces some forms of insulin resistance, heart and blood pressure)

Malate (sleep, relaxes muscles, energy, muscle soreness, treats depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pared with malic acid, which is involved with the body's Krebs Cycle - addresses chronic fatigue or depression, and muscle pain and fibromyalgia)

Glycinate (helps stress, improves sleep and relaxes muscles, corrects magnesium deficiency, keeps blood vessels relaxed, helps with hypothyroidism, anxiety reduction)

Aspartate (used to increase absorption of the minerals they are combined with and to enhance athletic performance, acid reflux, GERD)

Which magnesium is better not to buy. Unfortunately, 90% of drugstore supplements are poorly absorbed. It's important to know which forms of magnesium are effective and which are not.

Don't buy magnesium:

- Magnesium oxide (only 4% absorbed)

- Magnesium hydroxide

- Magnesium carbonate

- Magnesium sulfate

- Magnesium chloride

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I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism back in 2008 but did not do anything about it until 2017 when we stayed at Tres Rios RV Resort in Glen Rose, Texas and I had to look for a PCP. It was at that time that she tested me for hypothyroidism and put me on Levothyroxin. It took some time before we settled on the dosage. In 2023 I had to get a new PCP as my regular one moved to Las Vegas. The new PCP tested me for TSH and TPO, which tests for Hashimoto's. This test came back high. I am not going to go into my thyroid issues. I did a blog on the thyroid, which you can read in my Thyroid Blog. Had I noticed any of the below symptoms that indicate hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's, I would have done something sooner. I did not pay any attention to symptoms as I thought I felt fine. 

1.    Brain fog

2.    Fatigue

3.    Decreased sex drive

4.    Change in mental health (depressed, anxious)

5.    Weight gain or trouble losing weight

6.    Irregular menstrual periods or difficulty getting pregnant

7.    Cold intolerance (feet, fingers, hands)

8.    Dry skin, nails, hair

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SUNLIGHT

Another essential is sunlight. Want to know why sunlight is

nature's medicine? 🌿💊

Have you been lied to about the dangers of Sun exposure? Most of us have, and this video is going to teach you about 10 shocking benefits of Sun Exposure you've probably never heard of...

Humans have been playing in the sun for 200,000+ years, so scaring you with Lies about the dangers of Sun exposure is bad. This video will give you the courage you need to start getting the healthy tan your body needs for optimal health.

The sunlight is a miracle, forgotten health cure... It is the source of all life on earth and one of the most powerful ways to improve your mood, health and attractiveness. Our modern society is the only one in history that has feared the sun as much as we do and it shows.

Attempting to block the sun with creams that actually cause the disease, epitomizes how backwards our society is. If we want to restore health & humanity, we need to restore our relationship with the sun....

Throughout history, humans have worshipped the sun as anything from a conscious God to the most important healer.

Meanwhile today we look at it like a burning ball in the sky destroying the world, our skin and our health.

Our relationship to the sun symbolization our relationship to nature as a whole... Our disconnection representing our isolation from nature, from the cosmos and the world around us.

The more we lose touch with the rhythms of the sun, the more out of sync our body falls. And when we are out of alignment, our body panics, seeking to restore balance. Sickness is this process of attempting to restore balance...

Sunlight increases your body’s production of Vitamin D which fights cancer. Sunscreen is full of chemicals that cause cancer.

Vitamin D is not really a vitamin. It is a steroid hormone. Your body manufactures it from cholesterol when UVB strikes your skin, sends it to the liver for one conversion, sends it to the kidneys for another, and from there the active form goes on to regulate over a thousand genes. Bone health. Immune function. Mood. Insulin sensitivity. Cardiovascular function. Cancer risk. Fertility. Cognition. The dose is the sun. The factory is your skin. The raw material is cholesterol, which we have also been told to be afraid of. So look at what has actually happened. You have been told to avoid the sun. You have been told to lower the cholesterol your body uses as the precursor. You have been told that animal fat, the natural dietary source of the finished hormone, is what's killing you. And then, when the inevitable deficiency arrives at your annual blood test, you have been prescribed a small synthetic pill to replace the hormone the system was designed to make for free. Three of the inputs your body requires were removed. The output collapsed. The output is now sold back to you in capsule form. The system was not broken before we started fixing it. We were.

Chemical sunscreens often contain the ingredients oxybenzone or octinoxate which are hormone disruptors, so it is important to check the labels and avoid these ingredients.

We were exposed to the sun for hundreds of thousands of years and were doing just fine until sunscreen was invented in 1938. Since then, melanoma rates began to skyrocket in the 1950s, yet people blame the sun rather than the toxic chemicals in sunscreen.

These not only bake into your skin but are also absorbed into your bloodstream. If parts per million can destroy coral reefs, imagine what these toxins can do to your own tissues.

The Shocking Truth About Skin Cancer and Sunscreen This will blow your mind. It turns out that adequate level of Vitamin D (sunshine) REDUCE your risk of cancer by 50 percent! The other remarkable thing about Vitamin D is that it decreases your risk of death from the biggest k*ller in the world: heart disease. And here's the shocking truth about sunscreen, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola: “You INCREASE the risk of skin cancer!” How? Sunscreen prevents sunburn by blocking UVB rays, which are crucial for vitamin D production. But it doesn't block UVA rays, which cause most skin cancers. So, not only are you letting the harmful rays through but you're doing so while blocking vitamin D production. Double whammy! That has to make sunscreen one of the biggest SCAMS ever sold.

"The Sun, That Is Giving Life To All Of Us On This Earth, Is Not Here To Cause Cancer." ~~ Dr Stephanie Rimka "The Sun Isn't Causing Cancer-- It's What You're Doing Under It." "It's Like Saying Estrogen Causes Cancer. If That Were True, Every 15 Year Old Girl Would Have Breast Cancer." "Estrogen Does Not Cause Cancer. That's Another Lie." Cancer is not genetic, it is a metabolic disease. Cancer is an error in cellular metabolism, damaging crucial mitochondria & creating oxidative stress from an unhealthy diet of seed oils, sugar & processed foods, which are all harmful on a cellular level. The sun—the very source of life—isn't the problem. It’s what you’re doing under it that compromises your metabolic health: Slathering on toxic sunscreens loaded with carcinogens, then baking them into your skin with UV light. Eating processed junk foods full of rancid seed oils, sugars & artificial additives that fuel oxidative stress. Drinking sugary drinks while lounging, adding to the toxic load. We’re constantly bombarded with cancer-causing substances: Toxic carpets, vinyl flooring & furniture releasing harmful VOCs. Body products & room freshening fragrances & candles filled with endocrine disruptors. Ultra-processed foods engineered for profit, not health. The sun is an easy scapegoat. It’s not the sun that’s dangerous. It’s the toxins we’re exposing ourselves to everyday, that damage our metabolic function, making us vulnerable. Cancer is a metabolic disease & what we do under the sun matters more than the sun itself.

Did you know sunglasses might be contributing to an increase in cancer rates? 

When we block certain sunlight rays with sunglasses, we also disrupt the body’s natural processes. This can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients and hormones, weakening our natural defenses.

Over time, this imbalance could contribute to serious health issues, including cancer. Embrace sunlight wisely to maintain your body’s natural balance and support overall health.

Dr. Mercola on the Truth About Skin Cancer and Sunscreen … We’ve been taught to fear the sun, and as a result, adults and kids are soaking themselves in a bath of toxic, hormone-disrupting chemicals …

A Midwestern Doctor wrote an excellent article on Dermatology's Disastrous War Against the Sun.  (This is an excellent article detailing how unscrupulous the AMA is.)

Skin cancers are by far the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, so to prevent them, the public is constantly told to avoid the sun. However, while the relatively benign skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, the ones responsible for most skin cancer deaths are due to a lack of sunlight.

This is unfortunate because sunlight is arguably the most important nutrient for the human body, as avoiding it doubles one’s rate of dying and significantly increases their risk of cancer. Likewise, sunlight has many critical but relatively unknown functions in health.

In the above article, we will also discuss the dangers of the conventional skin cancer treatments, the most effective ways for treating and preventing skin cancer, and some of the best strategies for having a healthy and nourishing relationship with the sun.

The other enemy of sun burn are seed oils. Read this article called How Seed Oils Made the Sun Your Enemy -- The Industrial Origins of Skin Cancer.

"The sun isn't to blame for skin Cancer...it's our diets...here is the science behind why that is true." ~ Drew Canole (Drew Canole is a Nutrition Specialist, Transformation Specialist and national spokesperson for the benefits of juicing vegetables for health and vitality. He is the founder of Fitlife.TV where he shares "Educational, Inspirational and Entertaining" videos and articles about health, fitness, healing and longevity.)

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

SEED OILS

So, back to my old lunches from our time in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Not only did I use a commercial salad dressing, I also put a lot of raw cabbage in my salad concoction. Raw cabbage contains goitrogens. 

Goitrogen is a medical term that is used to describe any substance that interferes with the function of the thyroid gland. The word itself comes from "goiter," which means enlargement of the thyroid. If its ability to produce thyroid hormones becomes impaired, the thyroid gland can grow in size in an effort to keep up with the body's need for thyroid hormones. (I am putting in information about goitrogens and the thyroid because I have hypothyroidism and from what I read, there are A LOT of people (mostly women) who also suffer from hypothyroidism. I have done a blog on the thyroid, which you can access here to find out more information on it.) 

How Seed Oils Poisoned The Planet:

You’re standing in the cotton fields of 19th-century America, watching mountains of cottonseed pile up beside the gin. Two pounds of seed extracted for every pound of cotton lint. Millions upon millions of pounds with nowhere to go. The seed was considered worthless rubbish: worse than worthless, actually, since it gave off a foul odour as it decomposed and couldn’t even be burned properly. Rain-soaked piles would smoulder for days, like some botanical zombie that refused to stay dead.

Cotton gins simply dumped the seed into nearby rivers, which was technically illegal but widely practiced because nobody had figured out what else to do with the stuff. By the 1860s, enterprising souls had started using some of it as fertiliser or animal feed, but the majority remained an expensive nuisance, piling up faster than it could be disposed of. In 1894, a writer described cottonseed as having once been “thrown aside as a nuisance”, relegated to waste status before anyone discovered commercial value in the oil trapped inside.

Fast forward 150 years, and that same toxic waste now dominates the global food supply. Seed oils, extracted from cottonseed, soybeans, corn, canola, safflower, and sunflower, constitute roughly 20% of the average person’s daily calories. They’re in everything: salad dressings, mayonnaise, bread, crackers, fried foods, frozen meals, energy bars, infant formula. Even foods marketed as “healthy” swim in these oils. Restaurants deep-fry in them. Industrial bakeries couldn’t function without them. We’ve gone from dumping cottonseed oil into rivers to injecting it into virtually every packaged food in existence.

How did toxic industrial waste become the “heart-healthy” fat that doctors recommend? The answer involves corporate lobbying, cherry-picked science, economic incentives too lucrative to ignore, and one of the most successful propaganda campaigns in history. Buckle up, this is the story of how seed oils conquered the world. (Click on the link to read the rest of the article.

You may be asking "what is wrong with commercial salad dressings?"  Most commercial salad dressings use either soy or canola oils as their base, both of which are not good for the body. The following information on canola oil came from Healthy and Natural World:  Canola oil is a vegetable oil that may not be as good for you as you think. Canola oil has been promoted for its health benefits because it is low in saturated fats. However, some evidence points to the fact that canola oil may have hidden dangers to your health.

What is Canola Oil? Canola oil is made from crushing seeds from a plant which is a variety of the rapeseed plant. Pure rapeseed oil isn’t suitable for consumption as it contains high amounts of toxic compounds called erucic acid and glucosinolates. So, scientists in Canada developed an edible version of the rapeseed plant. This plant was called canola and its name comes from “Canada” and “ola” meaning oil. The oil from the rapeseed plant is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. One of the reasons why canola oil is unhealthy is that solvent residue can be found in the refined oil.

To extract as much of the oil from canola seeds as possible, canola seed paste is heated with the solvent hexane and then bleached. Researchers have found that small amounts of hexane are leftover in the final product. Although scientists say there is no risk to health, many people choose to look for healthier alternatives to canola oil. 

Although these levels of chemicals may not make canola oil toxic, you may prefer to look for organic oils such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.

CANOLA=Canadian Oil Low Acid ~~ Renamed & Rebranded from the original toxic Rapeseed Plant. ~~ Because no one is going to go to a restaurant & order a salad with Rapeseed Dressing.....

The Oil That's Showing Up In "Healthy Foods." Rapeseed Oil Is Canola Oil, Highly Processed Toxic Lubricant Oil Never Meant For Human Consumption. Seed Oils Have A Half Life Of 680 Days. If You Stop Consuming Seed Oils Today, It takes about six years to replace 95% of the Linoleic Acid in your body with healthy fats.

Linoleic Acid: A Narrative Review of the Effects of Increased Intake in the Standard American Diet and Associations with Chronic Disease

Vegetable Oil consumption has increased 329%. The Standard diet now accounts 30% of calories coming from Seed Oils. The same rapid increase is seen in chronic metabolic disease in both physical illness & mental illness. Canola oil (aka rapeseed oil) Corn oil Cottonseed Grapeseed oil Soybean oil Sunflower oil Safflower oil Rice bran oil Peanut oil 85% of store bought Olive Oil & Avocado Oil is mixed with Seed Oils. Verify single origin for purity of Olive & Avocado. Use unrefined virgin cold pressed Coconut Oil. The best Fats are Animal Fats. Trustworthy & Healthy. Tallow Butter Ghee Lard Duck Fat

History of Soybeans:

1897: Soybeans arrive in America as ballast in ships returning from Asia. Sailors pack them in the hull for weight, dump them in ports. Farmers discover they fix nitrogen in soil, plant them as cover crops to enrich farmland, then plow them under. Nobody eats them. They're livestock feed at best. 1930s: Chemists figure out they can chemically extract oil from soybeans. The process requires hexane, a petroleum solvent. Heat to 150°C. More chemicals to degum. More heat to neutralize. Bleach to remove the brown color. Deodorize under vacuum to remove the fishy smell. The oil oxidizes instantly when exposed to air. It's rich in polyunsaturated fats that go rancid at room temperature. In nature, this is a protection mechanism: rancid oil deters animals from eating old seeds. We remove this defense with industrial processing, then eat it by the gallon. Post-WWII: The government needs uses for massive soybean surpluses. Industrial machinery retrofitted from wartime production can crack soybeans open at scale. We have technology looking for a market. Meat fats are portrayed as dangerous. Soybean oil becomes "heart-healthy." Today: Soybean oil is in everything. Mayonnaise, salad dressing, processed foods, restaurant fryers. Americans consume 60 pounds per year. It's in your digestive system right now unless you've been extraordinarily careful. Ship ballast became 20% of your caloric intake. Nobody asked if this was wise.

Soybean oil is a polyunsaturated oil (PUFA) full of Omega-6 fats, which are pro-inflammatory making every cell membrane abnormally stiff.  Omega-6 is found in vegetable oils, such as soybean, safflower, cottonseed, and corn oil, which are used in many of our modern cooking methods. Many studies say that soy does not affect thyroid function, but I have read that it does, so it is one thing that I avoid.

Soy Alert! The Dangerous Truth Of Soy Revealed! 1 Tablespoon Of Soybean Oil Has More Estrogen Than 1 Birth Control Pill. Soybean Oil contains 28,370 ug Estrogen per tablespoon & most Birth Control Pills contain on average 20,000 ug Estradiol Estrogen. 2 Cups Of Soymilk Has The Estrogen Equivalent Of 1 Birth Control Pill. Fast Food Chicken Nuggets & Fries Using Soybean Oil Is The Equivalent In Estrogen To 3 Birth Control Pills. 1 Bottle Of Soy Baby Formula Has The Estrogen Equivalent Of 1 Birth Control Pill. Soy is now ubiquitous in the modern diet. Soy is in 1,000s of foods in the form of soybean oil, soy milk, soy flour, soy lecithin & soy protein. Most people are unaware of how much soy they consume. In small amounts, traditional fermented soy products like miso, tempeh & natto are not harmful. This is how soy is traditionally consumed in Asian countries. The processed form – which is how soy is predominantly consumed in the U.S. is not fermented – it has a toxic effect. Harms of Soy: Hormonal Disruptor...Soy contains plant estrogens as Phytoestrogens which effectively raise your estrogen levels & lowers testosterone. Causes Hypothyroid...Soy contains high levels of goitrogens which inhibit the thyroid’s ability to utilize iodine correctly & leads to hypothyroid. Lectins...Alters Leptin sensitivity which leads to Insulin Resistance & Metabolic Syndrome/Obesity. Cancer...High intake of Soy increases Breast & Prostate Cancer. Phytic Acid...Blocks absorption of Zinc, Calcium, Iron & Magnesium. And also causes allergy response to IGG. Gut Microbiome...GMO & Pesticides harm the GI Tract & leak to malabsorption syndrome. Heavy Metals...Soybeans contain high levels of Lead, Nickel & Cadmium. These cause behavior & neurological harms in both children & adults.

The Weston A. Price Foundation has main­tained a list of studies showing the adverse effects of soy and soy isoflavones on our Soy Alert.

5 Myths About Pregnancy Nutrition – #4: Soy is a Healthy Alternative to Meat & Dairy

Studies Showing Adverse Effects of Soy

Seed Oils: The following "seed" oils should be removed from your pantry. They have too many Omega-6 fatty acids:

Vegetable oil

Soybean oil

Canola oil

Sunflower oil

Peanut oil

Safflower oil

Corn oil

Grapeseed

Flaxseed

Walnut oil

Sesame oil

Almond oil

Cottonseed

Shortening

When looking at this chart, think: Linoleic Acid = Inflammation. It's why you want to avoid the oils in the RED (aka: seed oils and "vegetable" oils) REMINDER: The vegetable oils marked in red are toxic traps. Ditch them now or face long-term inflammatory damage.

How they tricked us into eating "engine" oil:

In the following video, Tucker Carlson interviews Casey Means, a Stanford-educated surgeon and her brother Calley, who was a lobbyist for pharma and the food industry. Both quit their jobs in horror when they realized how many people were being killed by the systems they participated in. This is an amazing story. 

(0:54) Who Are Casey and Calley Means? (10:16) Seed Oils and the Lies of the Food Pyramid (22:20) Vaccines for Newborns (34:41) Why Is the Medical Industry Ignoring This? (44:38) The Spiritual Crisis (52:23) Chemicals Linked to Cancer and Early Puberty (1:00:13) Ozempic (1:15:35) The Birth Control Pill (1:30:12) The Rise of Dementia (1:36:27) Why Obamacare Is Harmful and How to Fix the Medical Industry (1:50:55) Infertility (2:05:21) Michelle Obama’s Weaponization of Sugar in Schools (2:10:24) What Should We Be Eating?

They also wrote a book entitled Good Energy ~~ the connection between metabolism and limitless health. 

They also talk about PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) -- I had this, which are cysts on your ovaries caused by an imbalance of insulin in the system. It's the leading cause of female infertility. PCOS is actually insulin resistance. It's not related to insulin resistance, which is on the spectrum diabetes. It is insulin resistance. PCOS is a metabolic condition. PCOS is essentially when the ovaries make hormones; and when that ovary is stimulated by excess insulin, which is the hormone in the blood that helps us take blood sugar out of the blood and into the cells, insulin levels go up in the setting of metabolic dysfunction. We basically destroy our cells with our toxic food and lifestyle.

The cells can no longer process sugar to energy. So the cell rejects sugar and it stays in the bloodstream. The body compensates by making more insulin to try and drive the sugar into the cell. That's putting up a block because it's broken. Essentially, that high insulin floats all around the body and does bad things all over the body; it drives cancer growth and also stimulates the ovary to make more testosterone. You now have women who are supposed to be making estrogen and progesterone in very specific levels throughout the hormone cycle so that we can ovulate. 

Instead, insulin is driving the ovary to create testosterone, which totally disturbs the balance between all the sex hormones in the body, and we don't ovulate. So you get these cysts that form because you have an egg tryin to ovulate, but instead it can't because the hormones are disrupted because of insulin, which is because of metabolic dysfunction, which is because of our food. So we get infertility because we are not ovulating. This condition is reversible in as little as 12 weeks with dietary intervention. If you get your blood sugar levels under control and your insulin levels under control, we restore the hormonal balance. The will help the hormone levels to balance out and women can then get pregnant. 

Every day you are eating oils that were only used in industrial machines just 100 years ago. They're making you fat & destroying your health. And you don't even realize it.

Here’s a great article from a physician. I’ve known many decades, Dr. Mercola on a nonprofit cancer site explaining how lack of vitamin D is your risk for cancer. It’s why I go out every day in the sun. No suntan lotion anymore. It's the consumption of toxic "seed oils" that cause skin cancer, not the sun.

THREAD: Dr. Simon Goddek: Today I am going to red-pill you about dangerous vegetable oils, which are found in almost all processed foods. Consequently, this is likely the most important thread you will read this week. Contrary to popular belief, the term 'vegetable oils' is misleading. These oils are called 'vegetable' not because they come from vegetables in the traditional sense, but because they are derived from plant sources. This includes seeds such as cottonseeds, soybeans, and sunflower seeds.

These oils need to be heavily refined to remove various toxins and natural impurities, which can be harmful or affect the taste and stability of the oil. The refining process also extends the shelf life of these oils.

However, this refining process creates trans fats, a type of unsaturated fat that is detrimental to our health, especially when consumed in large amounts. 

Trans fats, along with a high omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio found in these oils, disrupt our body's metabolic processes. They contribute to inflammation and imbalance cytokine production, which are crucial in our body's immune response and healing processes. 

Long-term consumption of these fats is linked to various health hazards, including an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions. To provide a comparison, I've included olive oil in the graphic. Unlike these refined oils, olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, is less processed and contains healthy fats. It has a more balanced omega-6 to omega-3 ratio and doesn't contain trans fats, making it a much better choice for your health. 

The $100 Billion Dollar Ingredient making your Food Toxic ~~

We are being poisoned......Vegetable Oils (seed oils) are the most dangerous food products in our modern world.

This is how "vegetable" oils are made. Can you imagine what this gunk does your body when ingested?

Vegetable Oils Cause Heart Disease....In Animals, they Caused Weight Gain & Heart Attacks. So, what do we do with the vegetable oils? ~~ "Let's Convince People that Vegetable Oils Are Good For Them." ~~ Dr. Joel Wallach

This is why Americans are getting fatter:

Did your mom use Crisco to bake desserts? I recall my mother using it to make pie crusts. I think it's still sold in the grocery stores. If you buy it, you certainly won't after listening to this video:

CRISCO=Crystallized Cottonseed Oil Toxic Waste Product from Cotton Gin in 1860 Fertilizer in 1870 Cattle Feed in 1880 Human Food in 1890 Procter & Gamble market Crisco in 1911 Dangerous Solvents are used to reduce Gossypol Toxin in Cottonseed for Human Consumption.

In the 1860s, cottonseed oil was classified as toxic waste. This is not hyperbole. Cottonseed oil, the oil pressed from the seeds of the cotton plant, was a byproduct of the American textile industry. The cotton was processed for fibre. The seeds were left over, in enormous quantities, and the oil they contained was considered a useless and mildly poisonous industrial residue. It was bitter. It contained gossypol, a natural toxin that had been used experimentally as a male contraceptive. It was unfit for human consumption in its raw form. It was used to lubricate machinery and fuel lamps until petroleum displaced it even from those applications. Procter & Gamble, in the 1870s, had been experimenting with vegetable oils in their soap manufacturing. The cottonseed surplus was cheap. They found a use for it. In 1907, they acquired the rights to a German chemical process called hydrogenation: the forcing of hydrogen into liquid oil under heat and pressure, with a metal catalyst, to produce a solid fat. The initial aim was better soap. The result looked like lard. That was the commercial insight. They patented it as a food product. They named it Crisco: short for "crystallised cottonseed oil." They launched it in 1911 with a marketing campaign of considerable ingenuity, positioning it not merely as a cooking fat but as a modern, scientific, pure alternative to lard and butter. Pure because it was plant-derived. Scientific because it was chemically processed, which in 1911 still read as innovative rather than alarming. They published a cookbook, The Story of Crisco, and distributed it to American households. Sales were 2.6 million pounds in 1912. By 1916, Americans were buying 60 million pounds annually. A waste product had become a pantry staple. By 1948, the American Heart Association was a small, financially struggling organisation. In 1948, it received a substantial donation, approximately $1.7 million, equivalent to roughly $20 million today, that transformed it into the most powerful cardiovascular health body in the country. The source of that transformation was Procter & Gamble. The AHA, newly resourced and national in ambition, became the institutional voice for dietary guidance on heart disease. In 1961, they issued their first formal dietary recommendation: replace saturated animal fats with polyunsaturated vegetable oils. The makers of Crisco now had the American Heart Association recommending their product category as heart-healthy. Ancel Keys, whose cherry-picked fat hypothesis had been looking for institutional credibility, joined the AHA nutrition committee the same year. The dietary guidelines that followed: the guidelines that are still, in their essential conclusion, the guidelines of today, were developed in an environment in which the world's largest vegetable oil producer had seeded the most influential heart health body with $20 million. Nobody mentioned the conflict of interest. Nobody mentions it now. The toxic waste is still in your kitchen. It's called vegetable oil. The heart on the label was paid for.

Time to do this:

Cook with healthy fats like Beef Tallow, Ghee, Lard, Butter or Duck Fat.

The Hateful Eight by Dr. Cate Shannahan. Every day you probably hear health and diet information delivered as gospel by doctors and scientists from the most respected institutions in the country. The rules of the media game typically require that the experts brought into the spotlight will be parroting the same information you’ve already heard thousand of times before.

The average American gets 80% of their fat calories from seed oils, which are high in unstable fatty acids that break down into toxins when you cook with them and when you eat them for years and years. This problem is pushed under the rug and nobody is talking about it. The American Heart Association wants to keep it that way. But seed oil weakens your immune system and does a whole lot of damage.

"So in 1900 there were no seed oils. Most doctors had never even seen a heart attack. How do you get oil out of a sunflower seed? You have to extract it with hexane, which is contaminated with benzene. The average American eats the equivalent of five tablespoons of seed oils per day and it's being sold to you as it's safe and healthy."

Humans thrived on animal fats for thousands of years until industrial seed oils were introduced in the early 1900s. Since then, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease rates have exploded. Yet we demonize butter and meat while embracing inflammatory oils that oxidize in our bodies.

What oil should you be using? Olive oil and Coconut oil. Coconut oil contains MCT (medium chain triglycerides). The predominant fatty acid in olive oil is a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. You can even use Butter!

We should be eating a combination of Omega-6 and Omega-3, with the ratio being 1:1 to 4:1. The current ratio in the American diet is about 20 to 1 of Omega-6 to Omega-3. Omega-3 is essential to our well-being. Our bodies cannot naturally create them so they must be consumed as part of our diets. Some Omega-3 can be obtained from green vegetables, nuts and seeds; however, the most beneficial source of Omega-3 is fatty fish such as anchovies, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, tuna and salmon. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and combat the detrimental effects of Omega-6.

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GOITRONGENIC FOODS

I want to talk a bit more about goitrogenic foods as they relate to the thyroid. Why do the experts tell people with hypothyroidism not to eat foods that contain goitrogens?

Goitrogens, including cruciferous vegetables and soy products, have been shown to inhibit thyroid hormone synthesis in several ways, mostly by inhibiting iodine utilization. Those micronutrients have to be taken in consideration specially in those with thyroid diseases or who are iodine deficient.

Soy is a goitrogenic food. Along with many cruciferous vegetables that contain goitrogens, mostly eaten raw, may interfere with the functioning of your thyroid. Some experts will agree with this and some will not. The effects of soy on the thyroid are not fully known yet, but according to this study, if you do eat soy based foods, increase your iodine intake as well. Or you could just not eat any to be on the safe side. Certain foods such as soy and cabbage can reduce thyroid function. It seems that genetically modified soy is especially goitrogenic.

What are the goitrogenic foods? I will eat some of them in moderation, however, soy in any form is one that I do not eat at all.

Bok choy                          Kale                                  Radishes

Broccoli                            Kohlrabi                            Soy

Brussels sprouts                Mustard Greens                 Spinach

cabbage                           Rutabagas                         Sweet potatoes

cauliflower                        Swedes

collard greens                   Turnips

Horseradish

In addition, refined carbohydrates cause the body to produce high levels of insulin from the pancreas. Over time, the cells will become sensitive and less resistant to excessive insulin which creates type 2 diabetes. Obesity has a direct link to type 2 diabetes (adult onset). Those with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin for the amount of sugar they consume or their cells simply ignore the insulin which is often referred to as insulin resistance. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar.

Soy Is One of the Healthiest Foods You Can Eat...Right? The truth about soy:

Another reason to avoid vegetables:

New article: The Organic Illusion: How Glyphosate Contaminates ‘Clean’ Food and What You Can Do About It by Health Ranger.

- Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide and a chemical linked by a growing body of research to cancer, liver damage, and hormone disruption, has become an inescapable contaminant in the modern food supply. This isn’t just a problem of conventional, GMO-laden produce. The toxin has infiltrated the very sanctuary of the health-conscious consumer—the organic aisle.

1950: Swiss chemist Henri Martin synthesizes glyphosate while working for a pharmaceutical company. It doesn't kill bacteria or cure disease. It binds to metal ions. They file it away as chemically interesting but commercially useless. 1964: Stauffer Chemical Company patents glyphosate as a descaling agent for industrial pipes and boilers. It strips mineral deposits from metal surfaces. That's the intended use: cleaning equipment, not touching anything alive. 1970: Monsanto chemist John Franz discovers glyphosate kills plants. It blocks EPSPS, an enzyme plants need to produce essential amino acids. Spray it on a weed, the plant can't make phenylalanine, tyrosine, or tryptophan. It starves at the molecular level. Monsanto patents it as an herbicide. They market it as "safer than table salt." This becomes the official line. Government agencies repeat it. Farmers adopt it. By 1990s it's the most-used herbicide globally. Then Monsanto engineers glyphosate-resistant crops. Now you can spray entire fields, kill everything except your modified seeds. The business model is perfect: Sell farmers both the herbicide and the only seeds that survive it. Farmers become locked into buying both products every season. Patents enforce the monopoly. It's brilliant. Catastrophically toxic, but brilliant. The problems emerge slowly: Glyphosate disrupts the shikimate pathway in your gut bacteria the same way it kills plants. Your microbiome can't produce essential aromatic amino acids. It chelates minerals, making zinc, iron, and manganese less bioavailable. It's been classified as a probable carcinogen. But the regulatory agencies that approved it have decades of institutional reputation invested in that decision. Admitting error means acknowledging they poisoned the food supply. So they adjust thresholds, redefine safety, and maintain approval. Your morning oatmeal contains pipe descaling agent. The chemist who synthesized it would be horrified.

Foods with the highest glyphosate residues are 1 oats 2 wheat 3 legumes 4 processed grain based snacks 5 cereals and soy products

Glyphosate in Food: Complete List of Products and Brands Filled with Dangerous Weed-Killer

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MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

THE MOST FATTENING INGREDIENT ~~ Dr Berg

💚MSG, Monosodium Glutamate which is a neurotoxin. A neurotoxin is  substance that will stimulate brain cells to the point of killing them. When applied enough to receptors, the neurons die. MSG causes headaches, migraines, learning disabilities, ALS & on & on & on.

🟪🟡HIDDEN NAMES FOR MSG

👉🏻Yeast Extract

👉🏻Gelatin

👉🏻Glutamate

👉🏻Calcium Caseinate

👉🏻Autolyzed Plant Protein

👉🏻Monosodium glutamate

👉🏻Yeast food or nutrient

👉🏻Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)

👉🏻Glutamic Acid

👉🏻Textured Protein

👉🏻Sodium Caseinate

👉🏻Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP)

👉🏻Autolyzed Yeast

👉🏻Monopotassium glutamate

💚WHY IS MSG IN FOOD? Because the industry that sells it, makes a lot of money from the product. If you have a product that has MSG in it, it is going to be more flavourful.

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SUGAR

Sugar and Cancer Growth Research ~~ 

According to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, sugar poses a health risk—contributing to around 35 million deaths globally each year. So high is its toxicity that it should now be considered a potentially toxic substance like alcohol and tobacco. Its link with the onset of diabetes is such that punitive regulations, such as a tax on all foods and drinks that contain “added’’ sugar, are now warranted, the researchers concluded. They also recommend banning sales in or near schools, as well as placing age limits on the sale of such products.

Sugar turns the body into a suitable breeding ground for viruses, bacteria, fungi and cancer by devastating the immune system.

Knowing that one’s cancer needs sugar, does it make sense to feed it sugar? Does it make sense to have a high-carbohydrate diet?

One of best things you can do to yourself is to stop eating sugar and all forms of it. What does sugar do to the body?

Sugar Fuels & Feeds Cancer...Dr. Nasha Winters, Integrative Oncologist & Cancer Survivor.

Sugar consumption prior to 1850 was 5lbs per person per year. Sugar consumption is now 145-180lbs per person per year.

What happens to you if you stop eating sugar for two weeks: 

YOU WILL N E V E R EAT THIS SUGAR! EVER AGAIN! AFTER SEEING THIS VIDEO!

How to do a Sugar Detox:

Sugar-related illnesses are on the rise. According to studies, diabetes, cardio-vascular problems and dementia are just some of the serious chronic diseases connected to over-indulging in sugar or the sweet white poison. 

One medical study revealed that sugar consumption can give a lot more pleasure than cocaine. Another medical study claims that “sugar and sweetness can induce reward and craving that are comparable in magnitude to those induced by addictive drugs.” In fact one medical review of studies mentioned that people who try to quite sugar have “opiate-like withdrawal symptoms”.

4 Ways Excess Sugar Poisons Your Heart ~~ Dr. Jeremy London, MD 1: Insulin Resistance...which leads to Metabolic Syndrome. A constellation of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides & low HDL which are all cardiovascular risk factors. 2: Fatty Liver...any excess glucose is turned into fat cells, which the liver stores. Over time, fat cells replace liver cells, leading to fatty liver disease. This results in toxic levels of heart damaging triglycerides & at the same time protective HDL levels plummet. 3: Inflammation & Oxidative Stress...from excess sugar is the driver of chronic disease, including heart disease. Excess sugar increases free radical formation in the bloodstream & directly injures blood vessels. 4: High Uric Acid...is produced from excess sugar which then shuts off crucial & vital Nitric Oxide production for heart health. Without Nitric Oxide's protective effect on blood vessels, blood pressure can rise to dangerous levels. All of these can be reversed by adopting a Low Carbohydrate whole foods way of eating. A ketogenic carb restricted diet focusing on nutrient dense animal foods that eliminates: Ultra Processed Foods Processed Sugar Seed Oils High Carb Starches Contrary to what the current USDA "Food Guidelines" are...Cheerios, Margarine & Soy Milk are not "heart healthy."

"Meat causes gout because of purines!" Gout was called the "disease of kings" because only the wealthy could afford meat, seafood, and alcohol. Turns out, it was the alcohol and sugar causing gout, not the meat. Fructose and alcohol raise uric acid within minutes of consumption. Purines from meat take hours to break down into uric acid. Gout is highly correlated with metabolic syndrome: insulin resistance, obesity, high blood sugar. Fix the metabolic dysfunction and gout resolves. Carnivore is exceptionally effective at reversing metabolic syndrome by: - Eliminating sugar and fructose (primary culprits) - Eliminating alcohol (if you choose) - Lowering insulin resistance - Reducing inflammation Beef is also low in purines compared to organ meats, sardines, and shellfish. If you're metabolically healthy, purines aren't a problem. If you're metabolically dysfunctional, carnivore removes the actual triggers while fixing the underlying dysfunction. Medieval kings weren't getting gout from the meat. They were getting it from the wine and honey.

The most healing & proper human diet on the planet is built upon the foundations of Ruminant Meat, Eggs, Pastured Poultry, Wild Caught Fish, Butter, Ghee & Tallow. These promote vibrant health to shine & encourage disease prevention with increased longevity.

This is what drinking sodas do to the body:

Not only those -- the phosphoric acid used to enhance flavor in some carbonated beverages can interfere with calcium absorption and result in the loss of calcium from bone, accelerating osteoporosis.

If soda commercials were honest:

Another deadly substance to stay away from:

 

Aspartame is an excitotoxin (neurotoxin that can damage brain cells and cause behavioral deficits); FDA data shows that more than 75% of all adverse reactions reported in conjunction with food stem from aspartame consumption.

Originally developed as a biowarfare chemical, aspartame has long been recognized as a neurotoxin. But through lobbying, it gain FDA approval as a sweetening agent and is now present in soft drinks, chewing gums, mints, candies, sauces and more. It is composed of methanol (wood alcohol) and two types of amino acids. Sold under the brand name NutraSweet, Equal, AminoSweet, and Equal-Measure, aspartame has been linked to causing dementia, diabetes, mental retardation, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, birth defects, Parkinson's disease, and fibromyalgia, as well as cancer of the brain and lymph nodes.

Different Names for Sugar ~~ These are some of the possible words for “sugar” which may appear on a label.

Agave nectar

Barley malt syrup

Beet sugar

Blackstrap molasses

Brown rice syrup

Brown sugar

Buttered syrup

Cane crystals (or cane juice crystals)

Cane sugar

Caramel

Carob syrup

Castor sugar

Coconut sugar or coconut palm sugar

Confectioner’s sugar (or powdered sugar)

Corn sweetener

Corn syrup or corn syrup solids

Date sugar

Demerara sugar

Dehydrated cane juice

Dextrin

Dextrose

Evaporated cane juice

Florida crystals

Fructose

Fruit juice or fruit juice concentrate

Glucose

Golden sugar

Golden syrup

Grape sugar

High-fructose corn syrup

Honey

Icing sugar

Invert sugar

Lactose

Maltodextrin

Malt syrup

Maltose

Maple syrup

Molasses

Muscovado sugar

Palm sugar

Panela sugar

Rapadura

Raw sugar

Refiner's syrup

Rice syrup

Saccharose

Sorghum or sorghum syrup

Sucanat

Sugar

Sucrose

Syrup

Treacle

Turbinado sugar

Yellow sugar

Xylose

You'll notice that the words “syrup,” “sweetener,” and anything ending in “ose” can usually be assumed to be sugar. If the label says “no added sugars,” it should not contain any of them, although the food may contain naturally occurring sugars (such as lactose in milk).

The Carbohydrate That's More Deadly Than Sugar Glycemic Index: Honey 55 Sugar 65 Glucose 100 Maltodextrin 136 "A Carbohydrate not classified as a sugar, but acts like a sugar in a much more deadly way as far as what it can do to your blood sugars, it will just spike it" Maltodextrin is a type of carbohydrate, but it undergoes intense processing. It comes in the form of a white powder from rice, corn, wheat, tapioca or potato starch. Food manufacturers add the powder to a wide-range of processed foods such as artificial sweeteners, baked goods, yogurt, beer, nutrition bars, weight-training supplements, cereals, meal-replacement shakes, low-fat and reduced-calorie products, condiments, sauces, spice mixes, salad dressings, chips, pie fillings & snack foods. Conditions Caused By Maltodextrin:

Altered Gut Bacteria IBD Inflammatory Bowel Disease T2D Insulin Resistance Hormonal Imbalance Crohn's Disease Weight Gain Gluten Contamination GI Distress

High GI ingredients to watch out for:

🚨 Maltodextrin (GI: 85-105): Found in processed snacks, sports drinks, and sauces. Causes rapid blood sugar spikes.

🍬 Corn Syrup (GI: 90-115): Common in sweets, sodas, and processed foods. Spikes glucose quickly.

🍞 White Flour (GI: 70-85): Used in bread, pastries, and pasta. Breaks down into sugar fast.

🧃 Glucose Syrup (GI: 100): Found in candy, baked goods, and some sauces. Extremely high GI.

🍟 Modified Starch (GI: 85-90): Found in instant soups, gravies, and processed foods, leading to a rapid rise in blood sugar.

🍚 Instant Rice (GI: 85+): Often used in packaged rice meals. Quickly digested and absorbed.

🌾 Tapioca Starch (GI: 70-90): Found in gluten-free products and thickening agents. Spikes glucose rapidly.

Be mindful of these ingredients for better blood sugar control!

What are the side effects of Maltodextrin?

Maltodextrin, Modern Stressor of the Intestinal Environment

Why is there an explosion of diabetes and obesity? Could it be that people eat too much sugar? Could it be that the sugar industry lied and the medical doctors were bribed to tell us that sugar was not causing the diabetes and obesity epidemic? Read all about the sugar industry and its role in the health decline in the U.S.

50 years ago, Big Sugar quietly paid three scientists to point the blame for chronic disease at cholesterol and saturated fat. Millions of Americans died as a result. Here’s how Big Sugar has been lying to the American population since 1965:

In 1967, a single scientific study revealed the true culprit of the diabetes and heart disease epidemic was sugar. NOT saturated fat or cholesterol. So why wasn’t this information made common knowledge?

They covered it all up. The sugar industry knew the results of these studies would tank sales and cost them billions. So the Sugar Research Foundation paid 3 Harvard Scientists $65,000 each to "prove" sugar was harmless.

Who were the scientists? Some of the most respected nutrition experts in the world. Dr. Frederick Stare was the chairman of Harvard’s Department of Nutrition. Dr. Mark Hegsted was a scientific advisor for the USDA. Dr. Robert Gandy was a pioneer in dietary research.

The scientists dismissed multiple long-term studies. The first study proved sugar caused deadly arterial plaques. This was ignored. Another showed heart disease skyrocketed on a high-carb diet. The scientists dismissed it, claiming “these diets are rarely consumed.”

The consequences of this scientific manipulation are horrifying. The truth about sugar and its effects on obesity, diabetes, and heart disease remained in the dark for years. Well-meaning doctors prescribed their patients low-fat, high-carb diets for decades.

These dietary suggestions are to blame for the obesity crisis in America. The USDA urged Americans to trade butter for margarine. Margarine is now accepted as an artery-clogging poison. And another massive shift was to “healthy” low-fat foods loaded with hidden sugars.

As a result, US sugar consumption tripled. So did Big Sugar profits. And not surprisingly, so did type 2 diabetes and blood sugar issues.

In 1980, only 1 in 50 Americans had a blood sugar problem. Today, that number is up to 1 in 3. High blood sugar kills roughly 3.2 million people per year. And since the Harvard Sugar Study, it’s estimated that 158 million deaths occurred in the US as a result of this manipulation.

So what can we do about it? We can take action and avoid processed sugars. Cut out sodas and juices. Cut out processed snacks and treats. Avoid “low-fat” foods filled with sugars.

Instead, stick to real, whole foods. Meat, eggs, fish, nuts, vegetables, butter, olive oil. And if you’re going to consume sugar, consume it from sources nature intended you to: Fruit.

And, most importantly, spread the message. Big Food, Big Sugar, and Big Pharma have been manipulating and profiting off our disease and sickness for decades. Enough is enough.

Start with yourself. Clean up your own diet and your own health. Then help others. If enough individuals take ownership of their health, we can save the health and lives of millions of Americans. But it starts with you and the choices you make from this point on.

So then I read that ignoring your sugar cravings may be dangerous to your thyroid. Sugar cravings are normal with hypothyroidism because those with hypothyroidism are prone to hypoglycemia and insulin resistance, both of which leave your cells starved of sugar. You require T3, sugar and insulin in order to store sugar in your liver. Storing sugar in your liver is essential for preventing hypoglycemia. Those with hypothyroidism cannot store sugar and it makes one prone to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Cells survive by metabolizing sugar. 

Diabetes is not a disease caused by sugar. It is a dysfunction within the body that prevents it from delivering the sugar in the bloodstream to the brain and cells. What type of sugar are we talking about here? When I mention "sugar" you probably think of the white cane sugar, but you get sugar in many different forms. 

When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar) and uses them for energy. Carbs first get broken down by the saliva in your mouth and then by your gut until they’re completely broken down into glucose. Once the glucose gets into your blood, it’s known as your “blood sugar.”

Carbs affect your blood sugar level more than protein or fats do. When the body senses a large amount of glucose rushing into the blood, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin to tell the cells to take in the glucose, keeping blood sugar levels from getting too high.

How do carbohydrates turn into glucose?

While the two answers given address the biochemistry behind the process… it’s important to understand that “carbohydrate” MEANS sugar… ALL carbs are nothing more than sugars in the first place. Here’s a little primer on carbohydrate chemistry.

ALL carbohydrates are “converted” to glucose by our digestive systems as well as some proteins and fats (we get a LOT more glucose from carbs - but if you eat NO carbs, you’ll still get enough glucose from the proteins and fats you eat). Carbs are a non-essential food.

What we refer to as “blood sugar” is the sugar glucose. There are MANY types of sugars - glucose is just one of them. BUT… it’s the most basic. It is a monosaccharide and is the most basic form of carbohydrate.
“Monosaccharide” means a “single sugar”… and it cannot be “broken down” any further, which is why glucose is the simplest sugar - along with two others that have the same formula: fructose (fruit sugar) and galactose (milk sugar). From there come the Disaccharides. Or simply put - double sugars. These are formed when two monosaccharides combine (which they do readily). The disaccharides primarily include sucrose, maltose and lactose.

ALL PLANTS are comprised of carbohydrates - especially once we’ve “processed” them into breads, pasta, french fries, rolls, rice teriyaki, and so on. They ultimately are nothing more than long chains of sugar molecules.

So, carbohydrate is essentially sugar – even the slightly more complex versions (like corn, potatoes, rice and so on). ALL grain-based products are carbohydrates. These are all quickly “converted” to glucose by our digestive systems.

Proteins and fats must be processed more to get glucose out of them – through a process called gluconeogenesis – “creation of new sugar”. It requires much more time than carbs to get glucose from fats and proteins – and we get a lot less from them than from the same amount of carbs.

How to stop sugar cravings without ruining your thyroid. 

(1) Don't eat protein alone. This could cause blood sugar to drop, resulting in the activation of your stress response and suppression of your thyroid. Eating protein alone causes an insulin rush, which can lead to a blood sugar crash. It’s essential to eat protein with carbohydrate to prevent protein from disrupting your blood sugar even further.

(2) What type of sugar should you eat? Use fruit and natural sugars instead of starches and complex carbohydrates to balance blood sugar. These do not cause an insulin surge or your blood sugar to crash. What is the difference between refined sugar and "natural sugar"? Natural sugars are the ones found in whole, unprocessed foods — such as the fructose in bananas or berries, or lactose in a glass of skim milk. Added sugars, like those in doughnuts and soda, are the ones to be more concerned about. Put simply, added sugar is any sugar that gets added to a food — either by you, a chef, or a food manufacturer — before it goes in your mouth.

(3) Adjust fat intake. From what I read, do not eat low-fat foods as they usually use sugar as a filler to make them taste better. Always get full-fat foods. Do not eat fruit filled yogurt or fruit filled cottage cheese. Lots of sugar in both of these. Always read the Nutrition Label.

Besides reducing our consumption of sugar, I am also trying to reduce the quantity of goitrogens that I eat because they act like anti-thyroid drugs in disabling the thyroid and cause hypothyroidism. Specifically, goitrogens can interfere with the thyroid's metabolism and iodine uptake, which can worsen thyroid function. 

Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin.

The Sugar and Cancer Connection: Why Sugar is Called "The White Death" ~~ The “sugar rush” has been targeted at our children. American children are consuming about 10 times as much sugar as they were in 1900, especially in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is the average American’s greatest source of calories! Highly addictive HFCS contains fructose and glucose, but they are NOT bound together (as they are in table sugar) so the body doesn’t need to break it down. Therefore, the fructose is absorbed immediately, going straight to the liver, which turns it into fat (VLDL and triglycerides).

What is the No Sugar, No Grains Diet (NSNG)? by Vinnie Tortorich. He healed himself of cancer. No sugar, no grains, abbreviated as NSNG, is more of a guideline than a formal diet. In this article, we’ll explore the ins and outs of the no sugar, no grains approach, including how to do it along with its benefits and potential drawbacks.

This simple approach to reclaiming your metabolic health was coined by fitness guru to the stars, Vinnie Tortorich–known affectionately as America’s angriest trainer.

For many people, going no sugar, no grains is an entry point into more formal low-carb high-fat diets like keto and carnivore.

Dr. Eric Berg: "Sugar is bad for you.” Everyone says it but almost no one explains why. Here’s the truth about what sugar really does to your body:

Most people know sugar causes: • Weight gain • Cavities • Fatty liver • High blood pressure • Weakened immunity But the real damage goes much deeper… Sugar wrecks your mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside your cells that keep you alive.

Nearly every modern disease traces back to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are the power plants of your cells, turning fuel into usable energy. When they become damaged, energy production collapses and chronic disease sets in.

When mitochondria fail, you don’t just feel tired. You set the stage for: • Cancer • Alzheimer’s • Heart disease • Kidney and liver disease • Type 2 diabetes And the primary driver of that mitochondrial damage is sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Not all sugar is equal. Glucose harms mitochondria, but fructose is far worse. Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver. Sodas, fruit juices, and high-fructose corn syrup overwhelm it quickly. The result: fatty liver, insulin resistance, and chronic inflammation.

Here is what excess sugar does to your mitochondria: • Mutates mitochondrial DNA • Reduces oxygen use (hypoxia) • Lowers energy production • Triggers oxidative stress • Depletes mitochondrial numbers This is why sugar accelerates disease. It gets worse…

Sugar inhibits autophagy, your body’s system for recycling old, damaged mitochondria. Without it, unhealthy cells accumulate, increasing your risk of cancer and accelerating aging. There’s more…

Sugar also depletes essential nutrients your body needs to function properly. Excess sugar reduces: • B1 (thiamine), causing neuropathy, anxiety, and memory problems • Zinc, compromising mitochondrial function and immunity This is why diabetics often experience nerve damage.

The science is overwhelming. A review of 73 meta-analyses covering 8,600 studies linked high sugar intake to 45 negative health effects. These include diabetes, stroke, dementia, asthma, gout, cancer, and early death.

The sugar industry knows this. That is why it spends billions lobbying to protect its products. Sugar lobbies accounts for one-third of all donations from U.S. agriculture, despite making up just 2 percent of farms. This influence shapes dietary guidelines and food policy.

The good news is you can reverse much of the damage and protect your mitochondria. Try: • Low-carb or ketogenic diet • Intermittent fasting • Exercise, especially high-intensity • Quality sleep • Cold exposure and sunlight to stimulate mitochondria

Sugar is more than empty calories. It is toxic at the cellular level, damaging mitochondria and depleting energy. Cutting it out protects your cells and lowers your risk for nearly every chronic disease. Watch this video to learn more:

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OXALATES IN FOOD

I also want to mention oxalates. There are many foods that have oxalates in them. I did not know about oxalates and what they do to ones body. This is what happens when you eat a high oxalate diet:

>Destroys mitochondria

>Injured mitochondria = mood issues, gut function problems, migraine, muscle pain, gastrointestinal symptoms, tinnitus, depression, chronic fatigue

>Depletes minerals and other nutrients

>Blocks enzyme function = interferes with enzymes that replenish the glycogen (stored carbs) in the muscles & liver

>Makes it impossible for cells to keep free radicals under control 

 (called oxidative stress)

>Oxidative stress damages cell structures, triggers inflammation

>Causes kidney stones

>Upsets the electrolyte balance

>High oxalic acid can cause hypothyroidism

>Compromise immune system

Kale isn't a superfood. It's a slow poison.

Kale, spinach, almonds, raspberries, sweet potatoes, all loaded with oxalates. Sharp crystals that bind to calcium and deposit in your kidneys, joints, bladder, and tissues.

Oxalates cause 70% of kidney stones. They trigger gout, interstitial cystitis, joint pain, bad skin, even vulvodynia. We've known this for 150 years, but "superfood" marketing buried it.

Your ancestors ate raspberries for two weeks a year, not every day in a smoothie. They had a handful of almonds, not almond butter by the jar. Your body has no enzyme to break oxalates down, they just accumulate.��The overconsumption of these foods that we think are "good," for us, are actually hurting us more than we know.

I was a raw vegan. I loaded up on these foods. And I paid for it. The detox when I stopped was brutal, but necessary.

If your doctor diagnosed you with IC, kidney stones, or mystery joint pain—step away from the spinach, the almonds, the kale, the sweet potatoes. Your "healthy" diet might be the problem.

Green doesn’t always mean good for you.

Valerie Anne Smith suffered from these diseases and was told they were "incurable": Interstitial Cystitis, Over Active Bladder, Vulvodynia, Ehlers Danlos, Tinnitus, Hypothyroidism & many others. All completely cured by treating the Root Cause: Oxalate Overload Toxicity.

Listen to

@LowOxCoach1

In addition to all of this, I read a book on oxalates in foods and the damage they can do if you eat a high oxalate diet called Toxic Superfoods.  Low oxalate diet by Healthline.

Health Dangers in Oxalates by Dr. Kevin Stock tells us that plants have “motivations” for their survival, not human health. To protect themselves, plants use phytochemicals to deter predators from eating them. These special molecules fight back against fungi, insects, and animal predators – including us humans. Oxalates are such a molecule. Because oxalates form into sharp crystal-like structures, they can prick a predator’s mouth, deterring predation. Further, they prevent the absorption of minerals, deplete vitamins, and can bioaccumulate damaging tissues and organs.

The following list shows high and low oxalate foods:

Foods to eat ~~ The following foods are naturally low (4mg and under) in oxalates, and you can enjoy them as part of a healthy, low oxalate diet.

• Fruits: bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, apples, apricots, lemons, peaches, melons, mangoes, grapes, coconut, pear, plum, pineapple
• Vegetables: mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, green peas, tomato, romaine lettuce, peppers, cucumber, kale, celery, brussels sprouts, Bok choy, radish, squash (moderate: carrots, avocado, asparagus, green beans)
• Grains and starches: white rice, corn flour, oat bran
• Proteins: eggs, meat, fish, poultry, pork, bacon, lamb
• Dairy products: yogurt, cheese, milk, butter
• Beverages: coffee, water, fruit juice
• Some herbs and spices: cinnamon cilantro, cumin, dill

Foods to avoid ~~ The following foods are high (10mg and higher) in oxalates, and your health will be better if you avoid the following foods:

• Fruits: kiwis, dates, oranges, tangerines, raspberries, clementine, grapefruit
• Vegetables: spinach, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, yams, okra, rhubarb swiss chard, parsnips, mixed salad greens, cooked celery, olives, green beans, tomato sauce
• Legumes: navy beans, fava beans, kidney beans, black beans, refried beans, great northern, pinto, refried, soy, soy protein isolate
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, cashews, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, almond butter, peanut butter
• Seeds: pumpkin seeds
• Chocolate and cocoa
• Grains and starches: brown rice, couscous, millet, bulgur, quinoa, cornmeal, corn grits, w/w flour, barley flour
• Beverages: chocolate milk, hot chocolate, tea, tomato juice
• Soy products: tofu, soybeans, soy burgers, soy flour

What is considered a high oxalate diet? "Normal" is 130-220 mg/day; low-oxalate is under 60mg/day; high-oxalate is over 250mg/day and extremely high is over 600mg/day. 

For a low-oxalate diet look for foods that are under 4mg per serving. Moderate-oxalate food is 4mg to 9.9mg per serving. High-oxalate food is considered over 10mg per serving. Very high is over 15mg per serving.

I had thought I was doing good because I started using Almond Flour instead of Unbleached White Flour. I was also eating bars by Simple Mills that used almond flour instead of white flour. I got quite an eye opener when I started researching the amount of oxalates in various foods and how much were in all the spinach I used to eat and in almond flour! There is 400mg of oxalates in 1/2 cup of almond flour. (There is 17mg of oxalates in all purpose flour.) Even though the Simple Mills uses both almond and coconut flours, it also has chia seeds in it. Chia seeds have 45mg in 2T. I cannot even imagine how many oxalates I was eating in one of these bars! My goal is to eat a moderate to low oxalate diet, which is 60 to 130mg per day. 

How do you manage to eat a high oxalate diet? Here is a web link to find out the oxalate content of foods. I've listed some below.

Rhubarb - 1/2 cup = 541mg

Kiwi - 1 fruit = 16mg

Dates - 5 each = 25.5mg

Orange - 1 fruit = 23.3mg

Tangerine - 1 fruit = 15.7mg

Spinach, raw - 1 cup = 316.2mg

Spinach, cooked - 1/2 cup = 547.4mg

Sweet Potatoes - 1 cup = 28mg

Baked Potato - 1 each = 97mg

Beets - 1/2 cup = 76.4mg

Turnips - 1/2 cup = 30mg

Okra - 1/2 cup = 57mg

Carrots, cooked - 1/2 cup = 8.2mg

Carrots, raw - 1/2 lg = 4.5mg

Navy Beans - 1/2 cup = 96.3mg

Fava Beans - 1/2 cup = 20mg

Kidney Beans - 1/2 cup = 9.9mg

Black Beans - 1/2 cup = 10.5mg

Refried Beans - 1/2 cup = 59.6mg

Almonds - 1oz = 122mg

Almond butter - 1 T = 42mg

Almond flour - 1/2 c = 394mg

Almond milk - 1 c = 24mg

Walnuts - 1oz = 11.7mg

Cashews - 1oz = 63.5mg

Chocolate, Dark, Bar - 1-1/2oz = 67.7mg

Cocoa Powder - 4 T = 67mg

Almond butter - 1 T = 41mg

Peanut butter - 1 T = 19mg

Brown Rice - 1 cup = 18.7mg

Couscous - 1 cup = 15.1mg

Millet - 1 cup = 62mg

Bulgar - 1 cup = 86mg

Cornmeal - 1 cup = 64mg

Quinoa - 1 cup = 54.4mg

Soybeans, green, boiled - 1/2 cup = 48mg

Soy Protein Isolate - 1oz = 27mg

Soy Burger - 3.5oz = 11.9mg

What happens when you take the already catastrophic almond and decide to eat it in greater concentration? - One kilogram of almond flour requires approximately 5 kilograms of almonds. Each pound of almonds required 1,900 gallons of water to produce. Almond flour is water-dense produce ground into a more water-dense product. - Oxalate content in almond flour is high. One cup delivers roughly 120mg of oxalates. The upper threshold for people with a history of kidney stones is typically 100mg per day. Almond flour pancakes are a kidney stone waiting to patiently introduce itself. - Omega-6 linoleic acid: present in meaningful quantities. The PUFA concern with almonds does not disappear when you grind them. It concentrates. - Phytic acid: binds calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium. The minerals on the label are partially decorative. - It is used primarily to make baked goods that approximate the thing the person has decided not to eat. Almond flour bread. Almond flour cake. Almond flour pizza base. The food is trying very hard to be other food. If the goal is low carbohydrate baking, the almond flour brownie achieves it. It also delivers a significant oxalate load, a California water bill, and 50 dead bees per serving if you scale the arithmetic. Eggs and butter also make a brownie. They require no bees, no Central Valley irrigation infrastructure, and considerably less self-congratulation.

What happens to your body on a high oxalate diet? Here is the list of issues that comes with a high oxalate diet:

Digestive System -- IBS, inflammatory bowel, gastric reflux, rectal/bowel problems. Symptoms: trouble swallowing, reflux, bloating, belching, indigestion, cramping, pain, constipation, frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, alternating constipation and diarrhea. (Have you ever heard of the term "leaky gut"?)

Metabolic/Glandular -- gland function suppressed, hypothyroid, liver function issues, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, poor resistance to infection, systemic acidosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, cystic breasts. Symptoms: low energy, tiredness, chronic fatigue, weight issues, brain function sluggishness, weakness, muscle cramps, cold hands and feet, slow healing.

Immune -- "itis" issues, autoimmune disorders, allergies, asthma, sarcoidosis, fibrosis, hypersensitivities. Symptoms: rashes, itching, pain, migraine headaches, food intolerance, cold intolerance, allergies, fatigue, hot flashes, flushing.

Cardiovascular -- atherosclerosis, vasculitis, arteritis, Raynaud's syndrome. Symptoms: cold intolerance, stroke/heart attack, breathing problems or COPD, blood pressure irregularity, heart arrhythmias.

Neuro/brain -- pain, burning, oral sensitivity, poor sleep (insomnia, night waking, headaches/migraine, autism. Symptoms: light and noise sensitivity, vision issues, burning pains (anywhere), hiccups, mood issues, indifference/loss of motivation, depression, anxiety, cognitive issues, metal fatigue, brain fog/lack of focus, poor physical coordination/clumsiness.

Joints/muscles/bones/teeth -- arthritis, gout, osteopenia, fibromyalgia, excessive tooth tartar, jaw pain, jaw popping, TMJ, carpal tunnel/tenosynovitis, gum disease. Symptoms; muscle spasms, stiffness, weakness, twitching joint (knee, hip, shoulder, elbow), foot pain, unstable joints, frozen shoulder, injury, slow healing, tightness or looseness of fascia, joints, etc., weak bones, loose teeth, swelling, heat, bleeding, infected or inflamed gums.

Skin -- lichen sclerosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis. Symptoms: frail skin, weakness, cuts or splits, white spots, red or purple sores, sun sensitive, difficulty tanning, flushing, bruising from within, rashes, eczema, peeling.

Eyes -- sties, deposits. Symptoms: eyelid redness and tenderness, vision problems, crusty secretions, hazy corneas, watery, itchy or dry eyes, cataracts.

Ears -- tinnitus, vertigo, Meniere's syndrome. Symptoms: ringing or buzzing, dizziness, hearing loss.

Pelvic -- genital pain, vulvodynia, sexual dysfunction. Symptoms: heaviness, pressure, soreness, itching, sharp pain, stinging or burning in the pelvis, vulva, or scrotal areas, genital redness, rashes, blisters, painful intercourse.

Urinary -- kidney stones, kidney calcification, excessive frequency, urgency, burning, cystitis, burning bladder, urethra pain. Symptoms: incontinence, bedwetting, cloudy urine, sediment-filled or powdery urine.

Sally Norton did a YouTube video on these "Superfoods." Sally emphasizes that several foods commonly considered healthy, such as nuts, dark leafy greens, sweet potatoes, quinoa, and even bran, may actually be harmful due to their high oxalate content. Oxalates, particularly oxalic acid found in plants, can disrupt cellular function by causing oxidative stress, inflammation, and damage to tissues. The accumulation of calcium oxalate can interfere with metabolism, vascular health, and electrolyte balance, leading to various health issues like digestive problems, joint pain, urinary tract infections, and kidney stones. Sally also explains that our modern, non-seasonal diet exacerbates this issue, as we consume these foods year-round without giving our bodies time to recover. 

Sally says that tea significantly contributes to oxalate intake due to its fully soluble oxalic acid content, making it both quickly absorbed and harmful. However, Sally mentions that in moderation, tea can be used medicinally to help the body manage oxalate release from tissues. She advises that dietary changes should be gradual, allowing the body time to adjust to avoid overwhelming it. She emphasizes that dealing with oxalate accumulation is a long-term process influenced by individual nutrition and lifestyle factors. 

Sally advises that low oxalate carbs, such as white rice, are generally well-tolerated, especially for those with gut inflammation. She notes that white rice has resistant starch, which may be problematic for those with severe digestive issues. Cutting out fiber can also reduce pain and inflammation, making a carnivore diet appealing to some. Sally also highlights that juicing fruits, especially those high in oxalates like raspberries and pomegranates, can significantly reduce their oxalate content. She recommends eating nutrient-dense animal foods, taking breaks from constant grazing, and returning to traditional meal times for metabolic freedom.

Here is an article on oxalates by Dr. Jerry Thompson who discusses how easy it is to get too many oxalates and what they do to the body. I never heard of oxalates during the 1980's and 1990's ~~ wish I had. But it's never too late to get them out of your system and get healthy.

You should not go "oxalate free" as that is not beneficial to the body. It may sound like it should be good, but I have read that oxalate toxicity is not like celiac disease or a peanut allergy, which require the total elimination of specific ingredients. Don't think of your low-oxalate diet as an "oxalate-free diet." In fact, it should not be a no-oxalate diet. 

 

Recognizing the Symptoms of High Oxalates

If you research oxalates, you’ll find many articles associating oxalic acid with kidney stones, but oxalic acid crystals can form in tissues and joints throughout the body and cause a wide range of health issues, including the following:

• Arthritis
• Gout
• Inflammation
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Joint pain
• Kidney stones
• Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), which causes allergic-like reactions
• Muscle pain
• Painful urination
• Rashes
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Ironically, people often encounter problems with oxalates when they’re trying to be healthy. We frequently see patients who try elimination diets, such as dairy-free or gluten-free diets. Some overshoot the mark with spinach, kale, and almonds. In their smoothie, for instance, they might be adding kale and almond milk daily and oxalates in almond flour, in addition to consuming almond butter, almond flour, and lots of salad. The best approach is a moderate one. Don’t overdo a food type on your way to wellness.

I read a report by Dr. Isabella Wentz and found out that a high oxalate diet also contributes to Hashimoto's Disease and hypothyroidism. I guess I've been hit with a double whammy in regards to my thyroid. Not only did I eat a lot of goitrogens, but I had also been eating a fairly high oxalate diet (spinach, nuts, almond butter, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pecans, dark chocolate, beets). 

Valerie Anne Smith has a protocol on tinnitus ~~ Do your ears buzz & ring 24hrs/day?? That irritating constant TINNITUS noise that most doctors just shrug & have no answer for?

Oxalate Crystals=Kidney Stones right?

Oxalates can invade & harm every inch of you including your inner ear. She had it for years & she is grateful to be 6yrs healed. At least 15 of her 26 illnesses were either a contributing factor or a direct result of Oxalate Overload from eating toxic levels of Oxalate foods everyday.

Tinnitus Headache TMJ Insomnia GERD IBS Hypothyroid Osteoporosis Ehler Danlos Syndrome Over Active Bladder Interstitial Cystitis Vulvodynia Depression/Anxiety/OCD Removal of High Oxalate foods slowly to keep your system from "Oxalate Dumping" causing acute detox illness symptoms is a must. And then keeping a small amount in the diet to ensure "dumping prevention".

Dr. Jerry Thompson on Oxalates: Fruit and vegetables are good for us; we all know this. And generally, the more we eat, the better our health. Longer-lived races typically eat over ten a day, whereas most of us in the UK can’t manage five a day. Good data show that eating more fruit and vegetables reduce our risk of the three major killers: cancer and heart disease and stroke. So, what could possibly go wrong? Well, there is risk, it is a largely unrecognized and for some people it can be serious. (Click on blue link for the rest of the article.)

The Hidden Dangers of Plant Toxins. Time to clean up your plate in your annual foray at dieting? You’d be forgiven for ticking off the usual boxes. More veggies. More fiber. A few extra servings of green goodness to get you started.

And why not? They’re low on calories, fill you up, and stop you from turning acidic and contracting cancer. As the lore goes, plants have been put on this earth to be your friends. This is the Garden of Eden diet, a blissful time before red meat invented disease.

But since the downfall of Adam, plants have been making a strong and persistent comeback. Over the millennia, we’ve built up a pedestal for our vegetable contemporaries, elevating them to the point where they can do no wrong. While they now make up the vast majority of the modern diet, they also sit at the frontline of pursuits into wellbeing and longevity.

Plants are now widely regarded as the apex source of nutrition. To the point where many of our supplements and pharmaceuticals are plant extracts. Healthy dinner plates are often made of plants, with plants, topped with more plants. Processed foods are concentrated combinations of grains and vegetable oils. At this stage, they’re everywhere.

It’s clear why they’ve become the dominant food source. They’ve been certified healthy by the top health boards, are easy to produce in huge quantities to support the world’s runaway population boom, and don’t belch methane into the air.

So despite the fact that some of those foods, the processed variety, are a bit dubious in their place in a healthy diet, plant sources are a net positive in our quest for physical, mental, and ethical wellbeing.

Now for the scary thought, what if we’re wrong? (The rest of the article.)

Nobody told you that your favourite health foods are full of hidden death crystals your body cannot break down. Oxalates are a plant defence compound. The plant grows them deliberately, concentrating them in its leaves and seeds, because crystals that shred soft tissue are an effective deterrent to anything trying to eat it. The plant does not distinguish between a caterpillar and you. Here is what makes oxalates different from every other plant toxin: Lectins get digested. Phytates pass through. Oxalates can be deposited directly into your tissues. Joints. Kidneys. Blood vessels. Eyes. Where they sit as sharp calcium oxalate crystals and cause damage at the site, invisibly, indefinitely, until the damage becomes a diagnosis. This is documented in clinical literature. It is called oxalosis in its severe form. Milder crystal deposition in joints is increasingly being studied in the context of chronic inflammatory disease. The recommended safe intake is 50mg per day. The average Western diet delivers 200 to 300mg. A single green smoothie can clear 1,000mg before 9am. Reported symptoms of chronic oxalate overload: kidney stones, joint pain that mimics gout or arthritis, and, widely reported in low-oxalate communities though not yet fully captured in peer-reviewed literature, brain fog and fatigue that lifts entirely when the foods are removed. The ten highest-oxalate foods, and what you are working with per 100g: Spinach: 970mg Rhubarb: 860mg Instant tea: 700mg Cocoa powder: 620mg Beet greens: 610mg Swiss chard: 580mg Almonds: 469mg Cashews: 262mg Sweet potato: 240mg Peanuts: 140mg All of those are sold to you as superfoods. One of them is the entire foundation of the wellness smoothie industry. One is sitting in a bowl on your desk right now because somebody told you it was a heart-healthy snack. No single food on that list will kill you outright. But chronic daily consumption of several of them, raw, unprocessed, in the quantities the wellness industry recommends, might explain symptoms you have been carrying for years. Symptoms your GP has called idiopathic. Symptoms that showed up on no blood panel. Symptoms that were attributed to stress, or age, or just the way you are. The crystals were there the whole time. Quietly doing their job.

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BONE HEALTH 

Women should not take just calcium for their bone health. According to Barbara O'Neill, we need minerals to keep our bones healthy. These are the minerals she recommends we get: copper, manganese, zinc picolinate, calcium, chromium, magnesium glycinate, boron, sulfur, selenium, potassium, phosphorus. I have researched different supplements to get as close to these as possible.

This is what I found that has the most minerals that O'Neill mentions: Bluebonnet Multiminerals & Boron. 

>Calcium

>Iodine

>Magnesium

>Zinc

>Selenium

>Copper

>Manganese

>Chromium

>Molybdenum

>Potassium

>Boron

So if you just take calcium, you are not feeding your bones properly. Let me share a few things about bone health and calcium. Listen to Barbara O'Neill on bone health:

Dr. Ken Berry: Is it possible to reverse osteoporosis and have stronger bones? I have seen it happen many times with my patients. You can prevent/reverse osteoporosis with the tips I give in this video, as well as prevent/reverse osteopenia. Large drug companies would rather you not know this, but you deserve to know. Bones are living tissues that are constantly being remodeled, and they are built of what you have eaten over the past few years. Osteoclasts are specialized cells that remove old & damaged bone tissue.

Following behind them are Osteoblasts which are cells that lay down new bone matrix in a very strategic way. Your diet and lifestyle determine if this remodeling process leads to stronger or weaker bones; what you do and what you eat literally decide how strong your bones will be. These specialized cells down dissolve old bone and lay down new bone in some willy-nilly fashion, they are very wise in this process of increasing your Meaningful Bond Density. 

Most of the prescription medications for Osteoporosis Treatment/ Prevention hi-jack the actions of these specialized cells. Although these medications can increase your overall bone density; this increased density often does not lead to meaningful increases in bone strength and flexibility. You can reverse bone loss:

Osteoporosis/Osteopenia Update Every year, 15% of your spine and 5% of your hips are replaced with new bone through a process called remodeling. Every 10 years, your entire skeleton will have rebuilt itself.

>Bone is about 50% protein, many people with OP think plant protein is just as good as animal protein

>Calcium is just one of the minerals used to strengthen bone; calcium supplements offer little help

>Weight-bearing exercise stimulates bones to get stronger and more break-resistant >Building muscle also builds bone strength >Bone density is NOT the same as Bone Strength >It takes time to strengthen bones, be patient >Smoking weakens bones, please stop.

Bone enemies to avoid:

Eat this for stronger bones:

What we aren't told about Osteoporosis. This was written by A Midwestern Doctor, M. Brandon Pettke. This is an important article to read as he explains why Dexa (bone density) scans are not always accurate and that inaccuracy leads to women taking pills that they may not need. In addition, there is a test that is done in Europe that is more accurate but probably won't make it in the U.S. due to the Dexa being so heavily subsidized. It's called R.E.M.S. Technology (Radiofrequency Echographic Multispectrometry). 

I read the posts of Valerie Anne Smith on "X." She suffered severe depression and other ailments for many, many years. A few years back she turned her life around by going total Carnivore. Her story is quite impressive. Anyway, right now I want to post her protocol for healing herself of osteoporosis. She had severe osteoporosis for 30yrs with the final 5yrs chronic bone pain & 5 fractures. After her Mental Illnesses healed she worked very hard to reverse & heal Osteo. She has not had pain or a fracture/injury since 2018.

The first part is Protein:

1st is PROTEIN: Calculate your daily minimum needs. Rebuilding bone is 1.5grams of protein per lb of lean body mass. Mine is 1.5 X 120lbs= 180+grams daily protein. Next familiarize yourself with animal protein labeling &/or use Cronometer/Google to calculate.

Animal Protein examples: 1lb sirloin steak 80gr protein 1lb 80/20 gr beef 75gr protein 1lb 93/7 gr beef 90gr protein 1lb salmon 115gr protein 1lb shrimp 110gr protein 1lb ham 95gr protein 1lb chicken 100gr protein 4 large eggs 28gr protein To heal the 26 illnesses I had, including Osteoporosis, I needed to work up to eating 3lbs of meat each day. Adding 2ounces to each meal for a week then adding 2ounces again. This is how I went from 1lb of meat each day to 3lbs. This healed my Hypothyroid, Hormonal Deficiencies, Anemias & 6 diagnosed Mental Illnesses by healing the brain with abundant Amino Acids. My typical day includes 2lbs of some form of beef & then 1lb of whatever else I am hungry for. Which translates to 200+grams of protein.

The second part is sun & supplements: 

What I did 6yrs ago to reverse severe lifelong bone loss. In addition to Prioritizing Protein in the previous post, I also researched the importance ofSun Exposure. Our bodies need the sun for vitamin synthesis, hormone production & mental health. Living in Ohio, that meant concentrating on May-September. Exposed clean skin, elimination of dietary seed oils which harm the skin, no sunscreen use, no sunglasses in order to get sun thru closed eyelids. Supplementation for Bone Density: As stated previously bone is 50% protein. Bone tissue is also a mineralised matrix of inorganic various salts. Macros are Magnesium, Phosphorus & Calcium. Trace minerals Boron, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Silicon & Selenium. Boron plays a critical role in bone density. Optimal Testosterone Levels in both men & women are required for rebuilding bone. Boron increases Testosterone production. Vitamin D3 & K2 are required in order to bind Calcium to the bone matrix. Your body cannot use Calcium if D3 & K2 are missing. Magnesium is deficient in upwards of 80% of the population & is used in over 300 bodily functions including skeletal muscle health & bone density. Just as important is daily consumption of 65+trace minerals within good quality mineral salt. The trace minerals needed to rebuild bone like Silica & Phosphorus are found in life giving salt. Mineral salt, NOT ultra processed table salt. Redmond's real salt, Baja Gold salt, Celtic grey salt, Himalayan, Maldon, etc. Eliminate as much dietary sugar as possible, including Carbohydrates. Glucose draws Magnesium & Calcium FROM the bones & is a direct cause of Osteoporosis. High glucose is bad for bones. D3 5,000iu/K2 100mcg Boron 3mg Magnesium Glycinate 600-900mg Mineral salt on food & 1/4tsp per 40oz water Many great quality brand name supplements available. These are the ones I chose: Now Brand Life Extension Brand Doctor's Best Brand KAL Brand I have not had a single injury, bone pain or fracture since 2018. Which previously had been constant & chronic. Excruciating bone pain for 10yrs & 5 fractures within a 5yr period(2012-2017).

The third part is weightlifting:

What I did 6yrs ago to reverse severe lifelong bone loss. In addition to Prioritizing Protein in the previous post, I also researched the importance ofSun Exposure. Our bodies need the sun for vitamin synthesis, hormone production & mental health. Living in Ohio, that meant concentrating on May-September. Exposed clean skin, elimination of dietary seed oils which harm the skin, no sunscreen use, no sunglasses in order to get sun thru closed eyelids. Supplementation for Bone Density: As stated previously bone is 50% protein. Bone tissue is also a mineralised matrix of inorganic various salts. Macros are Magnesium, Phosphorus & Calcium. Trace minerals Boron, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Silicon & Selenium. Boron plays a critical role in bone density. Optimal Testosterone Levels in both men & women are required for rebuilding bone. Boron increases Testosterone production. Vitamin D3 & K2 are required in order to bind Calcium to the bone matrix. Your body cannot use Calcium if D3 & K2 are missing. Magnesium is deficient in upwards of 80% of the population & is used in over 300 bodily functions including skeletal muscle health & bone density. Just as important is daily consumption of 65+trace minerals within good quality mineral salt. The trace minerals needed to rebuild bone like Silica & Phosphorus are found in life giving salt. Mineral salt, NOT ultra processed table salt.

All 4 components work together: Protein Supplements Sun Weight Bearing Exercise You cannot rebuild bone only doing the 1st 3....Weightlifting is what stimulates new bone growth. The 1st 3 provide the raw materials to which bone is rebuilt, but weightlifting is what what forces the bones to rebuild.

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BLOOD PRESSURE

What about blood pressure? What is normal? Why has it changed so much over the years? Did something change in our diet to cause the blood pressure goal posts to change? When did processed foods become so available? 

The Journal of Clinical Hypertension: As late as the 1950s, elevated blood pressure was considered by many expert physicians to be necessary for the adequate per fusion of vital organs. Although the morbidity and mortality risks of hypertension were known at that time to insurance companies, which often refused life insurance policies to people with high blood pressure, there was a lag in the recognition of the dangers of hypertension in the medical community, following the pioneering efforts of researchers who began to treat patients with malignant hypertension, the results of clinical trials and population studies, and the availability of effective antihypertensive agents, hypertension management improved rapidly. This review traces the history of hypertension management from the 1940s, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died of a cerebrovascular accident—a result of uncontrolled hypertension—to today, when a large number of patients, even those with less severe hypertension, are being treated successfully, with a resulting dramatic decrease in hypertension-related vascular disease.

Forty-Year Shifting Distribution of Systolic Blood Pressure With Population Hypertension Treatment and Control. Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control programs were initiated in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. Whereas blood pressure (BP) control in the population and subsequent reduced hypertension-related disease risks have improved since the implementation of these interventions, it is unclear whether these BP changes can be generalized to diverse and high-risk populations. This report describes the 4-decade change in BP levels for the population in a high disease risk southeastern region of the United States. The objective is to determine the magnitude of the shift in systolic BP (SBP) among Blacks and Whites from the Southeast between 1960 and 2005 with the assessment of the unique population cohorts.

Evolution of the Treatment of Hypertension From the 1940s to JNC V. The late 1940s and 1950s heralded a dramatic change in the approach to the treatment of hypertension. While there were still some physicians who continued to have doubts regarding the significance of hypertension, most had accepted the fact that increased pressure increased risk for cardiovascular disease. In addition, there were now some data that, at least in severe, accelerated, or malignant hypertension, the lowering of blood pressure reversed some of the complications of the disease.

High Blood Pressure is far too common, and a risk factor for terrible things like Heart Attack, Stroke, and Kidney Failure. We've been trained to think Hypertension is a chronic, progressive disease that can only be treated with a handful of pills, and never reversed. What if this weren't true? How to lower your blood pressure naturally is a question you have every right to ask. 

High blood pressure in most people is caused by a known set of causes, and removing these causes brings your blood pressure down. Do you take 1-3 pills each day for your high blood pressure? Reversing your high blood pressure enough to stop even one daily pill will be a victory you can accomplish. 

If in the process of reversing your high blood pressure you also lose some weight and decrease your aches and pains, please don't be upset. Many other problems can be corrected with these same 9 easy steps. Just don't fall for the 3 myths you might have heard...

What causes high blood pressure ~~

'Normal Blood Pressure'...Big Pharma Keeps Moving The Goalpost. 1940: Normal 100+Plus Your Age/95 1970: Normal 160/90 2000: Normal 140/90 2017 & Now: Normal Needs To Be Less Than 120/80

The American Academy of Family Physicians targets blood pressure in adults at 140/90. Anti-Hypertensive Drugs worldwide achieved a revenue of $36.7 BILLION in 2024. Blood Pressure Medications do not treat the root cause & inflict grave side effects resulting in more pills prescribed to counter negative side effects. Making Big Pharma even more $$ profit for every additional Medication prescribed to mitigate the side effects from the original Hypertension Medications. Very Low Blood Pressure is not healthy, causing more chronic illness & higher mortality. Finding optimal Blood Pressure for you can be obtained by Diet & Lifestyle. No one has a blood pressure medication deficiency. Adopting a whole food Low Carb Diet, prioritizing nutrient dense animal foods & eliminating Seed Oils, Processed Foods & Sugar will normalize Blood Pressure for your unique physiology. Prioritizing Potassium & Magnesium is crucial. Both are involved in the body's Sodium Potassium Pump System. Supporting these important minerals by using unrefined mineral salt & electrolytes will also yield your own normal Blood Pressure. Hypertension Medication Side Effects: Chronic cough Low sodium & potassium Dizziness Headaches Dehydration Muscle cramps Gout Insomnia, sleep changes & nightmares Constipation Tiredness or depression Slow heartbeat Symptoms of asthma Sexual and/or erectile dysfunction Heart palpitations Fainting Kidney dysfunction Angioedema (swelling of face/tongue) Joint pain

Higher BP In Older Adults Live Longer

200/100 Was Mild Hypertension in 1940

40 Year Blood Pressure Normal Numbers Shift

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My normal shopping store is Walmart. They consistently have the products that I want to buy without me having to go to more than one store. As I was scrolling through email one morning, this video popped up, and needless to say, I was happy to see it. It was done by one of the Carnivore gurus (Paul Saladino) that I follow on how to shop at Walmart.

Also, do not fear fat. There was a time that we were told to eat low-fat, that fat was bad for us; bad for our hearts. That way of thinking is dangerous to your health. We need fat to survive. Listen to Bobby Parrish and Paul Saladino discuss our bodies need for fat.

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MAMMOGRAMS & BREAST HEALTH

I thought about one more thing about staying healthy and that is mammograms and pap smears that our doctors insist women get. If I knew then what I know now about mammograms, I would never have gotten any. Luckily, I never had breast cancer, although I do have dense breast tissue. My doctor said I should get mammograms until I'm 75 or something; said that since Jacklyn had cancer that I am more susceptible to getting cancer. I'm 72 and never had any -- how does she think I'd get it now?? I think Jacklyn's cancer was caused by either birth control pills or maybe the one dose of Gardasil that she took. My mother died of cancer, but I think that was due to her smoking. 

Peer reviewed published studies have shown that cancer causing mammograms cause more harm than good. Especially cumulative radiation. Not to mention, diagnostics with mammograms are often wrong as covered by mainstream news news. So often they do double mastectomies and they didn’t even need to. Probably time to get smart and you can get these if you like, but they can and do cause breast cancer. Your choice. 

Are Mammograms a SCAM? You decide! I encourage you to watch this film before you or your loved ones consent to a mammogram. When considering a higher standard for our daughters, is it time to reexamine our current disempowering Breast Cancer Awareness paradigm and implement empowerment with Breast Health Awareness strategies?

In this award winning documentary surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, scientists, advocates...warn women of the truth that is kept from them. A truth that can cause grave harm, and even death. Many studies conclude the risks mammograms pose far outweigh the benefits and that mammograms have not decreased the ultimate mortality rate, not even by 1%, and 33% to over 60% of women are being over-diagnosed and over-treated.

Is it time to question the motives of some in the current Breast Cancer "Industry"? Mammography radiation can cause cancer, compression can spread cancer if present, 3D mammograms are CT scans (utilizing more radiation) and MRI utilizes toxic contrast agents. Are Breast Thermograms (Infrared Scans), self-Breast Exams, clinical breast exams, ultrasounds and/or Blood Tests better options?

I hope you will demand full transparency for informed consent and easy access to all of your options, so you have the opportunity to make educated decisions about your health and for the health of your daughters.

A Breast Expose: The Breast Kept Secret.

It turns out that this diagnostic procedure exposes women's breasts to a type of radiation that's known to CAUSE cancer. Here's the worst part. We now know that over the past 30 years, 1.3 million women have been misdiagnosed with breast cancer that actually had no chance of causing harm. So, they were put on the treadmill, generating huge profits for Big Pharma and hospitals while being deceived into believing that the medical system had "saved" them from cancer—all while draining their wallets. Sayer Ji calls it “like a Stockholm syndrome.” “Millions of people march in these breast cancer awareness marches, not realizing that it's funded by the very corporations that make money off the drugs used to treat breast cancer.” Uncover more truths about cancer in the comment below

Nurse explains why she won't get a mammogram:

"Mammograms Are Harmful & Should Be Abandoned." Dr Jenn Simmons, Cancer Surgeon "It Is Radiation, Of Course It's Going To Cause Cancer." "For every 2,000 women, we may potentially save 1 woman's life. And we will cause 10 to 20 women to be treated unnecessarily with surgery, chemo & radiation." "You can't ever say that a Mammogram saved someone's life." 600-1,000 of every 2,000 women who undergo Mammograms, will go thru more radiation screening & biopsies for potential diagnosis. Repeated radiation exposure causes deaths from heart disease, lung cancer & other cancers, & these iatrogenic deaths are not counted as breast cancer deaths. Mammography was not meant to prevent Cancer & it always does more harm than good. "There is absolutely no survival advantage to Mastectomy." "Breast Cancer is both an environmental disease & a Metabolic Disease. And so much of Breast Cancer is the end of the line of Metabolic Dysfunction." The Reputable Experts From Nordic Cochrane Center Report: "The best thing a women can do to lower her risk of becoming a breast cancer patient is to avoid a Mammogram, which will lower her risk 33%." "If Mammograms had been a drug, it would have been withdrawn from the market long ago. Very few women if any, will benefit, whereas many will be harmed by Mammography. Mammography screening should be stopped because it is harmful." The screening that promotes health & not harm, & doesn't cause cancer is QT Ultrasound Imaging, which has 40 times the resolution of MRI. Lifestyle prevention to Metabolic Health is thru a Ketogenic Low Carb Way of Eating, eliminating seed oils, Ultra Processed Foods & excess sugar. And avoiding synthetic hormonal birth control.

Full video on You Tube:

Mammography screening is harmful and should be abandoned

How X-Ray Mammography Is Accelerating The Epidemic of Cancer

There is a growing body of research that now suggests x-ray mammography is causing more harm than good in the millions of women who subject themselves to breast screenings; yet, most women are still deprived of informed consent when it comes to knowing the true risks and benefits. The dual problems of over-diagnosis and overtreatment are now openly discussed in high gravitas journals, but rarely are addressed the radiobiological dangers of the procedure itself -- which are highly significant.

Dr. Jane Ruby: Mammograms CAUSE CANCER Breast tissue is comprised of complex, delicate structures like ducts, mammary glands, tubules. Crushing all those structures down flat, and then radiating through condensed tissues begins the mechanical and chemical damage. U.S. Medical System Is A Fraud

Lung cancer after radiation therapy for breast cancer

"Mammograms Are A Billions Dollar Business. They're Only Useful For Profit & Always Do Terrible Harm To The Patient." ~~ Dr John McDougall "Do Mammograms harm? ALWAYS. Should Mammograms be done? NO." Mammographic compression causes cutaneous bruising, haematoma, rupture of breast implants & cystic masses. Repeated exposure to 3D Radiation causes Cancer. Current 3D Mammography delivers 3X more radiation than 2D mammograms of the past. For every 2,000 women, 1 woman's life is saved. But, in the process 5 to 50 women will be treated unnecessarily with surgery, chemo & radiation. 600-1,000 of every 2,000 women who undergo Mammograms, will go thru more radiation screening & biopsies for potential diagnosis. Repeated radiation exposure causes deaths from heart disease, lung cancer & other cancers. These iatrogenic deaths are not counted as breast cancer deaths. Quote by World Renowned Cochrane Collaboration: "The best thing a woman can do to lower her risk of becoming a breast cancer patient is to avoid a Mammogram, which will lower her risk 33%." "If Mammograms had been a drug, it would have been withdrawn from the market long ago. Very few women if any, will benefit, whereas many will be harmed by Mammography. Mammography screening should be stopped because it is harmful." The screening that promotes health & not harm & doesn't cause cancer is Thermography & QT Ultrasound Imaging, which has 40 times the resolution of MRI. Lifestyle Cancer prevention to Metabolic Health is thru a Ketogenic Low Carb Way of Eating, eliminating seed oils, Ultra Processed Foods & excess sugar. And avoid synthetic hormonal birth control.

In Ty M. Bollinger's book The Truth About Cancer, he has a section on mammograms. This is his finding:

The modus operandi of breast cancer prevention is routine mammograms, which the American Cancer Society recommends all women over age 45 receive on an annual basis. The idea is to catch breast cancer early so it can be treated early, thus minimizing the risk of metastasis and eventual death. 

But the mechanistic action of a mammogram -- squeezing the breast tissue between two solid plates -- defies all logic if you truly understand how cancer works. If a cancer tumor really is like a bag of poison that the body has sequestered in order to neutralize and annihilate, squeezing that bag simply to detect its presence is about the worst thing you can do in terms of prevention. 

Let's go back a few pages to his explanation of what cancer really is. Dr. Leonard Coldwell, a naturopathic doctor, radio host, and best-selling author, explains it like this: "Cancer is the cure. People don't understand that. Cancer is there to save your life. When your body is to toxic that you are going to die of the poison, the body builds a bag and stuffs all the poison in there and locks it up -- the tumor."

Back to mammograms: "If you already have a cancer, in addition to being painful, the crushing compression the breast undergoes during a mammogram can cause the cancer to spread," says Dr. Russell Blaylock of The Blaylock Wellness Report. "Doctors are taught that once a lump is found, you don't press it -- not even during an examination -- because you will cause the cancer cells to spread."

.... Compressing potentially cancerous breast tissue risks unleashing potentially cancerous breast tissue risks unleashing a torrent of cancer cells into outlying tissue and possibly even the bloodstream. And by the time a tumor is even detected, it's already too late to do anything about it anyway. "We hear about early detection being your best protection with mammograms. (But) by the time you see it on a mammogram, it's too late, typically. You want to catch it early and that's what this allows you to do." Dr. Raymond Hilu advocates instead for high-resolution blood analysis, or HRB, a safe, nontoxic diagnostic tool that amplifies the blood up to 18,000 times in order to detect free radical damage, immune dysfunction, heavy metal detoxification, and more.

Mammograms also emit ionizing radiation, which, in addition to the mechanical pressure involved with the procedure, mutates the cells it's potentially unleashing from the tumor. The Radiological Society of North American confirms that annual mammograms are directly responsible for causing breast cancer in women.

The amount of radiation emitted during a single mammogram is up to 1,000 times greater than that of a typical chest x-ray. This would help explain why some cancer organizations are starting to pare down their recommendations for mammograms, especially as rates of breast cancer continue to skyrocket.

False positives account for more than 93% of all mammogram referrals. Mammograms are incapable of distinguishing between healthy and malignant tissue because they simply cannot provide clear and specific enough readings for doctors to make that judgment. Many women end up going through even more painful and dangerous procedures like tissue biopsies as a result of these false positives, generating more fear, anxiety, and needless treatment with chemotherapy and radiation.

Mammograms versus lymphatic work ~~

Did you know that mammograms use ionizing radiation at a dosage which can actually contribute to the development of breast cancer? They expose your body to radiation that can be as much as 1000 times greater than that from a chest x-ray. Do you know that 10 years of mammograms equal about 400 chest x-rays and can increase cancer risk? If you go by the standard recommendations for prevention, and get all those mammograms they recommend, you are exposed to as much radiation as someone who was exposed to the atom bomb at Hiroshima?!? Yes! You read that correctly!! Mammography also compresses the breast tightly. Did you know that this extreme compression can also spread cancerous cells if they already exist? Are you aware mammography is near to useless in fibrous dense breasts? Did you know false positives on a mammogram have been detected in 70% of the detected areas of concern? Do you know about the false positives, and the needless interventions that occur on that basis? False positives often lead to invasive and avoidable biopsies. Upon further testing from these biopsies, 70-80% of detected “tumors” on mammograms revealed no presence of cancer.

The following paragraph is from the article by Dr. BP - A Midwestern Doctor: "What we are told about Osteoporosis."

Peter Gotzsche conducted an exhaustive review of the evidence on routine mammogram screening which should have ended the practice (it can be read here). However, his data (which was widely publicized) had no effect on these screening programs. Many believe that was because radiologists make so much money from mammograms they have an inherent need to justify the necessity of this routine screening.

Note: many medical specialists depend upon repeatedly performing the same billable service (e.g., vaccinating a child, performing a female pelvic exam, or reading a mammogram).

NOT a fan of mammograms AT ALL!! There are other options for early detection and with no radiation exposure!!! Thermography and QT Ultrasound are other alternatives. 

Thermography is incredibly accurate. Studies have shown it to be effective in finding early signs of breast cancer up to 8-10 years before other standard cancer detection tests. It has been shown to be 97% effective at detecting benign vs malignant breast abnormalities. What a difference this makes with breast cancer and possibly other cancers, heart disease and other chronic health conditions. You can actually make changes to your diet and lifestyle before the condition develops.

Thermography Can Detect Tumors. The primary way that thermal imaging works is by detecting temperature variations related to blood flow and demonstrating abnormal patterns associated with the progression of tumors. When the body is viewed through a thermal imaging camera, warm areas stand out against cooler areas, and changes in patterns can be tracked over time. Because cancer cells are growing and multiplying very fast, blood flow and metabolism are higher in the areas near a growing tumor, which means skin temperature near these locations increases. Thermography is very safe, non-invasive with absolutely no radiation and no-touch. There’s no poking or prodding when you get a thermogram. It’s just an infrared camera that takes photos of your body and detects cancers 8 years earlier than mammogram. That’s it. There’s absolutely no pain involved. Unfortunately, annual mammograms are a prescription for breast cancer...they eventually catch up with you, but you will be told how lucky you are to "catch it early" due to the mammogram. Then they will treat the cancer with cancer causing radiation etc. Thermography has been recognized as a viable diagnostic tool since 1987 by the AMA council on scientific affairs, the ACA council on Diagnostic Imaging, the Congress of Neurosurgeons in 1988 and in 1990 by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is FDA registered. I am an advocate of thermography for women who want a screening tool. No screening tool is 100% sensitive and specific (mammography certainly is not), but thermography in my opinion is a great tool. MRI and ultrasounds are used as supporting studies when necessary. Empower yourself with information so you can learn to be your own advocate and make better choices. "Please research alternative thermography vs mammograms.

New research published in Chemosphere reveals that avoiding preservatives parabens and phthalates for just 28 days can reverse cancer-related changes in breast tissue. The study analyzed breast tissue samples before and after a 28-day period, demonstrating significant reversals of cancer-associated phenotypes. These changes included alterations in key cellular pathways such as PI3K-AKT/mTOR, autophagy, and apoptotic signaling, which are all linked to cancer development. 

The study suggests that even short-term avoidance of these chemicals may have a measurable impact on breast tissue at the molecular level. Parabens and phthalates are widely used as preservatives and fragrance enhancers in cosmetics and personal care products, but they also act as xenoestrogens — synthetic compounds that mimic estrogen in the body.

Since estrogen plays a role in breast cancer development, reducing exposure to these chemicals may help lower the risk of cancer-related cellular changes. This research underscores the importance of choosing products free from harmful endocrine disruptors and highlights a potential preventive strategy against breast cancer.

MEDICAL HOLOCAUST EXPOSED: 1.3 MILLION American women over diagnosed with breast cancer in 30 years thanks to routine mammograms. Never life-threatening cancer yet thousands were butchered with needless mastectomies, radiation, and poisoned with chemo.

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Dementia / Alzheimer's

Unfortunately, there are some of our friends who are now experiencing this situation. What causes dementia? There are some who say there is no solution and that once you get dementia, it's going to get worse and worse. I looked up a couple of YouTube discussions by doctors, and also discovered a drug that people can take to help with brain health.

The first video is entitled "Hope for Alzheimer's & Parkinson's with Metabolic Neurology" with Dr. Ken Berry and Matthew Phillips, MD. What can be done about Alzheimer's Dementia or Parkinson's Disease? What about Huntingdon's Disease? There is hope for Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Huntingdon's Disease and ALS, and other neurological disorders! I discuss the steps you can take with Dr. Matthew Phillips, a Neurologist. Matt is a clinical and research neurologist at Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand. His foremost passion is to explore the potential feasibility, safety, and efficacy of metabolic strategies, particularly fasting and ketogenic diets, in creating alternate metabolic states that may benefit people with a variety of neurological disorders. His team conducted the world’s first randomized trials involving a ketogenic diet in people with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and is now applying fasting and ketogenic diet protocols in people with Huntington’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The next video is between Dr. Ken Berry and Amy Berger. Alzheimer's dementia and other dementias are often described as brain diseases with unknown causes. In this Live we will discuss strategies that may prevent, reverse, and even stop Alzheimer's Dementia. Have questions?? Amy Berger, MS, CNS, is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Certified Nutrition Specialist who specializes in helping people do “Keto Without the Crazy.”™ She writes about a wide range of health and nutrition-related topics, such as insulin, metabolism, weight loss, diabetes, thyroid function, and more. She has presented internationally on these issues and is the author of The Alzheimer's Antidote: Using a Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet to Fight Alzheimer’s Disease, Memory Loss, and Cognitive Decline, and The Stall Slayer: Seven Roadblocks to Keto Fat Loss and What to Do About Them.

I also found out about the drug Memantine which is given to dementia patients and helps their brains not deteriorate so rapidly. Memantine is an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subtype of glutamate receptor. Memantine is used to slow the neurotoxicity involved in Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Memantine is used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD; a brain disease that slowly destroys the memory and the ability to think, learn, communicate and handle daily activities). Memantine is in a class of medications called NMDA receptor antagonists. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain. Memantine may improve the ability to think and remember or may slow the loss of these abilities in people who have AD. However, memantine will not cure AD or prevent the loss of these abilities at some time in the future.

With the help of Tucker Carlson, Dr. Jennifer Ashton shattered medical perceptions and reversed dementia, creating a medical miracle! The renowned American medical scientist Jennifer Ashton spoke about a simple method to improve memory.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a medical expert from California, USA, gathered 10 neuroscientists in Texas to secretly conduct research on natural therapies for improving memory, supported by $3.5 million in funding from Tucker Carlson. Within just two years, their product, AlzClipp, has completely revolutionized the dementia market in the USA and Canada. During the Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month held in September by the Alzheimer's Association, they are now ready to conquer the global market. Upon its launch, many celebrities were among the first to use their product.

I found an article done by Epoch Health writer Jennifer Sweenie that discusses our body's need for NAD+. 

In this Thread by Dr. BP Metabolism, he discusses why dementia has increased so much over the years and what we can do about it.

First, let’s cover the broader topic of dementia, or slow memory and cognitive loss. There are multiple causes, but as you can see below, the majority of cases come from Alzheimer’s Disease.

Here are the rates of Alzheimer’s in America. These are the death rates per 100,000 people from the years 2000 – 2019. Clearly, they continue to rise.

Here’s how many Americans had Alzheimer’s in 2010. As you can guess, it’s higher now. More than 6 million. An almost 50% increase in just 15 years! And look at 2050…3X the rates of 2010!

And this is not just an American issue, this is a global issue that is projected to continue to worsen....that's if we keep going about treating it the same way we have been.

Along with the increase in rates, it means more money is spent on care. Have you seen what long-term assisted living and memory care facilities cost? An INCREDIBLE amount each month. Just look at this chart.

And finally, look at what the financial markets are projecting. By the way, “therapeutics” means prescription medications for Alzheimer’s.

Big Pharma knows there is a HUGE market to sell a product they can develop. But here’s the unfortunate news. I believe they are “barking up the wrong tree” and not addressing the root issue.

Traditional medical treatment for Alzheimer’s focuses on addressing these: •Amyloid Plaques •Neurofibrillary Tangles (tau) •Microglial Malfunction (TREM2) •Vascular Contributions (atherosclerosis) However, these all are downstream issues caused by root causes.

Trying to address the bullet points above is like trying to contain smoke. The smoke is not the issue. The fire is the issue. Address the “fire”... and the “smoke” improves or goes away.

In 2020 there was a Lancet paper which showed a 40% reduction in dementia. Yes, an incredible 40% reduction!

You would think this would have been blasted all over the media. Surprisingly, it wasn’t. And I think I know why. Many of the findings cannot be patented. Which means their can’t be money made from them.

However, they are tactics you can being immediately incorporating into your life. Specifically, there were 12 items that the paper showed a 40% reduction in dementia. And frankly, I think this number is conservative.

Here they are:

1. Minimize Diabetes

2. Treat High Blood Pressure

3. Prevent Head Injuries

4. Stop Smoking

5. Reduce Ingestion of Air Pollution

6. Reduce Midlife Obesity

7. Maintain Frequent Exercise

8. Reduce Occurrence of Depression

9. Avoid Excessive Alcohol

10. Treat Hearing Impairment

11. Maintain Frequent Social Contact

12. Attain High Level of Education

I won’t cover each of the above in detail because that could literally turn into a book. But ultimately, I would say the above twelve could be broken down into 5 key components that I regularly write about.

Areas that you would be wise to optimize for not just reduction in risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s, but for a reduction in all disease mortality.

Those 5 Are:

1. Optimize Metabolic Function

2. Move/Exercise Regularly (Ideally Daily)

3. Reduce & Mange Stressors (Deep Breathing, Prayer & Meditation)

4. Have Strong Community (Family & Friends)

5. Reduce & Limit Toxin Exposure

When you change these, you change the information you are telling your genetics. Based on that input, your genetics will express one of 2 ways:

Crappy input = crappy genetic expression

(i.e. signs, symptoms & disease)

Healthy input = healthy genetic expression

(i.e. signs, symptoms & diseases start to improve and disappear)

As I have told patients for years, “the body has an amazing ability to health, if we give it the right environment…and IF we give it that environment long enough.”

Change your environmental input, and change your health. This is the complicated field of science called epigenetics, in a nutshell.

Your One Actionable Step This Week

Just because you have a family history of XYZ, does not mean you are destined for the same outcome. You have the power to choose and change your course of your health. Begin making the changes you know instinctively you need to make, today.

REMINDER: You only get one body to live this life in. Treat it well!

What does creatine monohydrate do for the body? Creatine will undoubtedly help you build muscle. But it's also one of the best supplements for your brain. Creatine’s physical benefits have been studied for decades. But new research shows that it also supports your brain against chronic diseases like depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Creatine has always been seen as a “gym bro” supplement. This couldn’t be further from the truth. (Interesting that creatine shows up again as a health benefit, this time for your brain.)

Research shows that creatine supports your brain in several ways:

Creatine will undoubtedly help you build muscle. it's also one of the best supplements for your brain.

Creatine’s physical benefits have been studied for decades. But new research shows that it also supports your brain against chronic diseases like depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

Reduces risk of Alzheimer's. Your brain produces a protein called Amyloid-beta. This protein covers your neurons in a plaque, which is what leads to Alzheimer’s. Creatine slows this plaque buildup, protecting neurons and maintaining cognitive health as you age.

Creatine increases ATP production, your brain’s primary energy source. More ATP = better brain function. This fuels critical processes like:

• Brain cell growth • Neurotransmitter regulation • Faster neuron communication

Increases brain-oxygen levels. Creatine optimizes brain metabolism, improving oxygen flow and energy efficiency. This leads to:

• Sharper focus • Lower inflammation • Improved mood stability • Sustained mental energy You’ll feel these in every area of your life.

Combats depression. Depression is a chemical imbalance in your brain. Creatine improves neurotransmitter regulation, enhancing mood and emotional resilience. Studies show it can reduce depression symptoms by up to 50% when used alongside traditional treatments.

Reduces anxiety. Low creatine levels are linked to higher anxiety. Supplementing helps stabilize brain energy and improves neurotransmitter balance, making stress easier to manage.

Repairs brain damage. Even minor brain injuries can lead to big problems. Creatine supports faster recovery by providing the energy your brain needs to repair damaged tissue. It also reduces inflammation, slowing the progression of neurodegenerative conditions.

Increases dopamine levels. Dopamine is one of the most important neurotransmitters. It’s directly connected to: • Energy • Motivation • Happiness • Coordination • Mental clarity Creatine lowers stress and increases dopamine levels by protecting your neurons.

Enhances mental performance. Creatine isn’t just a supplement; it’s a cognitive enhancer. Research shows creatine improves memory retention and problem-solving speed. Think sharper. Learn faster. Perform better.

How Much Creatine Should You Take? 130–180 lbs: 5–10 grams/day 185–250 lbs: 10–15 grams/day This dosing supports your mood, focus, and energy levels. Plus, you’ll gain all the physical benefits: strength, endurance, and recovery.

In "A Paradise for Parents" on X, Hal Cramer runs an assisted living center in Arizona. For years, dementia was seen as an inevitable part of aging or the result of poor genetics. 

But according to Lancet's research in 2024: Over 40% of dementia cases can be prevented with simple lifestyle changes. The 8 lifestyle changes proven to support brain health:

In his community, this is what they do:

1) Social Interactions & Community Isolation is proven to accelerate cognitive decline. That's why we have residents eat meals together, participate in group activities, and spend time with families. Even sharing a room helps dementia patients stimulate their brains.

2) Regular Sunshine We get residents outside daily for vitamin D and circadian rhythm regulation. During COVID, 50 elderly residents (average age 80) went through it with daily sunshine exposure. We didn't lose a single person. Sunlight helps strengthen immunity.

3) Removing Mold Toxicity Dr. Dale Bredesen estimates 90% of Alzheimer's patients have mold toxicity. Mold triggers systemic inflammation affecting the brain. Also, get a urine mycotoxin test to test for toxic compounds produced by mold in your body.

4) Regular Strength Training and Exercise We bring personal trainers into our homes once per week to help residents with exercise and strength training. Exercise releases BDNF, which protects brain cells and improves memory function.

5) Brain Training Use it or lose it. Do puzzles, crosswords, learn new skills, read books, play brain games. The more you rely on technology to think for you, the less your brain works. Keep your brain active—it's the best insurance against decline.

6) Sauna Therapy One of the main causes of dementia is toxic load in your body. Sauna is one of the best ways to eliminate toxins from your body as you can sweat it out. We have saunas in our homes but the ones at your local gym also work well.

7) Sleep Optimization Poor sleep accelerates cognitive decline and prevents your brain from clearing toxic waste. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep. Keep your bedroom dark and cool. Avoid screens before bed. Deep sleep is when your brain detoxifies and repairs itself.

8) Ketogenic Diet Alzheimer's is called "Type 3 Diabetes"—your brain can't use glucose anymore due to insulin resistance. A ketogenic diet provides ketones as alternative fuel that bypasses insulin resistance.

The Great Alzheimer's Scam and The Proven Cures They've Buried for Billions

The single LARGEST vaccine–dementia study ever conducted (n=13.3 million) found that adult vaccines (flu, pneumococcal, shingles, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) increase risk of DEMENTIA (+38%) and ALZHEIMER’S (+50%) for a DECADE. The more doses, the higher the dementia risk.

Since we are on the topic of vaccines ~~

Shingles SHINGRIX Vaccine...grown in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells with an SV40 promoter. FDA Warning: Causes Guillain Barre Syndrome 'polio like' paralysis. 2025 Study: Shingrix causes 11X increase in vaccine induced Shingles. SV40 In The Production of Glaxosmithkline SHINGRIX...'Scientific Reports Journal (2016) Article 26446, Impact Of Promoters CHO & SV40' "The Shingrix vaccine is produced using immortalized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells that contain a plasmid with an SV40 promoter to express the viral antigen." Description & ingredients...The mRNA gE antigen is obtained by culturing GMO genetically engineered Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. Shingrix contains AS01B, Phosphates, DOPC, MPL from the cell wall of Salmonella, QS21, Polysorbate 80 & Host Cell Protein & DNA. Post marketing serious adverse events... Guillain Barre Syndrome Lupus Gout Shingles Arthritis Myalgia Optic Ischemic Neuropathy Autoimmune Disease Death GI distress Arthralgia Neuropathy Pneumonia Influenza Neuralgia 2025 research study results...The primary care SCCS analysis found an 11X increase in shingles presentations within 21 days post vaccination. Precautions & warnings...Guillain Barré syndrome was observed during the 42 days following vaccination with SHINGRIX & Black Box Warning added in 2021. Anaphylaxis & Syncope is linked to SHINGRIX. Documented Lupus cases induced by the Shingrix vaccine.

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Another thing you might want to consider is a product to detox your bodies from heavy metals. 

Heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, thallium, aluminum and lead can cause acute or chronic toxicity. What you may not know is that you can contract heavy metals easily in your day-to-day life through toys, paint, antiperspirants and common household items. You can also be exposed to heavy metals through birth and dental work. If you have low energy, an imbalanced immune system, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia or Parkinson’s, these conditions may be an indication that you have heavy metal toxicity in your body.

In this video, Jordan Rubin shares 10 heavy metal detox strategies to rid your body of these harmful toxins. We want to arm the liver, kidneys, skin, lymphatic and respiratory systems to allow your body to naturally eliminate these heavy metals. 

Fenbendazole for human parasites: Globally, parasitic infections pose a considerable health challenge, impacting countless people and animals. Common culprits behind these infections include roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. 

Fenbendazole is a versatile medication frequently prescribed to treat parasitic infections in both animals and humans. It’s categorized under the benzimidazole group of drugs. Its primary function is to disrupt the energy-producing processes of the parasites, causing them to perish.

Fenbendazole is commonly employed as an antiparasitic treatment. The usual recommended dosage is 222-444 milligrams, administered daily for five consecutive days. The treatment may need to be repeated after three weeks. A regimen that some adopt (which may be geared more towards cancer, but is possibly addressing parasitic infections) is to take 222 mg daily for three days, pause for 4-5 days, and then recommence the cycle.

"We're being poisoned as a population at scale" former Pharmaceutical executive speaks out.

Are you consuming pastas containing high levels of hormonal disrupting pesticides? Why are you always sick?

The Nature Apothecary recommends the following:

DETOX SUPPLEMENTS FOR VACCINE INJURED VICTIMS OR TO KEEP YOUR BODY STRONG 💪 

🖲Magnesium — plays many crucial roles in the body, such as supporting muscle & nerve function and energy production. 

🖲NAC — (a precursor to glutathione) provides a variety of protective antioxidant effects, block damages to DNA, strengthening all organs, including the brain — dissolves mucus, improves breathing & respiratory problems. NAC powers up the defense system, increasing glutathione, which fights disease & aging. NAC has been around for decades, proven to be very safe, with NO SIDE EFFECTS. 

🖲Glutathione — is the body's most powerful antioxidant & counteracts the harmful effects of graphene oxide/hydroxide. Human bodies produce glutathione naturally but over as humans age & absorbs toxins, the production of it slows down. Children naturally have high glutathione levels. Glutathione is a body-specific antioxidant that cells need to function & survive. When you get sick, the level of glutathione can drop. 

🖲Selenium — a trace element that is naturally present in many foods & available as a dietary supplement. Selenium, which is nutritionally essential for humans, is a constituent of more than two dozen selenoproteins that play critical roles in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis &  protection from oxidative damage and infection. 

🖲Quercetin — have significant capability to interfere with SARS-CoV-2 replication and multi-faceted anti-inflammatory and thrombin-inhibitory actions.  

🖲Vitamin D/C/A – promotes defense for cell proliferation, stimulates antimicrobial peptides, cytokines and cell proliferation, enhances mucosal Integrity, antioxidant, protects healthy cells, activated immune cells, antiviral, coordinates cellular immune response. 

🖲Zinc – essential for binding capacity & optimizing lethality of immune cells. Promotes antiviral enzyme blocking viral replication. 

🖲Zeolite — has a strong attraction to many heavy metals including mercury, lead, cadmium, and arsenic. It also binds to & removes many chemicals like fluorine & chlorine, eliminating free radicals of all types, and it reverses acute chemical & allergic reactions, all without removing vital nutrients from the body. This makes it a maximum detoxifier. 

🖲Pine Needle Tea, Fennel See, Star Anise — contains shikimic acid, high levels of antioxidants & DNA-protective properties. 

🖲Dandelion Root —  blocks interaction between ACE2, spike protein. 

🖲Black Cumin Seed Oil — is a natural alternative for Ivermectin. Nigella sativa has been used as traditional medicine for centuries. The oil from its seeds are effective against many diseases like cancer, cardiovascular complications, diabetes, asthma, kidney disease — also effective against cancer in blood system, lung, kidney, liver, prostate, breast, cervix & skin. 

🖲Fulvic Acid & Shilajit —  have long been used in traditional medicine & reduces inflammation and boost  defense system. Fulvic acid for its effects on defense and inflammation. Improve poisoning resistance, fight inflammation, chronic diseases & enhance antioxidant activity. 

🖲Bio-Fibrin — is a proteolytic enzyme (a process known as proteolysis - help dissolve proteins. There are over 700 identified human enzymes, and each enzyme has a specific biochemical reaction involving a specific substance. 

Activated Charcoal, Chlorophyll, Chlorella, Spirulina, Irish Sea Moss, C-60, Power Immunity, Infrared Sauna, Green Tea, Alkaline Water, Probiotics, Cinnamon & Raw Honey, Avocado, Garlic, Turmeric, Cilantro, Ginger, Cruciferous vegetables & leafy greens are also great detoxes.

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Going Against the Guidelines Brought Healing for Valerie Anne Smith: Meat is Unhealthy.......Beef Heals Fat is Bad for You.....Fueled by Fat Eliminate Salt.....Salt is Life Sun is Dangerous.....Full Sun Exposure Hi Carb/Plant Based is Best.....Low Carb/No Gluten Eat every few Hours.....Fasting Brings Healing Ketosis Cardio is Best.....Weightlifting is Superior Stay Indoors.....Grounding Helps Nervous System Keep Cholesterol Low....Hormones Require Cholesterol Spinach is Superfood....Oxalates Cause Severe Illness Brain Needs Glucose.....Brain Needs Healing Ketones

In an article in Epoch Times entitled: Why Animal Foods Are Beneficial for Brain Health, experts weigh in on plant-based diets and brain health, exploring essential nutrients and striking a balance with animal foods.

Colorful fruits and vegetables are dietary superheroes—no doubt about that. But a growing number of experts are saying that forsaking all animal products could starve the brain of crucial nutrients.

Strictly vegan regimes lack nutrients such as complete proteins, certain healthy fats, zinc, and iron and may fail to adequately nourish the brain, potentially hampering mood, memory, and cognitive prowess.

Missing Nutrients

The deterioration in mental health over the past 75 years correlates with a decline in dietary quality, according to Dr. Georgia Ede, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist specializing in nutrition science and brain metabolism and author of “Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind.”

Both animal- and plant-based foods play a role in optimizing brain health, Shani La Grange, a registered dietitian, told The Epoch Times. Fiber intake is as important as protein intake to encourage the production of serotonin, which is important for several body functions, including mood stabilization, cognition, learning, and memory, she added. Fiber found in plant-derived foods stimulates the production of short-chain fatty acids, which, in turn, stimulates the production of serotonin.

A higher intake of plant-based foods could also promote a more anti-inflammatory effect, which could promote healthy brain aging and decrease the risk of certain conditions such as dementia.

However, Ms. La Grange said that strict plant-based diets pose a risk of vitamin B12 and iron deficiency (if not supplemented), which could be detrimental to neurological and cognitive health and might impair cognitive functioning.

Besides micronutrients, animal-derived fats and proteins are optimal for human physiology and structure, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a medical doctor with postgraduate degrees in neurology and human nutrition, wrote in her book “Vegetarianism Explained.” Her research suggests that fat and protein are the primary constituents of the human body after water, serving as vital building blocks for organs, bones, muscles, and the brain.

While a well-planned, adequately supplemented vegetarian diet with whole foods and eggs may support brain health, vegan diets pose nutritional deficiencies that are difficult to overcome even with careful supplementation, Dr. Ede said. The risks to mental health hinge on how plant-based diets are constructed.

For any diet to be “brain-healthy,” it must accomplish three objectives, according to Dr. Ede:

• Nourish the brain with all essential nutrients without relying on fortified processed foods or supplements, including some animal-source foods in the diet is recommended.
• Protect the brain by excluding ultra-processed ingredients such as refined carbs.
• Energize the brain by maintaining healthy blood sugar and insulin levels throughout life.
• The Brain’s Need for Fat

The brain is two-thirds fat, with 20 percent being the essential omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which plays a crucial role in cognitive function, according to Dr. Ede.

A 2019 review in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed DHA’s essentiality for optimal neuronal function. The Framingham Heart Study, published in 2006 in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Archives of Neurology, revealed a notable correlation: Higher plasma DHA levels corresponded with a reduced risk of all-cause dementia. People in the top quartile of plasma DHA experienced a 47 percent decreased risk of dementia.

According to Dr. Ede, the problem is that plant-based foods lack DHA, forcing reliance solely on animal-derived sources for this vital nutrient. While plants contain the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), converting it into the brain-critical DHA is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.

A clinical trial involving young adult men published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that these men exhibit very low or absent capacity to convert ALA to DHA. Further insights came from another study on healthy young women, suggesting women have a slightly greater ALA-to-DHA conversion ability than men, potentially to meet the demands of fetal development and lactation.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study comparing omega-3 levels. It showed that DHA levels were 31 percent lower in vegetarians and 59 percent lower in vegans compared to people who ate meat.

Inefficient Absorption

There are nutritional disparities between animal-based and plant-based foods, according to Dr. Ede. Only nondairy animal foods, including meat, seafood, and poultry, provide every essential nutrient in its most bioavailable form, she noted.

In contrast, not only do plant foods lack certain vital nutrients, but the forms of the nutrients they contain can also pose challenges for human use, Dr. Ede said.

Plant foods contain antinutrients that impede our ability to absorb nutrients from both plant and animal-derived foods.

“Just because a plant food contains a nutrient doesn’t mean we can access it,” Dr. Ede said.

For instance, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds are rich in phytate, an antinutrient known to inhibit the absorption of essential minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, she noted. These minerals are crucial for various functions, including dopamine synthesis, neurotransmitter production, and energy metabolism, which are vital for optimal brain health and function.

Our eyes, brains, and immune systems rely on vitamin A for their function and structure. While plants contain carotenoids, which can be converted into retinol (the functional form of vitamin A) in a healthy body, Dr. Ede said this conversion process is challenging. Environmental toxins and nutritional deficiencies can hinder this conversion, leading to vitamin A deficiency despite one consuming carotenoid-rich plants such as carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale, she added.

Enhance Nutrient Absorption in Plant-Based Diets

Prudent cooking practices, ideal food combinations, and sprouting and fermentation processes can significantly improve the bioavailability of micronutrients from plant-based foods.

Specifically, sprouting and fermentation have been shown to enhance the bioavailability of iron and beta-carotene from plant foods, according to a 2016 review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

With careful meal planning and proper supplementation, it is theoretically possible for adults following a vegan or vegetarian diet—excluding pregnant or breastfeeding women—to meet their requirements for all essential nutrients, Dr. Ede said. However, achieving this can be challenging and requires diligent effort, she added.

Finding Balance

Plants primarily function as cleansers for the body, according to Dr. Campbell-McBride.

In their natural state, plants contain detoxifying compounds that aid in the removal of harmful chemicals and toxins accumulated in our bodies. However, it’s essential to reintroduce animal-based foods after a cleanse to prevent the body from deteriorating and experiencing starvation, she said.

This doesn’t mean one should overeat meat, as that also has its downsides. Some research has linked long-term, very high intake of animal proteins—especially red meat—to suboptimal brain health. In moderation, however, protein found in animal-based products is essential to overall nutrition, Ms. La Grange said.

TRUTH BOMB: Before glyphosate was patented in 1974, autoimmune and digestive disorders were rare. Today, everybody has “gut issues.” Glyphosate destroys beneficial gut bacteria, disrupts metabolism, and weakens immunity, but people blame gluten intolerance instead of the poison sprayed on their food.

What is glyphosate sprayed on? Glyphosate has many different uses. It's used everywhere from home gardens to big agriculture. Many farmers use it during food production.

It’s often used on:

Fruit and vegetable crops

Glyphosate-resistant crops such as canola, corn, cotton, soybeans, sugar beets, and wheat

Plantings, lawns, greenhouses, aquatic plants, and forest plantings

The biggest users of glyphosate are growers of crops that have been genetically engineered to be resistant to the herbicide — this allows the plant to survive while killing nearby weeds. The crops with the highest use of glyphosate are modified corn, cotton, and soybeans.

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It's a battle to stay healthy. The pharma treadmill is making everyone sick, and you won’t believe how bad it is until you see these stats:

• Autism rates in kids are 1 in 36 nationally, compared to 1 in 1500 in the not-so-distant past.

• In California, it's even worse: Autism rates are 1 in 22.

• 74% of American adults are overweight or obese.

• Close to 50% of children are overweight or obese.

• 50% of American adults have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

• 30% of teens now have prediabetes.

• Infertility is increasing by 1% per year.

• Sperm counts are decreasing by 1% per year since the 1970s.

• Young adult cancers are up 79%.

What's causing all this? It's simple: “Our TOXIC food system and our TOXIC environment.”

@CaseyMeansMD explains: “The thing that people need to understand is that all of these conditions are caused or driven by the exact same thing, which is metabolic dysfunction. This core foundational issue of how our bodies on the cellular level function, which is driven by our toxic food system and our toxic environment. These subtle, insidious forces that are creating slow progressive illness, starting now in fetal life, that allow patients to be profitable and on the pharma treadmill for their entire lives. They make us sick, but they don't kill us. And then we are drugged for life.”

As I was reading a post on X by Cary Kelly, a doctor talked about draining inflammation from her patients' bodies and faces. She uses XP2 device that decongests the lymphatic system and sends the toxins to the main drains in the body, thereby reducing inflammation in the body. It is non-invasive FDA approved. Her website is called Honed In Health. It looks interesting and I wanted to save the site and share it with everyone. They are located near Orlando, Florida. It's not expensive either. We stop at a campground in Orlando when we visit our daughter in Florida, and I think I may just have to book a visit.

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ROOT CANALS

I am adding a section here about teeth, specifically root canals, because I want to save the information. I have a molar with a crown on it that started aching so bad to the point I could not even chew on it. Right before we left for Houston for Christmas vacation (2024), I went to the dentist who said I needed a root canal. Having had root canals in the past, I was very hesitant to have another one. So I decided to start taking Fenbendazole instead; took 2 capsules (222mg each) until the pain went away. It's now been over three weeks and no pain. Did the Fenben kill the bacteria that was causing the pain? Hope so.

Update: About six months later the pain came back in that same tooth, so I did the same protocol again and the pain went away. If it comes back again, I will keep doing the same protocol -- I will never get another root canal.

Anyway, I follow Valerie Ann Smith, who I have highlighted above in some posts. This morning (Jan. 2, 2025), I found this:

Root Canals Are Making You Sick...It leaves a dead tooth in place & miles of systemic bacterial growth. You can't leave dead tissue in your body without consequences. "There's no branch of medicine that exists where a dead organ is left in except in dentistry where a root canal is left in. If you've got a gangrenous toe, you must cut the toe off because it's bacteria infested, it's toxic & it's going to kill the patient." ~~ Dr. David Minkoff, pioneer in dentistry "Data we've just recently gotten shows now that the No. 1 cause of heart attack is a root canal-treated tooth. Plain and simple, not correlation, not link, cause & effect." ~~ Dr. Thomas Levy, board-certified cardiologist & author of "Hidden Epidemic: Silent Oral Infections Cause Most Heart Attacks and Breast Cancers." In a 5 year, 500 patient study conducted by Dr Robert Jones, he found 97% breast cancer patients had an infected root canal on the same side of the body as the breast tumor. The Toxic Element Research Foundation (TERF) used DNA analysis to examine root canal teeth & they found bacterial contamination in 100% of the samples tested. 400% more bacteria are found in the surrounding tissues of the root canal tooth than in the tooth itself, indicating that the dead tooth works as an incubator for bacteria that feed on the periodontal ligament where they mutate, grow in number & eventually invade the bone surrounding the root canal. Bacteria & chronic illness: Acinetobacter baumannii – linked to Pneumonia and Periodontal disease Gemella morbillorum – linked to invasive endocarditis, Meningitis & Arthritis Klebsiella – linked to pneumonia Lung infections, infections of the Urinary Tract, biliary tract & Osteomyelitis & Meningitis Porphyromonas gingivalis – Protein metabolism, Biofilms, leads to Bone destruction and Premature labor Pseudomonas aeruginosa – linked to Central Nervous System disorders, Endocarditis, Brain abscesses & increase in liver enzymes, Prosthetic heart valve invasion Streptococcus mitis – found in Strep Throat, Scarlet fever and linked to heart failure These bacteria found in root canals of the TERF study also affect the heart, nerves, kidneys, brain & sinus cavities. More than 40,000 root canals are performed everyday. There are safe alternatives that protect your health from acute & chronic disease caused by root canals. Of the 32 teeth in our mouth, they are all nerve connected to major organs in our body, known as meridian lines. For example, the front teeth in the upper jaw or(maxilla) have meridians that run through the bladder and kidney. So, it is wise to pay close attention to our body functions, related to our dentition. If you've had a root canal & it is tender, infected or you suspect your current illness is caused by root canal bacteria, a holistic dentist can reverse the root canal & clear the bacteria.

Bacteria Residing at Root Canals Can Induce Cell Proliferation and Alter the Mechanical Properties of Gingival and Cancer Cells

Association between Endodontic Infection, Its Treatment and Systemic Health: A Narrative Review

'Root Cause' — The Health Effects of the Root Canal ~~ FULL DOCUMENTARY

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I aso want to mention a book that I read called Lies My Doctor Told Me by Dr. Ken Berry. I will just highlight the topics here:

1.    Eating fat, especially saturated fat, leads to high cholesterol, obesity, and heart disease.

2.    Drinking milk is good for you and helps keep your bones strong.

3.    High cholesterol levels in your blood are dangerous and increase your risk of heart attack. You should eat less saturated fat and take cholesterol medicine if your cholesterol level is above normal. Read my blog on Cholesterol & Statins.

4.    Wheat is a healthy food that is very good for your body. Everyone should eat multiple servings of whole-wheat foods every day. 

5.    The USDA Food Pyramid and MyPlate models offer the healthiest way to make food choices. If you follow them, you will have better health.

6.    If you exercise, you will lose weight.

7.    Eating popcorn, nuts, and seeds will either cause diverticulitis or cause your diverticulitis to flare up.

8.    Giving testosterone to men causes prostate cancer. (I did a blog on how to increase testosterone naturally. After Jim's prostate cancer treatment, his T is practically gone. Here is my blog on testosterone.)

9.    Menopausal women usually don't need progesterone, and they definitely don't need testosterone. If they need anything at all, they need only synthetic estrogen to control hot flashes.

10.    Your runny nose, earache, or cough won't get better unless you take a course of antibiotics. If you take an antibiotic, you will get over your runny nose, earache, or cough more quickly.

11.    Eating salt increases your risk of having high blood pressure, which increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. You should eat a low-salt diet as much as possible to prevent heart disease.

12.    A calorie is a calorie; whether the source is birthday cake or broccoli. You can eat whatever you want as long as you limit your total calorie intake. You will be slender and healthy by counting calories because all calories are the same. If you want to lose weight, then you should burn more calories than you eat.

13.    Eating or drinking too much calcium can lead to kidney stones. Also, if you've had a kidney stone, you should decrease your calcium intake so you don't get another.

14.    TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is all you need to have checked to find out whether your thyroid is functioning normally. If TSH is within normal limits, then your thyroid gland is fine, and your symptoms are all in your head. Read my blog on the importance of the thyroid.

15.    You get enough Vitamin D from your diet. The fact that you don't have rickets (weak, bending bones in a child) or osteomalacia (weak, painful bones in an adult) is proof that you are getting enough vitamin D, and you don't need to take a vitamin D supplement.

16.    Human breast milk is deficient in vitamin D. Babies who are exclusively breastfed should be given vitamin D drops.

17.    Exposure to sunlight causes skin cancer. To decease the risk of skin cancer, you should stay out of the sun as much as possible. If you must be in the sun, then you should wear lots of high-SPF sunscreen to protect yourself. You should even wear sunscreen when you're inside if you will be exposed to sunlight from windows.

18.    Fiber is good for you, and you should try to get as much fiber in your diet as possible. Fiber will help with constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Fiber will help prevent diverticulitis and probably even colon cancer.

19.    Red meat is not good for you, and eating more than a single small serving daily will increase your risk of colon cancer or increase your cancer risk overall.

20.    You must eat plenty of carbohydrates each day, or your brain and other body parts will not have enough energy to function properly.

21.    Eating charred meat cooked over an open flame will increase your risk of colon cancer or increase your risk of cancer overall.

22.    Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, bologna, and hot dogs, contain high levels of nitrates and nitrites which will cause you to have cancer.

Bacon contains nitrates and will apparently kill you. Let's have a look at that. Nitrate content per 100g: Bacon: 10 to 50mg. Spinach: 250 to 500mg. Rocket: 400 to 500mg. Beetroot: 200 to 300mg. Celery: up to 400mg. Lettuce: 200mg. Radishes: up to 1800mg. A radish contains roughly thirty-six times the nitrates of bacon by weight. Nobody has held a press conference about radishes. But here's the part that really ends the conversation. Your own body produces nitrates. Your salivary glands actively pull nitrate out of your blood and concentrate it into your saliva, where bacteria on your tongue convert it to nitrite. This is not an accident or a flaw in the design. It is a deliberate mechanism your body uses to produce nitric oxide, which keeps your blood vessels elastic, regulates blood pressure, and supports your immune system. You are, at this precise moment, running a nitrate processing operation in your own mouth. The bacon is not the problem. The bacon is, by nitrate content, one of the more modest things on the table. The spinach smoothie the person warning you about bacon had this morning contains five to ten times the nitrates of the rasher they're worried about. Eat the bacon. Maybe have a radish on the side if you're feeling adventurous.

NITRATES Are Not Harmful: Spinach 2,036 Mg Swiss Chard 1,728 Mg Radish 3,817 Mg Lettuce 1,079 Mg Celery 1,103 Mg Bacon 178 Mg Salami 69 Mg Ham 21 Mg 80% of Nitrates consumed are from Vegetables not from Bacon or Cured Meat. The Sodium Nitrate used to preserve Bacon is tightly regulated as 10PPM Nitrate & 1PPM Nitrite. In fact, "Nitrate Free" Bacon uses Celery Extract & has higher Nitrate levels than Regular Bacon.

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You do realize that American food companies are poisoning us, right? Do you eat at McDonalds, drink Gatorade, eat Skittles, M&Ms, Oreos, Fanta, or Froot Loops? You need to listen to this video. It’s time everyone knows the truth about our food system.

I think having Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in Trump's cabinet, heading Health & Human Resources, will be the best thing for America. Here is what he endorses:

Watch RFK Jr. Expose Four Toxic Substances That Are in Your Food I can't believe Fox News actually aired this. 1. SEED OILS: Kennedy says seed oils are “one of the most unhealthy ingredients” we have in foods, linked to “serious illnesses, including body-wide inflammation.” 2. FOOD COLORING: “Yellow food coloring is a petroleum product” and “associated with depression, autoimmune injuries, and ADHD,” Kennedy explained. Red dye is “also very bad.” In Europe, companies use “natural coloring,” but in the U.S., they “can get away with” using synthetic dyes. We have “almost a thousand chemicals in our food” that are banned or discouraged in Europe.

Yellow No. 5. ~~ RFK Jr. discusses processed foods:

3. NATURAL FLAVORS: In America, “natural flavors are chemical products,” so “you can't trust what's on the ingredient label,” Kennedy stated. This is another example of how government agencies have been “captured by the industries they're supposed to regulate.” 4. PESTICIDES: These chemicals used to kill pests have the potential to cause several long-term health issues, including cancer, hormonal imbalances, neurological disorders, and weakened immune function. Organic food uses natural, less toxic pesticides in limited amounts, while non-organic food often relies on synthetic pesticides that are more potent and persistent. Even foods like kale and strawberries are “contaminated with pesticides,” making them harmful unless they’re “certified organic,” Kennedy explained. What seems like “healthy food” could actually be “hurting you.”

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Dr. Mark Hyman is the world's leading longevity nutrition expert. His message? Big Pharma won’t save your health. But the right food will. Here are his 8 essential laws for health and longevity: #1. Follow an Anti-Cancer Diet ~~

You were told that cancer is random... But we know FOR SURE that: - Obesity - Inflammation - Insulin resistance Greatly increase your risk of cancer and these factors are preventable with diet!

To reduce your risk of cancer: - Minimize processed food - Control your calorie intake to stay a healthy weight - Eat more meat & protein to improve your metabolic health and help you stay lean. If cancer was just random, why are so many young people now getting it?

2. Avoid artificial food dyes at all costs ~~

Food dyes like Blue 1 & 2, Red 3 & 40, and Yellow 5 & 6: - Increase your risk of cancer - Disrupt hormone & gut health - Damage the brain, organs and DNA. They're even banned in many countries.

3. Reduce inflammation with your diet ~~ Inflammation is a silent killer linked to: - Cancer - Obesity - Arthritis - Diabetes - Alzheimer's - Heart disease

4. Take care of your thyroid ~~ (See my blog on thyroid) It's the control center for metabolism. Improve it by: - Getting quality sleep - Lifting weights & staying active - Eating enough iodine & selenium - Prioritizing protein & healthy fats - Avoiding seed oils & processed sugar

5. Avoid insulin resistance to reduce your risk of Dementia & Alzheimer's ~~ Insulin resistance leads to: - More amyloid plaque buildup - Increased brain inflammation - Disrupted key brain hormones - Brain cells not using glucose properly - Blood vessel damage & poor circulation

The Great Alzheimer's Scam and The Proven Cures They've Buried for Billions

6. Get enough magnesium ~~ what kind though? There are many types and they all do something different. It's involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. But most people are deficient in it. (I take Magnesium Glycinate) The 4 foods richest in it are pumpkin seeds, high-cocoa dark chocolate, almonds and red meat.

7. Maintain healthy blood pressure ~~

Most people get high blood pressure as they got older but it's not a disease you get randomly... It's from poor lifestyle choices. High blood pressure is linked to heart attacks & strokes. Here's how to reduce it:

8. Improve your gut health ~~ - Eat more red meat - Eat more fruit & veg - Consume more fiber - Get enough healthy fats - Minimize processed foods - Improve your sleep & stress Your gut health affects everything:

In summary, the 8 essential laws for health: - Avoid insulin resistance - Improve your gut health - Get enough magnesium - Avoid artificial food dyes - Take care of your thyroid - Follow an Anti-Cancer Diet - Maintain healthy blood pressure - Reduce inflammation with your diet

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Found this article "It starts at the foot" while scrolling through my computer. I wondered why Jim's feet swelled up -- could this be the answer? ~~

‘It starts at the foot’: The symptom that could signal heart failure, liver disease, or blood clots

(1) Have you ever come back home from a hectic day at work to notice your feet or ankles swollen? Now, it might be the toll of a busy day. But does the swelling make you feel like your shoes are getting tighter, or your socks are leaving deep marks?

If yes, then it might not be a simple case of “tired feet” or a minor inconvenience — this kind of swelling, especially if persistent and unexplained, can be a quiet but serious signal. In fact, experts caution that fluid build-up in the lower extremities may be the body’s way of signaling a deeper problem.

(2) When it’s more than ‘tired feet’ ~~ A pair of swollen feet at the end of a busy work day might feel like a normal consequence, but when it becomes a frequent and longstanding experience, it’s not just a simple inconvenience anymore.

(3) Heart failure ~~ In the case of Heart Failure stemming from swollen feet, aka peripheral edema, the heart doesn’t pump blood efficiently. This causes blood and fluids to back up into the veins, and eventually, the fluid leaks into surrounding tissues, especially in the lower body.

In that case, swelling in the feet and ankles may be an early visible sign. Other symptoms may include fatigue, shortness of breath (especially when lying down), or rapid weight gain from fluid retention. Because the swelling may come and go, it can be easy to dismiss. However, if it persists, one should seek a thorough medical review.

(4) Liver disease ~~ The liver plays a key role in producing proteins (such as albumin) that help keep fluid inside blood vessels. In advanced liver disease, such as cirrhosis, this system breaks down, fails to manage the fluid balance, and as a result, the fluid leaks into tissues, especially in the legs, ankles, and even the abdomen. If you notice swelling plus other features like yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice), spider veins, or unexplained bruising, you should see a professional healthcare provider. See more: Fatty Liver Causes and Prevention.

(5) Blood clots (Deep Vein Thrombosis). A swelling in one leg, especially if it’s sudden, painful, warm, red, or tender, might be more than the repercussion of a strenuous day — according to Harvard Health, it might point to a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in a deep vein. Because a clot can break free and travel to the lungs (causing a potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism), timely intervention is crucial and critical.

(6) When swelling is ‘serious’ ~~ Swelling in the feet or ankles, also known as edema, can have many causes, ranging from minor lifestyle factors to serious medical conditions. The first step is to observe the pattern of swelling. Is it in just one leg or both? Swelling in one leg may indicate a blood clot, while swelling in both legs can often be linked to prolonged standing or sitting, fluid retention, or underlying health issues such as heart, kidney, or liver problems.

It’s also important to check for accompanying symptoms. Breathlessness, chest discomfort, heaviness in the legs, sudden weight gain, yellowing of the skin, or leg pain can signal more serious conditions that require immediate medical attention.

For initial management, simple lifestyle adjustments can help. Elevate your legs several times a day to reduce fluid buildup, avoid sitting or standing in one position for long periods, reduce salt intake, and incorporate regular movement into your routine.

However, if the swelling is sudden, painful, affects only one leg, or is accompanied by shortness of breath or chest pain, it’s essential to seek medical attention immediately. People with a history of heart, liver, kidney disease, or blood clots should be especially vigilant. Prompt evaluation can rule out serious complications and ensure proper treatment.

(7) Why this matters. Swelling in the feet may seem innocuous, but in fact, it can be the earliest outward sign of systemic trouble. Hence, recognizing it at the earliest stage is the first step toward a timely intervention. When you manage to spot the symptoms before they advance, you’re essentially catching heart failure early, which gives better chances of treatment before worsening. Not just that, spotting liver-related swelling early opens opportunities to slow damage or reverse disease, depending on the cause. What’s more? Recognizing leg swelling from a clot early could prevent a fatal pulmonary embolism.

Educating yourself on what your body is “saying” through something as simple as swollen ankles might just save more than a soggy sock or awkward shoe fit — it could save your life.

(8) How to take care of your feet ~~

To care for your feet and prevent peripheral edema, keep some simple tips in mind:

Elevate your feet: Prop your feet up on pillows to a level above your heart for 15–20 minutes several times a day to help fluid drain.

Stay active: Avoid sitting or standing for long periods. Take short walks and do simple exercises like ankle pumps to improve circulation.

Manage your weight: Being overweight can affect blood circulation, so maintaining a healthy weight can help.

Wear compression socks: These help improve blood flow and can be especially useful for those who spend a lot of time on their feet.

Reduce salt intake: A high-sodium diet can cause fluid retention. Choose low-sodium foods and limit processed and salty items.

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Proper hydration helps your body flush out excess sodium.

Foot stretches: Regularly stretch your calves, ankles, and toes to keep muscles flexible and improve blood flow.

Massage your feet: Gently massage your feet and ankles, working from your toes upwards toward your heart, to stimulate circulation. 

Additionally, for swelling from injury, you may apply a cold pack wrapped in a cloth for 15–20 minutes to reduce inflammation. Alternating between warm and cold water foot soaks can help improve circulation. However, avoid tight clothing; instead, wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing to prevent restricting blood flow.

(9) It could also be peripheral artery disease. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the feet occurs when narrowed or blocked arteries reduce blood flow to the lower limbs. This can cause leg pain when walking, cold feet, slow-healing wounds, numbness, or discoloration. PAD increases the risk of infection and tissue damage. Early diagnosis, lifestyle changes, and proper medical treatment help prevent complications. Peripheral artery disease in the feet reduces blood flow, causing pain, numbness, slow-healing wounds, and increasing the risk of serious complications.

Every day foods that damage your liver. 

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Dr. BP on Metabolism and peeing too often at night:

Many people have issues with peeing too often at night. They try to cut down on their fluid intake, but it doesn’t really help. Their doctors don’t really have a solution, so they are left frustrated. There is a commonly overlooked reason why. Do you get up to pee multiple times a night? Here is what Dr. BP did for one of his patients:

What did we do to help change this around so quickly, after he had been suffering for years? It was fairly simple: we started regulating his insulin levels. This works phenomenally well & so many doctors overlook this as the root cause.

This turnaround happens routinely when you start regulating your insulin levels. In fact, I would bet it’s probably the #1 missed reason why patients wake up frequently at night & need to urinate.

Why Lowering Insulin Helps Frequent Night Urination. When you have blood sugar rises or spikes, your body will release insulin to regulate and lower the blood sugar. When you have done this blood sugar & insulin “rollercoaster” for many years, your body begins to develop what is called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to an overactive bladder. And when you must pee frequently, this is called polyuria.

You see this very common in Type 2 Diabetics. “But what if my blood sugar & A1c is normal?” It very well could be…for now. But if you have developed this frequent urination issue (especially at night), chances are you are already developing insulin resistance (which essentially leads to pre-diabetes & Type 2 Diabetes).

How you can know for certain is to get a fasting insulin test. This will always show up prior to an out-of-range A1c. You want your fasting insulin to be under 10. Ideally, you want it between 2.5 - 5.0.

Again, routine high levels of insulin ultimately leads to insulin resistance. And high levels of insulin cause the kidneys to filter more quickly. Which means your kidneys make more urine, quickly. Which means your bladder fills up more quickly. Which leads to you needing to go pee more often and wake up through the night. [As a side note: this is also the reason why Diabetes is the #1 cause of kidney failure in America].

So, to stop waking up to pee, you’ll need to regulate your blood sugars and insulin. And this will not be done through a medication. It will need to be done through dietary & lifestyle changes.

Here’s What I Told My Patient To Do for 6 Weeks ~~ First and foremost, we had to focus on lowering his blood sugars (again, this is what drives the amount of insulin that is released). What drives blood sugar is predominantly what you put in your mouth.

I had him focus on consuming: •Proteins (meat, fowl, fish, seafood, eggs) •Healthy fats (olive oil, avocado oil, butter, tallow, ghee, avocados, etc.) •Vegetables (40 or lower glycemic index) •Fruits…yes, fruits too (40 or lower glycemic index)

Essentially, he ate until he was satiated. No limits on herbs, spices & seasonings. We had him focus on consuming fluids that were not sweetened, or only used: •Stevia •Monk Fruit •Allulose •Erythritol •Xylitol

We did not have him consume the following because they either spike both blood sugar & insulin, or they only spike insulin: •Refined sugar (of any kind) •Agave Nectar •Honey •Artificial Sweeteners

Lastly, I had him consume 2 meals (instead of 3). I had him consume those within an 8-hour time frame. And his last meal, I had him consume by 8 pm (he typically would go to bed between 10-11pm).

Evening snacking is one of the sure-fire ways to spike insulin & lead to frequent urination at night. Even if its healthier foods listed above, it would still have some effect on insulin levels.

Within a 6-week timeframe, he had cut down his nightly urinations by 50-75%.

Consider stress. You may think that you are not under any stress, but what causes your body to under stress? With stress comes increase in stress hormones. A primary stress hormone is cortisol. In your cells, cortisol blocks insulin receptors from binding to insulin. Leaving blood glucose “floating” in the bloodstream (i.e. higher blood sugar levels).

Cortisol also signals to the liver to perform gluconeogenesis (making new blood sugar). This new blood sugar is released into the bloodstream as well, causing a further increase in blood sugar. This was put in place allowing your body to have more energy if you were under threat and in danger and needed to “fight or flight”.

However, chronic stress leads to long-term elevated blood sugar levels because it never gets burned up by your muscles in the “fight or flight” process. These long-term elevated blood sugar levels lead your body to storing fat around the midsection. Ultimately, chronic stress leads to more insulin resistance.

How do you detox from the stress hormones created during they day? Add 2 tactics to your routine:

1) Exercise for 15-20+ minutes. Ideally briskly. Ideally outside in nature. Both will help to further “detoxify” the cortisol from his system.

2) Begin practicing the 4-7-8 method when you go to bed. Do this for 10 minutes.

This is a breathing exercise that is simple to perform and very effective at lowering your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight”) and increasing your parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and relax”).

How do you do it? Simple:

Take a deep breath in through your nose over 4 seconds. Hold it for 7 seconds. Release it slowly out through your mouth over 8 seconds. Hence, the “4-7-8” method.

This could also be done at any time during the day, and just about any time that doesn’t require talking. By continuing to regulate your blood sugars & insulin, and now regulating his cortisol, you can dramatically improved your metabolic function & nighttime urination.

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Dr. Elie Jarrouge: https://x.com/ElieJarrougeMD/status/2051630982072332600

If I woke up tomorrow obese, with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, gout, constant fatigue, and brain fog. On 6 different medications. Here’s exactly what I would do to fix them all and be off all meds…

First, I’d understand one thing: These are NOT 7 separate problems.

They are 1 condition: Metabolic dysfunction driven by insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Fatigue and brain fog included. Treat the root → everything improves together.

I would stop chasing each diagnosis individually. I would stop asking: What drug do I need for each symptom?” And focus on the only question that matters: Why are insulin and inflammation chronically elevated? Because until that’s fixed, nothing truly reverses.

Step 1: Remove the drivers -- I would immediately eliminate:

• Sugar and alcohol

• Refined carbs

• Ultra-processed foods

• Seed oils

These drive hyperinsulinemia, high BP, inflammation, liver fat accumulation, high glucose, and uric acid issues. You can’t heal while continuing the cause.

Step 2: Build a metabolically appropriate whole food diet

• Meat, fish, eggs

• Natural fats (butter, olive oil, etc.)

• Low-carb vegetables

• Salt to taste

This directly provides:

• Nutrient dense food

• Satiety

• Stable energy

• Low hunger and cravings

Step 3: Lower insulin more → unlock stored energy. I would:

• Eat 2–3 meals max

• Cut snacking completely

• Start time-restricted eating

This allows:

• Insulin to drop further

• Fat to be mobilized (weight loss)

• Liver to unload fat

• Uric acid metabolism to improve

Step 4: Rebuild muscle. Muscle = metabolic engine

I’d prioritize:

• Strength training 3–4x/week

• Walking daily (especially after meals)

Muscle is critical for:

• Glucose disposal

• Insulin sensitivity

• Long-term weight maintenance

• Independent living into old age

Step 5: Fix electrolytes (this is why people feel awful early on). As insulin rapidly drops:

• Kidneys dump sodium + water

• Potassium and magnesium go out of balance too

This leads to fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, and brain fog. Most people quit here. Don’t. I would salt my food generously, take electrolytes and stay hydrated.

Step 6: Track meaningful markers. Don’t fixate on LDL. I’d follow true metabolic improvement

• Continuous Glucose Monitor

• Waist circumference

• Blood pressure

• Weight

• Fasting insulin

• A1C

• Triglycerides

• hs-CRP

• Uric acid

• Liver enzymes (ALT)

Step 7: Taper medications strategically under medical supervision. As healing happens:

• Glucose drops → reduce diabetes meds

• BP improves → reduce BP meds

• Uric acid drops → gout improves

Done properly, this is how people come OFF meds.

Final truth:

Obesity

Type 2 diabetes

Hypertension

Fatty liver

Gout

Fatigue

Brain fog

and many more…

Are NOT medication deficiencies. They are consequences of metabolic dysfunction.

Fix the root…And the system heals.

Dr. Shawn Baker: If you’re not lifting and sprinting as you get older you are leaving years of quality life on the table!