Fibromyalgia, Pain Relief & Energy with Malic Acid

Malic Acid, Energy, & Fibromyalgia
Improvement in pain observed within 48 hours of supplementation with 1200-2400 mg. of malic acid per day. Buy Metagenics Fibroplex with magnesium and malic acid at a discount

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Primary fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition affecting principally middle-aged women, characterized by a syndrome of generalized musculoskeletal pain, aches, stiffness, and tenderness at specific anatomical sites. This condition is considered primary when there are no obvious causes. Since it was first described, FM has become recognized as a fairly common rheumatic complaint with a clinical prevalence of 6 to 20 percent. Additionally, FM has been associated with irritable bowel syndrome, tension headache, mitral valve prolapse, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Numerous treatment modalities have been attempted to treat patients with FM, but unfortunately the results have usually been poor. The primary reason for this lack of success was undoubtedly due to our lack of understanding FMs etiology.

In recent years, evidence has accumulated to suggest that FM is the result of local hypoxia in the muscles. For instance, patients with FM have low muscle-tissue oxygen pressure in affected muscles, and to a lesser degree the same was found in other tissues. Muscle biopsies from affected areas showed muscle tissue breakdown and mitochondrial damage. Additionally, low levels of the high energy phosphates ATP, ADP, and phosphocreatine were found. It has been hypothesized that in hypoxic muscle tissues glycolysis is inhibited, reducing ATP synthesis. This stimulates the process of gluconeogenesis, which results in the breakdown of muscle proteins to amino acids that can be utilized as substrates for ATP synthesis. This muscle tissue breakdown, which has been observed in muscle biopsies taken from FM patients, is hypothesized to result in the muscle pain characteristic of FM.

Malic acid is both derived from food sources and synthesized in the body through the citric acid (Krebs) cycle. Its importance to the production of energy in the body during both aerobic and anaerobic conditions is well established. Under aerobic conditions, the oxidation of malate to oxaloacetate provides reducing equivalents to the mitochondria through the malate-aspartate redox shuttle. During anaerobic conditions, where a buildup of excess of reducing equivalents inhibits glycolysis, malic acids simultaneous reduction to succinate and oxidation to oxaloacetate is capable of removing the accumulating reducing equivalents. This allows malic acid to reverse hypoxias inhibition of glycolysis and energy production. This may allow malic acid to improve energy production in FM, reversing the negative effect of the relative hypoxia that has been found in these patients.

Because of its obvious relationship to energy depletion during exercise, malic acid may be of benefit to healthy individuals interested in maximizing their energy production, as well as those with FM. In the rat it has been found that only tissue malate is depleted following exhaustive physical activity. Other key metabolites from the citric acid cycle needed for energy production were found to be unchanged. Because of this, a deficiency of malic acid has been hypothesized to be a major cause of physical exhaustion. The administration of malic acid to rats has been shown to elevate mitochondrial malate and increase mitochondrial respiration and energy production. Surprisingly, relatively small amounts of exogenous malic acid were required to increase mitochondrial energy production and ATP formation. Under hypoxic conditions there is an increased demand and utilization of malic acid, and this demand is normally met by increasing the synthesis of malic acid through gluconeogenesis and muscle protein
breakdown. This ultimately results in muscle breakdown and damage.

In a study on the effect of the oral administration of malic acid to rats, a significant increase in anaerobic endurance was found. Interestingly, the improvement in endurance was not accompanied by an increase in carbohydrate and oxygen utilization, suggesting that malic acid has carbohydrate and oxygen-sparing effects. In addition, malic acid is the only metabolite of the citric acid cycle positively correlated with physical activity. It has also been demonstrated that exercise-induced mitochondrial respiration is associated with an accumulation of malic acid. In humans, endurance training is associated with a significant increase in the enzymes involved with malic acid metabolism.

Because of the compelling evidence that malic acid plays a central role in energy production, especially during hypoxic conditions, malic acid supplements have been examined for their effects on FM. Subjective improvement in pain was observed within 48 hours of supplementation with 1200 - 2400 milligrams of malic acid, and this improvement was lost following the discontinuation of malic acid for 48 hours. While these studies also used magnesium supplements, due to the fact that magnesium is often low in FM patients, the rapid improvement following malic acid, as well as the rapid deterioration after discontinuation, suggests that malic acid is the most important component. This interesting theory of localized hypoxia in FM, and the ability of malic acid to overcome the block in energy production that this causes, should provide hope for those afflicted with FM. The potential for malic acid supplements, however, reaches much farther than FM. In light of malic acids ability to improve animal exercise performance, its potential for human athletes is particularly exciting.

Additionally, many hypoxia related conditions, such as respiratory and circulatory insufficiency, are associated with deficient energy production. Therefore, malic acid supplements may be of benefit in these conditions. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has also been found to be associated with FM, and malic acid supplementation may be of use in improving energy production in this condition as well. Lastly, malic acid may be of use as a general supplement aimed at ensuring an optimal level of malic acid within the cells, and thus, maintaining an optimal level of energy production.

Metagenics Fibroplex has: Thiamin (as thiamin mononitrate) 50 mgVitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCl) 50 mgMagnesium (as magnesium bis-glycinate†) 150 mgManganese (as manganese glycinate†) 5 mgMalic Acid 600 mg

Metagenics Fibroplex® Plus - Support for Muscle Tenderness and Discomfort
Fibroplex® Plus provides targeted nutritional support for soft tissues in those with muscle tenderness and discomfort. Featuring a blend of specific vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in an easy-to-use delivery form, this specialized formula works by supporting cellular energy production and muscular and nervous system function.

• Provides targeted nutrition for soft tissue in those with muscle tenderness and discomfort.
• Provides targeted support for energy metabolism and neuromuscular function.
• Supports cellular energy production and mitochondrial function.
• Provides magnesium in the form of an amino acid chelate designed to be easily absorbed.

Special Report: Condition Specific Nutrition CORvalenM

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by John St. Cyr, M.D.
CORvalenM™ is the common denominator for all individuals needing to restore cellular energy. As a product extension of CORvalen, a medical food for heart disease patients, it was created to help those suffering from myalgia and chronic fatigue. However, because of the benefits CORvalenM provided to its users, it was also discovered that active individuals could reap the benefits of this natural supplement.

The Ingredients
A variety of conditions can leave people constantly fatigued, short of breath, stiff and sore, making it impossible to face life’s daily activities. Over exertion of or exercise weaken muscles and drain energy reserves, leaving people tired and achy. Often, this fatigue, shortness of breath, soreness, stiffness, and general lack of well-being are associated with depleted energy from the cells and tissues. CORvalenM, with D-ribose, magnesium and malic acid (three substances found naturally in your body) has been clinically proven to be critical in rebuilding cellular energy. The results are dramatic, with people feeling less pain and more energy. D-ribose, the main ingredient in CORvalenM, is a fivecarbon monosaccharide that is vital for the cellular synthesis of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is the energy of life, and ribose is the fundamental building block of ATP. Without ribose, the process of energy synthesis slows dramatically. Ribose has been clinically proven to effectively speed energy recovery in cells and to improve cardiac function, muscle recovery, and overall quality of life.

The Benefits
Whether suffering from myalgia or chronic fatigue, or needing to recover faster during endurance training, CORvalenM is the perfect natural supplement. When hard work, strenuous exercise, or certain medical conditions stress cells, cellular energy is burned faster than it can be restored. The result is pain, soreness, stiffness, and fatigue. Healthy cells often can rebuild these energy levels eventually, but the process is slow. And chronically energy-starved cells may never fully recover. CORvalenM accelerates this recovery. From endurance athletes to active people who like to run or take a long walk, high energy levels are important to everyone. But energy is especially critical to people who suffer from debilitating myalgia, soreness, stiffness, and fatigue. By taking CORvalenM, normal energy levels are restored and the whole body feels more energetic. More importantly, people taking CORvalenM report an increased sense of well-being and an improved quality of life. CORvalenM is proven safe, effective and beneficial to those needing to restore energy, minimize fatigue and alleviate muscle pain, soreness and stiffness.

NaturalNews.com printable articleOriginally published February 25 2008
Brenda Cobb: 4 Reasons People Get Sick and Healing Through Thoughts by Kevin Gianni (see all articles by this author)

(NaturalNews) This is an excerpt from Brenda Cobb's interview for the Raw Summit, a complete interview encyclopedia of cutting edge living and raw food knowledge. You can find the complete transcripts and audios at (http://www.rawsummitarchives.com/). In this interview, Brenda Cobb, author and founder of The Living Foods Institute in Atlanta, GA, gives the 4 reasons why she feels people get sick and the emotional component to healing.

Raw Food World Summit Interview Excerpt with Brenda Cobb, Kevin Gianni: When you talk about illness and you talk about people who have disease and who can heal themselves, it's more than just food, correct?
Brenda Cobb: It really is. I believe that it's much more than the food. I think that's one of the reasons that the program that I use now, developed over the nine years of having been doing this, is so effective to the health of people - because we look beyond the food. Now, we certainly do use a 100% organic, the raw food and the living food.The way we describe raw food and living food is raw food, we believe, is fruits, vegetables and not seeds that have not been cooked. We believe a living food is a sprouted food, something that's growing when you eat it; among them bean and lentil sprout and sun flower, and buckwheat sprout. And so, that certainly is a part of the program.

But we believe there are really four main reasons that people get sick. The number one reason we believe is because of how people think, we think it's more important than what we're eating; and part of that number one reason is emotional stuff because most everybody, and you can hardly avoid it if you go through the human experience on the planet earth, is going to have emotional stuff sometimes that has been buried so deep that they don't even really it's there. And so it's good to work on the emotional stuff and clear that out, there is sometimes issues with forgiveness - forgiving yourself or things or somebody else who has maybe done you wrong and really letting go of those things. And then another part of that number one reason is stress because the world we are living in is stressful. It's never what happens to you, it's always you're reaction to what happens to you and you can stress yourself out or you can learn how to deal with stress so that it becomes constructive rather than destructive. So that's the first area we help people with.

The number two area we help people with is toxicity because there's toxins that have built up over years of breathing the air, drinking water that is not pure, of eating processed foods with additive colors, chemicals, dyes, maybe foods that have been genetically modified, hybridized, taking prescription and over-the-counter medications, drinking alcohols, smoking cigarettes, whatever it might be. Toxic relationship, toxic job contributes to toxicity in the body. So, we believe you have to get all the toxins that are already in there out so the body can do what it was created to do in that field itself.

The third reason we think people are getting sick is because of their decisions and we are believing that a lot are deficient in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Now, we are doing our best to get these through good nutrition, but also realize that the soil today is not what it was in great, great granddaddy's day and that there is not as much of the mineralization and so forth in the soil. So, there are some super foods and algae and some products that we used that helped to boost that along with the good nutrition. But we do believe that you cannot take a product in place of good nutrition. You've got to have good nutrition as your foundation and then if you want to do any supplementation, I like the supplement only with food sources, you know, a raw food powder or an algae and we also use herbs and essential oils to help the body to cleanse and detox and nourish. We found that to be very effective.

And then the fourth thing that we found make people sick is the dirty, toxic impacted colon. So our program also focuses on cleansing the colon, getting out the impacted waste, mucoid plaque, worm, parasites. You know, from years of eating maybe foods made with flour and water that makes a glue or a paste and people get that gunk and that sticky stuff inside of their colon and it sticks in there and sometimes it can become really hard and there's a barrier between the good nutrition, even if you're eating good food. You've changed your ways and now you're eating raw and living food. If you got a lot of plaque built up in the colon, you can't really assimilate the nutrients as well. So, we like to simultaneously be putting in the good food while we are also getting out the bad stuff and then when we do all of it together, we really feel that, that's supporting the body, the mind, the spirit, the mental, the emotional, the physical, the spiritual, and that the body can bounce back from most anything.

Kevin: Let's talk about number one. How are some of the ways that someone can deal with the way that they're thinking or not even deal but free themselves of some of the stress and some of the emotional issues that they have?

Brenda: Well, first thing is a lot of times we are thinking thoughts that we don't really even realize are negative. Many people, if you talk to them about negative thinking or negative speaking and you ask them, "Do you speak or think in a negative way?" Most people will say, "No, I don't." But then when you really kind of get down to how they are talking to themselves, you will see that the way that they're talking is not really positive, that they are meaning to say something positive but they're saying it in a negative way.
So that's the first thing, it's really just kind of teaching people to unprogram themselves; you know, it's kind of like when you were a child and you're sad, you're told, "Don't speak unless spoken to," you know or "Don't talk to strangers," and then you grow up and you're in a job, you're in a sales position, you've got to speak and you've got to talk to strangers. So, now what are you going to do? So, it comes just as a part of reprogramming some of those old tapes that we have heard and how to talk about ourselves positively.

One way we do it is to teach people some very simple affirmations; even though they may sound very simple, almost too simple and people will say, "Gosh, it seems so easy, how can it work if it's so simple?"Well you know, anytime you say the words, "I am" and then you feel that blanking with another word, you're saying the most possible, positive or powerful three words that you can say. So if you say, "I am healed" then you're going to create the energy of healing. But if you say "I am sick" you're going to continue to create the energy around sickness. So, that's one thing, really being careful when you say "I am". You know, let's say you work really hard all day and you're tired, so you're saying "I am so tired". Well, the more you say it, the more tired that you get.

Instead, if you go out and take a little walk around the block and say, "I am energized, I am enthusiastic, I am excited to be alive," you begin talking to yourself in that way, breathing the fresh air, getting the body moving a little bit, you'll see that at the end of that 20 or 30 minutes, you are actually feeling better. So, that's one thing.

Now, as far as emotional stuff, really we like to help people to understand what are the emotional components that are related to the disease or symptom that they've manifested. I used a couple of books that I really like for that. I used a book called Feeling Buried Alive Never Die by Karol Truman and I used a book that a lot of people have heard of called You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay and then I used a book called Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping and we really study those levels of "okay, first let's get real about what is that emotional component and does it ring true for you and sometimes people will say, 'Wow, I cannot believe how much that is like me, what you're telling me, this emotional thing.'"All the times people will even be in denial more and they'll say, "Well no, I don't think that's it, I don't see how that could be causing my problem." So we just gently and lovingly work with people to get them more aware.

We have specific exercises that we do in our emotional healing classes to help people to be able to see within themselves and, you know we get them to face some of the things, you know, asking them questions like "what is it about yourself that you would like to see change" and "you know, how do you think that the way you've thought in the past has impacted you and do you think that you are fulfilling your mission in life" and just get people dialoguing and thinking, you know when you start talking among yourselves, you can even create a wonderful mastermind group and all of the sudden just from hearing what other people are saying, many times we get our own answers. We're not looking to somebody else to figure it out for us, you know we can figure it out our self but it helps to be able to discuss it with others.And so that is also a part of the way that we help people through emotional healing. Now, with stress, we are doing breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, stretching, yoga, you know helping people to learn how to relieve stress that gets impacted in their self and in their organs, in their glands. Most people don't breathe to their full capacity, that shallow breathing, and they find that when they really use more of their lungs and breathe in deeply, that itself can relax.We talk and teach about meditation and how just to be free of thought for a little bit, don't even think about anything and, you know something Kevin, that's more challenging than it sounds. So, just not focus on thinking about a particular thing and to rest the mind and I think all of those things put together can really impact the person in a positive way.

To read the rest of this interview please visit (http://www.rawsummitarchives.com/) . This is just an excerpt of over 14 hours of cutting edge living food, raw food or health information revealed during the Raw Food World Summit.

About the authorKevin Gianni is a health advocate, author and speaker. He has helped thousands of people in over 85 countries learn how to take control of their health--and keep it. To view commentary on natural health issues, vegan and raw food diets, holistic nutrition and more click here.His book, "The Busy Person's Fitness Solution," is a step-by-step guide to optimum health for the time and energy-strapped.To find out more about abundance, optimum health and self motivation click here... or you're interested in the vegan and raw food diet and cutting edge holistic nutrition click here.For access to free interviews, downloads and a complete bodyweight exercise archive visit www.LiveAwesome.com.

Rhodiola Herbal Extract Found to Fight Off Depression

Rhodiola Herbal Extract Found to Fight Off Depression
by Michael Jolliffe

(NaturalNews) A new clinical trial has found that an extract of the herb Rhodiola could be a useful treatment for cases of mild to moderate depression.

The study, published in the Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, involved 80 participants, aged between 18 and 70, who were divided into three groups. The first received 340mg of Rhodiola extract daily, the second twice as much, and the third two capsules containing a placebo.

The results revealed that only the groups taking Rhodiola had found benefit, with particularly significant improvements in insomnia and emotional instability, and no adverse effects.

Rhodiola is thought to work against depression in two ways. Firstly, researchers believe the herb blocks the enzyme monoamine oxidase in a manner similar to the early drug anti-depressants such as amitriptyline, which helps the brain to retain levels of 'feel good' neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Rhodiola is also believed to calm a part of the brain known as the HPA axis, which connects the brain to the adrenal glands. High levels of adrenal stress hormones have consistently been found in individuals suffering from depression, but Rhodiola may address this imbalance and help to restore normal levels.

The plant has a long history of traditional usage associated with improving strength, motivation and resistance to stress and fatigue. Early records suggest that civilisations as old as the Vikings have prized and cultivated Rhodiola. It was equally prized by Soviet researchers during the Cold War, who successfully tested its application with both athletes and astronauts.

Experts have commented on the promise that this latest research holds for the treatment of depression. Dr. Richard Brown, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, and one of the world's leading experts on Rhodiola, called for additional studies 'to explore and establish the potential applications of the herb', but stated his belief that both sufferers and researchers should be 'encouraged' by the results.

About the author
Michael Jolliffe is a health writer, and an expert on nutritional and environmental influences on health and disease. He is a member of the British Association for Nutritional Therapy, International Society for Orthomolecular Medicine and the Life Extension Foundation.

Conquering Delayed-Onset Food Allergies in Three Steps

Conquering Delayed-Onset Food Allergies in Three Steps
by Charmaine D. Mercado

(NaturalNews) Do you find yourself suffering from asthma, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, fuzzy brain, non-seasonal rhinitis, depression, eczema, arthritis, bloating, or insomnia, yet no medical treatment seems to work for you? If you have one or more of these symptoms that just come and go and are unresponsive to medication, then there's a very big chance that your diet is the main culprit behind all your health complaints.

A growing number of studies have established the connection between the above-mentioned ailments to food allergy. Even irritable bowel diseases such as diverticulitis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and celiac disease have been linked to food allergies.

Doctors have long believed that the only kind of allergy is the immediate-onset type, the kind of allergy that triggers the formation of IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies. Symptoms of IgE or type 1 allergy appear within two hours, often showing up in a few minutes. Stomach cramps, hives, skin rashes, diarrhea, wheezing, swelling, and anaphylaxis (which could lead to death) are the common reactions an immediate-onset allergy sufferer experiences.

This article shall focus more on the other more common yet harder to diagnose auto-immune disorder called delayed-onset allergy. When Food Becomes an EnemyDelayed-onset food allergy, also known as IgG (immunoglobulin G) and type 3 allergy, is an auto-immune disease that causes your immune system to overreact when you ingest certain foods.

Studies reveal that there are more immune cells in the digestive tract than in any part of the body. The immune cells mistakenly attack food particles and treat them as antigens or foreign invaders, producing IgE antibodies, histamine and other chemicals as an attempt to fight what they perceive as toxins. A person suffering from immediate-onset allergy can only be allergic to up to three foods, while a delayed-onset allergy sufferer can have reactions to as many as twenty foods.

The top delayed-onset food allergens (in no particular order) are cow's milk, gluten (in wheat and other grains such as barley, rye, and oats), fish, egg whites, egg yolks, soy, peanuts, yeast, corn, and nuts such as cashew, almonds, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts.

The good news is that type 3 food allergies are reversible if you make a conscious effort to facilitate your body's healing by temporarily nixing the aggravating food, consuming raw food and taking enzyme supplements, and by eliminating disruptive energies in the body that could be causing your disease. All the suggested steps apply only to delayed-onset allergies and not to IgE allergies.

Step One: Avoid the Offending Food for at Least 3 Months.
The best way in knowing whether you have delayed-onset food allergy is by having yourself properly tested. This would eliminate all the guesswork on your part. IgE allergy testing involves state of the art blood tests to properly diagnose your food allergies. Every person is unique and should be properly tested. A person with delayed-onset allergies may be allergic to less common allergenic foods such as chili peppers, chicken, kiwi, garlic, red meat, citrus fruits, tomatoes or onion.

If however there are no sophisticated blood assays in your area that would test your blood sample against more than a hundred kinds of food to determine whether you react to any of them or not, then an allergen-free diet for two weeks would help you make intelligent guesses as to what is causing your discomforts.

Keep a food diary and write down all the symptoms that you'll be experiencing for the next few days. Take note of all the food that you frequently eat and see if they make you feel worse a few hours to a few days after eating them. A clue to determining your allergy to a certain food is if you strongly like a certain food and feel great satisfaction when eating it.

Much like in alcoholism and chain smoking, the body creates a strong attachment and addiction to the very substance that is harming the person. Once you've made your list of allergy suspects, carefully plan your diet for the next several days and eliminate all the suspect foods for two weeks. Notice how you feel when you are not consuming them. Chances are you will feel great relief within a week.

Some people who suffer from edema due to gluten allergy lose a lot of retained water and therefore shed a few pounds in a couple of days without exercise. Note that you might feel your old symptoms within the first few days of abstaining from the offending foods. This is a normal reaction and will disappear in about five days. If you still feel bad after eliminating a number of food from your diet, check your food diary if there is anything else that you eat often that you haven't eliminated yet. Could it be that cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? It could be an ingredient included in a lot of the items that you eat.

A highly-qualified nutritionist who specializes in food allergies would greatly help by asking you the right questions. Your nutritionist can help you determine whether you're truly allergic to something or merely sensitive or intolerant to it. But either way you would be advised to avoid the food that causes your allergy or sensitivity until you are ready to reintroduce it to your body.

After doing your elimination diet for two weeks, try reintroducing each food you've avoided one by one every five days. For example, if you avoided gluten, dairy, and soy, try food containing gluten on day one. Then completely avoid it again for the next five days. If you notice your symptoms go back within five days then you have a clear sign that you are truly allergic to it.

Then you can move on to dairy and eat cheese for a day then abstain from any kind of dairy product or ingredient for the next five days and see if your symptoms recur. Do the same with soy. If you react to all three then you would have to avoid all of them in the next three to six months before you can reintroduce them in your diet.

You would also have to educate yourself with regard to food families and hidden food ingredients. You might be reacting to soy but decide to eat a product containing TVP or textured vegetable protein since it does not have the word "soy" on the label, and find your asthma symptoms coming back. You may be allergic to gluten but not to soy and may be surprised to find yourself reacting to soy sauce, which often contains gluten.

This would involve a de rigueur label reading to check if a certain food contains an allergen as one of its ingredients. Eating out can also be a challenge to the food allergy sufferer. Cross-contamination is frequently what happens when the restaurant doesn't wash utensils that would be used for the dish you ordered after preparing a food that you may be allergic to. You may ask the waiter to skip the breading in your fried fish if you have gluten allergy, but the cook may not change the oil and clean the pan where he just cooked breaded chicken. Don't hesitate to ask the waiter the ingredients of the dish you wish to order, or to inform the chef of your allergies. As a general rule practice caution when eating out.

It takes three to six months for your body to replace all of its IgG antibodies. The new batch of IgE antibodies would have no memory of the list of foods you were strongly reacting to. Provided that you have reversed your leaky gut, the new set of IgG antibodies would have no more reason to attack the food you were previously allergic to. After three months or so you can start reintroducing all the previously offending foods one by one; it is better to take quercetin right before reintroducing old allergens (see below).

Stay away from food that promotes inflammation and mucus formation such as dairy and meat. Avoid alcohol and drink lots of water.

Step Two: Heal Your Digestive System with Enzymes and Nutrients.
The seemingly biggest factor involved in food allergies is having a "leaky gut." A leaky gut has increased permeability compared to a healthy one, thus allowing all the undigested food particles to pass through the intestines and enter the bloodstream. Heal the gut by upping your enzyme intake through raw food and enzyme supplementation.

Eating at least 70% raw food would greatly assist in detoxifying your body from all the chemicals it released as a consequence of mistaking food as an invader. A mainly raw diet would also accelerate the healing of a leaky gut.

The main reason for the existence of undigested food particles is that the body is not producing enough enzymes to properly and completely break down food into simple, usable, and highly-assimilable substances. Enzymes are particularly known to break down the undigested food proteins that the immune cells attack as allergens. Proteolytic or protein-digesting enzymes such as protease, bromelain, and papain can greatly help in digesting unmetabolized protein allergens present in the blood. Enzymes can also boost immune system function by promoting the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

An efficient immune system relies heavily on healthy intestinal flora in fighting a host of diseases, including allergies. So make it a point to take probiotics to enable your body to effectively fight your type 3 allergy.Vitamins and minerals are also required to heal a leaky gut. In fact the enzymes depend on nutrients to carry out their tasks successfully. Poor nutrition leads to enzyme deficiency, which leads to poor assimilation of nutrients, resulting in greater nutritional deficiency. Enzyme and nutritional deficiency are the leading causes in the development of a wide range of diseases, from allergies to cancer.

Vitamin A destroys free radicals and regulates the release of prostaglandins during allergic reactions. Vitamin B6 helps reduce depression, migraines, and ADHD caused by food allergy. Like vitamin B6, zinc is important in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach to increase the body's ability to digest food. Vitamin C helps the body detoxify by disabling free radicals produced during allergic reactions. Vitamins A, B6, and C, along with zinc, stimulate and maintain the thymus gland, the body's main immune gland.

Magnesium helps reduce symptoms of asthma, migraine, and depression. MSM or methylsulfonylmethane, quercetin, and omega-3 fatty acids are all anti-inflammatory supplements. They also aid a lot in reversing a leaky gut. Glutamine and probiotics both bolster the body's immune system function and assist in healing a highly-permeable gut.

Of all the nutraceuticals mentioned above, quercetin appears to be the most powerful anti-allergy supplement in removing type 3 allergy symptoms. As an insurance policy it is good to take quercetin thirty minutes prior to reintroducing previously aggravating food.

Good digestion begins in the mouth, so chew your food well whether you're eating raw food or not. Chewing raw food well helps release its enzymes in your mouth, thus making it easy for its nutrients to be broken down. Cooked food would also be more easily digested by the enzyme supplement if well-chewed.

Step Three: Try Acupressure
Studies have linked stress and negative emotions to various diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and allergies. But whether or not your allergy is due to an unresolved emotional issue, it is good for you to do acupressure on yourself or have it done to you by an expert.

Some of the possible emotional or psychosomatic causes of allergies are: the feeling of being unsafe, the need for attention, non-acceptance of oneself, and annoyance towards a certain person one lives with at home. EFT or emotional freedom technique is a good option in relieving a person from the underlying emotional causes of this disease. It corrects the energy disruption caused by negative emotions, usually offering immediate relief, and with persistence, often ends up in the complete elimination of both the emotional trigger and the physical disease. A lot of cases, nothing short of miraculous, have been reported by allergy sufferers who employed EFT in treating the said auto-immune disease.

Not all allergies are necessarily caused by negative emotions though. Early exposure to a 100% cooked diet can lead to digestive exhaustion at one point in a person's life, causing enzyme deficiency and other digestive disorders. Food then is only partially digested at best, which passes through a leaky gut and ends up being attacked as an invader upon entering the bloodstream.

It is for this reason that non-breast-fed individuals are more prone to allergies than those exclusively given breast milk for at least six months. That is why it is important to stick to an elimination diet for at least three months to give the body ample time to heal, rest, and regenerate itself.

Even if one does not have any unexpressed emotional issues to deal with, exploring the cause of withdrawal symptoms and feelings of deprivation would offer the allergy sufferer great relief while helping him abstain from his favorite yet allergenic food. Both EFT tapping and traditional acupressure increase blood circulation and unclog blocked meridian points in the body, thus providing great relief upon tapping on or pressing acupressure points. It is good to consult an EFT practitioner to assist you in getting to your core issues, an acupressure expert to teach you which points in your body to press to improve your condition, or a reflexologist to do a proper foot massage to accelerate your healing.

There you have it. With proper education, dedication and perseverance you can become allergy-free for life!

References:Braly, James and Holford, Patrick. Hidden Food Allergies: Is What You Eat Making You Ill? Piatkus, 2005.Chebat, Maraya. Core Energetics: A Primer On Mind-Body Integration. NBS Inc., 1984.Cichoke, Anthony. Enzymes to the Rescue. http://www.foodreactions.org/articles/enzymes_to_the_rescue.htmlCraig, Gary. The EFT Manual. http://www.emofree.comHainsworth, Jo. A fascinating trip through the successful elimination of multiple chemical and food sensitivities. (http://www.emofree.com/Allergy/multiple-food-allergies.htm)Holford, Patrick. Improve Your Digestion. Piatkus, 1999.Savitri, Ramaiah, ed. All You Wanted to Know About Acupressure in Daily Life. New Dawn, 2000.Doctors Use New Acupressure Technique For Severe Allergic Reactions: Medication Unnecessary. 5 July 2006. (http://www.NaturalNews.com/019562.html)
About the authorCharmaine D. Mercado is a freelance writer who is passionate about natural health, nutrition and well-being.

Supplements and Surgery Don't Mix

Some nutritional supplements can affect bleeding and recovery after surgery.
Stop taking these supplements two days before surgery...

• Echinacea, an immunity-boosting supplement, may interfere with certain drugs and slow wound healing.
• Ginkgo regulates blood flow and enhances memory, but it may cause excessive bleeding.
• Kava calms nerves and encourages sleep -- but it may intensify the sedative effects of anesthesia.

Stop taking these supplements seven days before surgery...

• Fish oil contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but it can cause excessive bleeding.
• Garlic reduces high blood pressure and cholesterol, but it also may cause excessive bleeding.
• Ginseng stimulates the immune system and improves energy, but it can cause rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, excessive bleeding and low blood sugar levels.
• St. John's wort helps ease depression, but it also may increase or decrease the strength of certain drugs.

Chun-Su Yuan, MD, PhD University of Chicago

Beware the painkiller patch

Pain killer
Beware the painkiller patch—it could literally kill you.

According to the FDA, it's due to good old-fashioned human error. Doctors have been incorrectly prescribing fentanyl—a heavy-duty narcotic—to patients that it was never intended to treat, such as those who are not in chronic pain. Instead, doctors are supposed to think of cancer patients when prescribing this patch, who have already built up some tolerance for opiod-level painkillers. But patients with no more than a headache are receiving it—and with deadly consequences. So the FDA has issued a second warning about these patches. The first warning came out in 2005, when it announced it was looking a little closer at 120 fatalities associated with fentanyl use. Evidently, the first warning had little effect, as reports of dangerous side effects and deaths have continued. The FDA is also having the makers of these fentanyl patches include warnings in plain-speak so that all patients can understand exactly how potent this drug is. On the FDA website are some guidelines for use that have been posted.

If you or someone you know is using one of these patches, please be aware of the following:
Fentanyl patches should be thought of as the last step in painkilling for chronic pain. It's not for headaches or to be taken after surgery. There are other options that aren't as life-threatening as fentanyl, and should be chosen first.

Know the signs of overdose and do not wait to seek treatment:
Feeling faint or dizzy
Cold, clammy skin
Difficulty in breathing, slow breathing, shallow breathing
Heartbeat slows down
Difficulty walking or talking
Overcome by a sense of sleepiness

Advise your doctor of every medication you take to avoid adverse reactions.
Read the instructions that come with the patch to understand exactly how to apply it.
Don't add heat in the form of a heating pad, electric blanket, steam room, sauna, or a hot bath. Heat has a way of "heating up" the effect, which can be deadly.
While a patch may seem benign, you can actually overdose with their use. Some patients may try putting on an extra one in a quest to strengthen the results. Or, they may change it too frequently, despite instructions to the contrary. Make sure you treat drugs as drugs no matter what clever delivery system Big Pharma hides them in.
Dr. Alan Inglis House Calls