Another TriVita Article: How to Help Avoid Liver and Kidney Pollutants
by Dr Brazos Minshew
In a previous Weekly Wellness Report we discussed the toxins that come into our body through our drinking water. What happens to these toxins when they enter our body? Can toxins lead to liver or kidney disease? What are some early signs of liver and kidney toxicity?
Early warning signs
Your liver and kidneys cooperate with another detoxification organ: the lungs. Signs that your liver and kidneys are struggling and pushing the toxic overload through your lungs can include:
- Breathing problems
- Bad breath
- Frequent lung and sinus infections
- Allergies.
Toxicity in the liver and kidneys affect another organ of detoxification: your skin. If your detoxification system becomes overloaded, your body will try to compensate for this overload by pushing some of this waste out through your skin. Early signs of this include:
- Itchy skin
- Bad-smelling perspiration
- Discolorations
Eventually, you might even experience a breakdown in your skin when it can no longer handle this toxic load. A good example of this: When someone with diabetes has a toxic level of glucose, cracks can appear in the skin of the feet.
What about kidney/liver disease?
Kidneys
Kidneys filter your blood and ensure that proteins and minerals are in the right balance. Too many proteins from an unbalanced, low-carb diet may injure the kidneys. Too many minerals, such as too much phosphorus from soft drinks will injure your kidneys, and too much sugar will damage your kidneys beyond repair.
So, for good, healthy kidneys:
- Drink pure water
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet
- Avoid concentrated sugars.
Many toxins can destroy the kidneys, such as toxic levels of homocysteine and glucose. Still, one of the most common kidney toxins is aspirin, so it should be taken in moderation.
The liver
Many of the toxins excreted by the liver are either absorbed (taken out of your body) by fiber or reabsorbed into your liver. This is why it is so important to eat a high fiber diet and supplement your diet with fiber when needed.
Many toxins can destroy the liver, such as those from alcohol and hepatitis virus. However, the number one reason for liver transplants is acetaminophen toxicity. That’s why I suggest minimizing consumption of any products containing acetaminophen.
Toxic minerals such as lead and mercury can damage both the kidneys and the liver. Protect yourself from these serious diseases by isolating yourself from common toxins and insulating yourself with nutrients and fiber.
Fiber and detoxification
Our liver has a four-step process for detoxification.
- First, toxins enter the liver, typically from the intestines. They are changed in the liver by an enzyme called CYP, which stands for cytochrome. In the first stage of detoxification the CYP enzyme makes the toxin expand and creates a large surface area – like a sponge.
- The second stage is to douse this sponge-like toxin with antioxidants and other special nutrients.
- The third stage is to convert this fat-based sponge to a water base so that it can be attached to fiber.
- The fourth step in detoxification is to push the fiber and the toxin out through the colon.
Now you can see why fiber in our diet is so important. To properly detoxify we must have at least 30 grams of fiber in our diet every day. In many cultures, people ingest 60 grams or more of dietary fiber every day. These groups have the absolute lowest cholesterol on the planet, as fiber helps detoxify cholesterol as well.
Source: TriVita Weekly Wellness Report Jan 03, 2009.
Brain Erosion Can Start As Early As Age 30
December 18, 2008 by admin
Filed under Brain Erosion, Conditions
| by Dr. Scott Conard, M.D.
Most everyone has “senior moments.” You’ll be talking with someone and suddenly you can’t remember your best friend’s name or the movie you saw last night. These are fairly common place occurrences for people as they age and nothing to worry about as long as they don’t happen very often. However, if your age is creeping up to 40, 50 or 60 then you have reason to be concerned if: • Your memory is starting to slip |
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| If one or more of these is happening to you, it could be the result of brain erosion. Brain erosion means that the brain actually erodes or shrinks. Can the brain really shrink? Yes it can! The human brain may lose from 10 to 25 percent of its total volume due to the effects of stress.
That’s scary enough, but now brain erosion is happening to people at a much younger age than in the past. Statistics from the 1970s and 1980s found brain erosion only in people over 50. However, a major study conducted by Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri) detected brain volume loss as early as age 30. Researchers also discovered that this brain volume loss often leads to dementia. People under the age of 30 may also lose cognitive function as a result of asthma, ADHD, allergies, digestive issues or diabetes. These medical issues can result in a much lower B vitamin absorption rate. That means the brain is literally “starving” for the right kind of nutrition. B vitamins, especially B-12, are so important because they help increase the effectiveness of other essential nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids. Why are we seeing this dramatic change over a few decades? Stress and its damaging effects on our bodies is a major reason. Stress may come from the pollution in our environment, lack of nutrients in our foods, the accumulation of small and large injuries that we carry with us, the relentless expectations that we place on ourselves and the pressure of other people’s expectations of us. Stress places such a demand on us that it overcomes our body’s ability to cope. Brain erosion is one result. How can you tell if your brain is shrinking? You may initially have a nagging feeling that your mental performance is starting to slide – that you are no longer at your peak. When this happens, it’s easy to feel frightened, depressed or frustrated, thinking that your mental abilities are slipping away. But don’t despair or lose hope, because there is a lot you can do to slow and even repair brain erosion. Vitamin B-12 is the answer Your brain may be lacking some of the essential building blocks it needs to thrive – especially B-12 or Omega-3 fatty acids. This lack can cause your brain volume to shrink. But Vitamin B can help protect against this. This was confirmed by a University of Illinois study which stated that people with greater B-12 intake were also able to maintain greater brain volume for a longer period of their life. So, how eager are you to do whatever it takes to improve brain fitness now and help protect against much worse problems like dementia from developing? I know I’m dedicated and that’s why I’m such a strong believer in B-12 supplementation. Based upon research studies, it should begin as early as age 30. While there’s nothing that’s going to stop you from having an occasional “senior moment”, you should feel heartened to know that Vitamin B-12 is readily available and easy to take. Now’s the time to turn back the clock on brain erosion. Don’t lose any more brain cells to poor nutrition, stress and bad habits. Reclaim your mental energy, ease irritability and slow brain erosion with Vitamin B-12. B-12 is the key to reclaiming your mental energy Source: VitaJournal June 2008 pg 6 |
