I’ve been using the Thieves therapeutic-grade essential oil blend for over 8 years now. It’s been a true blessing for my life, the lives of my loved ones and the lives of my clients! It used to be that a sore throat would last a week or more, now I use Thieves blend internally or experience a Thieves lozenge or hard candy and the sore throat goes away in a day or so! Just like that! It is a miracle? Yes and no. For millennia, essential oils have been used by human kind for the purpose of healing the sick and vitalizing the already healthy. Essential oils are mentioned numerous times in the Holy Bible. They were used very extensively during ancient Egyptian times. The truth is that today we face unprecedented health challenges. The “Superbugs” are invading. Antibiotic resistant microbes have ruined numerous lives and conventional medications often times don’t work. This is because microorganisms are intelligent and they can mutate to resist the simply structured man made medications. Therapeutic-grade essential oils and oil blends like Thieves are very complex substances which pathogens cannot mutate against and they come from nature. When applied properly, they have no negative side-effects. And, are anti-everything! Anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, anti-aging, etc. Therapeutic-grade essential oils also hold a very high vibration. It has been shown that various illnesses and pathogens hold low vibrational frequencies. When a therapeutic-grade essential oil or oil blend is introduced by inhalation, topical application or ingestion, they affect the body not only through the complex array of their constituents, but by helping raise it’s frequency to a healthy level. So, try Thieves Essential oil blend. It got it’s name because a band of Thieves would go around and rob the bodies of plague victims in medieval times, however they didn’t get sick! When they were apprehended, they were asked to reveal the secret of why they themselves didn’t catch the plague and they told their captures that they used essential oils like Clove and Cinnamon to protect themselves from the ravages of the plague. Thieves oil blend contains therapeutic-grade Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils. For further information about Thieves essential oil blend visit:http://www.CleanBodyCare.com.
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jeffreydavid
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drjlopez
Aging in the West conjures up images of people in nursing homes, unable to enjoy the few remaining years in their lives and totally dependent on other people for some of the basic things in life such as eating or bathing themselves. Who wants to have a long life if this would be the eventual outcome for anyone? How many people live independently and abundantly into their senior years? How can someone make sure that they could enjoy their lives free from chronic disease or infirmities?
That’s where the concept of holistic preventive care comes in. Preventive care unfortunately, usually just involves early detection and screening in allopathic medicine. It’s the advice given to women about annual Pap’s smears and mammograms or PSA testing for men at a certain age. There’s more to prevention however than getting yearly tests. Prevention should be done on a daily basis by taking care of the body’s needs, primarily through clean food, water and air. Then, there are also important things such as sleep, exercise, stress reduction, detoxification and intake of nutritional supplements.
Our health is very closely related to that of the health of our environment. Just as clean air and water are necessary for the survival of the earth, they are also needed for our survival as a species.
There’s a concept called “internal milieu.” Dr. Louis Pasteur, on his deathbed, admitted that “the microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything.” What this means is that for instance, if several people were exposed to the same germ/pathogen, not everybody gets sick. Some people may be more resistant to illness because of genetics as well as other factors that influence their immune system (diet, presence of toxins.) If I may borrow one of my colleague’s analogies, “Our genes are like a loaded gun, our environment pulls the trigger.”
The major medical systems in the world, such as Chinese medicine, Tibetan medicine and Ayurveda, all emphasize the important role that food plays in prevention of illness as well as influencing the course of illness. Unfortunately, this is not the case in other medical systems where people are told that they can eat anything after a certain diagnoses. Ever wonder why there are fast food joints that sell deep fried or highly refined foods at major medical centers?
Anyway, in more practical terms, what are the factors that could cause premature aging?
Among the different reasons behind aging there are hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and toxicities. Just like doing maintenance work on our cars is imperative to make them work more efficiently, we need to do the same thing to our bodies. Let’s start with the basics. The food we give our bodies could be compared to the things we do to maintain our cars. Again, to borrow another analogy, carbohydrates could be compared to the fuel system, fats to the oil used to lubricate the car and protein to the actual skeleton/frame of the car. Neglect one of these and it could lead to eventual breakdown of our cars and in this case, our bodies.
Regarding food, I believe that everybody is different and therefore, have different food requirements. One of my mentors taught me that we in North America, actually don’t have a traditional diet unlike peoples from Asia, Africa or the Mediterranean. The Standard American Diet (SAD) of meat and potatoes in general doesn’t give us adequate nutrition to prevent illness. What I would recommend for one person may be different from what I recommend to another.
For instance, for Asians in general, a typical meal of fish with rice and vegetables should suffice. However, for a Caucasian, I may recommend food combining with protein and vegetables without any starches during a meal.
There are many diets available out there. These include the blood type diet, the South Beach diet, raw food diet, etc. In general, I would recommend eating organic foods. Having greater portions of vegetables and fruits in the diet and a limited amount of meat would work for most people. As far as meat is concerned, free-range chicken or grass-fed beef would be a better choice than regular chicken or beef.
Then, there’s concern about fish or seafood. The higher you go up on the food chain, the greater the chances of mercury toxicity. I would recommend smaller fish such as anchovies or sardines.
There’s the timing of meals that’s also equally important. I would recommend small, frequent meals rather than three “square meals a day.” Not eating after 6 pm ideally would be best, but if necessary, at least keeping it light at night would be advisable.
Nutrition is a very touchy subject because of the different recommendations you get from authorities. What I would recommend in general is to only eat when hungry and only eat as natural as possible. Any food adulterated by man (boxed cereal grains, “low-fat” TV dinners) could cause more problems long-term. Just a quick note, fat is what tells our satiety centers that we’re full. Thus, a low-fat meal won’t really curb someone’s appetite or help with weight loss.
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drjlopez
Q: At what age should I start taking supplements?JOEL LOPEZ, MD: It is my belief that we should all start taking supplements during childhood. Remember taking multivitamins as kids? Everybody’s different, however. So a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work. Too much of a good thing could be harmful. For instance, iron if taken too much could cause some serious consequences. Ditto with fat-soluble vitamins. They could actually build up in our system causing different health challenges. One also has to take into consideration one’s general health before taking supplements. People with kidney or liver disease or those taking prescription medications need to talk with their health care provider to see if it’s appropriate to incorporate supplements.
Ideally, we should get everything from our diet. However, due to farming practices and soil mineral depletion, we aren’t able to get all the nutrients that we need from our diet, even if we eat 100% organic.
There are also general recommendations that I give to my clients. Women after menopause should not take multivitamins with iron. Too much iron acts as a pro-oxidant. In other words, it contributes to premature aging.
Fortunately, there are functional tests available to see if a person has nutrient deficiencies. It takes the guesswork of out supplementation!
Q: Does everybody benefit from supplements?
DR. LOPEZ: Definitely. Our bodies need substrates for energy. Yes, ideally we should get it from our food. Refined food, however, only gives us empty calories and causes nutrient imbalances as well. Ideally, I would recommend whole-food based supplements rather than synthetic ones.
Q: How do I know what I need?
DR. LOPEZ: A careful history and physical should be able to reveal nutrient deficiencies. Some signs and symptoms of deficiencies could overlap, however. So, it’s best to do functional testing for nutrient deficiencies. Fortunately, they’re available here in the US. A general recommendation that I make for people is to get a good whole-food based multivitamin/mineral supplement as well as an essential fatty acid supplement.
Q: Are there risks or contraindications?
DR. LOPEZ: Yes there are. That’s why it’s important to work with a nutritionally–oriented physician. Working with your nutritionist or other natural health care provider should be helpful as well.
Usually, whole-food based supplements are harmless. Synthetic, isolated forms of nutrients could be dangerous, however. Once you isolate something from nature, it acts more of like a drug long-term. Consider an important study showing that cigarette smokers who took pre-formed vitamin A had an increased incidence of lung cancer.
Taking too much of certain nutrients could cause toxicity symptoms. That’s why it’s important to take things in moderation and if any symptoms arise to consult with your healthcare provider.
Q: Hormone replacement therapy can be a judgment call. Some doctors are more reluctant than others to recommend performance-enhancing drugs, too. How do you work with patients to decide how to weigh the potential risks versus rewards? Can you offer some examples?
DR. LOPEZ: Hormones are very powerful chemical messengers. Thus, I would only recommend HRT if it’s clinically indicated. I would look at a person’s labs as well as clinical symptoms. One is not more important than the other. For instance, a lot of people who have hypothyroid symptoms may have normal blood tests. Further evaluation however may show low body temperatures (Wilson’s syndrome) or low free T3 (low T3 syndrome), both of which would benefit from thyroid support, whether through nutrients or the use of actual hormones. Then, you would also have to consider addressing adrenal function when treating the thyroid because they’re yin yang organs according to Chinese medicine. Our hormones are like an orchestra. If one hormone is off, it affects the others.
As far as recommending drugs for improving brain performance, there’s dilantin and eldepryl, among many others. Again, the recommendation I give is individualized. I would have to know a person’s SNP’s through a genomic test. This gives me information on how a person would metabolize drugs or nutrients, thus eliminating concerns for safety.
Q: Beyond hormone replacement therapy, do you recommend specific drug therapies for peak performance and life extension?
DR. LOPEZ: There are different nutrients that could help with our peak performance. Among the more popular ones are L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10 and D-ribose. These nutrients are responsible for optimizing muscle function, especially our heart muscles, which actually contract 24/7.
People with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and congestive heart failure are among the conditions that would greatly benefit from these nutrients. People who desire more energy for working out could also take these supplements. As far as brain aging is concerned, nutrients such as ginkgo biloba, acetyl-L-carnitine and vinpocetine actually help. By the way, there are clinical studies done on these nutrients and they could be found in a publication called German Commission E.
Q: What else should I know before starting a program?
DR. LOPEZ: It’s important that we pay attention to the basics before even taking supplements. A healthy diet, adequate water intake, enough sleep and exercise all should be addressed prior to the intake of supplements. There are tests available for people who are ready to embark on a wellness program. There are tests to find out if one is nutritionally deficient, toxic, inflamed or hormonally imbalanced. Failure to address these things leads to premature aging. On the other hand, address all these factors and you surely will age gracefully.
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drjlopez
Sleep is something most people take for granted. However, once it’s disturbed, people would take anything just to get some of it. Sleep is more than just a time for rest. It actually is a time when our body repairs and regenerates itself. If you want to have a healthy body, mind and spirit, make it your goal then to take some time for sleep for 7-8 hours a day. -
drjlopez
Chocolate in it’s raw, natural form is called cacao. It’s an aphrodisiac, anti-depressant, muscle relaxant, potent antioxidant and much more! Chocolate in it’s unadulterated form is a true superfood. To learn more, I recommend David Wolfe’s book called Naked Chocolate. -
drjlopez
Do you know that love is one emotion that has anti-aging properties? When a person has love (agape, or otherwise), healing neurochemicals/peptides are secreted abundantly into the bloodstream which then affects every cell in the body, bringing about regeneration and repair. Toxic emotions (like hatred) however, causes the body to secrete catabolic hormones which is destructive in the immediate and long-term. -
drjlopez
Chronic dehydration is one of the causes of premature aging. Ideally, we should have at least half of our body weight in ounces (e.g. 70 ounces for a 140 lb. person). A lot of vague, chronic symptoms should improve with regular intake of pure water. I recommend the book “Your Body’s Many Cries for Water” by Dr. F. Batmangheligh. -
drjlopez
Perverse energy or harmful EMF’s generated by modern gadgets such as microwave ovens, computers, cell phones, and TVs (among many others) could also contribute to premature aging. Fortunately, there are tools that people could use to protect themselves against what we call “electro-pollution”. There are numerous to find over the internet. Find those that have clinical studies behind them.
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drjlopez
Excessive sun exposure is one of the causes of premature aging (photoaging). Using petrochemical-based sunscreens however, don’t help. In fact, it could make things worse. Taking enough antioxidants through food (rainbow-colored diet) and supplements could protect against free radicals caused by sun damage. Using plant-based, organic sunscreens help as well.
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drjlopez
One of the glands that start to “give” as we age is our thyroid gland. Among the common signs and symptoms are fatigue, weight gain, constipation, depression, infertility and high cholesterol (sometimes considered “normal” aging). A more in-depth look at your thyroid including checking temperatures, thyroid antibodies, free T3 and rT3 could actually reveal if the cause of your symptoms are thyroid-related. Common causes of low thyroid function include stress, refined soy intake (regular use of), goitrogenic cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower (esp. when eaten raw), nutrient deficiencies (iodine, selenium) and toxicity (from heavy metals like mercury).
