Table of contents for Lupus

1. Lupus Symptoms & Causes Part 1
2. Natural Lupus Treatment and Lifestyle Changes Part 2

Natural supplements and lifestyle changes can bring significant improvement to lupus by strengthening the immune system and lessoning the risk of other disease with overall better health.

Due to the lack of progress in a cure for lupus and the frequent side effects from the long-term usage of prescribed corticosteroid, implementing a healthy diet, body cleansing, exercise, and natural supplements offer promising options toward a better life for those diagnosed with lupus.

Long-term use of corticosteroids, such as used in the treatment of SLE, can result in adrenal atrophy and suppression of the body’s natural defenses in the immune system. In addition, the treatment often results in side effects such as:

• mood swings
• depression
• generalized edema of body and face
• redistribution of body fat to the abdomen
• weight gain
• lethargy (1)

We are going to briefly cover lupus research results from 4 various health sites, and then take a detailed look at the research and lifestyle changes suggested by Dr. Ray Sahelian, which will be extremely helpful for lupus sufferer determined to improve his or her health.

**It should be noted that there are some slight variations in suggested supplements between the sites. I want to emphasize 2 main points in this regard:

1. I would suggest avoiding any supplement that is questioned as safe by even 1 of the following doctors unless you first discuss it with your physician and have a plan for discerning possible side effects.

2. Before taking any new supplement, research it for any possible side effects relevant to your health, such as allergies, interaction with prescriptions, affect on blood pressure, etc.  The first site is one I have used personally; the second is one I just came across.

Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia              Personal Health Zone

Prevention.com focuses on Omega 3 Fish Oils and Antioxidants for lupus improvement.

The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil — EPA and DHA — has prevented autoimmune lupus in animals. Studies on humans have been shown to decrease inflammation. 20 grams of fish oil per day combined with a low-fat diet led to significant improvement in 14 out of 17 SLE patients in only 12 weeks. Lower amounts of fish oil did not help.(2)

Truehealth.org also incredible results from fish oil! You can use the footnote to read the studies if you wish but they are very technical. Their summary of the studies says, “Oral supplementation of EPA and DHA [from fish oil] induced a prolonged remission of SLE in 10 consecutive patients without any side effects.(3)

Antioxidant levels are typically low in SLE patients. Supplements of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium improved the health of animals with SLE. Between 800-2,000 IU of vitamin E per day showed good to excellent improvement in people with DLE. Lower amounts of E did not appear beneficial. In another trial, 10 to 15 grams of pantothenic acid per day with 1,500 to 3,000 IU of E proved helpful to DLE patients.(2)

Prevention.com expresses concern over the use of DHEA in treatment of lupus as there is no long-term safety study on humans. There were minimal side effects in high doses of 50 mg per day or more but high doses of DHEA long-term in animals have produced cancer.

Chiro.org provides specific doses for lupus improvement with Omega 3 oils, more specifically flax seed oil.

In mice studies, fish oil slowed renal damage in lupus mice. Age related decline was greatly reduced by combining fish oil and a low calorie diet.

30 grams a day of flax seed oil reduced kidney inflammation in lupus patients as well as lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Chiro.org says it is important to note that flax seed oil had a direct effect on reducing the antibody profile which did not take place with safflower, Juniperus virginiana, fish, corn, soybean oils, or fish oil.

Vitamin A at 100,000 IU daily for two weeks showed beneficial immune system improvement with no side effects in 10 women. However, long-term studies have not been conducted for this.

SLE patients are consistently Vitamin D deficient. As it is important to the regulation of the immune system, Chiro.org suggests that it is likely to be helpful.

Chiro.org also suggests the same antioxidant treatment as Prevention.com to slow the tissue damage common to SLE.

Dr. Ray Sahelian had the most extensive program for natural lupus treatment that I could find on the web.

We’ve referred to research by Dr. Sahelian for other health matters in the past and found his research sound and helpful.

As health problems never actually have a “single cause,” the most effective treatment must involve lifestyle changes for overall health. Dr. Sahelian offers a list of helpful supplements as well as detailed plan for lifestyle change to improve one’s immune system and overall health.

The first link to his site is for suggested supplements. He says that many herbs have not been researched for effectiveness, but he posts a list of supplements that have been tested as well as descriptions of the studies. We will refer to the supplements here, but, as the studies are quite tedious reading, those of you who want to read the details can use the link (footnote 5) below.

Dr. Sahelian’s Suggested Supplements for Lupus (5)

Fish Oils and Omega-3 Fatty Acids- Fish oil supplements with both DHA and EPA improve symptoms of SLE. Take 1-3 capsules daily if not eating fish. Consider eating more fish such as salmon, halibut, and sardines packed in mustard or tomato sauce.

Green tea with EGCG- EGCG is a powerful antioxidant found in green tea, but you do not want to overdo it. Take a glass a day in the morning so it will not interfere with your sleep.

Cordyceps mushroom extract- Take a 450 mg tablet a couple of times a week in the morning. Skip 1 week a month. This anti oxidant is specifically helpful to the liver, kidneys, heart, and immune system.

Lipoic Acid- Limit usage to 50 mg two or three times a week.

Multivitamin- Take a quality one with vitamins, nutrients, and minerals with 1 day off a week. Dr. Sahelian has his own version available.

Psyllium- Use half to one teaspoon in a glass of water twice daily with food for fiber and the prevention of constipation.

Calcium- Postmenopausal women should take a supplement from a natural source such as oyster shell or bone in calcium citrate, calcium gluconate, or calcium carbonate form, no more than 800 mg a day. Calcium citrate is the easiest to absorb.

Barley Grass powder- Use for a green food supplement. [Most people’s diets are greatly lacking in green food sources.]

Echinacea and Spirulina- Dr. Sahelian cautions use of these herbs on lupus until more research is available.(5)

Dr. Sahelian’s Basic Lifestyle Habits for Health (6)

Again, those this list below appears extensive, there is an even more vast amount of info in his article that those serious about lifestyle changes should read using the link below (footenote 6).

1. Avoid the Basic Lupus Aggravators- excess calories, excess protein, high fat (especially saturated and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), sugar, sweets, and iron. Some people also saw improvement by eliminating common allergy-causing foods (wheat, soy, milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish).

• Some good fruit choices are apple, banana, berries (blueberry, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry) cantaloupe, cherry, coconut, fig, guava, grape, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, lychee, lime, mango, orange, papaya, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, pomegranate, prickly pear fruit, quince, and watermelon.

2. Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, rather than the same ones all the time. Eat actual fruits instead of juices. [Another doctor suggested 8 colors of fresh food per day]. If you are diabetic, reduce your fruit intake. Wash well or buy organic.

• Some good vegetable choices are artichoke, asparagus, avocado, beet, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, endive, garlic, ginger, kale, lettuce, mushroom, okra, olive, onion, parsley, pepper, radish, scallion, spinach, sprouts, squash, tomato, yam, yucca, zucchini. Avoid white potatoes.

3. Drink a glass or two of cold water first thing in the morning to clean out bowels. Add more fiber to your diet, such as psyllium as keeping the colon moving reduces toxins.

4. Drink 8 glasses of water per day, more in hot weather. [Remember the formula for your weight—body weight divided by 2 equals ounces of water per day for your body weight.] Water removes toxins, cushions joints, in addition to affecting almost all body processes.

5. Get a good night’s sleep.  Sleep greatly affects health.  If you are having trouble sleeping, eat more protein and fat at breakfast and lunch, and switch to more complex carbs at night such as vegetable soup, whole grain pasta, or whole grains.

6. Eat more small meals.  It is healthier to eat more small meals then 2-3 large meals.

7. Alcohol should be in moderation.

8. Dental Hygiene- Brush and floss before bed.

9. Limit excessive exposure to sun.

10. Limit caffeine intake- No more than 2 cups of coffee per day. Decaf is more beneficial.

11. Aerobic Walking- At least 20 to 30 minutes four to five times per week can improve cardiovascular fitness, energy, mood, sleep, reduce anxiety, and chronic pain. Avoid exercising within 3 hours of bedtime.

12. Toning Exercise- Weights, pushups, or situps at least 5 to 15 minutes per day improves muscle tone. Try to do 10 to 30 situps twice a day and 5 to 20 pushups twice a day.

13. Stretching or Yoga- At least once a week improves joint, tendon, and ligament flexibility, helps you relax, improves mood, and increases energy.

14. Carbohydrate choices should be complex carbs, with low glycemic index, and eaten in the evening. Use 100% whole wheat bread or, even better, sprouted grain bread [usually in freezer section]. Whole grain choices are barley, kamut, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, and rye.

15. Choose healthy protein.  Protein choices are chicken, turkey, eggs, lean beef, lamb, tofu, low fat milk, yogurt, kefir, fish, legume-type beans, and cheese. Occasionally have goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk. Use a small grill such as a Foreman grill to cook fish in just a few minutes. [We use one almost every day.]

16. Beneficial Nuts and Seeds- A variety of raw nuts in small portions are beneficial, such as almond, brazil, cashew, hazelnut, macadamia, peanut, pecan, walnut. Health seeds include chia, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower.

17. Healthy Oil Types- Use extra virgin olive oil or flax seed oil. Reduce the use of safflower, sunflower, and corn oils as they fight against your omega 3 intake. Eliminate saturated fats such as in high fat meats, lard, whole milk dairy, palm oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. Also eliminate trans fats which are in processed foods and used to increase shelf life.

18. Sweetener Options- Use stevia or unprocessed honey.

19. Drinks Options- Eliminate soft drinks and any drink with sugar, fructose, or corn syrup. Have a large variety of herbal teas, decaf coffee, and vegetable juices, such as tomato or V8.

20. Snack Options- Baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, edamame (soybeans in pods), grapes, nuts (raw cashews, almonds, filberts, walnuts), dried fruit in small amounts (raisins, dates, papaya, pineapple, prunes), Cheese with slices of apple or tomatoes (queso fresco-a Mexican cheese-goes great with apples), cooked kashi at night with milk, raisins, or a small amount of 100% maple syrup. You can also make your own chocolate with unsweetened chocolate, add stevia, vanilla extract, milk, and water. (6)

1. Lupus Article on Healthy.net
2. Natural Lupus Remedies by Prevention.com
3. A Natural Lupus Remedy by TrueHealth.org
4. Natural Medicine and Lupus by Chiro.org
5. Lupus by Dr. Ray Sahelian
6. Diet for Better Health by Dr. Ray Sahelian

Table of contents for Lupus

1. Lupus Symptoms & Causes Part 1
2. Natural Lupus Treatment and Lifestyle Changes Part 2

What is Lupus?

Lupus is a condition that affects about 5 million people worldwide, 1.5 million of those being in the USA alone. 70% of those cases are systemic lupus; in half of the SLE cases, major organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain are affected.(1) As Lupus is an autoimmune disease of unknown origin with no effective treatment, we are going to first take a look at the basics: its effect on the body, lupus symptoms, possible causes, and “why” natural remedies. This is Part 1 of a 2 part post. In Part 2, we will cover suggested lifestyle changes to improve and possibly overcome the symptoms of Lupus.

What Does Lupus do in the Body?

Lupus an autoimmune disease; it compromises the immune system, causing the body to attack healthy cells and tissues from within. There are many different types of Lupus, with no two people experiencing the same combination of symptoms.(2)

Symptoms of Lupus

The symptoms of Lupus vary greatly, depending on the type. Discoid lupus erythematosus is usually limited to effects on the skin while systemic lupus erythematosus attacks internal tissues. Hence the abbreviations DLE or SLE. SLE is then also divided into subgroups based on the severity of the disease. (5)

The symptoms of DLE are:

Chronic inflammation, sores, and scarring on the skin, including the face, scalp, ears, and body.

The non-organ-threatening type of SLE often has symptoms of:

severe fatigue, dyspnea, fever, swollen glands and joints, muscle and joint pain, and rashes or other skin conditions

The organ-threatening type has the same symptoms listed above, as well as negative affects on:

heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys.(5)

According to information by Dr. Ray Sahelian, the most common initial lupus symptom is fatigue. Other main symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain with or without joint swelling.(3)

Possible Causes or Triggers of Lupus

Though doctors are unsure of the causes of lupus, there are various theories that environment, hormones, and heredity are possible causes. (There is also a drug-induced form of lupus.) For instance, the condition is more common among women and within the African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American communities.(2)

However, it does appear that the following environmental factors trigger lupus:

• viral or bacterial infections
• certain prescription medications
• excessive exposure to sunlight
• estrogen
• stress
• various food items
• aspartame (artificial sweetener)
• silicone breast implants
• mercury dental fillings
• hair dye
• toxic chemicals[3]

Oral contraceptives also appear to be a concern, due to the increased estrogen. Dr. Samy Suissa found out that the increased risk of developing lupus in connection with starting on the pill appears to be greatest in the first 3 months of use, and with first and second generation contraceptives which contain higher doses of estrogen.(3)

Diagnosing Lupus

Diagnosis is difficult as many of the symptoms are very similar to those in other diseases; this fact also hinders correct treatment as no one test can definitely diagnose lupus. For example, SLE can affect the lungs, developing inflammation in the lining, leading to pneumonia. Doctors often only treat the symptoms without finding the real cause. Another example is when lupus affects the kidneys; in this case, the only symptoms may be swollen ankles and an abnormal blood or urine reading.(4)

According to information by Dr. Ray Sahelian, before a patient can be classified with SLE, the severest form of the disease, at least 4 of these 11 disorders must be present:

Malar rash, discoid rash, photosensitivity, oral ulcers, arthritis, serositis, renal disorder, neurologic disorder, hematologic disorder, immunologic disorder, antinuclear antibodies.(3)

Why Natural Treatments?

After it is diagnosed, lupus is treated with corticosteroids.(4) Due to the desire of lowering the risk of adverse side effects and the lack of an actual cure, the consideration of natural treatments are a rational option. This is a well worded explanation from Chiro.org:

With conventional medicine failing to make any significant breakthroughs, it is both appropriate and rational to determine if alternative medicine can make contributions to fill the void. At the present time, the use of vitamins, minerals, dietary fatty acids, and the elimination of symptom-inducing foods show great promise as possible treatment options for SLE. Alternatives to conventional therapy treatments are becoming more popular due to the inability to find a cure for SLE and a growing desire for a treatment plan carrying a lower risk of adverse side effects.(5)

In Part 2 of this post, we will cover research results for benefical natural supplements and lifestyle change. Implementing healthy diet, body cleansing, exercise and natural supplements are promising options for the improvement of lupus by strengthening the immune system and lessoning the risk of other disease by better overall health.

1. Statistics from Lupus.org
2. Lupus Remedies by Natural Cures For.com
3. Lupus Alternative Treatment by RaySahelian.com
4. Natural Treatment of Lupus by Webraydian.com
5. Natural Medicine and Lupus by Chiro.org

Dr. Holtorf  of the Holtorf Medical Group posted a question and answer session online from his interview with an international news network.  Here is a quote from his suggestions to prevent viruses and infections. Use the link in the footnote to read the full article.

Natural ways to prevent an infection include vitamin D 5000-15,000 per day (best to check levels), zinc 50 mg/day, vitamin C 3000 mg/day, licorice root extract and miataki mushroom D-fraction. There are good combination products available (Virunex, Immunostim). Nasal colloidal silver can be very effective. It is very safe, and no virus has ever been shown to develop resistance to silver. (1)

Dr. Joseph Mercola is also a strong advocate of optimizing your vitamin D levels, not just for flu prevention but daily health. It is also one of the least expensive ways to be proactive.

He makes 2 strong statements advocating vitamin D:

-Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the absolute best strategy for avoiding infections of all kinds.
-Vitamin D deficiency is the most likely true culprit behind seasonal flu, not the flu virus itself. (2)

Here are his 2 suggested standards for vitamin D supplements:

1. He strongly suggests that you have your vitamin D levels monitored to confirm that they are at a therapeutic level, which is between 50-65 ng/ml.
2. If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D, take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat acute infection. (2) [Notice this amount is for acute infection. Dr. Cannell says 5,000 units per day is an appropriate amount to maintain good health.]

Here are 8 Other Daily Health Practices to Build a Strong Immune System and Prevent the Flu. These are excerpts from Dr. Mercola’s newsletter. See the footnote for the full article.

Avoid sugar and processed foods-  Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately.
Get sufficient rest.
Effectively address stress.
Exercise-  Exercise increases your circulation and blood flow throughout your body. When the parts of your immune system have better circulated, your immune system has a better chance of stopping an illness before it spreads
Take a good source of animal-based omega-3 essential fats-  Dr. Mercola prefers krill oil. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like the trans fats found in most processed foods.
Wash your hands-  Use a simple chemical-free soap.
Eat garlic regularly-  Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body.
Avoid hospitals and vaccines-  Dr. Mercola recommends staying away from hospitals unless you’re having an emergency during this flu season. (2)

Here are a couple of video clipe by other notable doctors on the benefits of increasing your vitamin D for flu prevention.

Use this link to hear Dr. Joe Prendergast explain why vitamin D is better than any vaccine and increases the immune system by 3-5 times as well as share testimonials of its amazing effect in reducing cancer.

Use this link to hear Dr. John Cannell on how 5000 units of vitamin D a day improves health, fight flu viruses, and destroy even encapsulated virus cells, bacteria, and fungus.

You may also want to check these prior posts on Building Your Immune System and Flu Prevention.

Immune System Boosters – 7 ways to boost your immune system

Flu Prevention – Virus blocker we use and other site’s suggestions.

Superfoods Boost Overall Health – Improve your health for a few dollars a day be adding superfoods into your diet.

1. Dr. Kent Holtorf’s questions and answer on swine flu. 
2. Dr. Mercola’s flu prevention methods. 

For over a thousand years, long before the realm of modern science, age old proverbs reminded people of the healing power of laughter, 

A rejoicing heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Prov. 17:22

Dr. Don Colbert shares that laughter is one of his prescriptions to patients who come to be placed on nutritional programs. He has discovered that when he asks patients how often they laugh, most cancer patients respond, “I never laugh.” He prescribes 10 belly laughs a day for his patients. (1)

Research has shown a wide variety of healing aspects from laughter:

Pain Relief - A study of patients recovering from surgery showed that the group which was allowed to choose the humorous movies they saw benefited the most from the laughter therapy and required fewer pain-killers compared with a control group that saw none at all. (2) Other research has also shown laughter to increase one’s pain threshold. (4)

Lower Blood Pressure - Laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and dopamine (4); stress hormones, on the other hand, increase the number of platelets, causing obstructions in the arteries and raising blood pressure. (3)

Relaxation Therapy and Improved Digestion - French neurologist Henri Rubenstein said that even one minute of laughter can give the body up to 45 minutes of therapeutic relaxation. It also stimulates appetite and digestion. (1)

Boosted Immune System - Laughter increases natural killer cells which destroy tumors and viruses, Gamma-interferon–a disease fighting protein, T-cells–a vital part of the immune system, and B-cells–which make disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also increases salivary immunoglobulin A, which defends against infectious organisms entering the respiratory tract. (3)

Speedy Healing - French doctor Pierre Vachet, who studied the physiology of laughter, has concluded that laughter expands the blood vessels and sends more blood racing to the extremities. As it sends more oxygen to every cell in the body, it also serves to speed tissue healing and stabilize many body functions. (2)

Make it a point to daily experience the healing benefits of laughter.

E.E. Cummings said, “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” Since life is too valuable to be wasted, let us not waste a single day by letting it go by without frequent laughter.

If you feel you need help in developing the ability to laugh in your life, I actually found some beneficial info online at HelpGuide.org. It has 2 brief, practical articles to help you develop more laughter in your life, Bringing More Laughter into Your Life and Developing Your Sense of Humor.

1. Seven Pillars of Health, pg. 244, Dr. Don Colbert
2. Alternative Healing/Laughter, Indiadiets.com
3. Laughing Out Loud to Good Health, Library Think Quest
4. The Stress Management and Health Benefits of Laughter, Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com/Stress

Any time is a great time to build your immune system, but such focus is especially helpful when there are extra viruses circulating at the job, grocery store, school, etc.

Here are a couple of tips we use:

1. Add lemon to your drinking water. If you are drinking the proper amount of water for your weight each day (weight x 50% = ounces per day), then you have plenty of opportunity to use lemon to build your immune system. Of course, do not just drop it into your water as they do at restaurants; squeeze the juice of a slice into each glass of water you drink.

2. Stimulate your immune system reflex points. You can follow this link to see a chart of reflex point that you can press on to stimulate your immune system. This site recommends using this technique 3 times a week. Our chiropractor has us do a different immune system stimulator, rubbing on the outside of the left knee, rubbing about 6 inches up the thigh towards the hip, for about 30 seconds.

3. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Experts used to recommend 5+ ½ cup servings a day; though most of us do not eat that much of fresh or lightly steamed vegetables and fruit daily, I found a link that will give you the amounts to eat based on your age, gender, and daily physical activity levels. Click here to find your amounts of daily fruits and vegetables.

4. Many people use daily supplements of Echinacea or goldenseal. Some people believe it is better to alternate between the two every two weeks. Personally, I mainly use them if I feel early symptoms of allergies or flu.

Below are a few more suggestions for building your immunity are from Dr. David J. Foreman, Herbal Pharmacist, who writes a monthly newsletter for the Vitamin Shoppe. His info is referenced at the end of the post (1):

5. Avoid Sugar. This includes other white flour foods like pasta, bread, cake, white potatoes. He says 7 teaspoons of sugar will decrease your immune function by 50% for up to 8 hours, so avoid refined foods.

6. Wash your hands. Use a hand sanitizer. Dr. Foreman prefers a grape seed extract as a hand sanitizer.

7. Use supplements. Dr. Foreman recommends a daily host defense supplement such as products like: Advanced Immune Support by MD Select, Immune Support Formula by Weil Nutritional Formulas, or Immuneactive by Futurebiotics.

1. The information above contains excerpts from his article on “Build Your Immunity Arsenal.” You can find more of Dr. Foreman’s articles at www.VitaminShoppe.com, click on Articles and More at the top, then on Advice from Experts/Herbal Pharmacist; you will then see the archives on the right.

Your adrenal glands not only give you bursts of energy for your “fight or flight” mode, but are responsible for increasing the flow of blood when you need to put out energy, such as just standing up from a lying or sitting position. With adrenal fatigue, which is common after long periods of extreme stress or for people with easily stressed personalities, the adrenal glands are unable to produce adequate quantities of its hormones, particularly cortisol.(1) Unfortunately, it is an often overlooked medical condition.

We had a friend who had passed out upon standing up and thereafter was consistently having difficulty just getting the energy to stand.  The lack of blood to his head was causing dizziness and lightheadedness.  He went through 6 months of medical testing at the hospital with no conclusive results. 

In only 5 minutes, you can easily do a self test with a home blood pressure kit to see if you have adrenal fatigue.

Finally, a different doctor did the Ragland’s blood pressure test on him and in less than 5 minutes discovered the cause to be adrenal fatigue.  With the Ragland test, you take your blood pressure while lying down and resting.  Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. The systolic pressure (the first number) should go up about 10 points.  If it stays the same or drops, you probably have adrenal fatigue. (2)

Here are some lifestyle factors that contribute to adrenal fatigue.

As I mentioned, an easily stressed personality overworks the adrenals, but these common lifestyle factors also contribute to it, provided by AdrenalFatigue.org (3):

• Lack of sleep
• Poor food choices (white flour, low fiber, sugar, few vegetables or fruit, lack of raw food, etc.)
• Using sweet or salty food and sweetened or caffeinated drinks as stimulants when tired
• Staying up late even though tired
• Feeling/acting powerless
• Constantly driving yourself
• Trying to be perfect
• Staying in no win situations
• Too few of enjoyable and rejuvenating activities

Adrenal Fatigue from prolonged emotional stress and/or other stressful lifestyle habits, as listed above, is likely to produce the following symptoms:

• Impaired cognitive performance
• Low thyroid function
• Blood sugar imbalances, such as hyperglycemia
• Decreased bone density
• Sleep disruption
• Decreased muscle mass
• Low blood pressure
• Lowered immune function
• Slow wound healing
• Increased abdominal fat, which has a stronger correlation to heart attacks, strokes, higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL), lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL). (4)
• Brain fog, cloudy-headedness and mild depression
• Fatigue – especially morning and mid-afternoon fatigue
• Lowered immune function
• Inflammation

Both Supplements and Lifestyle changes are necessary to repair adrenal function and recover from adrenal fatigue.

These supplement suggestions are from a combination of health sites. See the footnotes below.

Supplements-

Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic Acid) – B5 is a key building block for the adrenals. 1500 mg a day can restock adrenal reserves and alleviate symptoms.
Licorice Root – This prevents the body from breaking down the adrenal hormones too quickly.
Vitamin C with bioflavonoids – 2,000-4,000 mg/day sustained release
Vitamin # with tocopherols –  800 IU’s a day
Magnesium Citrate – 400-1200 mg in the powdered form
Proline – 500 mg daily to rebuild weak connective tissues. There is a correlation between weak connective tissues and adrenal insufficiency.  
Dessicated Adrenal Gland – This is extremely important to adrenal repair as it provides raw materials to rebuild as well as contains adrenal hormones.
Sea Salt – 1/8  to 1/2 t. in 8 oz of water upon rising and at least a half-hour before you have the lowest energy of the day. (5)

Be proactive and make Lifestyle Changes to restore your adrenal health and energy.

Dr. Wilson of Adrenal Fatigue.org encourages taking control of your life:

Optimal adrenal health is one of the major keys to the enjoyment of life. If you have adrenal fatigue, you can fully live life again by making the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes to treat your disorder. (6)

Physicians from WomentoWomen.com make a similar beneficial challenge:

Remember, you may feel too tired to make changes now, but by moving forward in stages, you’ll build the strength you need to stay with it. You will love how you feel when you do! (7)

Here are Lifestyle Changes recommended by Dr. Wilson and others as footnoted.

• Sleeping until 9 a.m. as often as possible
• Eat breakfast within 1 hour of waking, no later than 10 am and lunch between 11-noon. (9)
• Avoid eating fruit at breakfast.  See list of fruits to be avoided by those with adrenal fatigue in footnote (10).
• Lying down during your work breaks around 10 am and between 3-5 pm.
• Eat a nutritious snack between 2-3 pm to get you through the natural dip in cortisol around 3-4 pm (9)
• Eat a light dinner 5-6 pm. (9)
• Laughing
• Exercising
• Minimizing stress
• Taking negative people out of your life
• Eating regular meals
• Chewing well, at least 30 times per mouthful
• Doing something fun each day
• Combining unrefined (whole grain) carbohydrates with protein and oils
• For best blood sugar levels, combine fat, protein and complex carbohydrates (like whole grains) at every meal and snack
• Avoid hydrogenated fats, caffeine, chocolate, white carbohydrates, and  junk food
• Eating five to six servings of vegetables each day
• Early bedtimes (8)

You can make the easy changes suggested by these experts in adrenal fatigue and have the energy you need to get back to a more enjoyable life!

Dr. Wilson states that if you are committed to your treatment plan, you can expect adrenal fatigue to heal in 6 to 9 months for minor adrenal fatigue, 12 to 18 months for moderate fatigue, and up to 24 months for severe adrenal fatigue. (11)

1.  Definition of adrenal fatigue
2.  Ragland’s Blood Pressure Test  for Adrenal Fatigue (self test)
3.  Contributing lifestyle factors
4. Adrenal fatigue symtoms  at Adrenal Fatigue Quiz and Cortisol and Adrenal Function
5.  Adrenal supplements list from Heal with Hope and Natural Cure Remedy.  
6. Dr. Wilson’s quote
7. WomentoWomen.com quote
8. Lifestyle changes  list from Heal with Hope and Project Aware. 
9. Dietary Changes from WomentoWomen.com
10. List of acceptable fruits and fruits to be avoided during adrenal fatigue.
11. Recovery estimates from AdrenalFatigue.org

I recently came across a comment on someone’s webpage about olive leaf extract solving digestion issues.  After some research around the web, I wanted to post for you excerpts from 2 of those articles as I was amazed at what I found. 

According to the Nutritional Supplement Educational Centre, the use of olive leaf extract for health benefits has been common to the Mediterranean culture, though more recently popular in the nutritional supplement industry. Olive leaf extract gained international attention when studies showed it to have an antioxidant capacity almost double green tea extract and 400% higher than vitamin C. (2)

Here is a sampling of olive leaf extract benefits listed by the NSEC:

1.  Boosts weakened immune system by neutralizing free radical cell damage.

2.  Naturally kills pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi, by preventing them from reproducing.

3.  Lowers blood pressure.

4.  Lowers high cholesterol.

5.  Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia patients report it boosts their energy.

6.  It has been used to treat cold and flu viruses, yeast infections, Epstein-Barr disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, and shingles.

7.  As with other herbal supplements, NSEC recommends not to use if pregnant or nursing. (1)

Olive Leaf Extract is also an effective detox agent.

Detoxing is a necessary and beneficial process to improve one’s health.  If one has chronic levels of harmful pathogens, a person may experience some symptoms from the detox such as fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, muscle and joint aches, pimples, rashes, and flu-like symptoms when starting on olive leaf extract. These symptoms are due to the number of dead microbes being so high that the kidneys and liver are temporarily overloaded.  If this is your situation, NSEC suggests drinking 4 glasses of water between doses. (1)   It is rare for people to have any symptoms, as Dr. Ray Sahelian states in his article (below).  I and my spouse have been on 1500mg, a high mg extract, and have not had any negative side effects.

How to choose a good quality extract

NSEC says be sure your supplement is produced using only standardized herbal olive leaf extract so it has the highest amount of oleuropein possible.  

Dr. Ray Sahelian also advocates olive leaf extract as a widely beneficial nutritional supplement.

Dr. Sahelian has numerous pages of valuable health-related research on the web; we have referenced his pages several times in past posts.  A couple of additional points that he mentions is that olive leaf extract has been tested for health benefits in studies with rats in years past but has just, in recent years, started being studied in humans.  In his research, he has not come across any side effects from olive leaf extract.

Here is a list of the main health benefits of olive leaf extract as provided by Dr. Sahelian.

1.  Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol- A 2008 study on humans receiving 1000mg per day for 20 weeks showed significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as cholesterol. 

2.  Anti-inflammatory

3.  Immune System Support

4.  Improvement for Diabetics – Studies have shown olive leaf extract to have anti-diabetic qualities at 16mg per kg of weight per day.

5.  Anti-viral benefits (inhibits reproduction of virus) (3)

Benefits We’ve Experienced

Our relatives who have recently started on olive leaf extract have noticed almost immediate benefits of:

-increased energy
-improved digestion
-less joint pain

Recommended Dosage

Dr. Sahelian offers his own line of olive leaf extract (The NSEC article has recommended brands as well.), suggesting two 835mg pills per day.  That is how we chose the dosage we are using.  The Vitamin Shoppe locally has their own brand of liquid extract for $11.99.  The eye dropper in the bottle will equal 1500mg if you take 4 a day (two in the morning and two at night).

If you know that you have chronic illnesses or have a high level of toxins, you may want to ease into the recommended dose over a period of several days due to the detox response mentioned above by the NSEC.  As with beginning any supplement, you should check with your doctor, especially if you are on prescriptions. 

 1. Benefits of Olive Leaf Extract by Nutritional Supplement Educational Centre
2.  Dr. L. Stevenson, Report on Olive Leaf Australia’s Olive Leaf Extracts, Southern Cross University, 2005 (footnote 5) 3.  Olive Leaf Extract supplement benefit and side effects by Dr. Ray Sahelian

Table of contents for Swine Flu

1. Why You Should be Concerned about the Swine Flu Vaccine and Your Family
2. Empower Yourself with Knowledge of the Flu Vaccine Types
3. Improve Your Body’s Natural Defense Against Swine Flu and Other Infections

There are natural ways to optimize your body’s natural health defenses through supplements and some common health practices.

Dr. Kent Holtorf of the Holtorf Medical Group drew international attention after an interview with Fox News about why his own children will not be receiving the swine flu vaccine. People are not always aware of the ways to improve their health and the body’s own defense against the flu and other infections.

Dr. Holtorf posted a question and answer session online about the swine flu (dated April 2009). Here is a quote from his suggestions to prevent viruses and infections. Use the link in the footnote to read the full article.

Natural ways to prevent an infection include vitamin D 5000-15,000 per day (best to check levels), zinc 50 mg/day, vitamin C 3000 mg/day, licorice root extract and miataki mushroom D-fraction. There are good combination products available (Virunex, Immunostim). Nasal colloidal silver can be very effective. It is very safe, and no virus has ever been shown to develop resistance to silver. (1)

Dr. Joseph Mercola is also a strong advocate of optimizing your vitamin D levels, not just for flu prevention but daily health. It is also one of the least expensive ways to be proactive.

He makes 2 strong statements advocating vitamin D:

-Optimizing your vitamin D levels is the absolute best strategy for avoiding infections of all kinds.
-Vitamin D deficiency is the most likely true culprit behind seasonal flu, not the flu virus itself. (2)

Here are his 2 suggested standards for vitamin D supplements:

1. He strongly suggests that you have your vitamin D levels monitored to confirm that they are at a therapeutic level, which is between 50-65 ng/ml.
2. If you are coming down with flu-like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D, take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat acute infection. (2) [Notice this amount is for acute infection. Dr. Cannell says 5,000 units per day is an appropriate amount to maintain good health.]

Here are 8 Other Daily Health Practices to Build a Strong Immune System and Prevent the Flu. These are excerpts from Dr. Mercola’s newsletter. See the footnote for the full article.

Avoid sugar and processed foods-  Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately.
Get sufficient rest.
Effectively address stress.
Exercise-  Exercise increases your circulation and blood flow throughout your body. When the parts of your immune system have better circulated, your immune system has a better chance of stopping an illness before it spreads
Take a good source of animal-based omega-3 essential fats-  Dr. Mercola prefers krill oil. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils like the trans fats found in most processed foods.
Wash your hands-  Use a simple chemical-free soap.
Eat garlic regularly-  Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body.
Avoid hospitals and vaccines-  Dr. Mercola recommends staying away from hospitals unless you’re having an emergency during this flu season. (2)

Here are a couple of video clipe by other notable doctors on the benefits of increasing your vitamin D for flu prevention.

Use this link to hear Dr. Joe Prendergast explain why vitamin D is better than any vaccine and increases the immune system by 3-5 times as well as share testimonials of its amazing effect in reducing cancer.

Use this link to hear Dr. John Cannell on how 5000 units of vitamin D a day improves health, fight flu viruses, and destroy even encapsulated virus cells, bacteria, and fungus.

You may also want to check these prior posts on Building Your Immune System and Flu Prevention.

Immune System Boosters – 7 ways to boost your immune system

Flu Prevention – Virus blocker we use and other site’s suggestions.

Superfoods Boost Overall Health – Improve your health for a few dollars a day be adding superfoods into your diet.

This is Part 3 of a 3 part series on Swine Flu.  If you missed Parts 1 and 2 on why the concern over the vaccine and the 2 different types of vaccines, please use the series link at the beginning of this post.

1. Dr. Kent Holtorf’s questions and answer on swine flu. 
2. Dr. Mercola’s flu prevention methods. 

Laughter  -  It is something we all enjoying hearing, something we all enjoy doing.  It has natural healing powers.  It’s time to do more of it! 

For over a thousand years, long before the realm of modern science, age old proverbs reminded people of the healing power of laughter, 

A rejoicing heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Prov. 17:22

Dr. Don Colbert shares that laughter is one of his prescriptions to patients who come to be placed on nutritional programs. He has discovered that when he asks patients how often they laugh, most cancer patients respond, “I never laugh.” He prescribes 10 belly laughs a day for his patients. (1)

Research has shown a wide variety of healing aspects from laughter:

Pain Relief - A study of patients recovering from surgery showed that the group which was allowed to choose the humorous movies they saw benefited the most from the laughter therapy and required fewer pain-killers compared with a control group that saw none at all. (2) Other research has also shown laughter to increase one’s pain threshold. (4)

Lower Blood Pressure - Laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and dopamine (4); stress hormones, on the other hand, increase the number of platelets, causing obstructions in the arteries and raising blood pressure. (3)

Relaxation Therapy and Improved Digestion - French neurologist Henri Rubenstein said that even one minute of laughter can give the body up to 45 minutes of therapeutic relaxation. It also stimulates appetite and digestion. (1)

Boosted Immune System - Laughter increases natural killer cells which destroy tumors and viruses, Gamma-interferon–a disease fighting protein, T-cells–a vital part of the immune system, and B-cells–which make disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also increases salivary immunoglobulin A, which defends against infectious organisms entering the respiratory tract. (3)

Speedy Healing - French doctor Pierre Vachet, who studied the physiology of laughter, has concluded that laughter expands the blood vessels and sends more blood racing to the extremities. As it sends more oxygen to every cell in the body, it also serves to speed tissue healing and stabilize many body functions. (2)

Make it a point to daily experience the healing benefits of laughter.

E.E. Cummings said, “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” Since life is too valuable to be wasted, let us not waste a single day by letting it go by without frequent laughter.

If you feel you need help in developing the ability to laugh in your life, I actually found some beneficial info online at HelpGuide.org. It has 2 brief, practical articles to help you develop more laughter in your life, Bringing More Laughter into Your Life and Developing Your Sense of Humor.

1. Seven Pillars of Health, pg. 244, Dr. Don Colbert
2. Alternative Healing/Laughter, Indiadiets.com
3. Laughing Out Loud to Good Health, Library Think Quest
4. The Stress Management and Health Benefits of Laughter, Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com/Stress

You can significantly improve your overall health and nutrition for only a few dollars a day by incorporating super foods into your diet.

Superfoods (or super foods) are foods that are so rich in nutrients that they can treat or prevent disease. One can incorporate the natural forms into your daily meal plans or obtain the benefits of a wide variety that would be virtually impossible to eat by using one of the many new superfood supplements available. The following data and suggestions are excerpts from an article by Dr. David J.Foreman, Herbal Pharmacist, author of the monthly newsletter for the Vitamin Shoppe chain of stores. See the footnote below for a link to the complete article.(1)

According to Dr. Foreman’s research, most experts are now recommending 9 servings per day of fruits and vegetables.(1)

Few of us ever achieve that level on a daily basis. In addition, there are certain “superfoods” which have vastly higher amounts of beneficial phytonutrients and phytochemicals than the average fruit or vegetables one typcially eats. You should try to incorporate natural forms of these foods into your diet as much as possible, but also seriously consider a superfood supplement, as some superfoods are either not easy to fix or not tasty to the average person.

You can enjoy common health benefits from superfoods such as:

-Increased Energy
-Balancing of Your pH
-Strengthening Your Immune System
-Detoxifying Your Body
-Good Source of Fiber
-Nutrients More Easily Digested and Absorbed

Dr. Foreman personally saw major changes in his overall health after using a superfood supplement, including increased energy, better sleep, more effective digestion, clearer skin, and improved vision.

Here are some ways superfoods treat or prevent disease:

-Reduce Certain Cancer Risks
-Reduce Inflammation
-Increase Body’s Effectiveness to Fight Disease
-Improve Heart Health
-Help Maintain Better Weight

Here is list of typical superfoods:

Super Fruits include: blueberries, cranberries, red grapes, mangos, mangosteen, papaya, tomatoes, apples, noni, bananas

Super Veggies include: alfalfa sprouts, spinach, blue green algae, chorella, quinoa, soy, grasses

Superfoods other than Fruits/Veggies: yogurt, bee pollen, turkey

The following Superfood Supplements are combination products with an enormous variety of whole foods in them. These products are some of the great superfood options available on the market to add to your daily intake:

Greens – Greens Plus, Bio Greens, Perfect Food, Green Vibrance, Wheatgrass

Berry/Fruit Extracts – Fruits of Life Antioxidants, Red Lightning, Fruit Complex, Red Stuff (by Gary Null)

Fruit/Veggie Combos (best overall) – Berry Green, Perfect Food Berry, Greens Plus with Wild Berry, ORAC Energy Greens (Dr. Foreman’s personal favorite)

Here are some common sense suggestions from Dr. Foreman for getting started with super foods.

1. Ask a store associate about samples of the products you are interested and try those first. Then you do not waste money on buying something that you do not enjoy taking.

2. Mix the superfood supplement with a superfood juice such as acai, mangosteen, pomegranate, or maqui instead of filtered water.

3. Take the supplement mixed with superfood juice along with your breakfast or lunch.

4. If you are unsure about the possible benefits of adding a superfood supplement to your daily intake, buy enough of a product to last at least 30 days. Dr. Foreman is convinced that 30 days gives you enough time to see significant initial changes in your health.

1. You can find more of Dr. Foreman’s articles at www.VitaminShoppe.com, click on Health Info, then on Herbal Pharmacist.