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Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, Alzheimer's, Cancer, Covid-19 — apparently unconnected conditions, but at the root of them all lies one problem: Inflammation.
This is now emerging as the key factor in many diseases, and a process we need to understand better if we want to reduce our risk of everything from dementia to blocked arteries.
Inflammation is a sign of the body's natural response to infection. When the immune system is mobilised, the flurry of activity by defensive cells causes by-products such as heat and skin redness, or fever when the whole system is involved.
However, in some cases the immune reaction continues, leading to an excessive inflammatory response often referred to as a cytokine storm.
Cannabis (not smoking it as this destroys it) plays a major part in controlling this cytokine storm though the Endocannabinoid System which plays an very important part in the control of the immune system.
A cytokine storm can be very dangers as the body can start to attack its self and cause other organs to deteriorate.
A strong Immune System can help you fight off all manner of diseases.
A healthy body is better able to fight off all sorts of problems. It is no coincidence that when you feel rundown and weak, you are more likely to get another illness.
There are many things you can do to strengthen your body:
It is absolutely vital that you have a good strong immune system.
By having this your body can fight off diseases, infections and all manner of ills. It is possible to boost your immune system and build it up into a strong defence mechanism.
A strong internal defence mechanism means your body can fight back very well when it is under attack. Thousands of times a day your body helps combat all sorts of minor invasions, from bacteria, viruses, parasites and many other "intruders".
However, this internal self defence mechanism can sometimes function poorly. There are many reasons for this and at these times it is important to try and recover as quickly as possible.
A point well worth remembering is that prevention is always better than cure. So a strong immune system can stop one getting ill in the first place.
Over time you can strengthen your body's natural defences and there are enormous benefits in doing so. In fact within just a few weeks you can notice significant improvements. Your body is a marvel of nature and it responds well to lifestyle changes.
A miracle of nature
There are an unbelievable number of bacteria, viruses, bugs, parasites, toxins and other harmful substances that can attack the body and cause it great harm. Your immune system is one of the body's key defence mechanism to handle invaders. It is an amazing work of nature and it has evolved over many thousands of years to handle these things. It does a very good job of fighting off illnesses and infections when it is in good condition. However, when things are not working as well as normal, the battle can be lost and illness or worse can set in.
Whole scientific departments study this and thousands of books have been written on how the body is able to fight off all kinds of invaders. The fine details are incredible complex and it is quite miraculous when you think about it.
However, the simple thing to remember is that if you make things as easy as possible for your body, it will be able to cope well and it will reward you with good health. If you keep putting too much strain on the body in terms of bad diet, smoking, no exercise or lack of sleep, it will eventually suffer. You may not notice this negative effect immediately, but instead only when something harsh occurs. Don't let things get this far.
How your attitude affects things
Whether you believe it or not, or think it is hocus-pocus, a person's attitude plays a big part in their health.
More and more studies seem to show that people who have a positive outlook on life tend to be healthier.
But what does a positive outlook on life mean? And how can you develop one?
After all, it isn't always easy to stay positive. Life does throw all sorts of things at you - especially when you are already feeling a bit down. It often feels like bad things don't come along as a one-off, but tend to hit you one after another...
This is possibly where the secret of how to stay positive hides.
Usually when something bad or negative happens to one, then we start to feel a bit down and often feel sorry for ourselves. This low point seems to attract other negative things into our lives like a magnet!
So a key thing to try and remember and act upon is that when one bad things happens to you, try not to let it get you down. Be tough. Life is tough at times and you need to be too.
Very often the things that upset us or make us angry turn out not to be that important.
Silly things can upset us, such as missing out on a parking space, a shop being closed when we get there, waiting for a package that doesn't arrive on time, getting a puncture, and many other things.
As annoying as these and a million other things can be, they don't really justify getting ourselves all stressed out. Easier said than done but it is important to try.
Trying to control negatives doesn't mean you should turn yourself into an unfeeling robot like Spock out of Star Trek. Just start by paying some attention to your feelings and getting the negative ones under a little more control. Future articles will go into this into more detail. All of this helps keep you healthy.
Laughter and a cheerful outlook
Laughter has long been held as the "Best Medicine" and in fact, science has now found that every cell in the body has a receptor for the substances produced when we are happy. Every cell is therefore influenced by how we feel. Our first line of defence against any disease is therefore Happiness!
This might be easier said than done but one tip is to look around and find something that you can be happy or cheerful about.
You can be in charge of your emotions. Force yourself to smile more. It works, try it and see.
What is the Lymphatic System?
There is another very important system - the lymphatic system - which drains the "waste" fluids from the cells.
The word lymph comes from the latin word "lympha" meaning water. Hopefully this suggests to you the need to drink plenty of fresh, clean water each day. You should drink at least 4 to 8 glasses of filtered water a day in addition to any teas you may drink etc.
The lymphatic system consists of glands (such as the tonsils, the spleen and the small glands in the armpits) at various parts of the body, linked by large lymph channels.
The lymph gland's purposes are to filter out and destroy foreign substances, to produce antibodies and lymphatic cells for the lymph system. This lymphatic system is one of the biggest tools your body uses to maintain its immunity to disease.
The blood stream uses the heart to pump blood around the body. But how does the Lymphatic System work as there is no heart to pump the Lymph system?
By MOVING the body against the force of gravity!
This movement of the skeleton and muscles allows lymph fluids to be circulated. If you don't move your body enough then your health will probably suffer eventually.
Your Immune System and blood supply are linked
Disease or illness often follows any "blockage" in the body's intricate internal mechanisms. Therefore another defence against disease is to regularly get your body MOVING!
This means moving the body muscles as in regular exercise as well as moving the internal involuntary muscles.
The reason this is important is that the human body has evolved over thousands and thousands of years and it is designed to be used. The body responds well to regular exercise of various kinds and this helps to stimulate the body and keep it in good condition.
The exercise you do need not be very strenuous. You don't have to run a marathon every day to see improvements.
For example, just 20 minutes or so of walking per day can make a noticeable difference. Exercise can take many forms, such as walking, swimming, sex, yoga, gardening, tidying the house as well as running or cycling etc.
All of these things improve blood supply to the areas of the body. This helps bring the various immune cells in contact with the invaders so they can protect you.
Use common sense and don't do anything too difficult straight away. Once you become more aware of making sure you use the body a little bit more, it is quite easy to find things to do.
Why is it so important to move the body around a bit?
Large internal muscles make up the walls of the esophagus, the stomach, alimentary canal, colon, bladder and other internal organs. When these are working normally, and moving the food through the body, the body's Immune System works efficiently.
Two or three bowel movements per day will ensure that the body's Defence System is not put under any excess strain. Any less frequency in bowel movements can cause putrid material to leak into the body cavity. Having less frequent bowel movements has a knock on effect to the internal health of your body and it will weaken because it spends lots of unnecessary time and energy handling things that shouldn't need handling. Eventually this can lead to even more serious consequences.
The Lymph system is closely connected to helping to eliminate wastes from cells. So improved blood supply to and from an area, as well as better lymph system drainage, all improve through movement!
Get your blood flowing around your body
Internal valves regulate the flow of the lymphatic fluids but it takes some degree of BODY MOVEMENT to get the system working efficiently. These various reasons are is why it is so important to MOVE. If you have a sedentary job such as in an office, make a little time to walk around the office at least every couple of hours.
Any form of Exercise is better than none. Surprisingly, studies have found that walking is almost as good in this respect as running and going to the gym! Research has shown that the movement that produces one of the fastest lymph flows is DEEP BREATHING!!! You can do this when you walk.
A few times each day take a few minutes and just quietly practice some deep breathing. This can be very refreshing :-)
The blood stream and the lymphatic system work closely together to maintain optimum health in the body.
How stress and upsets can make you ill
The mind has a lot to do with the health of your body. Stress can sometimes make you feel mentally worn down. This can send the wrong kind of signals to the body and if this lasts too long, the defence mechanisms of the body can begin to be weakened.
It is a bit of a catch 22 situation. Stress can weaken you or drain you mentally. This leads to more tiredness and fatigue. This in turns makes one more susceptible to illness or injury.
If an illness or cold or flu or similar develops, this puts further demands on the immune system which further weakens things.
It is almost like you need something to help snap you out of this cycle. This is one of the reasons why things can soon get on top of you if you are not careful. It is also why we always suggest to clients to do whatever you can to try and maintain a positive outlook on life. It is also why we developed our Program - to give you a lift up and help you get things back on track.
It is worth mentioning that not all stress is necessarily bad. It can be good to push yourself, either through exercise or doing challenging tasks etc. If this is done sensibly and on a nice steady progression it can really strengthen you up both physically and mentally.
Problems can arise if too much is done or taken on all in one go. So common sense is needed.
Make things easier for your Immune System.
The problem is that innate immunity starts to deteriorate from the age of about 50 and goes into a steep decline from 70.
Adaptive immunity also starts to fail, with specialist antibody cells 'forgetting' to recognise the invaders they are meant to protect against.
This malfunction occurs even in otherwise healthy older people, and the immune system tries to compensate for the deficit by over-producing cytokines, which buzz about looking for trouble — but in doing so cause inflammation.
In those with chronic existing disease, this inflammation is amplified.
The immune system has two lines of defence: innate immunity, which includes 'natural killer' and other types of cell that are on the lookout for any bacteria, virus or fungus which might look foreign; and the adaptive or acquired immune system.
This second type of defence is a set of more specialised cells, unique to each of us, that has developed over our lifetime to recognise and destroy any invader that has tried to attack our body in the past.
Covid-19 only emerged at the end of last year, so human immune systems have never been exposed to it and have no prepared defences.
Our bodies, therefore, have to rely on innate immunity natural killer and so called T cells, along with other types of defence cells.
Sentinel cells of the innate immune system can sense the presence of viruses never seen before and trigger a cascade of events that mobilizes immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells to the site of infection. Once there, these immune cells produce pro-inflammatory signalling proteins known as cytokines, which then cue other responses and prime adaptive T and B cells for future functions. A primary wave of cytokines includes type I interferons, which stimulate a signalling cascade that ultimately limits viral replication. As the infection progresses and the virus is cleared, the recruited immune cells and resulting cytokines typically recede and the patient recovers.
Interferons (IFNs) are a group of signalling proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of viruses. In a typical scenario, a virus-infected cell will release interferons causing nearby cells to heighten their anti-viral defences.
IFNs belong to the large class of proteins known as cytokines, molecules used for communication between cells to trigger the protective defences of the immune system that help eradicate pathogens.Interferons are named for their ability to "interfere" with viral replication by protecting cells from virus infections. IFNs also have various other functions: they activate immune cells, such as natural killer cells and macrophages; they increase host defences by up-regulating antigen presentation by virtue of increasing the expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens.
Vitamin C Vitamin D and Zinc are all vital to your immune system along with number of herbs that boost your immune system.
THE IMMUNE FORMULA
The way to support your Immune system is to adopt a positive frame of mind, move the body and have regular bowel movements. Proper nutrition also pays a big part in supporting this important system and the right herbs mentioned below can be used not only to support the body when it is overloaded but also to aid the Lymph and Digestive Systems too.
This formula is made up of five herbs, each one known for its immune strengthening qualities.
It contains Echinacea, Astragalus, Ginseng, Barberry and Ginger.
Echinacea
Echinacea increases the levels of a chemical called properdin in the body which activates part of the immune system responsible for increasing the defence mechanisms against bacteria and viruses.
Astragalus
This Chinese herb is often regarded as Asia's answer to America's echinacea. Studies have shown it to have certain potent anti-viral properties and helps boost white blood cell fighting properties.
Ginseng
This is a well known energy booster and has been used to help with weakness, fatigue, increasing and as an all round system tonic for both males and females.
Barberry
As well as its defensive properties, it is commonly used to cleanse and detox the body, helping to fight off infection and has anti-aging properties.
Ginger
Gently stimulates all tissues of the body and is a fantastic cellular tonic.
A small amount of ginger (approx 10%) is added to the formula to provide a perfect balance of boosting properties. Ginger is well known as an aid for digestion and for stimulating the blood and it complements the others.
CIRCULATION.
What is Poor Circulation?
In simple terms when not enough blood flows along the arteries and capillaries, then problems can happen. It is usually most noticeable in the extremities of the body such as the legs, feet, toes, hands and fingers.
What often happens is that a fatty substance called plaque builds up inside the vessels and makes them much narrower. This restricts the flow and makes it harder for the blood to travel around the body as it normally would.
There can be other reasons such as the blood being thicker than optimum or the heart not being as strong as possible. Both of these things can make the problem worse.
Reasons why reduced circulation can be harmful
Having good flow around your body is vitally important.
Your body is made up of millions and millions of tiny cells which all do different jobs in different parts of the body. There are nerve cells, muscle cells, brain, heart and blood cells and many other types of cells.
Each cell needs nutrition so that it gets the energy it needs to do its particular job. It also needs oxygen so that it can combine with nutrients to convert them to energy.
As well as this, each cell produces waste products including unused nutrients and also carbon dioxide.
The blood supply to and from the cells is what allows all of this to happen. If it is poor then the cells in that part of the body suffer and problems and diseases very often start to occur.
Hypertension problems
Circulatory disorders are quite common in middle-aged and elderly folk. Hypertension is one of them. It is caused by cholesterol plaque deposits along the walls of the arteries, making them harden and constrict.
Because the arteries are constricted, the blood exerts great force against the walls of the veins, arteries and tiny capillaries, causing pressure to rise. The vessels lose their elasticity and springiness. So if the body needs more energy such as walking up stairs or exercising, it can be difficult to get it.
Hardening of the Arteries
Hardening of the arteries is another consequence because the arteries narrow due to these same fatty deposits.
Buergers disease, common to those who smoke, is a chronic inflammation of the veins and arteries in the lower extremities. Raynauds disease is marked by constriction and spasm of the blood vessels in the extremities.
This very often includes the fingers, toes and tip of the nose. This disease if left untreated can lead to gangrene.
Varicose Veins
The word varicose means swollen, twisted and lengthened and this is what happens to the veins. They usually occur in the legs, but it can be elsewhere in the body. Having varicose veins can restrict the flow of blood in you legs. These develop because of a loss of elasticity in the walls of the veins. The resultant reduced circulation then compounds the problem and makes the varicose veins gradually worse.
These circulatory problems are quite common due to genetics or bad food or insufficient exercise or higher stress levels etc. This problem can be quite common in a single leg but more often in both legs.
Basically, veins have small valves inside them to stop blood from flowing back down the body due to gravity. These valves are meant to close as it is pumped through the vein. Then re-open to allow the next pump. But varicose veins have valves which do not close properly. Hence blood is able to fall back down. This creates bulges and makes the problem even worse.
How to improve blood circulation
It is possible to improve this condition throughout the body and also in specific areas. Here are some great tips for you:
Hot and Cold Treatments
Hot and cold Showers or Hydrotherapy is a good way of getting fluids moving around the body. This is something you can do every day, concentrating on the effected area.
When you get hot under a shower the blood rushes to the skin and feeds it. Then when you immediately put on the cold, it rushes to the internal organs. You shiver, but what is happening is that your blood is flushing out of your skin and leaving it oxygenated. Then, again using the hot shower setting, and it flows from your internal organs, flushing out waste and toxins from cells and flows back more to your skin.
Use common sense - not too hot!
Your circulation is increased just by the action of your blood being forced rapidly around your body. This hot and then cold water can be repeated up to 5 or 6 times for optimum results. Do not start straight away on very hot or very cold water. Gradually increase the temperature difference between the hot and cold water over a period of a few weeks so that it is not too much of a shock to the system. This single action can dramatically improve things over time.
You can also do this to a single body part. You don't just have to do this to the whole body. You can use it to improve a leg or a hand etc. Try it. It really can make a difference over time.
Leg pain and foot pain
Consider that if you spend most of the day on your feet, some of the potential health risks include cold hands, cold feet, varicose veins, swollen ankles and feet, swollen veins, skin discolouration, leg pain, foot pain, aching bones and joints.
Standing all day at work may also increase hypertension. Hypertension is also associated with standing for long hours at a time and people who have to do this, need to ensure they take regular breaks and change their body position by sitting down.
Some recent studies have suggested that standing is good for you compared with sitting. This makes some sense, but the key thing is the length of time in either position.
Whether you stand up a lot or sit down a lot, you should change your position regularly and stretch your legs a bit every hour or two. The human body doesn't cope well with being in the same position hour after hour.
Prolonged sitting can also cause circulation problems
Prolonged sitting can bring with it just as many potential health risks as prolonged standing. Here are some of the more well-known symptoms of prolonged sitting. Most of us have experienced these on a long train or bus or plane journey, but for those people who have to sit in pretty much the same position for long periods of time, they may well be more familiar with these:
Restricted flows to extremities resulting in poor circulation in hands and feet.
Cold feet/cold hands due to restricted blood flow.
Muscular aches, strains and cramps.
Pins and needles.
Tingling in the hands and feet is called paresthesia which literally means Greek para meaning "beside" or abnormal and aisthesia, meaning sensation.
One of the first things you may notice as the circulation starts to dimish to a body part is a tingling sensation. Paresthesia is a sensation of tingling, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect. It is also called ‘pins and needles’ or the feeling of a limb going to sleep. The feeling of having a foot "fall asleep" is a familiar one. This same combination of numbness and tingling can occur in any region of the body and may be caused by a wide variety of disorders.
Other types of paresthesia include feelings of cold, warmth, burning, itching, and skin crawling. Paresthesia occurs when an area of the body loses its normal sensation to touch.
Usually paresthesia is short-lived and can occur when sustained pressure has been applied to a nerve, which inhibits its function. Removing the pressure from the limb returns sensation to the body part where paresthesia has occurred.
Most common parts of the body to get affected
While numbness can occur anywhere on the body, it’s most common in the arms, hands, legs and feet. Numbness can also be accompanied by tingling, pins and needles, and burning skin sensations. Numbness in the arms and legs can be caused by remaining in one position, whether this is standing, sitting or lying down for a long time.
This can be due to work or if you are unwell and bed-bound for a period of time or if there is pressure on a nerve from a resultant injury. For example, some back injuries can cause numbness in the legs or feet, and a neck injury can cause numbness in the arms and hands. Pressure on the spinal nerves can cause limb numbness.
Sometimes one’s arms or legs feel numb to the touch. It may also feel like it has been frozen with anaesthesia. This numb patch may be small or encompass many parts of the body such as part of your arm or the whole arm, part of your foot or the whole leg.
Thrombosis and blood clots
One of the more extreme problems related to this is called thrombosis. Lack of movement in certain areas can result in blood clots which can become serious. These clots are also known as thrombosis, from the Greek word from ‘thrombos’ meaning a clot. Exercise helps to stimulate the muscles which in turn causes the fluids in the vessels to move more and faster. Sitting down with one’s legs bent for long periods of time can increase the chances of thrombosis.
For example, when travelling in airplanes, especially on long-haul flights, it is advisable to drink plenty of water, wear loose garments and also get up from your seat from time to time to exercise – also consider doing some gentle leg and feet exercises or stretches to stimulate flow. Walking on the spot or flexing one’s feet even under the seat, may help.
Circulation formula
Probably the ultimate and most potent herbal combination to help beat poor circulation is Cayenne and Ginkgo Biloba, with added Ginger and Garlic
This is made up of the four herbs Ginger, Garlic, Ginkgo & Cayenne. Each one is highly regarded as a circulation boost in its own right.
Ginger
It has a warming effect on the body and this is excellent for circulatory problems and it helps alleviate cold hands and feet. Ginger is also well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and hence its treatment for joints and connective tissues.
Garlic
It is well known as a herb that helps strengthen the heart. But that is not all. Studies have shown that it can help promote a stronger immune system and help to cleanse the blood of a range of infections.
It has often been called a natural anti-biotic, but it also helps maintain healthy bacteria in the gut, tending to act only on invasive elements.
Historic uses have also been to use garlic to help cleanse wounds and cuts in battles, such is its antiseptic powers. Any body defence building program should include garlic, either raw, or including a supplement to ensure positive action is maintained towards better health.
Modern research shows that a regular intake of Garlic lowers cholesterol levels. Garlic can help cleanse many of your internal systems, tones the heart and circulatory system and helps prevent heart disease. It helps with high blood pressure and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis*.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba is another all-round booster. It is most widely know for its ability to improve memory, due to its ability to increase blood flow through the brain. In Germany, Gingko is used by physicians to treat varicose veins.
Ginkgo, like cayenne, improves flow and strengthens vessels. It is also anti-inflammatory, relaxes the lungs, stimulates flow to the heart and lessens coronary demand for oxygen - reducing shortness of breath and is helpful in asthma. It has often been used to assist thrombosis, varicose veins, cramp, and spontaneous bruising.
The leaves are used to treat poor circulation and the resulting effects of this. Ginkgo, improves blood flow and can actually strengthen blood vessels. It is recommended for anyone with poor circulation
Cayenne
This is a magical herb and has numerous external and internal uses. Internally cayenne is considered one of the best circulatory stimulants. It stimulates all parts and systems involved with blood flow. Its stimulating properties also extend to the digestive system, by stimulating the flow of saliva and stomach secretions.
Cayenne can be used internally or externally. It can be used on unbroken chilblains and pains associated with arthritis or lumbago. Capsicum based creams, liniments, and infused oils can be rubbed onto the skin. Avoid the eyes and other sensitive area of the body.
Internally cayenne stimulates the heart, regulating the blood flow and strengthening the arteries and capillaries. If you want to get things flowing, take cayenne. It can be taken as powder in a capsule or as a liquid tincture. It will not only get things pumped around your body, but it will strengthen your heart, clear your arteries, and research has shown that hot herbs raise your metabolic rate by as much as 25%, so will assist in weight loss. Cayenne is a wonderful herb for a healthy life.
The Heart muscle.
Tips to make it stronger:
The heart has the hardest working muscles in the human body - these are the cardiac muscles. Without doubt it is one of the three most important organs in the body along with the brain and lungs. It has been proven that it can be affected by what we eat and so it is vital to eat as healthily as possible.
The human heart continuously pumps the red stuff through our body to provide oxygen and nutrients to all organs, tissues and cells. It also removes carbon dioxide and other wastes. On average, the it beats 72 times per minute or 4,320 times per hour which is approximately 103,680 per day. This is a phenomenally hard working muscle, pumping approximately 7,200 litres of blood through our body each day.
We have about 650 muscles in our body and these make up approximately half of our body weight.
Cardiac muscle only exists in our hearts and works automatically and constantly. It gets its oxygen and nutrients from blood flowing through the coronary arteries located within the heart muscle itself.
The Heart itself needs its own oxygen!
Just like other organs or muscles of the body, the heart muscle itself needs oxygen and nutrients to live and function properly. Surprisingly, it does not get much of its oxygen and other nutrients from the blood flowing inside it. In fact, it gets most of its nutrients from the main arteries which include the left coronary artery and right coronary artery. These arteries receive blood from the aorta.
A common problem that is becoming more well known about is that when the body starts lacking essential vitamins, minerals and other compounds, it leads to our blood vessels becoming more fragile. This is a vicious circle and makes things worse. It is important that we get sufficient antioxidants from fresh produce, oily fish and whole grains. These help reduce toxic build ups in the entire body.
Certain foods can keep your heart healthy
Omega-3 fatty acids – fish oils are known for lowering the amount of harmful cholesterol that can build up inside artery walls. Good sources of omega 3 fatty acids include flaxseed oil and oily fish such as mackerel and sardines.
Vitamins A, C, E - these highly beneficial antioxidant vitamins all have the ability to prevent the build up of deposits, including fats, sticking to artery walls and can help to prevent damage to the arterial linking caused by free radicals. Best sources of A are fish oil, egg yolk, liver; C is richest in citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, red peppers, peas; E in avocados, chickpeas, almonds, tuna, sunflower oil and muesli.
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