Our own homes to be a real source of stress. Our homes are suppose to be seen as a place of safety – a sanctuary and retreat. Our homes continue to be important places of retreat from the greater pressures of our work environment and a place to relax and enjoy friends and family, away from the stresses of the outside world. Now more than ever, our homes need to be healthy centers of calm to support and regenerate us, so the idea that they may cause us stress may be a good place to start making some changes.
The modern lifestyle of luxury, excess, technological reliance and/or dependency that we have created and adapted to is beginning to be more widely linked to health issues. Many of today’s health issues are directly related to the toxins in cleaning products and personal care products we use daily. These are not only a source of ill health for us but for our kids, pets and the environment too. Now more than ever it’s important to consider what we can do daily to restore, preserve, and maintain good health and wellness.
Good health is not just the absence of disease, it’s about having vitality and feeling joyful. This can become a very real possibility when we rethink what we use, what we bring into our homes, and our diet, and make changes to home our environment.
Our ability to cope with everyday events is a reliable indicator of our physical, mental, and emotional health. Each of the 7 stressors below has a major impact on our health health and well-being. Although a single stressor may be handled individually without unbalancing the body too much, the cumulative effect of a few can be extremely harmful to our physical and mental well-being.
7 Stressors in Our Homes
Clutter and Disorder (see The Fly Lady and take steps to de-clutter)
With the exception of “clutter and disorder” Young Living essential oils and Thieves Household Cleaner can play a beneficial role in helping each of us to have happier, healthier lives. See, 11 Ways to Improve Health, Happiness and Longevity
I know I personally can see how switching changed and enhanced the quality of my life. There is just no way I would ever even think of going back to using the same kinds of products I used many years ago.
When we consider the positive effect essential oils and other Young Living products could have on our well-being we just might find the quality of our life changing.
Five Easy Steps to De-Stress Your Home
1. Diffusing Young Living Essential Oils
This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to change the vibe happening in a home. If there are kids running around screaming and tense adults on the verge of biting off someone’s head the simple act of smelling therapeutic-grade essential oils from a nebulizer diffuser can make a huge difference. More on Diffusers and Diffusing
Essential Oils I Recommend for Diffusing to Create a Relaxing Home
Tip: it is healthier to buy bees wax candles unscented and get your ‘scent’ from a cold-air nebulizer diffuser as you will get the healthy benefits of both this way. Candle makers NEVER use high quality essential oils because it would make their candles extremely expensive. Thus, always assume – all candles contain either the lowest quality essential oils that have been adulterated, or they are using perfume oils that are entirely from chemicals.
2. Rubbing Young Living Essential Oils on the Soles of the Feet
Yup, it’s true… simply rubbing a couple of drops of Young Living oils on the soles of your feet or shoulders is another excellent way to help de-stress and calm things down. It’s also a good way to help protect yourself from colds and flu, and get a restful nights sleep. Don’t under estimate the power of rubbing a couple drops of therapeutic-grade essential oils on the soles of your feet!
Young Living Essential Oils I Recommend for Calming the Body, Mind and Soul
As a Traditional Feng Shui practitioner and trained in Space Clearing, I love knowing that we each have the power to clean up any negative energy in our homes that are lingering from a tense debate or rotten luck.
Essential Oils I Recommend for Shifting Negative Energy
Sacred Mountain
Joy
Peace & Calming
Citrus Fresh
Idaho Balsam Fir – more on this lovely essential oil
This includes getting rid of common products that are poisonous – PLEASE remember to NOT throw them in the trash, bring them to the hazardous materials outlet in your area because you do NOT want these products to end up in a landfill or duped down your drain!!!
Make the Switch – Learn which products I use daily around the home and in place of toxic personal care products.
Young Living Oils I Recommend for Cleaning the Home
Thieves (both the essential oil and Household Cleaner)
There are many things that can be done to create a much better diet and I’ll just cover a few basics which include avoiding all processed foods and sugar substitutes. Replace those with locally grown fresh produce and grass-fed meats. Bringing the body into an alkaline state can be very helpful in alleviating many undesirable health conditions.
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
To improve the health of your liver, it is important to take steps to bring your pH level into a more alkaline range. Many foods we commonly eat today are acid forming, as such it’s a good idea to take note of what you’re eating and try to balance it better.
There are foods which are considered “acid-forming” and those which are considered “acid-binding.” Those which are acid-forming would cause our bodies to be even more acidic, while those which are acid-binding will assist us in achieving a more alkaline state.
As acid-binding foods pass through our digestive systems, they draw acid to them kind of like a magnet attracts metal. The acids can then be eliminated through the urine and feces, thus allowing us to achieve a more balanced pH level – and a healthier body.
AlkaLime® is a dietary supplement to use in conjunction with good eating habits. AlkaLime® is a precisely-balanced alkaline mineral and essential oil powder formulated to safely balance the acidity of the digestive system.* This is important because a balanced pH allows the body to maintain vigor and health. This formula helps counteract over-consumption of processed sugars and foods that may turn to sugar in the body, such as pasta, bread, and processed corn products.
How to Use AlkaLime®: Stir 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of distilled water and drink immediately. Mix only with water. Take one to three times daily, one hour before meals or retiring to bed as an aid in alkalizing.
The ACID-BINDING foods should form the core of your diet if you are choosing to improve the function of your liver. The higher numbers reflect a greater ability to bind acids. Unless otherwise stated, these are FRESH foods. Note: this is NOT a complete list.
“ACID-BINDING” – FRUITS:
Almost all fruits have at least some acid-binding effect
Apples……………………………….1.38
Apricots……………………………..4.79
Banana………………………………4.38
Blackberries…………………………7.14
Cherries, sour………………………4.33
Cherries, sweet…………………….2.66
Dates, dried………………………..5.50
Figs…………………………………27.81
Grapes……………………………….7.15
Lemons……………………………..9.90
Olives………………………………30.56
Oranges……………………………..9.61
Peaches …………………………….5.40
Pears…………………………………3.26
Pineapple……………………………3.59
Plums………………………………..5.80
Pomegranates………………………4.15
Prunes, dried……………………….5.80
Raisins……………………………..15.10
Raspberries…………………………5.19
Strawberries………………………..1.76
Sugar cane…………………………14.57
Tangerines…………………………11.77
Watermelon………………………..1.83
“ACID-BINDING” – VEGETABLES
Almost all vegetables have at least some acid-binding effect
Perhaps they’re on the list of ACID-FORMING foods…remember, this is NOT a complete list!
“ACID FORMING” – BEANS, GRAINS, NUTS, CEREALS
Almonds…………………..2.19
Barley…………………….10.58
Beans, dried………………9.70
Bread, white…………….10.99
Bread, graham……………6.13
Cakes, white flour………12.31
Chestnuts…………………9.62
Farina……………………10.00
Hazelnuts………………..2.08
Lentils……………………17.80
Macaroni………………….5.11
Oats………………………10.58
Oats, Quaker…………..17.65
Oat flakes……………….20.71
Peanuts………………….16.39
Rice, unpolished………..3.18
Rice, polished………….17.96
Rye………………………..11.31
Wheat, refined…………. 8.32
Wheat, whole……………2.66
“ACID FORMING” – DAIRY
Butter, cow………………4.33
Cheese, Swiss……….17.49
Eggs, whole……………11.61
Eggs, white……………..8.27
Eggs, yolk …………….51.83
Margarine………………..7.31
“ACID FORMING” – MEAT & SEAFOOD
Beef……………………..38.61
Chicken ……………….24.32
Fish, white………………2.75
Fish, salted……………17.35
Fish, shell……………..19.52
Pork……………………..12.47
Salmon…………………..8.32
Veal……………………..22.95
It becomes pretty obvious that we should focus on eating more fruits and veggies. Of course, we DO need to maintain a BALANCE!!! We ALL need proteins to build healthy muscles and bones, even though most proteins are in the acid-forming category. (We can’t live on figs, oysters and olives alone!!!) By choosing from those foods which are less acid-forming, we can more easily achieve our desired state of health more easily.
Most “premature” aging in the body is associated with “free radicals”. Substances which eradicate free radicals are called anti-oxidants. Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts developed a test that measures the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), this test is used by Brunswick Labs. The test provides us with a number, the higher the number on the ORAC scale, the more free radicals the substance has the capability of eliminating.
Clove……………..10,786,875 (That’s no typo – it is almost eleven million!)
Antioxidant Power of NingXia Red
One ounce of NingXia Red has the combined antioxidant levels as: 34 large onions, 100 oranges, 814 blueberries, 22 medium carrots, 10.85 pounds of spinach, 55.33 pounds of almonds, 59 broccoli florets, 73 medium strawberries, 93 apples, or 130 tomatoes.
Yes, you’d have to eat all of the above at one time to equal the antioxidant power of one ounce of NingXia Red!
Evelyn Vincent
Article by Evelyn Vincent, Young Living Independent Distributor #476766
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
With more people becoming conscious of global warming and chemicals used daily in homes causing us very real harm I find it surprising to hear that some consider using Equal or Sweet ‘n Low as a ‘Natural’ ant killer. It’s as if they think these sugar substitutes are as harmless as regular cane sugar. For those who think cane sugar is bad for your health they would be happy to know they”ve been ill advised by marketing. Taking a closer look at this industry we find…
The artificial sweetener industry actually has it’s roots in the ant poison industry, strange but true. They were working on a new ant killer when one of the scientists discovered this poisonous substance was incredibly sweet… and that is where the story of sugar substitutes begins, as a product made to kill ants.
Aspartame was endorsed by the U.S. FDA as a safe product in 1981, and has been ever since, and recommended by many doctors as a good alternative sweetener.
By the 1990’s, the FDA had a list of 92 symptoms reported to them by 10,000 consumers, a list revealed to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. This alone is enough to make you seriously question… “who” is the FDA working for??? It’s certainly NOT us!
Sold commercially as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, Equal-Measure and Canderel – aspartame can be found in more than 6,000 products, including but not limited to:
Diet sodas, juices, energy drinks, and flavored waters
Chewing gum
Table-top sweeteners
Diet and diabetic foods
Breakfast cereals, such as Fiber One (just to name one!)
Fiber supplements, such as orange flavored Metamucil
Jams and jellies
Any number of sweets
Crackers and cookies
Adult and children’s Vitamins (simply read the label)
Adult and children’s Toothpaste
Prescription and over-the-counter medications (what I use in place of these)
Alka Seltzer Plus
Some Tylenol medications
According to the industry-run Aspartame Information Center – a propaganda masterpiece – the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), as set by the FDA, is 50 mg/kg. That equates to about 20 cans of a 12-ounce diet soda if you’re a 150 lb. adult, or six 12-ounce cans for a 50-pound child. That’s what they consider a low enough dose of the stuff to not kill you as dead as an ant with this ‘natural’ ant killer.
The ADI for tabletop sweeteners is 97 packets for adults, and 32 packets for children.
The Aspartame Information Center’s “myth” section goes on to make this statement:
Aspartame: Great taste without the calories for today’s healthful lifestyles
“Despite the overwhelming documentation of aspartame’s safety, unfounded allegations that aspartame is associated with a myriad of ailments, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and lupus, have continued to be spread via the Internet and the media by a few individuals who have no documented scientific or medical expertise.
Recently, several governments and expert scientific committees (including the Scientific Committee on Food of the European Commission, the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency, the French Food Safety Agency and Health Canada) carefully evaluated the Internet allegations and found them to be false, reconfirming the safety of aspartame.”
The FDA’s ‘OWN’ records include these common symptoms associated with aspartame:
Spasmodic Torticollis (involuntary spasms in head and neck)
Unsteady gait
Skin problems and lesions
Obesity
Genetic damage and birth defects
A decline in kidney function
This list does not sound to me like misinformation being spread around the internet about some poor helpless good for you food product! Is anyone else feeling more like these big companies get more protection than ‘we’ do?
Additionally, does it make sense that what was once listed, aspartame, by the Pentagon as a “biochemical warfare agent” is now an integral part of your modern diet?
Almost two-thirds of the complaints filed fall into the neurological and behavioral category; consisting of mostly headaches, mood alterations, and hallucinations. The remaining third fall into gastrointestinal issues.
The approval of aspartame has been the most contested in FDA history. The sweetener was NOT approved on scientific grounds, but rather due to strong political and financial pressure.
I’m no rocket scientist (and in this case I don’t think it’s required), but it seems to me that an item does NOT go from being listed as a “biochemical warfare agent” to a perfectly safe food to eat without there being some hanky-panky at play.
But in this case, what was developed as an “ant killer” very quickly became a food ingredient! Not because it didn’t kill ants (it does kill them) but because it is super sweet and some ingenious folks decided it could be used as a sweetener and they’d make more money.
What happens when a woman sets up her own 8 year aspartame experiment with 1,800 rats…
“I did my aspartame experiment because my family was addicted to diet soda. After researching the effects of aspartame, I strongly believed the artificial sweetener might one day lead to their illness and even early death.
Most influential in my research on the aspartame molecule was The Bressler Report. Dr. Jerome Bressler, M.D., led an FDA task force to attempt to validate the authenticity of a study done by G.D. Searle, the pharmaceutical company that held the patent to the ‘sweetener.’
Dr. Bressler’s team did the Searle audit between April 25, 1977 and August 4, 1977 of study PT #988S73, a 115 Week Oral Tumorigenicity Study in the Rat. The rat study was supposedly done by Searle to examine the adverse effects of the crystalline form of aspartame’s breakdown from phenylalanine, 50% of the chemical’s composition to SC-19192, diketopiperazine (DKP).
Bressler’s force found irregularities in Searle’s experiment– missing raw data, errors and discrepancies in available data, exclusions of animals, and animals that had masses removed and were then returned to the study.
It is clear Searle misrepresented the carcinogenicity of DKP and hid incriminating data from the FDA.
One unreported tissue mass in Searle’s study measured 5.0 X 4.5 X 2.5 cm. Equivalent to 2 in. X 1.75 in. X 1.0 in. – a significant sized tumor that should be visible to the naked eye, hard to miss.
I was convinced I would see tumors and possibly other harmful effects to convince my family and friends to avoid aspartame,” writes Victoria Innes-Brown, M.A.
“Because my family members were addicted to diet soda, at first I wanted to put Diet Pepsi in my rat’s water bottles. That idea was short lived. After turning a filled bottle upside down and attaching it to a cage, the liquid immediately started flowing out—carbonation pressurizes the bottle—so diet Pepsi wouldn’t work. It was just as well, because the cost of the soda would have been prohibitive over the course of the experiment.
The National Institute of Health evaluates a packet of aspartame-based sweetener such as NutraSweet contains 40 mg of aspartame.
I decided on putting the NutraSweet in their drinking water, at the rate of two packets—a total of 80 mg of aspartame–per each 8 oz of water.
A 12-oz diet soda has about 180 mg of aspartame, 15 mg of aspartame per oz., the amount in approximately 4.5 packets of NutraSweet.
According to the industry-run Aspartame Information Center website, a conservative estimate of the maximum dose of aspartame for humans per day, the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), as set by the FDA, is 50 mg/kg, approximately twenty cans of 12-ounce diet soda for a 150 lb. adult and six 12-ounce cans for a 50-pound child. Tabletop sweetener ADI is 97 packets for an adult and 32 packets for a child.
The animals in my study weighed on the average of 1 pound for males and 0.66 pounds for females. The ADI for the males was 16.9 mg, for the females 13.5 mg
To put these numbers into perspective, the aspartame received by my rats daily, was equivalent to two-thirds the aspartame contained in 8-oz of diet soda.
Most studies are done on rats that are genetically identical. According to a friend who runs a rabbit and mouse lab for a local bio-tech company, ‘Some vendors sell strains of rats that have gone through 30 generations of brother and sister in-bred mating.’
This concept seemed counter-intuitive to me. How do these strains of rats represent the general population? In “Mean Genes”, Jay Phelan and Terry Burnhan write: “Almost all animals avoid mating with close relatives because it makes for bad babies. From mice to monkeys, animals are reluctant to have offspring with siblings.
I bought my rats at PetCo and bred them for my experiment. I purchased rats of different colors, to get a genetic verity. I also attempted to breed rats that were not brothers and sisters, to avoid in-breeding mutation.
I found most of the observable symptoms occurred during the last third of the rat’s life-span, illuminating the information that the adverse effects of aspartame are cumulative.
I chose to allow my rats to live out their natural lives. I honor them for their sacrifice and for showing the way for the rest of us.
I put NutraSweet in their water starting in March, 2002, and the last of them died in November 2004. The experiment lasted a total of two years, eight months.
Even though I had read the Bressler Report, I was struck by the number and size of the growths. Eleven females and one male developed tumors. That’s 37% of the females on aspartame.” by Victoria Inness-Brown http://myaspartameexperiment.com
Interestingly, studies conducted by the manufacturer of aspartame, 12 of 320 rats fed a normal diet and aspartame developed brain tumors, while none of the control rats (not fed aspartame) developed tumors. And five or the twelve rats were given a low dose of aspartame.
Other studies showed that aspartic acid, one of the main ingredients in aspartame caused damage to the brains of infant rats.
In 1981, an FDA statistician stated that the brain tumor data on aspartame was so “worrisome” that he could not recommend the approval of NutraSweet.
A review conducted in 2008 by scientists from the University of Pretoria and the University of Limpopo found that consuming a lot of aspartame inhibited the ability of enzymes in the brain to function normally and may lead to neurodegeneration.
According to the researchers, consuming a lot of aspartame can disturb:
The metabolism of amino acids
Protein structure and metabolism (which coincides with the obesity epidemic)
The integrity of nucleic acids
Neuronal function
Endocrine balances
Breaking Down the Parts of Aspartame
Aspartame causes nerves to fire excessively (because aspartame is an Excitotoxin like MSG and some other chemical food ingredients), which can lead to a high rate of neuron depolarisation. The chemical in aspartame responsible for this is aspartic acid, aspartame is 40 percent aspartic acid, when consumed it significantly raises your blood level of aspartate, which leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in your brain, where they slowly begin to destry neurons.
Aspartame is 50 percent phenylalanine and excessive levels can cause a decrease of serotonin, which leads to emotiona disorders and depression, schizophrenia, and seizures.
Methanol, or wood alcohol, makes up the remaining 10 percent of aspartame. Methanol on its own is a poison and it breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde – a deadly neurotoxin – in your body. Methol poisoning can lead to: vision problems, headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal issues, weakness, numbness, shooting pains in your extremities, behavioral disturbances, and memory lapses.
In a peer reviewed, well-controlled 7 year study it was found that as little as 20 mg a day of aspartame can cause cancer in humans.
One 12 ounce can of diet soda contains about 180 mg of aspartame… do the math!
I find it interesting that the types of diseases and health challenges many are faced with today quite possibly stem from nothing more than what can be fit in your average sized kitchen cabinet or fridge. The lies, manipulations and marketing cnditioning from the food industry and product industries (cleaning and personal care products) is equating to disease epidemics that the human specics has not encountered in all of history.
Aspartame, in everyday diet foods, is ruining our health and making us fat and diseased!
It’s about time we woke up from our long and lazy sleep and begin reading labels again!
What You Can Do Will Make A Difference in the Quality of Your Life
2) Educate yourself and read labels! Read Aspartame Disease – an Ignored Epidemic by H.J. Roberts. And watch this 90 minute video Aspartame: Sweet Misery A Poisoned World (this is the mvie Coke, Pepsi, and the diet food industry don’t want you to watch!)
3) Tweet this article, post to your FaceBook page (simply click on the icon(s) at the bottom of this article, it’s easy!) and share it with your friends so they can make educated choices and get healthier!
4) Try EFT to help you break your aspartame habit. Or, simply aviod consuming anything with aspartame if you’re not addicted to the habit.
5) Stop buying foods and products that contain aspartame! Buying these products only gives them more money to convince even more people to junk on their toxic wagon.
Young Living has an excellent line of supplements that do NOT contain any toxic sweeteners, they also have an excellent and efective edible toothpaste Thieves Ultra Toothpaste and Thieves Mouthwash (see PDF Booklet and web page for more on Thieves products)
Aspartame – The World’s Best Ant Poison by Jan Jensen (June 2006 Idaho Observer)
We live in the woods and carpenter ants are a huge problem. We have spent thousands of dollars with Orkin and on ant poisons trying to keep them under control but nothing has helped.
So when I read somewhere that aspartame (Nutrasweet) was actually developed as an ant poison and only changed to being considered non-poisonous after it was realized that a lot more money could be made on it as a sweetener than as an ant poison, I decided to give it a try.
I opened two packets of aspartame sweetener, and dumped one in a corner of each of our bathrooms. That was about 2 years ago and I have not seen any carpenter ants for about 9 to 12 months. It works better than the most deadly poisons I have tried. Any time they show up again, I simply dump another package of Nutrasweet in a corner, and they will be gone for a year or so again.
Since posting this information I have had many people tell me of their success solving ant problems with this substance, when nothing else worked.
We found later that small black ants would not eat the aspartame. It was determined that if you mixed it with apple juice, they would quickly take it back to the nest, and all would be dead within 24 hours, usually. I have found that sometimes it will kill them, and sometimes it does not. Not sure why, may be slightly different species of ants or something.
Fire Ants: We got our first fire ant hill about 2 weeks ago. Poison did not work. We tried aspartame and the ants ignored it until we got a light rain. It was just a sprinkle, enough to moisten the Nutrasweet and ground, but not enough to wash it away. They went crazy, hundreds of them grabbing it and taking it back into the mound. When I checked the mound 2 days later, there was no sign of the fire ants. I even dug the mound up some, and still saw none of them.
How does it Work: Aspartame is a neuropoison. It most likely kills the ants by interfering with their nervous system. It could be direct, like stopping their heart, or something more subtle like killing their sense of taste so they can’t figure out what is eatable, or smell, so they can’t follow their trails, or mis-identify their colonies members, so they start fighting each other. Not sure what causes them to end up dying, just know that for many species of ants it will kill them quickly and effectively.
As with any poison I recommend wearing gloves and washing any skin areas that come in contact with this poison, and avoid getting it in your mouth, despite anything the labeling may indicate.
I suspect it will work for other insects such as yellow jackets as well, but have not tested that yet.
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
Melatonin is a hormone, found in all living creatures, which helps to regulate sleep and is one of our most potent antioxidants. Peer reviewed research has been published demonstrating the potent healing effect of melatonin in an amazing range of conditions – from high blood pressure to auto-immune illnesses.
Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland in the brain. Your body makes it from the amino acid trypophan, which is also used as a building block for serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter in our brains. Melatonin is so important that it is not only synthesized in the pineal gland but also in many other organs and tissues of the body; particularly by bone marrow, the thymus and lymphocytes.
Further Benefits of Melatonin
Has been shown to be involved in the regulation of both cellular and humoral immunity,
Stimulates the production of natural killer cells, monocytes and leukocytes.
Alters the balance of T-Cells and increases the production of infection-fighting molecules called cytokines.
A Tel Aviv University study of 38 patients found melatonon supplements reduced blood pressure of patients with nighttime hypertension.
A double-blind study at the University of Hawaii found that one milligram of melatonin nightly improved cognitive function in the elderly.
Melatonin has been found safe and effective for Sarcoidosis (an autoimmune disorder).
A study published in Critical Care Medicine, used melatonin to help limit the multiple organ failure that often occurs with burn victims. The antioxidants stimulated defenses.
A study in the Indian Journal of Medical Science stated that melatonin offered a substantial reduction in the risk of death in cancer patients.
In a Malaysia study found that melatonin may be implicated in seasonal flareups of allergies and infections.
Melatonin may also be useful in helping with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
In a 2008 study from Emory University suggests that melatonin may help quiet Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) through regulating of both inflammation and motility in the gastrointestinal tract.
The usefulness and benefits of melatonin are varied and many. As the master regulator of everything from sleep to immune function to inflammation, the value should be considered in a variety of conditions.
Outside of the body, where is Melatonin found?
Melatonin is found in small amounts in foods such as: tart cherries, walnuts, oats, corn, rice, ginger, tomatoes, banana and barley. But these amounts are quite small.
Melatonin: Sunrise / Sunset and Cancer
How many of us live by the rise and setting of the sun? Not many! And this is where the problem arises… our melatonin production is inhibited. Our modern way of living can deprive us of one of our most powerful antioxidants, one that plays an important role in protecting our DNA.
Melatonin is released during the night, stimulated by darkness and suppressed by light. Melatonin peaks in the middle of the night, for this reason it has been called the “hormone of darkness.”
Reduced melatonin production has been proposed a likely factor in the significantly higher cancer rates in night workers.
The effect of lighting during nighttime hours is also suspected in the overall incidence of some cancers in the developed world.
Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that can easily cross cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier.
Get a Good Nights Sleep with ImmuPro
ImmuPro™ provides the benefits of natural immune-supporting Ningxia wolfberry polysaccharides in the convenience of a delicious fruit-flavored chewable supplement. Beta glucan has been shown in studies to enhance the immune system’s response and to help maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range.* ImmuPro contains reishi and maitake mushrooms, which support the activity of antibodies and natural killer cells.* This formula is enhanced with calcium, zinc, selenium, and copper, all needed for proper immune function.*
“ImmuPro™ has beta glucans in it and you need that for digestive processes.” ~ Gary Young
Numerous studies have documented the ability of these botanicals to reverse cancer and stimulate both cell-mediated and humoral immunity, dramatically boosting levels of macrophages, neutrophiles, phagocytes, B-cells, T-cells, natural killer cells, interleukins, and inter ferons. Contains a complex of the potent immune-boosting minerals zinc, copper, and selenium. Also contains melatonin, one of the most powerful immune stimulants known, shown to clinically reverse tumor growth. Melatonin levels steadily decrease with age and are a factor that contributes to accelerated aging.
Directions: Take 1 tablet before retiring. If under stress take 2 to 4 tablets before retiring or as needed. May cause drowsiness.
Companion Products: Exodus, Thieves, and Longevity Essential Oil or Longevity Softgels
“Using EndoFlex, PD 80/20, Prenolone Plus and Mister for hot flashes… “I also take ImmuPro so it may be the combination, but after 2 months, the hot flashes are down to a bare minimum…maybe one mild one in the middle of the night and one or 2 mild ones during the day. They pass quickly and I don’t perspire at all. Just feel warmish. Yeah!” ~ Sue
Cold and Flu Season
“Every year around this time the news media floods us with dire predictions about the upcoming flu season, the possibility (or probability!) of an uncontrollable pandemic and the latest information on the stockpile, or lack thereof, of the flu vaccine.
While some people of the sitting-duck mentality fervently pray to not be struck down, others of us happily marinate in and diffuse our precious oils, drink our daily dose of NingXia Red and take other Young Living immune support products like: Exodus, Longevity Softgels, ImmuPro, Thieves Lozenges, etc., along with cultivating positive lifestyle practices (diet, exercise, stress relief).” ~ Vicki
Healing Poison Ivy
“Last week, I cleared out our woods and lost the battle against poison ivy. Now as the liquid-filled bumps surface, I immediately spray each with a convenient squirt of Thieves Spray instead of scratching. New bumps continue to show themselves, yet the Thieves Spray has stifled the itch, which controls spreading. I only give in to scratching in the shower using my Young Living Bath & Shower Gel with an exfoliating cloth to zap the poison with essential oils the moment it is exposed. I also support my immune system daily with my ImmuPro tablets or ImmuPower essential oil applied to my feet and chest and by taking my NingXia Red juice.” ~ anonymous
Upper Respirataory Infection
“My children are usually all in good health but when they get sick it always manifests as an URI (upper respiratory infection). Wheezing from the lungs is not uncommon for me to hear when it would get bad. I have had it where I thought they had pneumonia that breathing got so labored and the wheezing sound was alarming.
The wheezing immediately stops! Of course this needs to be repeated all through out the day to get a handle on the infection but with NingXia Red (fact sheet) every two hours (1-3 oz) and ImmuPro 2-3 , 3x a day, it is gone within 2 days max! They get instant relief from the essential oils.” ~ Nancy
A Better Night’s Sleep Tip
“Peace and Calming or Lavender on the bottom of your feet and brushed on your pillowcase before going to bed ImmuPro – a natural melatonin supplement for those difficult times.” ~ Vicki
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
In a study it was found that seniors who consumed a higher level of dietary protein are less likely to suffer hip fractures than seniors whose daily dietary protein intake is less, according to the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
The study, which examined the daily protein intake of 946 seniors from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study, found that individuals who were in the lowest 25 percent of dietary protein intake had approximately 50 percent more hip fractures than those who consumed greater amounts of dietary protein (all within normal intakes). Those who suffered hip fractures consumed less than the 46 grams of dietary protein per day recommended for adults.
The study, which was funded in part by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, builds on previous studies that included mostly women and reported a relationship between greater dietary protein intake and decreased risk of hip fracture.
However, other studies have shown the opposite and there is a reason for this [be sure to see below - Why some studies show increased protein increases urinary calcium loss].
Other studies have shown that dietary protein intake is also linked with higher bone mineral density, Dr. Hannan, co-director of the Musculoskeletal Research Program at the Institute for Aging Research says dietary protein may further protect elderly people against hip fracture by building stronger muscles in the legs. Most fractures occur after a fall, which may be caused by reduced muscle mass and decreased strength in the lower extremities.
Dr. Hannan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, recommends that older women consume at least 46 grams of protein per day, and that older men consume at least 56 grams of protein daily. This can come from both animal sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt – of course these should come from grass-fed animals and wild fish) and plants (legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables). The study did not examine the type of protein consumed, nor did it examine the quality of the meat, more on that below.
In addition to increased dietary protein, Dr. Hannan says regular exercise to build stronger muscles and better balance, as well as other fall prevention strategies, such as reducing hazards in the home, can help protect seniors against falls and hip fractures.
More than 25 million Americans over the age of 50 have either osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break, or osteopenia, a condition in which bone mineral density is lower than normal, but not low enough to be considered osteoporosis. More than 95 percent of hip fractures in people over the age of 65 are caused by falls and can lead to severe health problems, including decreased quality of life and premature death.
Scientists at the Institute for Aging Research conduct rigorous medical and social studies, leading the way in developing strategies for maximizing individuals’ strength, vigor and physical well-being, as well as their cognitive and functional abilities in late life.[1]
Osteoporotic fracture rates increase as cultures become “Westernized” [2]
Many lifestyle changes occur during cultural development, typically a decrease in physical activity and change in diet. Dietary change usually includes an increase in animal foods at the expense of plant foods. Because increases in dietary animal protein are associated with increases in urinary calcium excretion, the increase in osteoporotic fractures has frequently been attributed to the increase in dietary animal protein. Frassetto et al. [3] found the cross-cultural relationship between hip fracture rates and dietary protein was positively related to animal protein intake and inversely related to vegetable protein intake.
Even when non-Caucasian populations were removed from the data set, these relationships were still seen. When they plotted the relationship between the ratio of vegetable to animal protein vs. hip fracture rate, the ratio was exponentially inversely related. However, 19 of the 33 countries had a vegetable:animal protein source ratio between 0.3 and 1.0 typical of U.S. [4] and similar Western diets, and in that range hip fracture rates varied over 3-fold, from 19 to 57. Obviously, factors other than source of dietary protein have major influence on fracture rate.
Why some studies show increased protein increases urinary calcium loss
There are several sources of misinterpretation of PRAL. First, dietary salt is assumed to have no independent effect on urinary calcium, when in fact it does[5]. Second, all foods are assumed to have the same content of total S amino acids per g protein, whereas it actually varies about 3-fold. Third, the lower bioavailability of calcium from oxalate and phytate salts is not considered, which would be a significant effect in legume-based diets. Finally, the positive benefit of dietary calcium on bone is not considered.
Spencer et al.[6] did extensive studies on the long-term effect of high protein as meat and milk and found no adverse effects on calcium balance, which they attributed to the phosphorus content of these proteins. Recently, Hunt et al.[7] studied 14 postmenopausal women for 7 wk on three diets varying in meat content. The low meat diet had only 38.5 g meat compared to 289 g on the high meat diet. The low meat diet substituted fruit, sugars and oils for the meat calories. The third diet was the low meat diet supplemented with potassium phosphate, iron and zinc salts. Calcium balance was not different during the last wk of each diet. Urinary calcium was not different between the low and high meat diets, but was lower on the mineral-supplemented diet. This last finding suggests that the higher phosphate intake of the high meat diet was an important factor, and its hypocalciuric effect compensated for the hypercalciuric effect of the higher protein intake. Because some fruit was substituted for meat, the higher potassium-base intake would also play a role, but unfortunately, dietary and urinary potassium data were not reported.
Other dietary components besides protein may affect bone health. Especially important is calcium because the calcium in milk compensates for urinary calcium losses generated by milk protein[8]. Similarly, the high potassium levels of plant protein foods, such as legumes and grains, will decrease urinary calcium. Other diet constituents such as vitamin D, isoflavones in soy, added salt and caffeine may also affect bone health. A recent report found that vegetables inhibit bone resorption in rats by a mechanism independent of their base excess[9].
Putting the Commonsense Back Into Us
What I was looking for while reading these studies was the ‘quality’ of meat used. It is well known that commercially raised meats, whether they come from cow, chicken or fish, all have a very difference vitamin and mineral profile than animals raised as free-range and grass-fed.
The truth is, much like a plant, an animal cannot take-up and absorb vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health if they are not getting a proper diet. Both a cow or chicken are absolutely suppose to eat a variety of plant greens.
For instance, chickens are absolutely suppose to eat a variety of insects daily. When I see or read that a chicken, or its eggs for that matter, are fed a vegetarian diet I know that the chicken or the egg never had the opportunity to get the proper nutrition they should have gotten.
In other words, a chicken on a vegetarian diet is NOT a positive thing, it’s in fact a huge negative!
When I see such advertising I wonder, “how in the world did we allow an industry to condition us to believe in such a preposterous concept in the first place!”
Likewise, how in the world did we ever allow the meat industry convince us that meat or dairy coming from a cow that is only fed a grain and soy based diet, when a cows digestive system cannot even process such foods!?
Cows are suppose to eat a variety of grasses and other greens. On their own, a cow WILL reject a grain or soy based diet. As a matter of fact, many calves die when they are taken away from their mothers and are given nothing natural for them to eat other than grains in a trough. They die because instinctively ‘they’ know what kinds of foods they ’should’ be eating. The calves that do survive this transition have only survived because they gave in because they were starving to death and all species, whether plant or animal, do want to survive.
Sadly, we have allowed industry advertising and PR to condition our commonsense out of us.
When I eat meat, chicken, fish, eggs, or dairy, I absolutely DO want to know that the foods I’m eating came from animals that ate foods they were evolved to consume and digest. As it is then, and only then, that I know the food I’m eating has the vitamin and mineral profile that ‘nature’ intended it to have.
Whether it be from a plant or animal I’m eating, if that species did not get its proper diet that means I too will be consuming a plant or animal that is deficient, which ultimately leads ‘me’ to having deficiencies in my body which results in various health issues for me.
All the more reason to eat local, have a garden, raise animals when we can, and show that we DO want food that sustains us by purchasing through farmers who know the difference and produce food that is ethical and has a more complete vitamin and mineral profile.
Where I Get the Best Meat, Chicken, and Fish
My favorite source for grass-fed, free-range, meat, butter (from raw milk), cheeses (raw milk) buffalo and chicken is US Wellness Meats (Note: I prefer raw milk dairy products because unlike pasturized it contains enzymes necessary for my digestion and health.)
3. Frassetto, L. A., Todd, K. M., Morris, R. C., Jr & Sebastian, A. (2002) Worldwide incidence of hip fracture in elderly women: relation to consumption of animal and vegetable foods. J. Gerontol. 55A:M585-M592.
4. Smit, E., Nieto, F. J., Crespo, C. J. & Mitchell, P. (1999) Estimates of animal and plant protein intake in US adults: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–91. J. Am. Diet. Assoc. 99:813-820.
5. Massey, L. K. & Whiting, S. J. (1996) Dietary salt, urinary calcium and bone loss. J. Bone Miner. Res. 11:731-736.
6. Spencer, H., Kramer, L. & Osis, D. (1988) Do protein and phosphorus cause calcium loss?. J. Nutr. 118:657-660.
7. Hunt, J. R., Gallagher, S. K., Johnston, L. K. & Lykken, G. I. (1995) High- vs low-meat diets: effects on zinc absorption, iron status, and calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, nitrogen, phosphorus and zinc balance in postmenopausal women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 62:621-632.
8. Dawson-Hughes, B. & Harris, S. S. (2002) Calcium intake influences the association of protein intake with rates of bone loss in elderly men and women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 75:773-779.
21. Muhlbauer, R. C., Lozano, A. & Reinli, A. (2002) Onion and a mixture of vegetables, salads, and herbs affect bone resorption in the rat by a mechanism independent of base excess. J. Bone Miner. Res. 17:1230-1236.
Evelyn Vincent
Article by Evelyn Vincent, Young Living Independent Distributor #476766
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
It’s so nice to know that we can empower ourselves and change the way we feel physically and emotionally. This is a little protocol that Vicki Opfer, Young Living Diamond, recommends…
How To Feel Better Than You Have EVER using Young Living Products EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!
By Vicki Opfer
Drink Ningxia Red (PDF-fact sheet) every day, 1 – 6 ounces!
Take MultiGreens 3-5 capsules once or twice a day!!
Drink a serving of Pure Protein Complete (PDF-fact sheet) every morning!!!
Use the mood elevating essential oil protocol (below) every day!!!!
Valor Essential Oil blend – (PDF-fact sheet) on the bottoms of the feet, or a single drop on one wrist and hold the other wrist to it for a few moments to balance the entire system!
Harmony Essential Oil blend – a single drop, over the solar plexus area (above the belly button)!
Joy Essential Oil blend – single drop over the heart!
White Angelica Essential Oil blend – a single drop in one hand, rub hands together, and brush over the head, face, chest, shoulders, down the body, right over the clothes, as though applying an angelic shield!
If you will do these four things every single day for a month, it will change your life!!!
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
The colon or bowels? Nope, it’s in your mouth, the back of the tongue to be specific! The back of the tongue is literally teeming with pathogenic microorganisms.
There are…
“More bacteria per square inch live [on the back of the tongue] than on any other part of the body.” ~ Dr. John Richter founder of the Richter Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breath Disorders
The problem is that few people use a toothbrush to remove these bacteria as part of their dental hygiene regimen. And even if the tongue were to receive a thorough scrubbing, many bacteria would remain and quickly repopulate the mouth.
“The terms oral health and general health should not be interpreted as separate entities. Oral health is integral to general health.”
~ the Surgeon General, 2000
A Link to Heart Disease
At the 2001 annual session of the American College of Cardiology, researchers were stunned by new research that showed that gingivitis is actually linked to heart disease.
“There is sufficient evidence to conclude that oral lesions, especially advanced periodontopathies, place certain patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke,”
~ Louis F. Rose, DDS, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania.
The same oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis, that causes gum disease also contributes to the inflammation along arteries and arterial damage that leads to heart and vascular disease.
Dental disease and mortality linked:
A large study conducted in USA included 9,760 subjects
Those with periodontitis had a 25 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease
Men under age 50 had nearly twice the risk
Brushing my teeth 2-3 times a day is enough, right?
Not really. Brushing is not enough to eliminate bacterial, fungal, and viral presence in the mouth, these microorganisms typically hide between teeth and under the tongue.
Brushing mechanically removes between 30 to 60% the plaque and pathogens, it still leaves 40 to 70% of microorganisms.
What is the best product to use to reduce these bacteria further without exposing myself to chemicals that are unhealthy?
Therapeutic-grade essential oils are ideal for use in oral care products because they are both antiseptic and non-toxic-–a rare combination.
“The best chemical-free, essential oil, edible toothpaste and mouthwash I’ve ever found is from Young Living. Of the three available, my personal favorite is the Thieves Ultra Toothpaste and Thieves Mouthwash–both are extremely good, in fact they’re the best I’ve found. Low-abrasive, no cancer causing chemicals, no addition of fluoride (the truth about fluoride: warnings and myth), and super-effective at beating tartar and plaque. This pair saves me tons of money yearly in dental health expenses!” ~ Evelyn V.
Ingredients in Thieves Ultra Toothpaste: Calcium carbonate, essential oil concentrate containing peppermint essential oil, Thieves® essential oil blend (a powerful blend of clove†, cinammon bark†, lemon†, Eucalyptus radiata†, and rosemary†, zinc oxide, deionized water with papain, xylitol, vegetable glycerine, essential oil base (thymol from Thymus vulgaris), Eucalyptus globulus†, and methyl salycilate from wintergreen†, xanthum gum, zinc citrate, Lecithin, and stevioside [stevia].
Thieves Toothpastes were tested at Weber State University and found to have potent antimicrobial properties against a wide range of oral microbes, including:
Streptococcus oralis
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Candida albicans
It’s easy to see, in the list of ingredients, how the Thieves Ultra Toothpaste and Mouthwash are effective and completely edible without the use of fluoride and other harmful ingredients.
Therapeutic-grade Essential Oils: Antiseptic and Antibacterial
Therapeutic-grade essential oils have proved to be even more effective as antiseptic mouthrinses than even FDA recognized plaque-control antiseptic drugs such as stannous fluoride.
A 1999 study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology found that an essential oil mouthrinse containing thymol, methyl salycilate (wintergreen), menthol (peppermint), and eucalyptol (Eucalyptus globulus) was far more effective than a stannous fluoride antiseptic.
Alcohol is not recommended to kill oral bacteria as it has been found to dramatically increase the incidence of oral cancer.
Jean Valnet, MD, used essential oils for decades in his clinical practice stating:
“Essential oils are especially valuable as antiseptics because their aggression toward microbial germs is matched by their total harmlessness toward tissue.”
Clinical Studies on Therapeutic-grade Essential Oils Effectiveness
A 1995 study by Nicole Didry at the College of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences in Lille, France, found that thyme oil at very small concentrations (<500 ppm) killed the pathogenic organisms responsible for the tooth decay, gingivitis, and bad breath.
The essential oils of thyme, clove and cinnamon possess significant inhibitory affects against 23 different genera of bacteria. ~ International Journal of Food Microbiology.
The Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists states:
“Essential oils, such as thymol, menthol and eucalyptol, have been used in mouth rinses for over 100 years [and] have been documented to be antibacterial in laboratory tests. With the association of microorganisms and plaque formation, and [their] suspected involvement with carious lesions (tooth decay) and gingivitis, the effect of essential oils takes on new interest.”
A 1999 study at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, using an observer-blind, randomized, cross-over design found that median plaque reductions generated by twice-daily essential oil mouth rinses were 23% greater than a placebo. The essential oils used were thyme, peppermint, wintergreen, and eucalyptus. – Riep et al., 1999
A six-month, double-blind controlled clinical study at the University of Maryland similarly found that the essential oils of thyme, peppermint, wintergreen, and eucalyptus dramatically improved oral hygiene, killing the bacteria that cause plaque, tooth decay, and gingivitis. 20 ml of mouthrinse used twice daily produced a 34% inhibition of both plaque and of gingivitis compared with a control.
“It is clear that oral antiseptic mouthwashes and dentifrice formulations have the potential to serve as adjuncts to mechanical methods of plaque control.” ~ Daniel Fine, DMD, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
“In addition to causing cell lysis in organisms responsible for plaque, gingivitis, and oral malodour, studies have shown that essential oil mouthwashes have strong activity against the gram-positive microbes such as Streptococcus mutans, that cause dental caries.” ~ R. Seymour, School of Dental Sciences, University of Newcastle, UK
“The potential value of antibacterial agents in control of plaque and gingivitis is now well established. One mouthrinse product containing essential oil has also shown promise and has been the subject of numerous short and long-term studies. Based on the findings of these studies, the product has been accepted by the American Dental Association.” ~ J. Moran, University of Bristol Dental School, UK
“The study benchmarked the relative effectiveness of an antimicrobial mouthrinse showing it to be as effective as dental floss for the control of interproximal gingivitis.” ~ C. Charles, Pfizer
Fluoride is Not the Only Toxic Chemical in Dental Care Products
If fluoride itself isn’t bad enough here’s another chemical we find in all kinds of hygiene products, including in toothpaste and mouthwash. The only purpose it serves is to make a product foam when used. Sodium lauryl sulfate is found in everything from kids toothpastes, to soaps (liquid and bar), shampoo, cleaners, and more. It’s in practically everything, even in most all-natural and some organic products.
The FDA has recently warned shampoo manufacturers of unacceptable levels of dioxin in products containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).
Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia noted that SLS causes improper eye development in children. SLS also reacts with other ingredients to form cancer-causing nitrosamines
SLS is used in testing labs as a standard to measure severe skin irritation
Green K, et al. Preservative effects on the healing rate of rabbit corneal epithelium. Lens Eye Toxic Res. 1989;6(1-2):37-41.
Removing Tartar from Teeth Naturally
Most toothpastes use questionable chemicals such as pentasodium triphosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate to control tartar, a scale which builds up on teeth and irritates gums, leading to gingivitis, tooth loss, and periodontal disease.
Recent studies in the American Journal of Dentistry showed the tartar-reducing effects of zinc citrate.
A randomized, double-blind 6-month trial showed a zinccitrate containing toothpaste reduces tartar by 26%. – SL Santos et al. Anticalculus effect of two zinc citrate/essential oil-containing dentifrices. Am J Dent. 2000
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
Stevia: Safe, Non-caloric Supersweet Supplement with Health-giving Properties
For over 1600 years, the natives of Paraguay in South America have used this intensely sweet herb as a health agent and sweetener. Known as Stevia rebaudiana by botanists and yerba dulce (honey leaf) by the Guarani Indians, stevia has been incor po rated into many native medicines, bever ages, and foods for centuries. The Guarani used stevia separately or combined with herbs like yerba mate and lapacho.
Fifteen times sweeter than sugar, stevia was introduced to the West in 1899, when M. S. Bertoni discovered natives using it as a sweetener and medicinal herb. However, stevia never gained popularity in Europe or the United States and was only gradually adopted by several countries throughout Far East Asia.
With Japan’s ban on the import of synthetic sweeteners in the 1960’s, stevia began to be seriously researched by the Japanese National Institute of Health as a natural sugar substitute. After almost a decade of studies examining the safety and antidiabetic properties of the herb, Japan became a major producer, importer, and user of stevia. Japanese food companies began including stevia in hundreds of products, and eventually stevia use spread through Asia. Stevioside, the super sweet glycoside derived from stevia that is 300 times sweeter than sugar, was even used to sweeten Diet Coke sold in Japan.
Even though stevia is still becoming popular in the United States, it has gained widespread popularity as a low-calorie sweetener throughout South America and Asia. Both the stevia leaf and stevioside are used in Taiwan, China, Korea, and Japan, with many of these same countries growing and harvesting large amounts of the raw herb.
In 1994, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permitted the importation and use of stevia as a dietary supplement. However, its adoption by American consumers as a noncaloric sweetener has been very slow because the FDA does not currently permit stevia to be marketed as a food additive. This means that stevia cannot be sold as a sweetener (all sweeteners are classified as food additives by the FDA). Moreover, stevia faces fierce opposition by both the artificial sweetener (aspartame) and sugar industries in the U.S.
I smiled while at a plant nursery the other day and saw Stevia plants for sale. About 30 years ago I tried to buy Stevia extract and Stevia plants (to grow and harvest, as a dried herb) my own to no avail. Back then, Stevia was banned from sale in the USA (both the plant and the extract); no doubt this was due to pressure from the sugar and sweetener industries. Thankfully that ban have been lifted and Stevia is now readily available in the USA.
Stevia, however, is more than just a non-caloric sweetener. Several modern clinical studies have docu – mented the ability of stevia to lower and balance blood sugar levels, support the pancreas and digestive system, protect the liver, and combat infectious microorganisms. (Oviedo et al., 1971; Suzuki et al., 1977; Ishit et al., 1986; Boeckh, 1986; Alvarez, 1986.)
In one study, Oviedo et. al. showed that oral administration of a stevia leaf extract reduced blood sugar levels by over 35 percent. Another study conducted by Suzuki et al. documented similar results.
Clearly, these and other clinical evaluations indicate that stevia holds significant promise for the treatment of diabetes.
Stevia Facts
Stevia extract is a super-sweet, low-calorie dietary supplement that helps regulate blood sugar and supports the pancreas.
Stevia is valuable for anyone with diabetes and hypoglycemia.
Stevia is a first-rate aid to weight loss and weight management because it contains no calories.
Research indicates that Stevia significantly increases glucose tolerance and inhibits glucose absorption.
People who ingest stevia daily often report a decrease in their desire for sweets and fatty foods.
Stevia may also improve digestion and gastrointestinal function, soothe upset stomachs, and help speed recovery from minor illnesses.
Stevia also inhibits the growth of some bacteria and infectious organisms, including those that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
Many individuals using stevia have reported a lower incidence of colds and flu.
Many who have used stevia as a mouthwash have experienced a significant decrease in gum disease.
When topically applied, stevia softens the skin and smooths out wrinkles while healing various skin blemishes, acne, seborrhea, dermatitis, and eczema.
When used on cuts and wounds, stevia promotes rapid healing without scarring.
Stevia leaf extract is intensely sweet with a mild, licorice-like aftertaste.
Has a glycemic index of zero.
As a dietary supplement that supports pancreas function.* Stevia may also help maintain normal blood sugar levels.*
Directions for Young Living Stevia:
Use as a supplemental sweetener.
Calories: 0 per serving
About 150 servings per container
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
Evelyn Vincent
Article by Evelyn Vincent, Young Living Independent Distributor #476766
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr. Seuss
“When you are breathing something divine, and if you can actually breathe mixtures of different essential oils, it creates a whole different chemistry in the body.” ~ Rodney Yee
The information found on this site is for your better understanding of complimentary and holistic health. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or prescribe. Please seek medical attention when necessary.
Woodson Merrell, MD on Aromatherapy at Beth Israel Medical Center
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