. . . building healthy immunity Building a healthy immune system, so that it's there when you need it, means fortifying yourself with all the basic vitamins and minerals every day. It's also important to keep inflammation under control. Chronic inflammation is a constant tax on the immune system, weakening immunity. It tends to increase with age; however it can be controlled with good diet, supplements and other healthy lifestyle choices. (See my article on Inflammation for how to reduce chronic inflammation.) Zinc is one of the foundation nutrients needed for building a strong immune system. Very often deficient in the elderly, it's been proven to reduce excess inflammation and to restore vigor to immune cells. It seems to condition immune cells so that they're ready to meet the challenge of flu. If you're unable to avoid a cold or the flu, extra zinc is helpful in reducing the severity and duration of symptoms. A recent review of 15 different studies using zinc for colds confirmed th…

. . .  another reason to choose raw foods. There are a number of problems with cooked foods; that's why I recommend eating at least 80% of your diet raw. One problem that hasn't gotten much press recently is acrylamide. I thought of it again when I ran across a 2008 study showing that curcumin greatly reduces the toxic effects of acrylamide. In 2002 Swedish researchers set off worldwide alarm bells when they reported that cooking starchy foods at temperatures over 120 degrees C (245 degrees F) -- temperatures reached in baking, roasting, frying and toasting -- creates a compound shown in animal studies to be highly carcinogenic and neurotoxic. That compound is acrylamide. It appears to be formed primarily when sugar reacts with an amino acid called asparagine. The higher the heat, and the longer the heating time, the more is formed. Boiling, steaming and stewing, which use lower temperatures, don't cause this reaction. According to a 2004 report by the FDA, the top 10 acrylami…

It’s flu season again, but you don’t need to get caught by a cold or the flu. The truth is, healthy people don’t get colds. Many people in traditional healthy cultures live well past a hundred without getting a single cold. Here’s what you need to do: Build your immunity daily with the Beyond Health Wellness Kit appropriate for you (call our office at 800-250-3063 if you don’t know which one to take), 8-10 glasses of pure water, exercise that produces a sweat (and/or take regular saunas), and a good, sugar-free, alkalinizing diet. Get your vitamin D levels tested; if they aren’t in the high-normal range, include 1-2 capsules of Beyond Health vitamin D3 in your daily supplement program and retest every 3 months until they are. Minimize stress, avoid allergens (they tax the immune system), and try to get a good night’s sleep every night. This should keep your immunity in tip-top shape—ready to throw off any viruses that come its way. However, because life isn’t perfect, and neit…

The good news about COVID-19 is that we can defeat this virus!  We’re learning more all the time about how to avoid contact with it, but even if the virus should find its way into our bodies, we can fortify our immune systems with nutrients comprising a mighty internal armoring system. Combining vitamin C, vitamin D, quercetin and zinc with a good diet and a high-quality multivitamin-mineral offers powerful protection against any virus that comes our way.   Ignored, minimized and invalidated by major media, building and maintaining a strong immune system is our only real defense against COVID-19. Focusing only on avoidance and waiting like sitting ducks for a vaccine to save us is dis-empowering and strips us of potent tools that are at our disposal—nutrients that have been shown in numerous studies and clinical situations to ramp up immune defenses in an extremely effective way. It’s not that easy for a virus to take hold in the body. Should it gain entry, it must first att…

As we arm ourselves for our battle with COVID-19, we must not forget zinc.  This is especially true for those over the age of 40, and the need increases with increasing age. According to the US Department of Agriculture, 73% of Americans are deficient in zinc, and deficiency is especially found in older people—even those who report taking zinc supplements.  Zinc is one of the foundation nutrients needed for building a strong immune system. Even a small deficiency can significantly impair immune function. Research over the past twenty years has shown that having adequate zinc reserves in cells inhibits replication of the coronavirus family of viruses, of which COVID-19 is a member. If a virus can’t replicate (reproduce itself), it can quickly and easily be eradicated by the immune system.  Zinc has also been shown to restore vigor to immune cells and to reduce excess inflammation. Controlling excess inflammation is extremely important in COVID-19 infections b…

If you struggle to get a good night's sleep, you're not alone. About one-third of American adults don't get enough sleep each night, and as many as 70 million people throughout the country have disruptive sleep disorders. For those who have difficulty sleeping, it's a good idea to explore what options may lend a hand. There are several different nutritional supplements that you can take in the evening to aid in a sound, restful sleep.Why You Should Avoid Other MethodsSome people rely on various methods that have numerous drawbacks. Prescription sleeping medication may indeed help you sleep, but these medications can be habit-forming. Other individuals turn to alcohol because it relaxes them in the evening, but these beverages can interfere with your quality of sleep during the night. Nutritional supplements are a good option for improving your sleep quality because they generally don't have side effects, making them safe to take.MagnesiumA lot of people take magnesium supple…

. . . it could double your risk for macular degeneration A European study on nearly 4,700 men and women over 65 found that daily aspirin users more than doubled their risk of late stage, "wet" macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness resulting in loss of independence among older Americans. The macula is a tiny, highly sensitive region in the center of the retina that allows you to see fine details and colors. Without it, you aren't totally blind, but all you see is shapes and movement in shades of black and white. With age, the macula can deteriorate in one of two ways. It can become thin and sprinkled with debris called drusen (the dry form), or blood vessels beneath the retina may push up into the macula and leak blood and fluids (the wet form). The wet form, which is considered the more serious, was the form associated with aspirin use in the above study. (Aspirin is known to cause small hemorrhages under the retina.) Other…