Health Issues Related to Non Organic Products

By Clifford H Woods

Many patients ask their physicians if eating organic food, which costs much more, better for them? Are their health problems related to non-organic produce? Not certain, Stamford University physicians went through piles of research to find out. The evidence is not in large number, but still there is evidence that organic products are much healthier because of two major reasons related to pesticides and germ resistant antibiotics. The problems with both are usually most harmful in babies, toddlers, small children, individuals with allergies and the elderly.



Small Exposure to Pesticides They advise that eating organic vegetables and fruits will lower exposure to pesticides, especially in children, but the amounts that have been measured from produce that was both organically and inorganically grown, are still most of the time considered safe. At least, that is what Stamford researchers have reported. The amount of nutrients do prove to be more in foods that are organically grown, but not as much as it was first believed to be.

Non Organic produce has a 30 percent higher risk of containing any detectable levels of pesticides. In two studies, urine testing showed much lower levels of pesticide in those on organic diets. Also, one conclusion suggested that the insecticide in the urine could be due to insecticide used in our homes and might be more to blame than in the food.

But there are some researchers who do suggest that even small exposures to pesticide might be a risk for most children, so it is probably safer for children to eat organic products (vegetables and fruits that are organically grown).

Difference in Problems with Health Needless to say, most physicians at Stamford were very surprised. There are numerous reasons why somebody might select organic foods over conventional foods from the concern for the environment to taste preferences. But with health problems, there only seem to be just the two - more pesticides and problems with antibiotic-germ resistance.

Antibiotic-Resistant Germs The largest problem found is with bacteria that are antibiotic-resistant, which is already a public health concern, since these are the bacteria that are more difficult to treat when a person gets any form of food poisoning and can often lead to death.

Experts have said for a long time that when chemically treated or in non-organic manner, the odds of contamination by bacteria can be a problem and the Stamford study did agree. Often bacteria that is found, for example in pork or chicken, that are grown with chemicals producing non-organic meats, have a 33% higher rate of bacteria with antibiotic resistant to multiple antibiotics, which has been reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine a prestigious medical journal.

Debate over Antibiotics Given to Animals This finding comes in the middle of an already occurring debate over antibiotics being fed to animals not due to sickness, but rather to further fatten them up. Farmers maintain that this is necessary in order to meet the demand for meat that is cheaper.

Advocates for public health say it is a major contributor to the nation’s growing problem with germs that are becoming harder and harder to treat. Between the years 2000 to 2010, there have been 24 outbreaks linked to germs in food that are multi-drug-resistant. The government has begun taking steps to stop the non-medical use of antibiotics on large poultry farms.

Organic Food Markets The business of organic products is currently booming. Approximately 70% of Americans buy food that is organic occasionally and nearly one-quarter say they buy it every week. The reason most of them gave was that they wanted natural food that is better for them and for the environment. But buying organic food can cost you up to 50% more, so it is important that you buy these foods from markets or farmers that have food that is clearly marked organic.

Health wise; with the amount of antibiotics being used in non-organically grown chicken, pork and beef - before you decide which is better it is important to understand that if a child or elderly person gets food poisoning from drug resistant bacteria it can often lead to death. And these types of bacteria are most often found in non-organic food. 
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 Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.
We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

When Walking Becomes a Problem

By Clifford H Woods

People are aware that walking is one of the most effective ways to get a thorough exercise. It does not only strengthen the muscles of the lower extremities but it also works out the upper parts of the body. It also increases the cardiac rate, which is effective in burning fat. This will soon lead to losing weight and getting healthier. With the benefits that it is providing the people, there are some who experience pain and they perceive it as a normal effect from the activity.

However, pain should not be ignored since this may possibly not be a sign of tiredness from the activity itself. There are a lot of factors that goes into generating pain. If you ignore them, there is a possibility that a simple leg pain or foot pain can develop into a chronic problem. Every year, numerous walkers become seriously injured because of walking-induced pain.

You may think that this problem is already bothersome, but the real aggravating part is the aftermath. Since you experience pain, you will most likely stop exercising, lose your motivation and then lose your muscle tone and gain some weight. Soon, walking becomes a problem and you might wake up one day and find that you can barely walk!

There can be a lot of reasons that lead to such a situation, such as shin splints, neuroma, lumbar strain, Achilles tendinitis or even inflammation of the joints. The latter is the most common reason why most people experience that pain that they do. Most individuals think that only senior citizens can have this problem but it can actually happen to anyone since there are numerous contributing factors to lead to inflammation and thus pains of all sorts.

Joints connect your bones with one another and they act as support to help you move about. A disease that can affect this part may result in extreme pain and restriction of movement. Contributing factors that can lead to this problem would include sprains, strains, gout, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Taking in dairy products when you have dairy allergies can also cause inflammation and pain to your joints. There are even cases where people who are affected with arthritis can develop pain in their joints when they drink milk.

There are solutions to these kinds of problems. Taking an over the counter drug is not one of them – not recommended at all! You would be much better off looking into the natural remedies for this condition. 

Things such as a natural anti-inflammatory like MSM. MSM stands for Methyl Sulfonyl Methane and is organic sulfur and a very good anti-inflammatory.

Some other natural remedies may include warm or cold compress which can alleviate stiffness and numb the pain; an anti-inflammation diet which includes taking vitamin B6 and food containing it such as cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, bananas, grapes, avocados and tuna to lower the levels of inflammation and taking in food that is rich in omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, shrimp, scallops, tofu and dietary supplements to control and avoid inflammation.

With these natural remedies, you do not only get better with your condition but you also get to eat healthy and save more money. 

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.
We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

The Harm that Over-Prescribing Antibiotics Can Do

By Clifford H Woods

We have reached a time in our health care system where many health authorities are now beginning to admit that the over prescribing of antibiotics is creating a problem that is much worse than the original illnesses.

Antibiotics first began use in the 1940s and everyone agrees that these were a great advancement in medicine. But the over prescribing of these drugs has resulted in the development of bacteria that are now resistant to most known that might have worked well in the past.

Not only is there the problem with bacteria that are resistant, there is also another problem when it comes to the antibiotics themselves. The human intestine has an extremely delicate ecology where certain bacteria help to digest food, others produce certain vitamins, and generally all maintain a certain harmony of organisms that stop harmful bacteria or yeast from reproducing.

The wide-spectrum antibiotics that are often prescribed disturb this normal balance and can lead to parasitic infections, loss of minerals, vitamin deficiencies, diarrhea, and mal-absorption, inflammation of the gut and allergies to food and all of this due to the imbalance to the normal flora in the intestines.

Viruses mostly cause most cold or flu like symptoms that individuals normally get, and antibiotics cannot kill viruses. Viruses just have to run their course. But for decade’s physicians were prescribing antibiotics for illnesses that were probably caused by viruses.

There are other health problems that can occur from this medicine as they often interact with food chemicals and other medications, such as aspartame to cause allergic reactions. These reactions are quite common and most antibiotics contain sugar or sugar-free chemicals, chemical colors, and other extracts that can also cause a very severe health reaction.

Under normal conditions, Candida albicans, which is common yeast, lives very peacefully and in equilibrium with other flora in the intestines and elsewhere in the body that keeps the yeast in check. Taking an antibiotic can change everything in the intestines, by suppressing the normal flora; this stimulates a yeast infection growth.

When this happens, the yeast can move in and take over and more problems often result. At first it causes diarrhea, Irritable bowel syndrome symptoms star to appear, and a yeast infection typically develops. One of the major risk factors for chronic Candida is the repeated use of antibiotics.

Antibiotic resistance is a problem that is widespread, and a problem that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC call the world’s most persistent problem to public health. Bacteria that were at one time highly reactive have become more and more resistant to some of our strongest antibiotics.

Ones that are becoming harder to treat are infections from the pneumococcal bacterium, which can cause pneumonia, ear infections, infections of the sinuses and meningitis, skin infections, and even tuberculosis. Problems that have been easy to take care of are now in many places killing patients all because this resistance.

A much more balanced method to avoid the use of antibiotics is to enhance and keep the immune system strong. When an infection occurs, stimulate the body’s natural immune system with natural alternative measures immediately.

Frequently, the natural means work very well and you have reserved the antibiotics for when they are really needed, which is usually as a last resort.

Here are some natural remedies:

• Colloidal silver
• Carob powder
• Honey
• Extract from Grapefruit seeds
• Molkosan which is derived from concentrated whey
• Tea tree oil
• St. John’s Wort (hypericum)
• Olive leaf extract (calcium elenolate)

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.

We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

Basic Oral Chelation

By Clifford H Woods

Chelation is a very simple and basic concept that can be used as a beneficial therapy. 

What it basically does is remove the buildup of toxic heavy metals in the body. It flushes them out and leaves the body feeling much better than before the therapy started. It is primarily used for certain heart issues.

Some recent scientific findings have revealed that accumulation of heavy metals in bloodstream can actually trigger various heart diseases and if you take oral chelation, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing those heart ailments. There are many oral chelation therapy drugs on market right now with each one having its own set of benefits.


Oral Chelation helps to ensure that you can really detoxify the body and start over with a clean slate, especially if you have been exposed to heavy metals in things like the food that you eat and in the water that you drink from a contaminated source.

There are environmental factors at play as well, such as the ambiance where you work and live. It is highly recommended to get yourself a proper checkup from a certified medical professional to find out just how high the levels of heavy metal are in your blood, so that you can be advised on how to take care of it with oral chelation.

Most of the times the therapy instructions will be quite detailed from the practitioner you see. Medical doctors and Naturopaths have been dealing with chelation for a while and are well versed in their use. A search for “Oral Chelation and Heart Disease” on a good search engine like Google will find you some of the most popular oral chelation formulations on the market.

You can buy yourself urine test kits, which will show you exactly how much heavy metal; you are excreting out of your body while you are on the therapy. This will also help you see the before and after effects from start to finish of your oral chelation therapy. You will be able to see the results for yourself.

You can buy the oral chelation over the counter at most health food stores and even at some pharmacies. It is a much safer alternative to taking the IV version of this same thing. You do not have to stay at the doctor’s for hours at a time and there is no injection and you don’t have to worry about contamination or infection either. It is much safer to take it in its oral form for every single person who wants to take it.

Once you do your course of chelation, you can take your urine test to observe the heavy metal output and note it down before you commence with the therapy. Following the instructions for chelation use provide for much better results.

Heavy metal reduction is a desirable thing for the health of ones body and is simple to get done. You can flush all the heavy metal contamination out of your body with this therapy and it is surely worth trying for the sake of your heart health. Maintaining regular oral chelation helps keep the body free of heavy metals and toxins. 
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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.
We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

Got Toxic?

By Clifford H Woods

Most households are full of toxic products that are quite hazardous to your health. These can be products that carcinogenic, and, and they are easy accessible to others in your homes. Disinfectants, air fresheners, and cleaners found beneath your kitchen sink are undeniably dangerous products, without you even giving them a serious thought. If you mix bleach with ammonia, you get a toxic fume cloud that was used by the military during World War I.

Teflon Cookware Non-stick cookware – when these non-stick pans were introduced into American households in the 1960s, they were believed to be godsend. Gone were the days of soaking pans and scouring for hours with steel wool. But in 40 years, we have become knowledgeable on the ease of this cleaning comes at a steep price; the coating that makes non-stick in Teflon pans is “polytetrafluoroethylene” or PTFE for short. When this chemical gets hot, it gives off toxic gasses linked to many types of cancers and other health complications.

Use at Medium Heat The problems with PTFE-coated pots and pans happen at high temperatures, so if you have to use Teflon, cook foods on only medium heat or less. The best option is to simply avoid these non-stick pans completely.

Plastic Bottles Another problem is plastic bottles that have dangers of BPA and these BPA mimics the effects of certain hormones that can be harmful to your endocrine system. Most manufactures have switched to BPA-free plastic. Single-use plastic bottles are worse for leaching chemicals, particularly when they are left in a hot car or used in a microwave.

Oil for Plastic Bottles Every year, barrels of oil equaling one million barrels are used to manufacture the more than over 25 billion single-use plastic water bottles used in the U.S. Try to find a glass bottle or stainless steel bottle instead.

Oven and Store Cleaners Toxic chemicals in cleaners for all-purposes often contain ammonia, which is a strong oxidizer, and burns the eyes and the skin. Another danger lies in cleaners for the oven, which can cause burns from chemicals and produce toxic fumes that are harmful to the respiratory system. Each year 120,000 children beneath the age of 5 are involved in incidents containing household cleaners. 2006 was the most recent year for data on these toxic products.

Pest Control Products Other toxic products are those that kill pests. These all have ingredients that are harmful to humans. The active ingredient in Round up weed killer is known to cause damage to the kidney and reproductive harm in mice. Raid, a common roach killer has cypermethrin that is known to be an irritant to skin, eyes, and respiratory system and also has negative effects on the central nervous system.

Chemical Fertilizers Chemical fertilizers also are toxic and harmful to health. They also are noted for causing destruction to local water supply and are a known contributor to algal blooms. When the yard is watered or it rains, the runoff goes into storm-drains and this untreated water is dumped into rivers, ocean, and streams. This creates an inequality in the delicate water ecosystem that can kill fish and degrade water quality. If you have a lawn, it is best to use organic fertilizers.

Compost Pile Another alternative to harsh chemicals is to start a compost pile to create nutrient rich soil for flowerbeds and vegetable gardens. This is your own inexpensive fertilizer that can be created by letting little food scraps and yard trimming set. This also helps to divert waste from landfills. These are only a few of the toxic products that can damage your personal and environmental health in various manners.
Make an effort to get rid of them.
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 Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life.
We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

Skin Diseases and Natural Remedies

By Clifford H Woods

Skin disorders or diseases consist of a wide assortment of problems and can even be a sign of some underlying illness. Because of this, it is vital to get a correct diagnosis to not only take care of the symptoms but to ensure that you are effectively as well as properly treating the condition.

Skin diseases and disorders are basically related to the epidermis that is the outermost layer of skin. They are normally ascribed to viral, fungal, or bacterial infections and might be an early sign of some type of imbalance in your system.
Some examples include:

1. Eczema
2. Acne
3. Psoriasis
4. Dry skin
5. Rosacea
6. Fungal Infections
7. Dermatitis

The diagnosing of most skin diseases is very straightforward and usually can be done with a thorough examination as well as a complete medical history. But there are some that are much harder to diagnose since they might look like other problems. An example of this could be the condition such as Rosacea that requires proper diagnosis based on a clinical examination from a dermatologist.

Skin problems have a wide variety of probable causes based on condition and type. Hormones, genetics, weak immune system, environmental changes, stress and diet all are common triggers for a wide assortment of skin diseases. So it is vital to get a proper diagnosis of your condition to treat it properly as well as help with identifying any underlying causes.

It is also important to have a good skincare routine that consists of cleansing and moisturizing in the mornings, evenings and after working out. You also need to adjust your lifestyle by eating a more healthy diet, getting lots of exercise, drinking lots of water and having a healthy sleep patterns; these will help to make a difference that is significant to your skin’s appearance. Keeping well hydrated all the time is one of the best ways to avoid wrinkles as well.

Here are some natural remedies for skin diseases:

Olive oil, honey, sandalwood, and turmeric are some of the most therapeutic natural home remedies for irritation and peeling of the skin.

Another treatment for problems with the skin resulting from infections is to apply a mixture of limejuice and warm coconut oil on the area affected.

By applying a mixture of aloe vera oil, cod liver oil, wheat germ oil and limejuice on areas that are affected provides one of the most effective natural remedies, especially the ones that are itchy.

A paste that is prepared by adding cinnamon powder and honey in equal parts is one of the simplest natural home remedies for treatment for almost all skin problems.

Applying a mixture of cooked oatmeal and honey is a home remedy used for generations to cure and prevent skin diseases or problems caused by dry skin.

Herbs like chamomile, white oak bark, comfrey, mugwort, oregano, and dill, are an excellent home remedy for diseases of the skin that are causing inflammations. The way to use these herbs is to drink herbal teas prepared from these herbs.

Mix some drops of juice from a fresh lemon with some milk and some onion seeds that are dried. Use this mixture overnight and washing it off in the morning is a very popular home remedy for acne.

A good MSM based cream is also excellent for the skin.

These are only a few of the many home or natural remedies for skin problems. Do your research as there are more out there to be found. 

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life. We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service

Problems Brought About By Weight Issues

By Clifford H Woods

The problem of obesity and overweight matters affecting people around the world is becoming an epidemic. More and more people are suffering from obesity in the US specifically, in the West and also around the world. There are many reasons why this problem keeps getting worse. 

The main concern that health professionals have is that obesity and weight issues affect the health of individuals concerned. Such individuals are predisposed to lifestyle diseases and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary and heart conditions and diabetes.

According to latest statistics available, up to two thirds or 66% of adults in the US are overweight. Also, up to one third are obese. This is a very serious trend and governments as well as individuals need to wake up and take action. In children, statistics indicate that about 20 per cent of teenagers across North America are obese while 20% of kids aged between 6 and 12 years are overweight and obese.

These statistics are almost similar in Europe, with about 50 % of the adult population aged 20 and above being overweight. Such concerns in the West have come to the attention of the national governments. The local health care facilities are being weighed down by the increasing demand to address problems of obesity and overweight patients.

There are various reasons why this problem has been growing across the US and generally in the West. For one, individuals and families are leading very busy lives. They therefore have no time to prepare meals and rely solely on processed and deep fried foods purchased at local stores and restaurants.

Processed foods are not at all healthy to the body as they have all their nutrition taken out. When families purchase these processed foods, they get very little nutrition. On the other hand processed foods are full of unhealthy fats and salts which promote obesity. The busy lives that people lead also take them away from gym and the playing fields. Rather than engage in healthy exercises on a regular basis, most people will ride in their cars, use and elevator and sit on a chair all day. Sedentary lifestyles are just as bad as processed and deep fried foods.

The best way to curb this condition is to create awareness with the general public. Children need to be taught the benefits of a healthy diet and the benefits of playing and exercising on a regular basis. However, adults should ensure they provide their kids with healthy foods and healthy snacks.

A deliberate change in lifestyle is very important. A healthy lifestyle will definitely result in reduced number of obesity and overweight cases. Families, communities and schools should endeavor to provide their members with playing fields and gyms where they can work out and get rid of excess weight.

Another important lifestyle adjustment that can be made is use of a healthy diet. Consumption of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, greens and others is very important. There are plenty of healthy foods that families can consume. 

These few changes will ensure there are fewer problems and cases brought by weight issues in the society. 

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Author: Clifford H Woods is the Executive Director of Vibrant Life. We Provide Great Products, Excellent and Useful Information with Exceptional Customer Care Service