FIGHTING EBOLA: SPECIAL EDITION Credit: Morgana Wingard/USAID

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Known then as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, the rare and deadly disease is caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically in Africa. The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa.

2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa - Outbreak Distribution Map. Click to expand. Credit: WHO Ebola Response Roadmap - October 3, 2014 Threats and Responses Since the first cases of Ebola were reported in March 2014, the United States has mounted a whole-of-government response to contain and eliminate the epidemic at its source. We are marshaling the full weight, resources, and assets of the United States. We're working to reach high-risk communities with critical information and community care kits to help stop the outbreak, and we're uniting the world in the quest for ingenious ideas that deliver new solutions in a matter of weeks, not months. Ebola threatens not only lives, but also livelihoods. The main driver of economic impacts is not the loss of labor to sickness and death, or even the major diversion of resources into health care, but rather the much broader spillover effects from peoples’ fear of contagion. Self-protective aversion behavior shuts down businesses, disrupts transportation and agriculture, and sidelines employment-creating investment plans – all of which drive down peoples’ livelihoods by undermining a country’s production and trade. The Ebola epidemic reminds us that our global efforts to build the capacity to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats have never been more vital. Learn more the the fight againt Ebola. Health care workers put on personal protective equipment (PPE) before going into the hot zone at Island Clinic in Monrovia, Liberia. Credit: Morgana Wingard/USAID A Grand Challenge to Fight Ebola Fighting Ebola: A Grand Challenge for Development urges innovators around the world to submit ideas focused on improving the tools used by front line health care workers in the fight against Ebola in West Africa. The initial focus of the Challenge, as announced by President Barack Obama on September 26, is to generate pioneering solutions to improve the personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools used by healthcare workers battling Ebola. Every day, health workers in Ebola-affected countries are performing critical, life-saving tasks that prevent the spread of the virus. PPE offers important protection, but also is the greatest source of physical discomfort and stress for the workers. To share ideas or to join the conversation, visit the Fighting Ebola: A Grand Challenge for Development website. Read more about the Fighting Ebola Grand Challenge on USAID’s Impact Blog. The mother of Phelica Anthony, 6, says goodbye to her daughter as a burial team takes her body away. Credit: Morgana Wingard/USAID On the Front Lines of the Ebola Epidemic: Daily Dispatches We’ve teamed up with photojournalist Morgana Wingard, who is on the ground with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) staff in Liberia documenting the fight on Ebola. Her photos and stories highlight the many facets of the Ebola story and international response – from life inside a treatment center, to profiles of the healthcare workers battling Ebola from the front lines, to the many ways the epidemic is impacting the health, economy, and future of the nation. Discover the photos and stories from Morgana Wingard on Flickr. View the Daily Dispatches: Facing Death, Six Days a Week The Fight on Ebola Continues in the Lab Liberia Gripped By Ebola’s Many Tentacles Powering The Ebola Response: Monrovia’s Island Clinic Profiles in Courage From the security officers, to public health experts, to information specialists, our Disaster Assistance Response Team staff are on the front lines of the Ebola response, many of them facing their greatest fears. This series compiles portraits and reflections from this unique and sober moment in history. Read the Andrew Hill Portrait: “There’s no standard blueprint for an Ebola treatment unit.” Read the René Van Slate Portrait: “I’ve pretty much done everything that terrifies me… except for Ebola.” View all the photos and stories from Morgana at USAID’s Ebola Content Hub. Follow Morgana this week, guest posting from USAID’s Instagram account. With funding and support from USAID, construction crews work quickly to build a new Ebola Treatment Unit in Monrovia, Liberia. Credit: Morgana Wingard/USAID Unprecedented Response President Obama recently declared the Ebola epidemic in West Africa a top national security priority and announced a clear, comprehensive, and global strategy to stop the outbreak. This series covers unique angles, updates, and scholarship on the Ebola crisis and how the United States is ramping up to help. Read more Impact Blog articles on Ebola: At the Heart of Ebola — Health Systems That Need Strengthening Washington Post Overly Alarmist on Liberia’s “Descent into Hell” Standing with Liberia to Reverse Ebola’s ‘Spillover’ Effects An Unprecedented Response to the Ebola Crisis Providing Humanitarian Assistance During Unprecedented Times Foundational Investments in Combatting Pandemic and Emerging Threats The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is an effort between the U.S. Government, other nations, international organizations and public and private stakeholders, to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats and to promote global health security as an international security priority. As part of this agenda, USAID is focusing on hotspots of previous disease emergence in countries and epidemiological zones where the risks of spillover, amplification, and spread are greatest. USAID’s contributions to GHSA include efforts to address pandemic threats by: (1) monitoring viruses and behaviors at locations where there are high contact rates between animals and people; (2) training workers across public health, animal health, and environment sectors (“One Health”); (3) strengthening interdisciplinary committees to prevent, prepare, and respond to infectious diseases; and (4) develop interventions to reduce the risk of animal viruses becoming public health threats.

Vitamin D Deficiency Can Play a Role in Depression

Most countries in which depression rates are high tend to be in northern latitudes where vitamin D deficiency is prevalent, and numerous studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency can predispose you to depression, and that depression can respond favorably to optimizing your vitamin D stores.

For example, one previous study found that seniors with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who had normal levels. More recent research was discussed in a Times Online article:4

“A study in the United States indicated that vitamin D deficiency occurred more often in certain people, including African-Americans, city dwellers, the obese, and those suffering from depression.

People with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL had an 85 percent increased risk of depression compared to those with vitamin D levels greater than 30 ng/mL” [Emphasis mine]

Vitamin D deficiency has long been associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder5 (SAD), and according to a double-blind randomized trial6 published in 2008: “It appears to be a relation between serum levels of 25(OH)D and symptoms of depression.

Supplementation with high doses of vitamin D seems to ameliorate these symptoms indicating a possible causal relationship.” Recent research also claims that low vitamin D levels appear to be associated with suicide attempts. As reported by Michigan State University:7

“The study, published in the September issue of the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology found that around 60 percent of the suicidal patients were deficient in vitamin D according to clinical standards.

The suicidal patients’ levels of Vitamin D were significantly lower than those in the healthy controls... The patients who were deficient in vitamin D also had higher inflammatory markers in their blood, the study found, suggesting that low levels of vitamin D could be a cause of the inflammation.

Previous studies have shown that increased inflammation in the body might be a contributing factor to depression and suicidal tendencies. Vitamin D deficiency also previously has been linked to mental illness, including depression.” [Emphasis mine]

To suggest that depression is rooted in nutrient deficiencies and other lifestyle related factors does not detract from the fact that it’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed with compassion and non-judgment. It simply shifts the conversation about what the most appropriate answers and remedies are.

During this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, KCWY13,8 a local news channel in Wyoming, wisely noted that:

“Vitamin D is important because it helps fight off depression... Dee Ann Lippincott, of the Central Wyoming Counseling Center said, ‘The higher altitude you go and the higher you go in the country the higher the rates of depression.’

While sunlight is the best way to get vitamin D and ward off depression, it isn't the only way. For example there's a strong connection between a healthy lifestyle and a healthy mind.

Lippincott said, ‘People who eat a healthier diet are less prone to depression then people who eat the more western diet which is more based on junk food and fast food, and not a lot of fruits and vegetables.’"

The Links Between Gut and Mental Health

Your mental health is also linked to your gut health. As with vitamin D, a number of studies have confirmed that gastrointestinal inflammation can play a critical role in the development of depression. For example, a Hungarian scientific review9 published in 2011 made the following observations:

1. Depression is often found alongside gastrointestinal inflammations and autoimmune diseases as well as with cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, type 2 diabetes and also cancer, in which chronic low-grade inflammation is a significant contributing factor. Thus researchers suggested “depression may be a neuropsychiatric manifestation of a chronic inflammatory syndrome.”
2. Research suggests the primary cause of inflammation may be dysfunction of the “gut-brain axis.” Your gut is literally your second brain -- created from the identical tissue as your brain during gestation -- and contains larger levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is associated with mood control.
3. It's important to understand that your gut bacteria are an active and integrated part of serotonin regulation and actually produce more serotonin than your brain. Optimizing your gut flora is a key part of the equation to optimize your levels.  
4. An increasing number of clinical studies have shown that treating gastrointestinal inflammation with probiotics, vitamin B, vitamin D,and omega-3 fats may also improve depression symptoms and quality of life by attenuating pro-inflammatory stimuli to your brain.

Sugar Is Also a Major Factor in Depression

Nearly 40 years ago, William Duffy penned a great book on this subject, calledThe Sugar Blues. It delves into the sugar-depression link in great detail, and is as applicable today as it was then. The central argument Duffy makes in the book is that sugar is extremely health-harming and addictive, and that simply making one dietary change -- eliminating as much sugar as possible -- can have a profoundly beneficial impact on your mental health.

This really makes sense when you consider that sugar not only triggers a cascade of chemical reactions in your body that promote chronic inflammation, it also distorts the ratio of good to bad bacteria in your gut. Both of these factors—chronic inflammation and imbalanced microflora—play integral roles in the quality of your second brain and your mental health. 

Sugar feeds pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungi that inhibit the beneficial and health promoting bacteria in your gut. Sugar can also lead to excessive insulin release that can lead to hypoglycemia, which, in turn, causes your brain to secrete glutamate in levels that can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, panic attacks, and an increase in suicide risk. Cultured and fermented foods, on the other hand, help reseed your gut with a wide variety of healthy bacteria that promote mental and physical health as long as your keep your sugar and processed food intake low.

For instance, one 2011 study10 found that the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus has a marked effect on GABA levels in certain brain regions and lowers the stress-induced hormone corticosterone, resulting in reduced anxiety- and depression-related behavior. So the two-prong dietary answer for treating depression is to a) severely limit sugars, especially fructose, as well as grains, and b) introduce fermented foods into your diet to rebalance your gut flora. As a standard recommendation, I suggest limiting your daily fructose consumption from all sources to 25 grams per day or less.

How to Optimize Your Vitamin D Level

Based on the evaluation of healthy populations that get plenty of natural sun exposure, the optimal range for general physical and mental health appears to be somewhere between 50 and 70 ng/ml. As for HOW to optimize your vitamin D levels, I firmly believe that sensible sun exposure is the best way. If you can’t get enough sunshine in late fall, winter, or early spring, then a tanning bed would be your next best option. Keep in mind that most tanning equipment use magnetic ballasts, which create harmful EMF fields. If you hear a loud buzzing noise while in a tanning bed, it has a magnetic ballast system. I strongly recommend you avoid these types of beds and restrict your use of tanning beds to those that use electronic ballasts.

If your circumstances don’t allow you to access the sun or a safe tanning bed, then you really only have one option left, and that is to take a vitamin D supplement. GrassrootsHealth has a helpful chart showing the average adult dose required to reach healthy vitamin D levels based upon your measured starting point. Many experts agree that 35 IUs of vitamin D per pound of body weight could be used as an estimate for your ideal dose.

Keep in mind that if you opt for a vitamin D supplement, you also need to take vitamin K2. The biological role of vitamin K2 is to help move calcium into the proper areas in your body, such as your bones and teeth. It also helps remove calcium from areas where it shouldn’t be, such as in your arteries and soft tissues. Vitamin K2 deficiency is actually what produces the consequences similar to vitamin D toxicity, which includes inappropriate calcification that can lead to hardening of your arteries.

WHY YOU SHOULD BRUSH TEETH WITH SEA SALT AND BAKING SODA

Whether you’re cued in to the health hazards of commercial toothpastes, or just looking for some bi-weekly TLC to add to your dental discipline, brushing your pearly whites with some sea salt and/or baking soda is a safe and natural way to ensure strong teeth and gums, break down plaque buildup, and protect against bad breath.

Either used alone or together, sea salt and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) are inexpensive, time-tested treatments for tooth care.

Let’s Talk Sea Salt

Calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sodium, nickel, iron—just a few of many trace elements and minerals found in sea salt. These nutrients strengthen gums, protect against tarter and bad breath, and may even whiten your teeth over time. High in iodine, sea salt has antibacterial properties and helps neutralize acids in the mouth. Salt makes you salivate, and your saliva creates an antibacterial barrier that protects your enamel.

You can either dip a wet toothbrush  into a half teaspoon of sea salt and brush your teeth as you regularly would…or you can rinse with a saltwater solution. Mix a half teaspoon of sea salt with four ounces of warm water. Let the salt dissolve, and then slosh the solution around in your mouth for 30 seconds. Be sure to spit and not swallow when done! A saltwater rinse helps allay swollen, inflamed gums and rinses away bacteria in the mouth.

Let’s Talk Baking Soda

Baking soda has long been praised as the natural way to whiten teeth. It’s gritty enough to clean your teeth of tarter and plaque without being so abrasive that it wears away your tooth enamel.

Sodium bicarbonate is highly alkaline, and as such counteracts acids in the mouth (acids cause tooth decay), kills bacteria and germs, and combats bad breath.

You can mix baking soda with water into a paste-like consistency to clean teeth. Or you can combine baking soda and salt to make your own homemade toothpaste. If you aren’t comfortable ditching your traditional toothpaste entirely, brush with sea salt and baking soda once or twice a week as supplemental dental care.

Are there any side effects to be wary of? According to Dr. Paul H. Keyes D.D.S., clinical investigator at the National Institute of Dental Research, NO! Keyes maintains, “Over the years when I was lecturing, I asked thousands of dentists and hygienists to raise their hands if they had ever seen destructive periodontal disease in person[s] who had regularly brushed with salt and/or [baking] soda. I have never seen a hand! And although I have not seen many such cases, the periodontal health in these patients has always been excellent.”

Read more at http://www.themindawakened.com/2014/10/why-you-should-brush-with-sea-salt-and.html#W8BlbbFbGVFFpdq3.99

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Seven Top Cancer Fighting Food.
One of the most concerning things I’ve heard in my medical practice, was when a cancer patient asked her doctor what she should eat during her treatment, and her physician answered, “you can eat anything you want.” He couldn’t have been more wrong. Because we truly are what we eat, during times of challenge for the mind or body, nutrition is one of the most important factors that allow the body to heal. When we talk about cancer-fighting foods, we must consider three ways in which food helps our system defend itself: 1. Foods That Reduce Inflammation: Inflammation has been associated with many chronic diseases like atherosclerosis, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and many types of cancer. Nutrition is a powerful way to protect our cells from inflammation. 2. Foods That Prevent Cellular Damage: Antioxidants have a powerful effect on our immune system and help to prevent disease. They do this by fighting free radicals, which are a byproduct of normal cellular function but they can produce cellular and DNA damage when they accumulate. This occurs during times of stress to the body, like physiological change, emotional stress, and physical disease. 3. Detoxifying Foods: These foods help the body’s natural detox organs to eliminate toxins and residue. Phytonutrients = The Magic Ingredient The majority of nutrients that have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and detox properties are found in plants. Plant foods—like fruits and vegetables—contain macronutrients (complex carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and fiber,) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). But they are also packed with compounds known as phytonutrients. Simply put, phytonutrients are active compounds that benefit humans, particularly in the area of cancer prevention. Phytonutrients can lower the risk of cancer, the side effects of cancer treatments, and reduce other health risks and problems. Phytonutrients provide plants with sensory characteristics such as their color, flavor, and smell, but they also protect plants from damage—this is why they’re so powerful. Most cancer-fighting foods have more than one phytonutrient, so their benefits are not limited to one area among the benefits of anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, or detoxifying. Here are seven foods that have a powerful impact on fighting cancer. Kale Kale is rich in fiber, which helps improve digestion, and a healthy digestive system is key to maintaining whole health. Kale also contains iron that helps transport oxygen, enhance cell growth, and promote proper liver function. The amount of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids in kale gives it anti-inflammatory properties: one cup/ day gives 10 percent of the RDA recommendation for omega-3 fatty acids. It has vitamin A and calcium—even more than milk—so it helps prevent osteoporosis (which can be a side effect of some anti-cancer treatments). It’s also considered a detox food because of its content of fiber and sulfur. Sulfur is an important part of many liver enzymes that help eliminate toxins or drugs. Papaya Papaya fruit has a high content of vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene, which are potent antioxidants. It also contains a protein-digesting enzyme called papain, so it enhances digestion, which can be impacted during treatment. Berries Berries are packed with polyphenols like tannic acid and ellagitannin, which stimulate the elimination of carcinogens and inhibit cancer growth. Blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits. They have favanols, anthocyanins, and hydroxycinnamic acids, as well as other phytonutrients like resveratrol; all are very potent anti-oxidants. Plus, berries are easy to consume—add them to whole grain cereal, smoothies, or yogurt. Whole Grains Whole grains—like quinoa and oats—provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals that help prevent cardiovascular disease. But recent research shows that their content of phytonutrients give them the capacity to prevent some types of cancer. They contain ferulic and ellagic acids; these are anti-oxidants that block free radicals, but can also protect cells from radiation damage. Green Tea Green tea has many health benefits that researchers believe are related to the phytochemicals it contains. Of these phytochemicals, the catechins are the most studied in cancer patients. Catechins are also found in other fruits like apples, grapes, and avocadoes. The benefits of green tea include the reduction of vascular neo-formation, a phenomenon necessary for the reproduction of cancer cells. It contains potent antioxidants and is helpful to detoxify and assist the liver in eliminating toxins. It’s important to notice that black tea is fermented, and this process partially eliminates the catechin content. Remember that a 10-minute infusion of green tea is necessary for the catechins to be liberated. Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower) Cruciferous veggies have anti-cancer properties because of their content of phytonutrients like sulforaphane, flavonols, and kaempherol, all, which reduce oxidative stress (cellular damage due to free radicals and peroxides). Broccoli also contains vitamin C, which is a potent anti-oxidant. Tomatoes The lycopene content in tomatoes has been associated with increased survival rates in prostatic cancer patients, and a decreased risk of suffering from this type of cancer. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant, but tomatoes also have a group of compounds called “ the red family” and the combined action of all these contents, make them efficient in preventing cancer. Other foods that have been found to fight cancer include olives and olive oil, turmeric, ginger, mushrooms, dark chocolate, and red wine. The American Institute for Cancer Research states that no food in isolation can effectively lower cancer risk. So the best advice is to eat a variety of plant foods daily—including those on this list—to ensure the most protection against cancer. - See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/7-best-cancer-fighting-foods?utm_content=CCL%20Newsletter%20141008&utm_campaign=October&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email#sthash.RYmwd2rW.dpuf

Take control of your health. Three decades ago, the food available was mostly fresh and grown locally. Today, the majority of foods consumed are highly processed; high in sugar and low in healthful fat. During that same time, obesity rates have skyrocketed, and one in five American deaths are now associated with obesity. The average American now gets about 350 calories a day (equivalent to about 22 teaspoons of sugar and 25 percent of their daily calories) from added sugar. Those who consume 21 percent or more of their daily calories in the form of sugar are TWICE as likely to die from heart disease compared to those who get seven percent or less or their daily calories from added sugar. Conventional nutritional guidelines have also called for dramatically decreasing the overall amount of fat in your diet, and this fat aversion is yet another driving factor of metabolic disease and chronic ill health. Recent studies conducted at some leading research institutions indicates that sugar as the primary dietary factor driving cronic disease development. Sugar and fructose, in particular, has been the culprit in development of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Understand that excessive sugar/fructose consumption leads to insulin resistance, the root cause of some if not most cronic disease.Healthy fat like animal fat, cocconut oil etc helps body absorb important vitamins like vitamine A, D and E, especially for infant and toddlers for proper growth and development. Whereas, hydrogeneted oil creates incridebly harmful tras fat. Our diet concious population consumes far too little healthy fat and much too high sugar, the combination of too much sugar/fructose and too little healthy fat is driving cronic disease rate through the roof.

Use celery for high blood pressure. It works!

Celery juice contains the compound 3-n-butylphtalide, or phthalide, which contributes to the vegetable’s taste and aroma. As a chemical affecting the body, phthalide helps relax the smooth muscles in the walls of the blood vessels, according to High Blood Pressure Info. Blood pressure decreases as the blood vessels dilate and allow blood to flow easier and more freely(2).

Celery Juice for high blood pressure Recommendations

Using the recommended Oriental dosages to lower mild cases of high blood pressure, one would eat about four ounces of celery (about a cup of chopped celery) daily. You should begin to see results after only a week or two.  Juicing 2 stalks of celery per day would also achieve the same results.

Blood Pressure Lowering Juice

Ingredients:

- 2 Stalks of Celery

- 1/2 beet

- 2 Carrots

- 1/2 green apple

- lemon

Directions:

Juice all ingredients and enjoy

Some of the health benefits of celery juice:

Acidity: The important minerals in this magical juice effectively balance the body’s blood pH, neutralizing acidity.

Athletes: Celery juice acts as the perfect post-workout tonic as it replaces lost electrolytes and rehydrates the body with its rich minerals.

Cancer: Celery is known to contain at least eight families of anti-cancer compounds. Among them are the acetylenics that have been shown to stop the growth of tumor cells. Phenolic acids which block the action of prostaglandins that encourage the growth of tumor cells. And coumarins which help prevent free radicals from damaging cells.

Cholesterol: This humble pale juice has been shown to effectively and significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Colon and stomach cancer: The phytochemical coumarins prevent the formation and development of the colon and stomach cancers.

Constipation: The natural laxative effect of celery helps to relieve constipation. It also helps relax nerves that have been overworked by man-made laxatives.

Diuretic: The potassium and sodium in celery juice helps to regulate body fluid and stimulate urine production, making it an important help to rid the body of excess fluid.

Inflammation: The polyacetylene in celery is an amazing relief for all inflammation like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, asthma and bronchitis.

Kidney function: Celery promotes healthy and normal kidney function by aiding elimination of toxins from the body. While eliminating toxins, it also prevents formation of kidney stones.

Lower blood pressure: Drinking celery juice every day for a week significantly helps lower blood pressure. A compound called phtalides help relax the muscle around arteries, dilating the vessels and allowing blood to flow normally. To be effective, drink the juice for one week, stop for three weeks, and start over.

Nervous system: The organic alkaline minerals in celery juice has a calming effect on the nervous system, making it a wonderful drink for insomniacs.

Weight loss: Drink celery juice frequently throughout the day. It helps curb your cravings for sweets and rich food.

Urinary stones, breaking of: The diuretic effect of celery juice also aids the breaking and elimination of urinary and gall bladder stones(1)

Reducing Stress Hormones: Phthalide also helps decrease the production of catecholamines, according to research by clinical pharmacologist William J. Elliot and medical student Quang T. Le, documented at High Blood Pressure Info. Catecholamines are the fight-or-flight hormones that the adrenal glands produce in events of stress. They can contribute to high blood pressure.

Stress hormones such as catecholamines can tighten blood vessels and restrict the free flow of blood, increasing the amount of pressure necessary for the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Phthalide blocks the action of tyrosine hydroxylase enzymes that produce stress hormones and contribute to high blood pressure, according to High Blood Pressure Info.

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YOUR HEALTH IS THE RESULT OF A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH 100 TRILLION BACTERIA By Dr. Mercola The truth of the old adage that “you are what you eat” is becoming increasingly clear, the more we learn about the microbiome—the colonies of microbes living in your gut, and indeed all over your body. It is well established that your gut is your second brain providing more input to your brain than the brain provides to it. This is why your gut health is largely reflected in your gut bacteria, including your mental health and emotional well-being. Your microbiome is essentially a historical accumulative composition of where you’ve been, who your parents are, who you spend intimate time with, what you eat, how you live, whether or not you’re interacting with the earth (gardening, for example), and much more. As noted by Pat Schloss (a microbiologist with The Human Microbiome Project) in the video above, your microbiome is much like a fingerprint—it’s unique to you. Researcher Jeroen Raes has also suggested we might belong to one of a few “microflora types,” which are similar to blood types. Your gut microbiome activity influences your immune responses, nervous system functioning, and plays a role in the development of any number of diseases, including obesity, cancer, and multiple sclerosis, just to name a few that I’ll address in this article. How Intestinal Bacteria Can Induce Food Cravings The bacteria in your body outnumber your cells by 100 to 1, and different bacteria have different nutritional needs. According to recent research,1, 2 the nutritional preferences of your gut bacteria can influence your food cravings by releasing chemical signals through the vagus nerve, which connects your gut to your brain. According to one of the study’s co-authors, Carlo Maley, PhD:3 “Bacteria within the gut are manipulative... There is a diversity of interests represented in the microbiome, some aligned with our own dietary goals, and others not... Our diets have a huge impact on microbial populations in the gut. It’s a whole ecosystem, and it’s evolving on the time scale of minutes.” It’s already been well-documented that obese individuals have different bacteria dominating their microbiome than leaner individuals. Research4 also suggests that as much as 20 percent of the substantial weight loss achieved from gastric bypass, a popular weight loss surgery, is due to shifts in the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract. With regards to the featured research, Forbes5 reports: “‘Microbes have the capacity to manipulate behavior and mood through altering the neural signals in the vagus nerve, changing taste receptors, producing toxins to make us feel bad, and releasing chemical rewards to make us feel good,’ said study co-author Athena Aktipis, PhD. The good news, the researchers tell us, is that we can influence changes in our gut dwellers through dietary choices. ‘Because microbiota are easily manipulatable by prebiotics, probiotics, antibiotics…and dietary changes, altering our microbiota offers a tractable approach to otherwise intractable problems of obesity and unhealthy eating.’” Diet Can Rapidly Alter Gut Bacteria Indeed, another recent study6, 7 highlights the speed with which you can alter the balance of your gut bacteria. Here, researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) monitored two people over the course of one year; collecting daily stool samples and correlating the gut bacteria from day to day with diet and other lifestyle factors such as sleep, mood, and exercise. One of the participants developed diarrhea during a two-week trip to another country, which resulted in significant changes in the balance of gut bacteria. A case of Salmonella food poisoning struck the other participant, which resulted in a drastic change in gut bacteria. Salmonella bacteria rose from 10 percent to nearly 30 percent, and the colonies of beneficial bacteria were nearly wiped out. Once the individual recovered, beneficial bacteria quickly rebounded to about 40 percent of the total microbiome, but most of the strains were different from the original strains. According to senior author Eric Alm:8 "On any given day, the amount of one species could change manyfold, but after a year, that species would still be at the same median level. To a large extent, the main factor we found that explained a lot of that variance was the diet.” The most prominent changes correlated with the individuals’ fiber intake. Greater amounts of fiber affected about 15 percent of the gut bacteria, resulting in greater proliferation of them. Gut Bacteria May Reveal Colon Cancer, and Might Play a Role in MS Your microbiome may even reveal your risk for, or presence of, colon cancer. A total of 90 people participated in this study;9, 10 thirty were healthy; 30 had precancerous intestinal polyps; and 30 had been diagnosed with advanced colon or rectal cancer. After assessing the composition of each person’s microbiome, it became apparent that microbiome analysis (using a fecal test) might be a viable way to screen for precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer. According to their findings, adding microbiome analysis to other known risk factors for precancerous polyps resulted in a 4.5-fold improved prediction for the condition. Adding microbiome analysis to risk factors for invasive colorectal cancer resulted in a five-fold improvement in their ability to predict cancer. In related news, researchers have also linked certain gut microbes to the development of multiple sclerosis (MS), and/or improvement of the condition. The paper, published in the Journal of Interferon and Cytokine Research,11 describes three immunological factors associated with the gut microbiome that relates to inflammatory responses in MS patients: T helper cell polarization T regulatory cell function B cell activity Previous research has suggested that altering the gut microbiome by adding bacteria such as Lactobacillus, and/or worm-type organisms like Schistosoma and Trichura, can be helpful in reducing MS symptoms. Apparently, these microorganisms have a beneficial effect on cytokine production throughout the body, thereby reducing systemic inflammation. Cytokines are cellular messengers that regulate inflammatory responses. According to the authors: "Whether future therapeutic approaches to MS will employ commensal-based products depends on nuanced understanding of these underlying mechanisms.” When It Comes to Inflammation, Your Microbiome Rules MS certainly is not the only disease caused by chronic inflammation in your body. In fact, most chronic disease has inflammation as an underlying factor. It’s important to realize that your gut is the starting point for inflammation—it’s actually the gatekeeper for your inflammatory response. As suggested above, various gut microorganisms can either trigger or subdue the production of inflammatory cytokines. Most of the signals between your gut and your brain travel along your vagus nerve—about 90 percent of them.12 (Vagus is Latin for “wandering,” aptly named as this long nerve travels from your skull down through your chest and abdomen, branching to multiple organs.13) Cytokine messengers produced in your gut cruise up to your brain along the “vagus nerve highway.” Once in your brain, the cytokines tell your microglia (the immune cells in your brain) to perform certain functions, such as producing neurochemicals. Besides influencing your hunger and cravings for certain foods, as discussed earlier, these chemical messages can also affect your mitochondria, impacting energy production and apoptosis (cell death). They can also affect the very sensitive feedback system that controls your stress hormones, including cortisol, for better or worse. So, an inflammatory response can begin in your gut, travel to your brain, which then builds on it and sends signals to the rest of your body in a complex feedback loop. It isn’t important that you understand all of the physiology here, but the take-away is that your gut flora significantly affects and controls the health of your entire body. Your Gut Flora Is Perpetually Under Attack Your microbiome—and therefore your physical and mental health—are continuously affected by your environment, and by your diet and lifestyle choices. If your gut bacteria are harmed and thrown out of balance (dysbiosis), all sorts of illnesses can result, both acute and chronic. Unfortunately, your fragile internal ecosystem is under nearly constant assault today. Some of the factors posing the gravest dangers to your microbiome are outlined in the following table. Refined sugar, especially processed high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) Genetically engineered (GE) foods (extremely abundant in processed foods and beverages) Agricultural chemicals, such as herbicides and pesticides. Glyphosate appears to be among the worst Conventionally-raised meats and other animal products; CAFO animals are routinely fed low-dose antibiotics and GE livestock feed Gluten Antibiotics (use only if absolutely necessary, and make sure to reseed your gut with fermented foods and/or a good probiotic supplement) NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) damage cell membranes and disrupt energy production by mitochondria Proton pump inhibitors (drugs that block the production of acid in your stomach, typically prescribed for GERD, such as Prilosec, Prevacid, and Nexium) Antibacterial soap Chlorinated and/or fluoridated water Stress Pollution Your Diet Is the Most Effective Way to Alter Your Microbiome The best way to optimize your gut flora is through your diet. A good place to start is by drastically reducing grains and sugar, and avoiding genetically engineered ingredients, processed foods, pasteurized foods, and chlorinated tap water. Pasteurized foods can harm your good bacteria, and sugar promotes the growth of pathogenic yeast and other fungi. Grains containing gluten are particularly damaging to your microflora and overall health.14, 15 A gut-healthy diet is one rich in whole, unprocessed, unsweetened foods, along with traditionally fermented or cultured foods. Chlorine in your tap water not only kills pathogenic bacteria in the water but also beneficial bacteria in your gut. Fermented foods are also a key component of the GAPS protocol, a diet designed to heal and seal your gut. Your goal should be to consume one-quarter to one-half cup of fermented veggies with each meal, but you may need to work up to it. Consider starting with just a teaspoon or two a few times a day, and increase as tolerated. If that is too much (perhaps your body is severely compromised), you can even begin by drinking a teaspoon of the brine from the fermented veggies, which is rich in the same beneficial microbes. You may also want to consider a high-potency probiotic supplement, but realize that there is no substitute for the real food. A previous article in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology16 makes the case that properly controlled fermentation amplifies the specific nutrient and phytochemical content of foods, thereby improving brain health, both physical and mental. According to the authors: “The consumption of fermented foods may be particularly relevant to the emerging research linking traditional dietary practices and positive mental health. The extent to which traditional dietary items may mitigate inflammation and oxidative stress may be controlled, at least to some degree, by microbiota.” They go on to say that the microbes associated with fermented foods (for example, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species) may also influence your brain health via direct and indirect pathways, which paves the way for new scientific investigations in the area of “nutritional psychiatry.” Your Body Is a Conglomerate of Bacterial Colonies You’re not only surrounded by bacteria in your environment; in a very real way, you are them. Your body is in fact a complex ecosystem made up of more than 100 trillion microbes that must be properly balanced and cared for if you are to be healthy. Pamela Weintraub skillfully describes the symbiotic relationship between humans and microorganisms in her June 2013 article in Experience Life magazine.17 This system of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa living on your skin and in your mouth, nose, throat, lungs, gut, and urogenital tract, is unique to you. It varies from person to person based on factors such as diet, lifestyle, health history, geographic location, and even ancestry. Your microbiome is one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet as for every bacteria you have, there are 10 bacteriophages or viruses. So not only do you have 100 trillion bacteria, you have one quadrillion bacteriophages. All of these organisms perform a multitude of functions in key biological systems, from supplying critical vitamins to fighting pathogens, modulating weight and metabolism, and much more, and when your microbiome falls out of balance, you can become ill. Your microbiome also helps control how your genes express themselves. So by optimizing your native flora, you are actually controlling your genes! All of this is great news, because while your microbiome may control your health, you can control which bacteria have the upper hand—health-promoting ones, or disease-causing ones—through your diet and lifestyle

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ARE YOU EATING TOXIC FOOD DYES ?

Food dyes are one of the most widely used and dangerous additives. While the European Union has recently placed regulations on labeling food dyes to inform consumers of the health risks, the United States has no such requirement.
Here are some of the most common food dyes used today, according to the Food Freedom Network:

• Blue #1 (Brilliant Blue)
  
  An unpublished study suggested the possibility that Blue 1 caused kidney tumors in mice. What it's in: Baked goods, beverages, desert powders, candies, cereal, drugs, and other products.
• Blue #2 (Indigo Carmine)
  
  Causes a statistically significant incidence of tumors, particularly brain gliomas, in male rats. What it's in: Colored beverages, candies, pet food, & other food and drugs.
• Citrus Red #2
  It's toxic to rodents at modest levels and caused tumors of the urinary bladder and possibly other organs. What it's in: Skins of Florida oranges.
• Green #3 (Fast Green)
  
  Caused significant increases in bladder and testes tumors in male rats. What it's in: Drugs, personal care products, cosmetic products except in eye area, candies, beverages, ice cream, sorbet, ingested drugs, lipsticks, and externally applied cosmetics.
• Red #3 (Erythrosine)
  
  Recognized in 1990 by the FDA as a thyroid carcinogen in animals and is banned in cosmetics and externally applied drugs. What it's in: Sausage casings, oral medication, maraschino cherries, baked goods, and candies.
• Red #40 (Allura Red)
  
  This is the most-widely used and consumed dye. It may accelerate the appearance of immune system tumors in mice. It also causes hypersensitivity (allergy-like) reactions in some consumers and might trigger hyperactivity in children. What it's in: Beverages, bakery goods, dessert powders, candies, cereals, foods, drugs, and cosmetics.
• Yellow #5 (Tartrazine)
  
  Yellow 5 causes sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions and might trigger hyperactivity and other behavioral effects in children. What it's in: Pet foods, numerous bakery goods, beverages, dessert powders, candies, cereals, gelatin desserts, and many other foods, as well as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
• Yellow #6 (Sunset Yellow)
  
  Caused adrenal tumors in animals and occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions. What it's in: Color bakery goods, cereals, beverages, dessert powders, candies, gelatin deserts, sausage, cosmetics, and drugs.

Every year, food manufacturers pour 15 million pounds of artificial food dyes into U.S. foods -- and that amount only factors in eight different varieties, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
These dyes are so common in U.S. foods -- especially kids' foods -- that parents don't think twice about giving their children rainbow-colored cereal or fluorescent blue "juice," and adults don't consider bright orange cheese puffs out of the ordinary, either.
But you might do a double take if these food packages contained warnings detailing what these artificial food colorings may really be doing to your health, and that of your children.
Well, in the European Union at least, they do. As of July 2010, most foods in the EU that contain artificial food dyes were labeled with warning labels¹ stating the food "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." The British government also asked that food manufacturers remove most artificial colors from foods back in 2009.
In the United States, however, consumers are still snatching up artificially colored foods with fervor, as most are completely unaware of the risks involved … and let me just say, hyperactivity in children is only the tip of the iceberg.

Cancer and Other Serious Risks from Food Dyes Revealed

In CSPI's summary of studies on food dyes², you can see that some of the most commonly used food dyes may be linked to numerous forms of cancer. CSPI reported³:

"The three most widely used dyes, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, are contaminated with known carcinogens … Another dye, Red 3, has been acknowledged for years by the Food and Drug Administration to be a carcinogen, yet is still in the food supply."

In their 58-page report, "Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risks," CSPI revealed that nine of the food dyes currently approved for use in the United States are linked to health issues ranging from cancer and hyperactivity to allergy-like reactions -- and these results were from studies conducted by the chemical industry itself.
For instance, Red # 40, which is the most widely used dye, may accelerate the appearance of immune system tumors in mice, while also triggering hyperactivity in children.
Blue # 2, used in candies, beverages, pet foods and more, was linked to brain tumors. And Yellow 5, used in baked goods, candies, cereal and more, may not only be contaminated with several cancer-causing chemicals, but it's also linked to hyperactivity, hypersensitivity and other behavioral effects in children.
As CSPI reported:⁴

"Almost all the toxicological studies on dyes were commissioned, conducted, and analyzed by the chemical industry and academic consultants. Ideally, dyes (and other regulated chemicals) would be tested by independent researchers.
Furthermore, virtually all the studies tested individual dyes, whereas many foods and diets contain mixtures of dyes (and other ingredients) that might lead to additive or synergistic effects.
In addition to considerations of organ damage, cancer, birth defects, and allergic reactions, mixtures of dyes (and Yellow 5 tested alone) cause hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in some children.
… Because of those toxicological considerations, including carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity reactions, and behavioral effects, food dyes cannot be considered safe. The FDA should ban food dyes, which serve no purpose other than a cosmetic effect, though quirks in the law make it difficult to do so (the law should be amended to make it no more difficult to ban food colorings than other food additives).
In the meantime, companies voluntarily should replace dyes with safer, natural colorings."

Remember Why Food Colorings Are Added to Foods in the First Place …

If you need further incentive to ditch artificially colored foods from your diet, remember the reason they're added to processed foods in the first place: to make a food that would otherwise be an off-colored mess look appealing.
When foods are processed not only are valuable nutrients lost and fibers removed, but the texture, natural variation and flavors are lost also. After processing, what's actually left behind is a bland, uninteresting "pseudo-food" that most people would find entirely unappetizing.
So at this point, food manufacturers must add back in the nutrients, flavor, color and texture in order to make them desirable, and this is why they become loaded with food additives.
Most commonly, additives are included to:

• Slow spoilage
• Prevent fats and oils from becoming rancid or developing an off-flavor
• Prevent cut fruits from turning brown
• Fortify or enrich the food with synthetic vitamins and minerals (which are lost during processing)
• Improve taste, texture, and appearance

In the case of kids' foods, bright colors are also added to attract kids' attention and make the foods appear "fun." But in most cases, if a food comes in an outrageous color that is not found in nature, consuming it is not a good idea.
Take one carefully designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal The Lancet⁵. It concluded that a variety of common food dyes, and the preservative sodium benzoate -- found in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings -- do in fact cause some children to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible.
The study also found that the E-numbered food dyes do as much damage to children's brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ.
The results of this study were what prompted the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) to issue an immediate advisory to parents⁶, warning them to limit their children's intake of additives if they notice an effect on behavior. As mentioned earlier, they also advised the food industry to voluntarily remove the six food dyes named in the study back in 2009, and replace them with natural alternatives if possible.
The United States, however, has not followed suit in issuing any similar warnings to American parents, even now two years later.

Stick to Naturally Colored Foods for Your Health

Let me make it clear that your diet should include a range of vibrantly colored foods … but these foods should be the ones that are naturally rich in color. Red bell peppers, purple eggplant, green spinach, blueberries and rainbow chard are all examples of healthy foods whose bright colors are signs of the important nutrients they contain.
These are the food colors you need in your diet … not the man-made varieties found in most processed foods. The good news is avoiding artificial food dyes is incredibly easy -- just stick to whole fresh foods and avoid the processed ones. If you need help breaking an addiction to processed foods, these seven steps will help you wean off of them in favor of healthier, unprocessed, natural alternatives.

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