Aging
Does Everyone Need Hormone Support?
No More Eye Dis-ease
Health Clues from Heartburn
Down the alimentary canal we go….. Clues you can use from your head to your tush!
Iâve gone round and round in my head about how best to approach this next topic. Itâs a âwhich came firstâŚ. the chicken đŁor the egg situationâ, so I will leave it up to you as to how you choose to run with these clues!Â
As we travel down the alimentary canal, some of the roughest waters are located right beyond the oral cavity. An estimated 60-70 million people have chronic digestive disorders in the USA, with 25% of the adult population experiencing weekly symptoms of reflux.Â
Hereâs âthe chickenâ:Â
 – Reflux commonly results from either a mechanical dysfunction or environmental trigger. Mechanically, it may be caused by a diagnosed hiatal hernia, pregnancy, excessive weight, eating a large meal too close to bedtime⌅there are others, but these are the biggies.
Biochemically, certain foods and beverages may also trigger reflux in some people. Spicy, oily, or fried foods, alcohol, and caffeine are well known irritants.
đđThere are two other under diagnosed but VERY COMMON dysfunctionsâŚ.. Hypochlorhydria: a deficiency of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and insufficient digestive enzyme production within the body. đđ
Causes of low stomach acid include:Â
 – Stress
 – A deficiency of Zinc or B vitamins
 – Medications taken for refluxÂ
 – Gastric bypass surgery
 – Age – people over the age of 60-65 are most likely to have inadequate stomach acid production
Before refrigeration and the advent of the processed food industry, normal diets were rich in food that contained prebiotics, probiotics, and enzymes that supplemented what was already made within the body. Sadly, the Standard American Diet (aptly acronymed âSADâ) contains none of these, and the âfakenessâ of many foods has made the digestive process even harder to accomplish.
Digestive enzyme insufficiency has several possible causes:
 – Gallbladder removal
 – Crohnâs or CeliacÂ
 – Leaky gut
 – Chronic Stress
 – Inflammation (often due to toxin load)
 – Genetics
 – Aging
Certain diseases affecting the pancreas  Â
Low stomach acid and/or insufficient digestive enzymes can cause a cluster of clues over timeâŚ.
đBloating and burping
đUpset stomach that sometimes feels worse when you take supplements
đHeartburn or indigestion
đDiarrhea and gas
đHair loss
đFatigue
đProtein, B12, Calcium and magnesium deficiencies
đNeurological issues such as numbness, tingling, and vision changes
đAn appearance of or worsening of an autoimmune disorder (lupus, allergies, asthma, skin conditions, etc)
đOsteoporosis
Prescription trends reflect this stat: Approximately 65 million prescriptions are written for reflux medications on an annual basisâŚ. The most common beingđ acid reducers.Â
WAIT. WHAT??!?!? If the reflux problem is commonly related to too little acid in the stomach, why in the world are drugs like đPepcid, Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix đprescribed so regularly? After all, they are designed to reduce acid in the stomach. That, my friends, is the multi- billion dollar question youâll need to ask Big Pharma about. Â
I make no recommendations to quit any medication without talking to your favorite health care professional first. Iâm not a doctorâŚ. only an observant pharmacist who knows when things donât add up. #followthemoney
And now we come to âthe eggâ….. the medications regularly recommended for heartburn. You see, the drugs within the acid reducing class are approved by the FDA for short term use only (generally 8 weeks or less) and yet we all probably know multiple people who have been on them for years.
What happens when the pH within the stomach continues to slowly become more alkaline?Â
* A worsening of B12 deficiency which affects many parts of the body, but especially the nervous system. Prolonged deficiency increases the risk of dementia and neuropathy.Â
* An increased risk of hip, wrist, and spine fractures due to accelerated osteoporosis
* A 50% greater risk of pneumonia
* An increased risk of a cardiovascular eventÂ
* A worsening of overall digestive problems
* Increased risk of kidney disease
How can this particular âchicken/eggâ question be avoided? The biggest answer to nearly everything we talk about is always going to revolve around diet, exercise, stress management, sufficient sleep, and removal of toxins whenever possible. Itâs not always easy to incorporate enzyme and stomach acid supportive foods into todayâs daily eating habits, and yet they are a valuable and needed piece of the wellness and vitality puzzle.
Thankfully, we have some very supportive digestive enzyme supplements available to us! đđÂ
Young Livingâs Essentialzyme caplets also contains Betaine HCl which help support healthy stomach acid pH.Â
Young Living’s Essentialzymes-4, Allerzyme, and Detoxzyme are also digestive enzyme supportive capsules, and Mightyzyme chewables are for kiddos (or adults who like them!) who might need a little extra digestive support!Â
As alwaysâŚ.. This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cureâŚ.. Rather to give you the tools you need to make the best and most informed decisions you can make in regards to your own health. You are the responsible party for Y.O.U. âŚâŚ no one else.Â
xoxo~ liz
#sharingiscaring
#digestivehealthclues
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL
Health Clues in Your Skin Part 5
* Although we could explore skin clues for the rest of the year, today weâll wrap up dermal geographical points of interest. Youâre getting the idea, right? The body, especially its âpackagingâ gives loads and loads of early clues as to the direction a bodyâs health may be headed. As with GPS, you can pay attention to the map and gain control over where you are heading, or you can ignore the map/cluesâŚâŚ… and who knows where you may end up!
* Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a skin abnormality that results in velvety darker discolorations found most often in body folds and creases. The discoloration develops gradually over time and is most often seen across the back of the neck, armpits, and groin area. Although acanthosis nigricans is sometimes an inherited skin characteristic, the most common cause is diabetes and obesity. Endocrine abnormalities (thyroid) and certain cancers (adenocarcinomas) can also cause this type of skin change.Â
Chronic use of certain medications can also cause AN. Birth Control Pills and some hormone replacement therapies, steroids, high dose niacin, and a class of drugs used to treat HIV (protease inhibitors) are the most common offenders.Â
*Â Keratosis pilaris (KP) is an annoying but harmless skin condition which causes dry rough patches and tiny bumps often seen on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks, or buttocks. You may have heard it sometimes called âchicken skinâ. An estimated 40% of the population has experienced it, and though often related to a Vitamin A deficiency (which is seen in roughly 51% of adults in the USA), KP is most often seen in people who regularly eat a very specific set of food triggers.Â
Whoâd have thought that 51% of adults in the USA would have a Vitamin A deficiency?…. And yet we do. Vitamin A deficiency will ultimately affect the eyes in addition to the skin. Young Living has a super eye health supplement called Illumineyes which happens to be loaded with Vitamin A. #killtwobirdswithonestone
Those with KP would do best to avoid common skin irritants found in mainstream bath and body care products. Thankfully, Young Living has us covered here too! They make caring for ourselves so very easy! Have you tried any of the YL bath and shower gels and bar soaps? Iâm especially fond of the Morning Start Shower Gel! Â
Food triggers are a serious influencer of keratosis pilaris. Thankfully, the foods that tend to trigger the outbreaks are 100% unnecessary and are generally void of quality nutritional value.
These would include:
đĽRefined white sugar
đĽHigh fructose corn syrup
đĽTrans fats (found predominantly in junk and fast foods)
đĽRefined carbs (white bread, pastries, soda, sugary breakfast cereals, etc)
đĽArtificial flavorings and colorings
đĽGluten
đĽCommercial (homogenized/pasteurized) dairy
My feeling about KP is that, while annoying and harmless, it is an early red flag clue that bumpy waters may lay ahead if reparations are not in order. If food is a trigger, then the gut is compromised and showing early signs of stress. Donât let this stress escalateâŚ. Itâs a slippery slope. The gut is at the root of all chronic disease throughout the body, not the least of which is digestive disorders themselves! YLâs Life 9 probiotic and a digestive enzyme (Essentialzyme, Essentialzymes-4, Allerzyme, or Detoxzyme) would be excellent supportive measures to get and keep your gut on track.
KP is a common skin condition among children tooâŚ.. Itâs far better to nip things in the bud than it is to let a situation escalate, even if it means going thru a season of junk food withdrawal. Good eating habits are perhaps one of the best gifts you can give a kiddo! Donât forget that Young Living has Kidscents Mightypro probiotic packets and Mightyzyme chewable digestive enzymes for little tummies too! Â
Because KP is actually a buildup of dead tissue, a gentle but effective way to minimize the bumps is by using a âcleanâ DIY sugar scrub on the areas 3-4 times a week.Â
2 cups organic brown sugar
½ cup organic fractionated coconut oil
½ cup honey
5 drops of lavender essential oil
* Dandruff affects roughly 50% of the population and comes in a few common types. It too is more annoying than harmful, but clues are flying with each brushing of the hair!Â
Possible causes of dandruff include:
đĽChronic inflammatory skin condition(s)…. Remember skin is a mirror of the gut!
đĽAllergy or sensitivity to something either applied or ingested (again, gut flag!)
đĽYeast overgrowth (gut flag!)
đĽOmega 3 deficiency
Managing stress is key with any inflammatory condition. Stress reduction techniques include yoga, prayer, meditation, deep breathing, and utilizing your favorite calming essential oils.Â
A whopping 98% of the US population fails when it comes to optimal Omega 3âs in their diet. OmegaGize3 is loaded with what we need so as not to be a part of that epic fail statistic. Other clues of Omega 3 deficiencies may include dry hair, dry skin, depression, dry eyes, joint pain and stiffness.
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* Thinning hair is something that happens gradually over time. While it is normal to lose around 100 hairs a day, hairs should also be growing back in as they are falling out. Very few people have the hair in their 50âs+ that they had in their 20âs. #aginghappens Â
Factors that affect thinning hair may include:
Genetics (family pattern hair loss)
Emotional & physical stress
Medical conditions (thyroid or hormone imbalance, and heart disorders)
Poor nutrition or poor absorption of nutrients
Hair products that make thinning worse
Decrease in collagen production as we age
—Ways to minimize thinning hair include eating nutrient dense foods (and utilizing the YL digestive enzymes mentioned above!), OmegaGize3 !!!, and supplemental collagen (internally).Â
Medications will always and forever have side effects. By their very definition they are a toxin, and many of them cause hair loss. Some of the top offenders include:
Certain acne meds
Certain antibiotics
Anti-coagulants (after about 3-4 months)
Statins (cholesterol)
Immunosuppressants (methotrexate, Enbrel, Humira etc)
Some anti seizure meds
Blood pressure meds (those whose generic name ends in -olol or -pril)
Mood stabilizer meds (including paxil, zoloft, amitriptyline, and prozac)
Weight loss meds (eg: phentermine)
Gout meds (allopurinol)
Many chemotherapy agents
Steroids (which are also immunosuppressants)
NSAIDS (ex: ibuprofen, naproxen )
I am not a doctor, and cannot diagnose, treat or cure you. I will however, continue to provide you with clues you can use to help you find your way back to the vibrant healthy person God designed you to be (or to support the vibrant health person you already are!). Which body part should we cover next as we continue to unearth clues?
xoxo~ liz
#caringissharing
#pharmacistandfarmacist
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#skininthegame
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#yourskinisamirrortoyourhealth
#ThanksYL