Blood

Health Clues in Your Teeth – Part 1

Liz James · April 21, 2021 ·

I find teeth mysteriously fascinating, but it used to not be that way. Teeth (and toes) used to activate my gag reflex before I began learning about their wealth of clues. Now I find them to be wonderful guides and tools! 😍

This particular clue is so very important that it’s the only one we are going to discuss today. Any time you have something that changes in or on your body, it should become an instant signal that something has shifted metabolically or physiologically, and the best course of action is to “root out” the cause before bigger symptoms take place.

Perhaps you’ve been to the dentist and the hygienist has remarked that you have more plaque than normal on your teeth, or you’ve looked in the mirror and noticed this yourself. Hopefully this is not the case because you have loved on your oral cavity with Thieves toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss! Sometimes tho, even the best of oral care products doesn’t stop plaque build up. If that has happened, it’s time to start digging for the root cause!

*But first, A little history about teeth and nutrition! Before there was refrigeration or even toothpaste, there were remote people groups worldwide who had solidly amazing teeth and mouths. This is well documented in the works of a dentist from the early 1900’s named Dr. Weston A Price. Dr. Price worked tirelessly to prove that oral decay and degeneration was due more to nutritional deficiencies than to lack of oral hygiene. His work revealed that fat soluble vitamins A and D and a probiotic rich diet were key contributors to healthy mouths, more so than daily brushing. An interesting unifying factor amongst all the people groups he studied was that all had some form of probiotic rich daily food source…. Something that the standard American diet falls woefully short in today.

*What does diet have to do with plaque on the teeth and why is it a clue? Here is where the clue becomes quite important! A diet rich in properly fermented foods (think traditional kefir, sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, cod liver oil, kimchi, kombucha etc) is a valuable tool for supporting a healthy gut. If the gut is loaded with healthy bacteria, the body is able to create other vitamins which are necessary for healthy living. For the course of THIS discussion, that would be Vitamin K2. #life9probioticforthewin

Vitamin K2 (aka menaquinone-7 , or activator X) is an underappreciated nutrient, in that it is vital for building strong bones and teeth. It does this by carrying calcium out of soft tissue (think brain and vascular system) and carrying it IN TO bones and teeth.
Stick with me ya’ll😍….. We are getting to the super important part!

K2 activates something called osteocalcin and matrix-Gla protein. Matrix-Gla is present in saliva and its activity arrests the dental plaque calcification process….. It is also present in the blood, and when activated by vitamin K2, helps to remove plaque in arteries! Isn’t it interesting how matrix-Gla prevents both plaque on teeth AND plaque in arteries??

*If plaque continues to build up on teeth despite your best efforts in oral care, it may indicate a deficiency of vitamin K2, which may be putting your vascular system at risk.

*A 2016 study found that matrix-Gla protein inactivation ( as the result of inadequate K2) led to a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.
*Now to be clear, plaque on teeth may happen as a result of poor oral care or a few other reasons too, but if you’ve never had plaque issues before, and now you do….. It may be time to dig a little deeper to protect your overall well being!

Other signs or symptoms of a Vitamin K2 deficiency may include:
*Bruising easily
*Bleeding excessively (including a heavy menstrual flow)
*Osteopenia, osteoporosis or frequent fractures
*A mouth full of cavities
*Heart disease
*Diabetes or pre-diabetes
*Autoimmune disease flare ups (there is evidence that a Vitamin K2 deficiency aggravates autoimmune diseases….. especially Rheumatoid Arthritis)
*Forgetfulness ( a Vitamin K2 deficiency is linked to Alzheimer’s Disease due to the calcium plaque build up within the brain)
*O blood type – lacks some clotting factors in blood, so K2 supplementation is helpful

If you have noticed regular buildup of calcified dental plaque…..
👉Talk to your favorite healthcare professional and consider asking for a cardiac calcium score
👉Get your vitamin D levels checked
👉There currently isn’t a K2 specific lab test to check for deficiency.
👉Consider supplementation of Vitamin K2 (recommended dietary allowance is 60-120mcg/day)
NOTE: If someone is on blood thinners, talk to a health care professional before starting Vitamin K2 as a supplement. It does affect blood coagulation, and therefore may interact with blood thinners.
And YAY you!!!….If you are currently taking Young Living’s CardioGize, Master Formula or Super Cal Plus, you’ll find that these three already contain K2 within each formulation (100mcg, 50mcg, and 30mcg respectively).

As always, I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose, treat, or offer to cure you. I can only help you be a top notch detective for your personal health and wellness.
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#healthcluesyoucansinkyourteethinto
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Duct Tape, Baling Wire & Cholesterol

Liz James · February 13, 2021 ·

What do cholesterol, baling wire and duct tape have in common? 👩‍🌾 #thelifeofafarmgirlpharmacist I know, weird question right? Here’s the thing…. I don’t know what we’d do around here on the farm without duct tape and baling wire when we need to patch something up in a pinch. (I can make one heck of a hoof bandage out of duct tape too!)
Cholesterol gets a bad rap 99% of the time because the real culprit is inflammation, yet cholesterol gets thrown under the tractor as the instigator. Cholesterol is just doing its job of patching up the super inflamed areas within the vascular system. Like a piece of duct tape, it will patch that spot right up. When you apply more and more and more cholesterol (aka duct tape) onto a chronically inflamed area in the vascular system, you will eventually end up with blockage. The cholesterol was just doing its job, while the inflammation was ignored. An inflamed vascular system is painless until you have that heart attack or stroke, which is why it’s important to have labwork done to find out what your inflammation markers look like. When you evaluate cholesterol at the same time, both can be addressed if needed.
And, just like duct tape, there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol (have you ever used a really cheap “off brand” of duct tape 😬 #yougetwhatyoupayfor ). We typically think of good cholesterol as being HDL and “bad” cholesterol as being LDL, when in fact, there are different types and patterns of LDL that are actually really healthy. The insurance companies rarely allow your doctor to run those tests tho, so you are left thinking that all your LDL is bad.
There are other factors in play of course, but the jist of it all is this….. every single cell in our body requires cholesterol to function properly, especially when it comes to our nerves and hormones, and it behooves us (if we want to function well) to know the full truth of our cholesterol, our inflammation, and an important, but little recognized genetic marker called lipoprotein a.
The lab I work with is having a quick sale right now on all of these tests. If you are interested in finding out what the “inner workings of you” look like, I would be honored to help you walk thru and understand your results!
Here’s the link for the lab work, and you can also book a complementary 30 min consult on my website for a comprehensive walkthru of the results: https://yourlabwork.com/adv-cholesterol-panel-0221-afl/…
(note: testing available in all states except New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Rhode Island and Arizona)
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#holistichealthcoaching
#pharmgirlwisdomfarmgirlwit
#Ilovecholesterolandyoushouldtoo
#ThanksYL
#labworkfortheknowledge
#theapplicationofknowledgeispowerandwisdom

Health Clues in Your Skin #1

Liz James · January 26, 2021 ·

We’ve moved on to new terrain! Skin holds sooo many clues friends. Please continue to be mindful of the difference between a singular clue and a diagnosis! A clue by itself may mean next to nothing, but if you can pair multiple clues together, the savvy personal health detective can often head off big health concerns by being proactive and using the right tools and lifestyle habits to get back on track!

Bags and Circles around the eyes👀 are separate clues, but often paired together. Common causes of dark circles include stress, anemia, dehydration, fatigue, allergies, nasal congestion, a parasite load, chronic eye strain, thinning of skin, and unhealthy habits.

Chronic stress and fatigue often (and usually) go hand in hand. It’s awfully hard to get a good night’s sleep if you are under a great deal of stress. Conversely, if you are missing out on sleep for whatever reason, a chronically stressed body will ultimately result. We, in the Young Living community, have an arsenal of tools to help us sleep and keep our bodies and minds balanced even during stressful seasons. My bedtime regimen always includes oils (Tranquil or Rutavala are my go to!) to support healthy sleeping habits, and my nightly pre-bedtime ImmuPro supports both sleep and immune system function. I also mitigate stress with regular exercise, plenty of time outdoors, prayerful meditation time and faith based yoga.

Thinning of the skin happens naturally as we age simply because collagen production begins decreasing after about the age of 25…….the older we get the less our body produces! A couple of key ingredients that our body needs for collagen production include Vitamin C complex (hint: Super C Chewables for the win!) and elemental sulfur (hint: Sulfurzyme ). Pair this clue with a quick look at your fingernails and make note of any evidence of pitting!

Perhaps you are feeling your dark circles might be clues related to allergies or chronic congestion? Allergies always have a digestive dysfunction component, and it may behoove you to look into Young Living’s AllerZyme capsules for digestive enzyme support. I’ve personally also found several essential oils that work quite well in our home for seasonal respiratory support when used topically, diffused, or taken internally (in vitality form)….. What have you found that works for you?

As we discussed over in the fingernails section, parasites are not an uncommon first world problem. Check your fingernails for Beau’s lines for an additional clue!
Puffiness under the eyes is often a sign of inflammation or water retention. How might you pair puffiness with other signs of inflammation in the body?
Xanthelasma is the formation of cholesterol deposits around the eyes. While it can occasionally be hereditary, most often it is a clue that cholesterol levels are high. Recent research has also linked xanthelasma to type II diabetes. If you have found this clue around your eyes, I suggest reaching out to your favorite healthcare provider to schedule labwork to evaluate both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. (If you don’t have a healthcare provider handy, message me, and I can walk you thru setting up labwork analysis!) Both high cholesterol and type II diabetes are largely correctable with changes to lifestyle and eating habits….. So be encouraged! You are the CEO of your own body, and that gives you the power to make healthy changes!

Are you starting to put clues together? It’s kinda fun, isn’t it? Agatha Christie would be proud!
Stay tuned for more skin clues coming your way…..
xoxo~ liz

(holler if you need labwork or are interested in any of the above mentioned products. I’d love to help you help yourself!)

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#skininthegame
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Fingernails #3

Liz James · January 12, 2021 ·

There’s Fungus Amongst Us! Nail fungus is one of the most common “n’ail-ments” among us in terms of overall population…. So check your fingers AND your toes for this bad boy. It is an important feature to note because it is indicative of a systemic fungal infection that needs to be addressed on the nutritional level (ie: root cause). As you will recall, it takes a solid 6 months to out grow a funky nail situation…… so anything you do to “fix the problem” will need to become a habit. Some simple suggestions might include increasing healthy fermented food to a diet ( sugared up grocery store yogurt is not what we’re talking here), restricting intake of refined carbs and sugars, and adding in a great probiotic (Life 9 immediately comes to mind!). Please note that as you are making your inner world “inhospitable to fungus” dieoff occurs, and you may feel that happen in the way of gas, bloating, belching, or even acne and/or other skin breakouts. Stick with it!

In terms of creating a local “inhospitable environment”, I might suggest FAITHFULLY applying Young Living’s Tea Tree and/or Eucalyptus essential oil twice a day to the nail and cuticle. Falling off the wagon will not hold in your favor if you treat this as a “come and go” action. Fungus is relentless and I find that only the faithful are successful. (PS: even prescription drugs require months to years of use when fighting fungus, and the liver often pays a high price for this type of chemical assault).

Koilonychia is commonly known as “spoon” nails for their scoop-like appearance. Spoon shaped nails are associated with blood iron disorders on both end of the spectrum (anemia or hemochromatosis… too much iron). Pair this up with another health clue…… consume beets or beet juice and then check your urine and see if it is tinted red. This clue, called “beeturia” is another sign of possible iron deficiency or hemochromatosis.

NOW…. this part is very important. One of the reasons we LOVE Young Living Super C Chewables is this: it is a “whole food” powder Vitamin C complex, not simply Ascorbic Acid (what is passed off cheaply as Vitamin C). Ascorbic Acid (I’m gonna call it “fake C” because truly, that’s what it is) increases the body’s ability to absorb iron in the intestines and can contribute to iron overload…. Not a good thing! We tend to believe that iron deficiency is the bigger problem, but the reality is that TOO MUCH iron is an epidemic in our country because of iron fortified processed foods. The body only needs 1mg of iron a day (in most cases) to replace what it loses daily in stools, urine, and sweating. For point of reference, one cup of glyphosate laden Cheerios has 17mg of iron per cup…. But I digress!

Back to Super C! Whole Vitamin C complex (like we get with Super C chewables) DOESN’T do what Ascorbic Acid does. God’s design is perfect and whole Vitamin C complex …… like what you get with Super C chewables …. ASSISTS in hemoglobin’s function of carrying iron in the blood. So, my suggestion as a pharmacist would be this: if someone is concerned that they may be anemic, focus on the vitamin C source first (instead of dumping iron into the body) AND in the meantime, get quality blood work to confirm that you are indeed anemic.

(PS: the body also needs the trace mineral copper to help the body utilize iron. No surprise, our super hero drink NingXia Red contains this trace mineral as do the YL dried wolfberries that are delicious to snack upon!)

Pitting of nails is interesting to me as I have seen it (as a farmgirl and amateur farrier) on some horse’s hooves. Horse people have a valid saying…. No hoof, no horse…. an astute horse owner looks at hooves just the way you are now learning to look at your nails!

This nail anomaly manifests itself as small dents or pits on the surface of the nail plate (not to be confused with the ridges we talked about in part II). Pitting may be associated with alopecia, psoriasis, and other connective tissue disorders. Essentially all of these are related to inflammation within the body. Key components to decreasing inflammation within the body are to eliminate foods and toxic chemicals which promote inflammation (gluten, processed foods, processed carbs and refined sugars immediately come to mind), and then to give the body the tools it needs so it can begin the supportive repair process. Omega 3’s ( OmegaGize3 comes to mind if your diet is not high in these), Vitamin D (Super D) and adequate sulfur (SulfurZyme) for supporting the health of connective tissue are quick and easy starter steps.
I probably have one more week on fingernails and then we’ll move on to another part of the body!

Hugs and love friends~ liz
(give me a shout if OmegGize, SulfurZyme, Super C and others are foreign words to you and I can walk you thru how to access them)

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#keepaneyeonyourfingernails
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Fingernails #2

Liz James · January 5, 2021 ·

Our hands hold so many clues! If you missed part I (deciphering the lunula), you can find it here: https://goodmedicine.info/blog/health-clues-you-can-use-1://

….. Now let’s move on to the whole fingernail. Today I’ll be covering a few more clues you can use to help “nail” down healthy habits and reverse possible deficiencies that ultimately will contribute to dis-ease.

What do healthy nails look like?
*When you are examining your nails, they need to be free from all fingernail polish. Because the nail bed is loaded with capillaries (tiny blood vessels) and fingernails grow relatively quickly, the ends of our fingers often can tip off on an early warning health concern. Nails are a snapshot of a person’s health over the previous 6 months…. So too, slow and steady wins the race when you are looking to repair or support what’s amiss.

👍A healthy nail will have a transparent pink color and should be slightly shiny, smooth, and with a slightly (side to side) arched shape. Hardness of your nails comes from the presence of adequate sulfur needed for healthy keratin production (This is why we can thank YL’s Sulfurzyme… if you have been taking this supplement….. and have noticed stronger nails and hair).

*White Spots on nails: poor zinc load or excess refined sugar load
This is technically known as leukonychia and indicative of two things: a zinc “inadequacy” and/or an excess consumption of refined sugars.
Zinc inadequacy is often common in people over the age of 60, but anyone can be susceptible!

Other signs of a possible deficiency include thinning hair, acne, slow healing wounds, worsening vision, worsening hearing or ringing in the ears, and an impaired immune system. Interestingly, food doesn’t taste or smell much when you are zinc compromised (Does that sound familiar given the 2020 virus?… one of the key natural preventatives to the ‘rona is making sure you are getting adequate zinc in your diet!)

How do you know if your problem is excess sugar or a zinc deficiency? Do an honest assessment of your eating habits. Common foods high in zinc include: pumpkin seeds, grass fed beef, chickpeas, lentils, cocoa powder, cashews, yogurt or kefir, mushrooms, spinach, avocados, and chicken. If these are regular staples to your diet and refined sugar is kept to a minimum then I’ll bet your nails are free from white spots!

What are some YL supplements that contain zinc? Hint: one of them is red!
*Longitudinal Ridges: essential fatty acid deficiency
EFA’s are necessary for healthy skin, hair, heart, thyroid, prostate, brain, joints and nails! In addition essential fatty acid deficiency has been found to play a key role in inflammation, depression, and cognitive decline (including Alzheimer’s Disease).

Other signs of a possible EFA deficiency are dry scaly skin, a dry mouth, cracked fingertips or cracked heels (also a sign of a possible thyroid deficiency).

Common foods high in EFA’s include flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, “fatty fish” and fish oil, and brussel sprouts.

Which Young Living supplements might longitudinal ridges be telling you your body is craving if you don’t tend to each the above foods regularly? I can think of two: OmegaGize3 and MindWise.

*Clubbing: low oxygen in the blood
Clubbed fingernails curve downward at the tip of the finger. It is associated with conditions including lung, liver, or heart disease and both celiac and inflammatory bowel disease all of which, in their own way, affect oxygenation of blood. Clubbed fingers can be “tested” at home by using a simple visual test called “Schamroth’s Sign” (details easily found with a quick internet search). Clubbing is also a possible clue for anemia. These all have the potential to be fairly serious in nature, and I would suggest reaching out to your favorite health professional if your fingernails (AND) other clues are tipping you off to something amiss that has not yet been “officially” diagnosed. I have seen many many clubbed fingernails in my pharmacist days and it’s a clue worth taking note of.

A healthy YL drinkable supplement that supports oxygenation of the blood immediately comes to mind. I’ve yet to meet anyone who wouldn’t benefit from daily NingXia Red!
The rest of the fingernail clues will have to wait until Part III!
xoxo~ liz
(message me if you have no idea what Sulfurzyme, NingXia Red, OmegaGize3 or MindWise is, and would like to learn more!)

#caringissharing
#applicationofknowledgeispower
#keepaneyeonyourfingernails
#goodmedicine
#goodmedicineisknowingthyselfwell
#ThanksYL