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Health Clues from Your Urine

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What does your pee say about your health? Part I


Have you noticed that body fluids often take center stage in a crime scene? The same is true in a health detective scenario.  A urinalysis may reveal such things as hyperglycemia, diabetes, kidney stones, blood in the urine, or a bacterial infection.  Even without an official set of eyeballs and a urinalysis machine, the average Joe (or Jill) can still glean much from examining their “pee life”. 


 *Urine is a pretty interesting body fluid. As the body breaks down amino acids, ammonia (a potent toxin) is left over as waste. Ammonia is then broken down into urea (predominately by the liver), combined with water, and then flushed out of the body through the kidneys and bladder.


 *Urine is 95% water & 5% urea combined with other solids. Those “other solids” typically contain over 3000 chemical compounds which result from daily exposure ……ie: what we eat or drink, drug byproducts, bacterial waste, household chemicals, skin care products, pollution, work related toxins, etc. As you might imagine, chronic exposure to some of these more nefarious compounds can cause some unpleasant effects on the kidneys and bladder over time. Thankfully, we have Young Living clean skincare, the Savvy makeup line, and the Thieves Household Cleaner which can eliminate many routes of daily toxin exposure. 


 *Urine color is an easy clue to observe. Ideally, urine should be a “pale lemonade” color. If the yellow color is any darker than this, it is usually a sign of dehydration. The more dehydrated a person is, the darker yellow the urine will be. Dehydration can be acute or chronic (often seen in the elderly), and can easily lead to brain fog, headaches, dizziness and  constipation. Considering an estimated 75% of the USA population is chronically dehydrated, this may be a VERY IMPORTANT CLUE to monitor regularly.


 *Red or pink urine may be a clue that there is blood in urine (Time to involve a health professional). Bear in mind, foods such as beets, blackberries, and rhubarb may turn urine pink in some people!


 *Urine which has a brownish to orangish tinge may also reflect dehydration or an underlying liver condition. (Hint: if urine is dark and stools are light in color, the liver is likely struggling). There is a serious medical condition called rhabdomyolysis that can also cause this color change. Rhabo is caused by muscle breakdown in the body, and can happen as a result of a traumatic event, over exertion, or as a possible side effect from statins (a class of cholesterol lowering medications) and some of the newer vaccines. A medication called phenazopyridine will usually turn urine reddish orange as a non harmful side effect.


 *Cloudy urine is often a sign of an impending urinary tract infection or kidney stones.


 *Foaming or “fizzy” urine may indicate excess protein in the diet. If this type of urine is a regular occurrence, it may be time to bring it to the attention of your favorite healthcare professional.


If you’d like to show your 💛kidneys and bladder💛 a little extra love, let me introduce you to Young Living’s K&B liquid supplement. Those who know and use K&B love her well and do not want to imagine life without her!


*NingXia Red is another way to shower some serious love on your 💛kidneys and bladder💛 (as well as the rest of your body). 


See you next week…. We’ll chat about the clues behind urine odor and frequent trips to the bathroom.
xoxo~ liz


#sharingiscaring
#goodmedicine
#whatismypeetellingme
#ThanksYL

Health Clues from Your Hair -part 2

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💈In addition to hair loss, the hair and scalp scalp also give clues.


💈Brittle hair may be the result of something as simple as regular exposure to harsh treatment. This may include parabens or sulfate laden hair “care” products, tho those companies who create such products certainly aren’t using ingredients that actually do care for hair!  Hair that is heavily treated with commercial dyes, perms, and relaxers is also prone to brittleness. Do not underestimate the destructive power of a toxic☠️ personal care product. These commercial mainstream products can be so damaging to hair, scalp, and even have an effect on us internally. Remember, skin (and scalp) is like a sponge….what you put on your body is absorbed and affects the body systemically. Young Living continues to stand in the gap by providing an amazing line of shampoos, conditioners, and body care products that are safe and wonderfully beneficial to our bodies!


👉Chronic dehydration is another cause of brittle hair. Are you prone to split ends? 25% of hair is water, and this may be a very telling sign that you are not consuming enough water daily. Have you noticed how many clues there are that lead back to low grade dehydration? Approximately 75% of the population in the USA are chronically dehydrated! Think about how many irritating clues might vanish by simply drinking more good clean filtered water! If water isn’t your jam because it lacks the flavor you crave, get yourself the Young Living Vitality Drops. The bonus is that Lavender Lemonade and Grapefruit Bergamot also contain needed electrolytes, while the Jade Lemon Berry and Spearmint Tangerine flavors provide an added  energy boost! My workouts are visibly better when I’ve added one of the energy flavors to my water while at the gym.


👉Other possible reasons for brittle hair include zinc deficiency (something that will ultimately affect your immune system function), a thyroid disorder (a full thyroid lab panel can reveal this easily), or too much processed food and not enough Omega 3’s in your diet. Unless a diet is absolutely loaded with natural Omega 3’s, I’d highly encourage adding OmegaGize3 or MindWise to your daily routine. 


👉Certain medications may cause hair to become brittle, altered in texture or color, or change in receiving a color.  Antidepressants, birth control pills, chemotherapy meds, anesthesia, statins, singulair, biologics, anxiety meds, and certain blood pressure meds are among those which may be considered likely suspects.
“Gray hair is a crown of glory: it is gained by living a godly life.”
~ Proverbs 16:31


💈Gray hair is usually well earned, but sometimes, medications, life events, and deficiencies can cause it to happen too early. Prematurely gray hair may happen with a B12 deficiency, an extremely stressful life event, or occasionally, certain medications. 


💈The scalp also holds clues! Dandruff is often due to a gut imbalance, an unbalanced diet (where are your Omega 3’s?), or a sensitivity to a food ( commercial dairy is often the perpetrator).

There are really 4 main types of dandruff:
👉Dry skin dandruff: This may happen from washing hair too frequently, living in a very dry atmosphere,  or chronic low grade dehydration. It is characterized by small white flakes. YL Copaiba Vanilla Shampoo is formulated for dry and damaged hair. What’s good for the hair is also good for the scalp! 
👉Oily skin dandruff: These flakes tend to be yellowish and larger in nature. This type of dandruff requires more frequent washing.  A diet high in processed foods is frequently the culprit. YL Lavender Mint Shampoo is formulated to lift away product residue and pollutants and excess scalp oils.  
👉Yeasty dandruff: Candida infections can and do commonly appear on the scalp. Candida is opportunistic and is prone to setting up camp when the conditions are right. A suppressed immune system, an unhealthy diet, chronic stress, certain medications, and harsh chemicals in hair care products all may contribute to ideal conditions for candida to become a problem. Candida generally has larger flaky scales than dry skin dandruff, and the areas involved may appear somewhat moist.
👉Eczema and Psoriasis may also appear on the scalp appearing as patchy areas which may appear thicker than the normal skin and the flakes are generally quite large. Both eczema and psoriasis are immune system and gut health/diet related. Remember, the skin is a reflection of the health of the gut!


Overall, the most important thing you can do for the health of your hair and scalp is exactly what you’d do for the rest of your body…. A well balanced healthy diet, avoiding toxins however you can, and managing stress and sleep. 


If you have been blessed with baldness, here’s some love for you! 
BALD EAGLE BALM  
10 drops of Cedarwood Essential Oil
10 drops of Carrot Seed oil
5 drops of Myrrh
½ cup organic jojoba oil
Mix oils, shake well and massage onto that beautiful bald head after showering.
xoxo~ liz
 
#sharingiscaring
#ThanksYL
#lovingyourtressesisgoodmedicine
#goodmedicine

Health Detective Tip – blood clues

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My husband calls me “the noticer” on our farm because I notice even the slightest irregularities or inconsistencies… It doesn’t matter if it’s a person, plant, or beast. Often what I notice is nothing to be concerned about, but acknowledging trends or patterns will oftentimes save time and heartache if we can “nip something in the bud” before we have an all-out crisis.
It doesn’t matter if you live on a farm👩‍🌾 or in a city apartment🏢, becoming a casual “noticer” hones skills that may keep you safe, alive, and healthy. Pairing “noticing” with instinct (what I prefer to call Holy Spirit-led discernment😉), along with a bit of knowledge goes a long way as a skilled “noticer”. We all become amateur paramedic sleuths🔎 when a temperature is taken, a throat is examined for spots, sleep is lost, pain is felt, or a quick look is taken at what just dropped into the toilet😳😱. Those are all clues that we see after the fact…. changes within the body have become noticeable enough that they can no longer be ignored.
“Blood goes round and round” air goes in and out; any variation from this is bad.”~ Paramedic 101
*Blood should move efficiently and effectively throughout the body. If it does not, trouble is on the horizon. Blood transports oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and removes carbon dioxide and other waste. It also helps regulate body temperature and pH and is a shield of protection within us by way of its finely tuned clotting mechanisms (so that we won’t bleed too much or too little) and role in immune system function.
*Healthy “clean” blood makes more efficient oxygen and nutrient deliveries to cells which ultimately leads to better mental health, cleaner clearer skin, better regulation of cholesterol, and enhanced liver and lung function (which allow for better offloading of cellular and pathogenic waste and toxins).
*Does your blood appear to move efficiently throughout the body?
Try this “hands-on” clue to assess whether your vascular system may (or may not) be serving blood to the nether regions of your body well (your hands and feet!).
The Capillary Nail Refill Test is a simple test you can do on yourself or a family member:
*Note the color of unpolished nails. They should be light pink in color.
*Gently and firmly press on the nail bed of a fingernail for about 5 seconds. The nail will turn pale.
*Holding the hand above the heart, release the pressure on the tip of the finger and watch for the amount of time it takes for the original color to return to the nail.
*Upon release of pressure, the nail should return to its original color within 2 seconds.
Now, what do the results from this clue mean? If the nail bed color takes more than two seconds to recover its color, it may mean any (or all) of these things need to be addressed:
👉Dehydration (blood simply cannot flow well if there isn’t enough water in the blood)
👉Anemia
👉Hypothermia (if someone has poor peripheral circulation as with Raynaud’s Syndrome, a cold room can certainly affect the outcome of the press test. This in itself may be a clue, as Raynaud’s is often associated with autoimmune disorders such as lupus, scleroderma, RA, and Sjogren syndrome).
👉Peripheral vascular disease (commonly caused by a buildup of plaque inside artery walls which ultimately leads to narrowing, blockage, and vascular spasms in legs and sometimes also in arms. This is another clue if the pain is exacerbated during exercise and improves when at rest.)
Poor oxygenation throughout the body is the Number One cause of declining health and disease. Blood needs to flow, oxygen needs to be delivered, and waste needs to be disposed of constantly.
What are some things you can do to encourage and support a healthy vascular system?
*NingXia Red! Our favorite red drink supports both the vascular system and the blood flowing through it…. I encourage you to pick up a copy of NingXia Wolfberry: the Ultimate Superfood by Gary Young to learn more! You’ll never want to be without NingXia Red after understanding how valuable and supportive this drink is to our health.
*Eat plenty of fresh cabbage, lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, garlic, grapefruit, lemon, and oranges to encourage detoxification. Fruits like apples, plums, and pears have pectin fibers that are also useful in cleansing the blood.
💫Strive to keep a slightly alkaline body. In 1931, Dr. Otto Warburg won a Nobel Prize for proving that highly oxygenated, slightly alkaline blood creates an inhospitable environment for cancer cells.
*Diaphragmatic Breathing: Use ALL of the lungs when breathing. Most people only breathe using the upper portion of their lungs. Make your diaphragm work when you breathe at least several times a day (if not always). Pairing “mindful breathing” with positive emotions and gratitude improves the oxygenation of blood!
*Stay well hydrated! If you don’t like to drink water, my guess is that you’ve never tried the Young Living Vitality Drops! (Grapefruit Bergamot is my fave!)
🌟Glutathione: This is the master antioxidant. Sulfurzyme provides the body with essential tools needed to make glutathione. This is another one of my personal all-time favorites!
🌿Chlorophyll, as is found in the leafy greens mentioned above, also provides key nutrients for healthy blood. It’s hard to get enough of it though for most people. Young Living’s Multigreens is a fantastic way to get concentrated chlorophyll into your body on the days you just can’t eat enough kale and spinach!
💥Vitamin B12 and Folate (Super B for the win!)
💪Exercise and movement! The mere act of standing up triggers chemical changes within the body that benefit blood flow.
*Increase joy and reduce stress in your life (Have you read Dr. Emoto’s book, “The Hidden Messages in Water”?)
👐Massage: It improves circulation and mood!
Poor circulation can be painful and even dangerous, and the ideas above are just a few ways to support a healthy vascular system and blood supply.
What is something that you consciously do to encourage cardiovascular health?
xoxo~ liz


#caringissharing
#happybloodisgoodmedicine
#joyinmyheartisgoodmedicine
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Health Clues in Your Colon part 2

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What’s your lack of poo 💩 telling you? Colon Part II
There’s no time like the present to start talking about poo, or in this chat…. lack thereof! Chronic constipation affects roughly 28% of the North American population if we abide by the western medicine general rule that it’s “okay” to have only 3 bowel movements a week. (No wonder we have so many chronic illnesses based on this information alone!😱)
Let’s flush that “3 times a week okay-ness”, and look at how an optimally healthy colon should be functioning.
Healthy gastrointestinal transit time should run somewhere between 12 and 24 hours…… optimally, 1💩 to 3💩💩💩 bowel movements a day help keep the toxin load of a body in check. What happens when the body’s toxin load grows due to lack of appropriate time on the throne? Sickness and dysfunction begin rearing their ugly heads in a variety of ways:
1. Weight gain – toxins stored in fat and it becomes increasingly difficult to lose weight.
2. Fatigue – metabolism is disrupted (yet another avenue of weight gain too!)
3. Skin irritation and rashes occur – we expel toxins thru poop, pee, breathing, and thru our skin. When pooping isn’t happening as it should, other organs often can’t keep up with the detox process either!
4. Headaches and migraines
5. Mood Swings
6. Joint and muscle pains and spasms
7. Insomnia
8. Increased or excessive sweating (the body is trying hard to shed the excess toxins!)
9. Constipation breeds an increased toxin load which leads to even more constipation!
Per statistics found on the National Institute of Health’s website, chronic constipation (THEIR version…. 3x/week pooping) accounts for over 5 million healthcare visits or hospitalizations per year, and over 5.3 million prescriptions written singularly for constipation.
These are large numbers☝️☝️, but imagine how much larger those numbers would be if they were to include not pooping daily and the subsequent results….(numbers 1 thru 8 above).
Constipation is a clue, and it’s also largely fixable with lifestyle changes. Oftentimes, if you fix constipation, other health concerns will also begin to quietly fix themselves! 😉
Low fiber eating habits (ie: processed foods), lack of gut microorganism balance (YL’s Life 9 is KEY here), lack of exercise, dehydration, certain medications (Opiates, some antidepressants, calcium channel blockers used to treat blood pressure and heart disease, medications used to treat Parkinson’s, Iron supplements, NSAIDS, diuretics, antihistamines are all known to cause constipation), a magnesium deficiency, hormonal fluctuations, hypothyroidism, SIBO (refer to earlier discussion) and even colon cancer are common contributors to constipation.
For most people, eating more whole fresh foods, exercising regularly, drinking plenty of quality water, and including a top notch probiotic food or supplement source (Did I mention Life 9 or MightyPro for the kiddos?) along with digestive enzymes (Essentialzyme, Essentialzymes-4, Detoxzyme, Allerzyme, or Mightyzyme for kiddos) will often solve the constipation conundrum.
For those who still need a little extra boost to get you on that throne consistently, consider adding in Young Living’s ICP (that acronym has been affectionately known to stand for “I see poop” amongst those who use it). #useittoloseit ICP is a powder (loaded with soluble fiber and other goodness) that is added to juice or smoothies, making it an easy addition to daily routine.
If constipation is something that plagues you, and you’ve tried #allthethings, it may be time to investigate possible food sensitivities, leaky gut syndrome, or severe gut dysbiosis (unbalanced gut bacteria) with the help of a health professional who is experienced working with patients in this demographic.
Happy flushing!
xoxo~ liz
#knowbetterdobetter
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#fixyourplumbing
#goodmedicine
#ThanksYL

Health Clues from Our Colon part 1

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The Colon: Trouble Down Under Part I

We’ve arrived at the end of the digestive tract. 😍 The amazing and infinitely special colon is really where my own health “awakening” began about 20 years ago. Connecting clues that lead to the true status of your colon may very well also reveal a great deal about overall physical and emotional health.

As Hippocrates said (paraphrased!)….. “If your colon ain’t happy, neither will you be.” 

It’s true. 60-70 million people in the USA have digestive disorders that most often originate from colon dysfunction.
👩‍⚕️What if you also were to add in the 43.8 million who visit the doctor annually for emotional health or sleep pattern issues whose root cause is digestive dysfunction?
👩‍⚕️……. Or the 30 million who have chronic inflammation of bones and joints as a  side symptom of colon inflammation?
👩‍⚕️…….. Or the 50+ million (and growing!) who suffer from an autoimmune disease thanks to a leaky gut?

Those numbers are staggering. Roughly HALF of the population in the USA has an official diagnosis (dysfunction) whose root cause could be traced back to gut dysfunction. 
And friends…… this doesn’t even include the people who don’t poop WELL 2-3 times a day, regularly…….because they consider it “normal” for them. #toxinoverload
I’ve just given you an ENORMOUS pile 💩 of  health clues you can use with those statistics alone. If you aren’t pooping, bigger things lay on the horizon (if they haven’t already begun expressing themselves subtly). 
Here at the tail end of the alimentary canal, we need to go back to the beginning……. all the way back to babyhood….. because that’s where your health story began! 

EARLY YEARS GUT HEALTH QUIZ 
Give yourself one point for answering each one of these questions “yes”. This might be a good time to phone your mama if you aren’t sure of your answers! 
1.I was a preemie
2.I was born C-section
3.I was formula fed
4.I had reflux pretty badly as a baby
5.I was a sickly little kid and was on 3 or more rounds of antibiotics and supportive medication before I started kindergarten.
6.I grew up on fast food, processed packaged food, and can’t recall eating that many fruits and veggies.
7.I missed school fairly regularly in elementary school due to illness.
8.I spent most of my time indoors growing up
9. I had lots of allergies as a kid (and perhaps still do!)
10. I didn’t receive any probiotics or probiotic based foods on a regular basis that I can recall.
For each “yes”, the odds of living with a colon in need of TLC as an adult rises. 
You see, we have roughly 3-4 lbs of bacteria within us, the largest portion found within the colon. Literally, our bacteria  outnumber us cellularly 10:1. They are the “voting majority” in our bodies, and have the ability to perform many functions, including turning our body’s genetic expression on and off. It is extraordinarily important that the good bacteria be there to help us fight off unhealthy over-colonization of “bad” bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeasts. Over- colonization of the “bad guys” will eventually affect the body and mind in a negative way if not controlled.    

Research has shown conclusively that the colonized bacteria we have in our guts by the age of 2 years strongly influences our health for the rest of our lives.
Things happen, and as babies, we obviously have no control over our own lives, but just knowing the answers to the above questions may help piece together why you may have struggled in other areas of your life both physically and emotionally. Thankfully, there are things we can do to support and help our guts heal! 

This conversation will be continued….. but for now…. Do you poop daily? 💩If you do not….. This is the biggest clue of all clues! 

*Important tools I strongly encourage for supporting a healthy gut are Young Living’s probiotic Life 9 and YL’s digestive enzyme line ( Essentialzyme, Essentialzymes-4, Detoxzyme, or Allerzyme) to consistently incorporate into daily life.
*Other tools to consider incorporating to improve bowel regularity: Young Living’s Cleansing Trio Kit (an economical way to get ICP, Comfortone, and Essentialzyme). Plenty of filtered water daily, healthy food choices, and exercise!…. The more you move the more your intestines will move too!  
*If you have a youngster who struggles with pooping or who has had early childhood experiences like the quiz questions above…. Young Living’s MightyPro probiotics and Mightyzyme chewable digestive enzymes for kiddos are formulated for a time such as this!  
xoxo~ liz

#sharingiscaring
#digestivehealthclues
#healthcluesyoucanuse
#goodmedicine 
#showyourcolonsomelove
#yougottapoopdaily
#ThanksYL

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