Thanks to my friend Phyllis! Her functional medicine doctor gave her this website. The application of knowledge is power and it just might change the course of your life.
Heart
Health Clues in Your Teeth – Part 1
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! đ
This particular clue is so very important that itâs 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 âroot outâ the cause before bigger symptoms take place.
Perhaps youâve been to the dentist and the hygienist has remarked that you have more plaque than normal on your teeth, or youâve 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 doesnât stop plaque build up. If that has happened, itâs time to start digging for the root cause!Â
*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 1900âs 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 sourceâŠ. 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 yaâllđâŠ.. We are getting to the super important part!Â
K2 activates something called osteocalcin and matrix-Gla protein. Matrix-Gla is present in saliva and its activity arrests the dental plaque calcification processâŠ.. It is also present in the blood, and when activated by vitamin K2, helps to remove plaque in arteries! Isnât 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.Â
*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.Â
*Now to be clear, plaque on teeth may happen as a result of poor oral care or a few other reasons too, but if youâve never had plaque issues before, and now you doâŠ.. It may be time to dig a little deeper to protect your overall well being!Â
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 diseasesâŠ.. especially Rheumatoid Arthritis)
*Forgetfulness ( a Vitamin K2 deficiency is linked to Alzheimerâs 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 plaqueâŠ..
đTalk to your favorite healthcare professional and consider asking for a cardiac calcium score
đGet your vitamin D levels checked
đThere currently isnât a K2 specific lab test to check for deficiency.Â
đConsider 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 Livingâs CardioGize, Master Formula or Super Cal Plus, youâll find that these three already contain K2 within each formulation (100mcg, 50mcg, and 30mcg respectively).Â
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.Â
xoxo~ liz
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Health Clues from Your Tongue Part 1
Tongue Clues: Part I
Nobody ever said clue hunting would be glamorousâŠ.. Just ask any dental hygienist about health clues found in the mouth! My hatâs off to these health professionals because they see many warning signs and health clues and (hopefully) help save lives in the process! The tongue alone will keep us busy! So grab a mirror and excellent lighting, and letâs proceed!
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The human tongue is arguably one of the stronger muscle sets of the body. It operates independently of the skeleton and, much like the heart, the tongue is always working. It helps in the mixing process when eating, is crucial to forming letters when we speak and assists in filtering out germs. Even when we sleep, the tongue is constantly working to push saliva down the throat.Â
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The tongue is also highly vascular. Even the slightest changes in the constituents of an individualâs blood will be reflected in the appearance of the tongue thru color, shape, coating, and markings.
Tongue mapping is an Eastern medicine tool, and Western medicine also uses the tongueâs appearance to provide valuable health information. According to Eastern tongue mapping practices (and Iâd encourage you to do a little research on this), the tongue can be roughly divided into 3 sections:
Tip = heart & lungs
Middle = liver, gallbladder, stomach, and spleen
Back = intestines, bladder, kidneysÂ
As you look at your tongue, take note of where the clues lie on the tongue according to mapping.
In order to identify clues, we first need to establish what a healthy tongue should look like! The best time to look for clues is first thing in the morning (just like the Candida spit test!), before brushing your teeth and tongue.
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Color should be consistent across the entire tongue, and should be a light pinkish red, with a very thin white coating over it.
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It should be moist but not too wet or too dry.
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Small cylindrical taste buds on the entire top surface of the tongue.
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No cracks, ulcers, teeth marks, lumps, or discolored patches should be present.Â
As you look at your tongue, first note the color of the tongue itself (not the film on the tongue just yet).
đA very pale or light colored tongue may be indicative of iron deficiency, and is sometimes paired with taste bud atrophy, tongue pain, and occasionally cracks on the side of the mouth. A pale tongue may also indicate poor circulation in the body.Â
đA red inflamed tongue (sometimes known as beefy tongue) may indicate a folate or Vitamin B12 deficiency. Roughly 40% of the adult US population have a B12 deficiency. Frankly, that is not surprising considering the Standard American Diet and extreme overuse of antacids and acid blocking medications which inhibit Vitamin B12 absorption and assimilation.
Now take a look at the âcoatâ color your tongue is wearing (Remember, a thin white coat is healthy!):
đA thicker white or yellowish coating on the tongue may indicate sluggish digestion and even possibly chronic constipation. Digestive enzymes (Essentialzyme, Essentialzymes-4, Allerzyme, or Detoxzyme) and Life 9 probiotic would be an optimal choice to add to your next Young Living order!
đA âsticky lookingâ coating is suggestive of excess phlegm or mucus production in the body.Â
đA black or brownish tinted tongue is most often diet and habit related. This is often related to trapped bacteria and yeast. A permanent brown coating may be an indication of lung dysfunction and is often seen in smokers. There are a few medications that can cause a darker coating on the tongue, but this is normally a transient effect that stops once the medication is discontinued.Â
đPainful white or red patches on the tongue is usually a sign of thrushâŠ.evidence of candida overgrowth. It is commonly seen in poorly managed diabetes, after a round of antibiotic therapy, or steroid use (inhaled steroids are notorious for causing this!). All dis-ease begins in the gut, and candida overgrowth anywhere on the body is a sure sign that diet and digestion support desperately need addressing. #lovethegutyourwith
Everything looking good so far? Next week weâll cover more tongue clues!Â
xoxo~ liz đ
www.goodmedicine.info (just holler if you are in need of a little personalized help!)
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Duct Tape, Baling Wire & Cholesterol
What do cholesterol, baling wire and duct tape have in common? đ©âđŸ #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 đŹ #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
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Health Clues in Your Fingernails #4
Letâs wrap up nails today, shall we?Â
I am grouping âhalf and halfâ nails and âTerryâsâ Nails into the same group, although they mean different things. Nails that exhibit lunulas that extends halfway up the nail (whiteness) while the upper half remains a darker tone are very specific for significant kidney malfunction. Terryâs nails look similar to âhalf and half nailsâ except that there will be a reddish brown band separating the extended lunula from the upper portion of the finger nail. Terryâs nails are associated with diabetes, liver dysfunction, hyperthyroidism, or congestive heart failure. In both cases, itâs time to have a medical professional involved and extensive lab work if both have not happened already!
Brittle nails are more easily managed on your own! Healthy nails require a regular diet of quality proteins, healthy fats, minerals and water. The protein and minerals (including trace minerals) add strength to your nails. Fatty acids and water lubricate nails and allow for a degree of flexibility. Dry skin and hair are additional signs that fatty acids are undersupplied in your diet. (This is where I personally would be reaching for OmegaGize or MindWise on a daily basis and making sure I stay well hydrated!).
Side note: if you are doing âall the thingsâ to take care of your nails properly and you eat in a healthy manner, my next health clue would be to assess digestion. It will only be helpful to add in EssentialZyme4, EssentialZyme, AllerZyme, or DetoxZyme to maximize the absorption of the nutrients you ingest. Enzymes are our friends and they facilitate countless processes within our body.
Yellow nailsâŠ.. But first!……rule out other reasons nails may be yellow tinged. Cigarette smoking or staining from fingernail polish/remover needs to be taken into consideration. True yellow nails may reflect impaired lymphatic drainage, low albumin levels, chronic sinusitis, an immunodeficiency or Reynaudâs disease. We should all want to support our lymphatic system regardless of nail color (Do you add a few drops of YLâs Lemon Vitality EO to your water on a daily basis?) Lymphatic massage, regular exercise and deep diaphragm breathing #ontheregular are additional ways to keep the lymphatic system moving!
Immune supportive measures (again, something we should all be doing as second nature! ) might include ImmuPro, ImmuPower (EO), Thieves on the feet, ditching as much daily exposure to toxins as possible, plenty of sleep, controlling stress, and eating in a healthy manner. Thankfully, Young Living has given us so many tools to help in all of these categories!
Raynaudâs is a condition which causes reduced blood flow to fingers and sometimes toes. Support of the circulatory system may be something to consider, in addition to increasing oxygenation opportunities within the circulatory system. Our favorite beverage, NingXia Red comes to mind as a supportive measure, as does CardioGize. Single oils that support a healthy blood flow include (but are not limited to) ginger, cypress, eucalyptus, coriander, wintergreen, juniper, black pepper, lavender, neroli, and cumin.
Beauâs lines are a visible indented line that goes from side to side on the nail. It actually looks like crosswise bumps and dips on the nails. Beauâs lines are usually associated with physical trauma (if just on one nail), parasitic infections, malnutrition (you may surprised that malnutrition is not an uncommon disorder here in the USA), zinc or iron deficiencies, Raynaudâs, or illnesses associated with high fevers. I would caution you also not to discount parasitic infectionsâŠ.. They are a very very common problem even in first world countries, and they are underdiagnosed in traditional medicine. Do a little digging on your own and know that Young Living has given us very functional tools for supporting an inhospitable environment for these little critters (Parafree and DiGize come to mind). I personally do a parasite cleanse 3-4 times a year! Â
Over the last 4 weeks youâve gotten some great âhands onâ clues to help get yourself situated as to which oils and supplements may best serve you and your body. Stay tunedâŠ. Because weâre travelling to a new region next week as we continue to search for more revealing clues!
As always, give me a shout if you’d like to learn more about this topic or the mentioned products!Â
xoxo~ liz
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