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Liver

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

Goldenrod

Liz James · October 13, 2020 ·

Good morning friends! Yesterday as I was driving home, I passed a large section of what I thought was ragweed. I stopped, hopped out, and snapped a pic….. (planning on writing about allergies). I Googled ragweed and lo and behold,  I’m fairly certain what I had snapped a pic of was our highly esteemed Goldenrod!  
This got me to thinking… and I messaged my friend Danette. Neither of us was 100% certain it was even tho it definitely looks like it. 😂 #weareamateurbotanists 
This little scenario made me value Young Living and all of their science and attention to detail even more so….. I mean, who wants to guess on a plant like this? It could mean the difference between effectiveness or a bad rash 😳. #wherethesundoesntshine


I also love how God gave us plants that have healing powers often just in the season that we may need it.


Most of us YL’ers know Goldenrod as that magical bedroom oil💖☝️………But it’s so much more than that! #alloilsaremultipurpose


Just a few other uses….
🌾seasonal respiratory support👈🙏🍂
🌾relieves gassiness
🌾helps loosen mucus (drink more water too!)
🌾acts as a tonic to nourish and support kidneys and urinary tract #valuable
🌾supports healthy liver function
🌾creates an inhospitable environment for fungus
🌾supports a proper inflammatory response #greatforjoints!


All this to say…. don’t leave Goldenrod in the bedroom! God blessed Gary with the know how and the willing spirit to share with all of us. It’s up to us to maximize the potential of all our gorgeous and healing oils!
xoxo~ liz

(☝️your pure Goldenrod depot)
#caringisharing
#whatwouldGarydo
#Goldenrodharvest
#goodmedicine
#pharmacognosy
#ThanksYL

Spring Detox

Liz James · April 9, 2020 ·

Psst…… Hey there friend! I see you and your struggle between patience and frustration, perhaps even moving between anger at being cooped up and concern for the welfare of others. You are not alone in this. Hardly. Let’s chat a bit, shall we? 😘

Springtime is the season of new and pent up energy bursting forth… it’s that way in nature, and we humans also have that tendency.

Spring cleaning….

Spring gardening…..

Western medicine doesn’t look that much at seasonal changes and how it affects your body (unless they are discussing seasonal allergies),…. but it is a core feature in Traditional Chinese Medicine. TCM looks at the physical (what can be seen), and also the energy (that which might be blocked or sluggish). Too much blocked energy, and something physical will usually result. Free flowing energy results in a higher body frequency which results in a happier healthier you! #highfrequencyrules #bethelight

AT THE HEART OF THE SPRING SEASON FOR TCM ARE THE LIVER AND GALLBLADDER. THESE TWO ORGANS PLAY A TERRIBLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN DETOXIFICATION OF OUR BODY. WINTER WAS A TIME FOR STORING RESERVES…. AND SPRING IS OUR TIME FOR SHEDDING THE ACCUMULATED TOXINS THRU INCREASED MOVEMENT THAT TENDS TO COME MORE NATURALLY WITH LONGER DAYLIGHT HOURS AND A SUN THAT BECKONS US OUTDOORS….. and we need to be doing this!

Grab a bottle of Juvaflex or Helichrysum, Lemon, Orange, Peppermint, Basil, Rosemary, Frankincense, or Geranium and apply over the liver or use the vitality versions and add a drop or two to your water.

Movement is critical to all parts of the body… but in the Spring season, it’s especially important to your liver. Exercise can be done anywhere… even in the comfort of your own home and neighborhood!

Grab a bottle of the amazing essential oil blend, Motivation, and go for a walk today. Your liver will thank you. Promise! 
Failure to move makes blood sluggish, and accumulated toxins just don’t have the opportunity to leave the body as they should.

Signs that you’ve maybe not incorporated enough movement in your life recently? 
frequent headaches
sluggish metabolism
frequent sighing
stress related digestive issues
chronic stress you can’t seem to shake
an odd feeling of a “lump in the throat “
irritability, anger, or frustration

The liver is also the organ that holds stress. One of the best ways to help your liver emotionally is to practice expressing your feelings. Express… and then let go of them. Don’t dwell on them unless they are positive ones! Holding on to your negative emotions ultimately will cause outward irritability, frustration and anger. One sign that you might be holding on to something is feeling like you have a lump in your throat (almost like the feeling you get in your throat right before you cry).

Remember…. different emotions live in different organs….. Anger is held in the liver. But for the “negative” emotion an organ holds, it also holds a good one too…. and we have the free choice to decide which one is going to be expressed. The “positive” emotion associated with the liver is compassion. ….. and ya’ll… I’m thinking right about now…. our world could use a little less anger and a little more compassion.

If you are wanting to get rid of anger, first have some compassion on yourself. These are stressful times and stress feeds anger. Instead, try looking for ways to express compassion to get your liver energy flowing:

Offer to go shopping for someone who needs to avoid people due to a health concern.

Clean out your bookshelves and donate books or games to an assisted living community library.

Offer to walk someone’s dog for them.

Share what you have with someone who has less than you do at this moment.

Call people to check on them… don’t forget about your extroverted friends. They are probably climbing their curtains right about now 😉.

And finally….. seek out ways to nourish your liver… Lemon vitality oil in your water….. beets, broccoli, asparagus, and goji berries are all very helpful ways to support your liver.

Goji berries….. hmmm, where have we heard of those before? You probably have some in your house….. at least I HOPE you do. 😉… Goji berries are also known as wolfberries… and the best, healthiest ones in the world can be found in our NingXia Red! Who knew?

Love your liver, and show some compassion to yourself and to others. We’re gonna make it thru this time alone together just fine. You’ll see. 😘
xoxo~ liz

#strongertogether
#ThanksYL
#youvegotthis

*****************
Not sure about the science of TCM? If you are like me, you’ll want proof. Go do some digging on your own… perhaps start here with a really interesting study:
******************

hindawi article

Who Gives A Fig?

Liz James · August 9, 2017 ·

Yowsers! We have figs. In fact, we have a disproportionate amount of figs. We have figs coming out our ears all from one very happy (but unknown species) tree.

We planted the little gal (there are male and female plants…. the girls being the producers) about 7 or 8 years ago, and it got off to a very rocky start…. multiple times. Every winter it appeared to die back to the brink of true death until two years ago. Last year we got spoiled by simply eating all we wanted off of the tree. There were enough to pick and eat daily, but not enough to make anything with. This year, the stars must have been lined up right because we have whopper crop this year. I’ve had to get on the ball and start collecting fig recipes. There are some amazing ones out there! 

I’ve found this collection at BonAppetit (the figs with bacon and chile is on my ‘to do’ list… Wow… I’ll bet those flavors pop!)

I found a ‘cheeky chilli pepper fig chutney‘ ….. you know anything chef Jamie Oliver puts together is going to be good. My dear friends Aryanne and Martin gave us one of Jamie’s cookbooks several years back. The man knows how to use his ingredients, no question about it. I love that he focuses on using fresh ingredients and prefers seasonal cooking (cooking with what is available at the appropriate season of harvest). I do think that was God’s intention anyway. We were never supposed to eat the same thing 365 days a year like we are prone to do now. It’s probably one of the reasons  the standard American diet is typically out of control and obesity and other body system dysfunctions continue to plague our country. If it’s not fresh, it’s likely filled with preservatives and other chemicals to make it taste more appealing.

And finally…. a ‘pear-fig-ginger-jam (with ahem… a dash of whiskey)‘ that we’re gonna have to try. That sounds like it would be incredible over a block of yogurt cream cheese (labnah) or cream cheese with some crackers.

Figs are a food of the Bible, and are loaded chock full of health benefits. God is good that way… giving us just what we need.  Dried figs… the most common way people eat chem…. are even more densely loaded with nutrients than fresh. Although I like to eat them both ways, fresh from the tree is my preferred route of nourishment.

The Fig low down:

  • high in fiber
  • great source of magnesium, manganese, copper, potassium, and calcium (1 dried fig = the calcium in an egg!)
  • rich in vitamin K and B6
  • contain powerful antioxidants that neutralize disease and dysfunction causing free radicals ( just like some oils I know, love, and use!)
  • According to Dr. Mercola’s website figs have some other more unusual uses too… ” Traditional medicine around the world has made use of figs as poultices on tumors, warts, and wounds. The fruit and leaves have been pulverized and gargled to relieve sore throats. Fig extracts and dried figs have been found to contain ingredients that protect the heart, regulate kidney and liver functions, lower blood pressure, lower incidences of macular degeneration, and inhibit some cancers, specifically post menopausal breast cancer.”  Holy smokes Figman…. my cornucopia of wellness tools just got a little fuller!

Any of my local friends want some figs?  Give me a shout and this farmgirl can hook you up!

Take care, and have a blessed day,
​liz

“Feed Me Seymore!” Candida Exposed

Liz James · February 5, 2017 ·

“Feed me Seymore!” if you remember, this is a famous line out of the movie, Little Shop of Horrors. When I teach gut health classes, I use this analogy in reference to another monster within us who has an insatiable appetite….. Candida.

Candida is a sugar fermenting yeast that naturally lives within our digestive tract, and is helpful and necessary in our gut ecosystem when colonized in appropriate amounts. Unfortunately, 70-80% of all Americans have fallen below the wellness line and now suffer with chronic Candida overgrowth. How in the world did this happen to so many of us? The possible list of culprits is long:

  • Immune dysfunction in the form of:
  1. exposure to toxic metals
  2. poor digestion leading to buildup of toxins within us
  3. stress
  • Reduction of good bacteria (who act as the national guard and keep Candida in check). This happens by:
  1. heavy consumption of refined carbs, alcohol, and caffeine
  2. heavy consumption of refined sugar
  3. antibiotics
  4. mercury fillings (double whammy! they also affect our immune system)
  • An adjustment in intestinal pH (allowing Candida to flourish). This commonly occurs when:
  1. acid blocking medications (like Prilosec, Nexium, etc) are used regularly and in excess
  2. we have a decrease in production of digestive enzyme
  3. we age. In the normal aging process, our stomach acid actually becomes less acidic, allowing Candida to grow out of control.

One of the hallmark signs of a Candida overgrowth is an insatiable craving for sugar and carbs. It feels almost like something is living inside you telling you that  you MUST eat sugar and carbs…..ie: Feed me Seymour! If you have those feelings (and can’t stop after just one cookie), chances are, you have a heavy Candida load. Candida is ASKING for this “nourishment” to survive, and you are feeding it each times it asks….. just like the plant with the voracious appetite in Little Shop of Horrors.

Symptoms of Candida overgrowth are varied… they include anxiety, depression, panic attacks, hyperactivity, sinus problems, bad breath, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, hypoglycemia, eczema, psoriasis, skin fungus, yeast infections, chronic fatigue, swollen joints, and gout.  The list is much longer…. but you get the idea…. Candida overgrowth is very problematic in all aspects of wellness.

Young Living has many products that will help keep you above the wellness line (ie: Healthy!) when it comes to Candida. One such product is called Detoxzyme. This powerhouse capsule combines digestion enhancing essential oils with several fast acting enzymes that assist in the complete digestive process. They help detoxify and promote intestinal cleansing (a critical component for maintaining overall body health). The enzymes within the capsules are designed to help us digest starches, sugars, proteins, and fats. Efficient digestion helps the body detoxify. Importantly, Detoxzyme also helps in opening the gallbladder duct and cleansing the liver, preventing Candida and other yeast overgrowth…. also important in the detoxification process. Remember, your liver is the main “garbage processing center”  organ of our bodies…. and if it has a backlog of work, then toxins simply sit in our body and wreak havoc as they wait to be excreted.

So, if you are looking for ways to lose that sluggish feeling and regain your energy, quit feeding that monster no matter how much it asks to be fed, and grab yourself a bottle of this dragonslayer!

Have a great day, and contact me if you have any questions!

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