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Side Effects/Adverse Event List

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One of the reasons pinpointing how “something ” might be going wrong is so hard because of the diverse set of possibilities. Every person’s body is going to handle the 💉 a little differently based on genetics, lifetime toxin load, TYPE of toxins in that personal load, comorbidities (due to lifestyle choices) , and luck of the draw. Adverse events would be much much easier to track if everyone had a similar adverse event.
 
Compare this with a <0.1% risk…..and gaining natural immunity in the process. God didn’t make a mistake in us. Our God given immune system will never be surpassed by something made by man.
 
Medical freedom. It’s that important. Every person deserves the right to choose the outcome of their own health. Choosing involves knowing both sides of the coin. Risk vs benefit. This is something that has been seriously lacking in a Big Pharma lifestyle in general, and something that I have been vocal about for years… it’s especially important to understand this concept with the advent of the current 💉‘s being pushed heavily.
 
There is a TV show called “Most Dangerous Jobs”. Frankly, that show is outdated. Every time some company mandates a 💉, it should be added to that TV show’s list.
Is it worth the risk? 🤔Only you can make that decision. 🤷‍♀️
 
For the record, I personally have never seen a side effect / adverse event list this long on any medication package insert in my 31 years as a pharmacist.
You only have one you.
 
xoxo~ liz
 

Does Trauma Really Hurt My Body -part 2

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The Enigmatic Endocrine System Part II: Supportive care for the Pineal, Hypothalamus, and Pituitary Glands
 
If I am able to drive home one thing in all that I share, it’s this: The body, mind, and spirit are interconnected, and if one is damaged, the other will suffer. Likewise, if nurturing, support, and healing do not occur within all three: mind, body, and spirit, healing will be impaired. Some of the deepest wounds to the physical body will never be seen by the human eye because of the trauma to the mind and spirit. Trauma dealt to the mind is not the same as trauma to the 🧠brain, though both may be affected. Does that make sense?
 
There are many physical ways to support healthy pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland function, but the most important of all is to become proficient in the skills required to overcome traumatic stress.
 
For a gland so tiny, there are books and even a journal (The Journal of Pineal Research) devoted to the study of the small ( but mighty) pineal gland. Traumatic stress appears to affect the pineal gland in profound ways that man and his science may never fully comprehend.
 
Here is what we do know:
 
Traumatic stress disrupts the pineal gland which in turn also disrupts melatonin.
 
Rene Descartes (French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist of the 16th century) described the pineal gland as “the seat of the soul”. He postulated that what we experience on “the outside of us” becomes an integral part of the mind (not to be confused with the physical brain). He was pretty much over the target🎯.
 
Many current day studies suggest that repeated stress or traumatic stress experiences may disturb mind integrity, memory, and experience.
 
Melatonin (in addition to regulating our circadian rhythm) has a role in the synchronization of memory. When the pineal gland is damaged by traumatic stress over time, memory formation and consolidation, cognition, and emotional processes may be altered.
 
Thankfully, love, community, and social connectedness have the power to influence, improve, and overcome the effects of traumatic stress.
 
Do not underestimate the power of a close knit community of friends 👭👫👬….. This is your first and most important “how to” take care of your endocrine system…. Find your tribe and love them ….. And (importantly) also let them love you 😘.
 
The Holy Spirit dwells within all who call to Him. The Holy Spirit is also our comforter and healer and guide. Don’t underestimate, undervalue, or decline this gift from God.
 
Real Solutions:
 
Physically, there are a myriad of ways to support the brain’s glandular system:
🙌Chiropractic care. Yes, even a little time on the table with a fantastic chiropractor can improve the functional quality of the pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands.
🙌Eating a clean organic diet. The body can only thrive if it is given toxin free nutrition.
🙌Control sugar intake. Processed sugar causes inflammation which affects pituitary function.
🙌Be active! High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is especially helpful…. One of the most helpful body movements is squats. Who knew!?! Boost your entire endocrine system’s function with regular sets of squats!
🙌Incorporate small amounts of iodine (not the kind found in commercial table salt) into your diet. Kelp is a fantastic natural iodine source (it’s a key ingredient in Young Living’s Multigreens!) Sadly, fluoride is found in many city water supplies, toothpaste, and mouthwash brands. Fluoride calcifies both the pineal and pituitary glands which, as you’ve learned, goes on to affect the integrity of the rest of the endocrine system. The Young Living Thieves Toothpaste ( available as Dentarome Plus, Aromabright, or the kiddos Kidscents Citrus flavor) and Thieves Mouthwash are fantastic alternatives to the fluoridated varieties, are immune system supportive and provide ingredients for stellar oral hygiene.
🙌Fresh organic beet juice. Beets contain boron and B vitamins… necessary nutrients for a healthy endocrine system. Beet juice also helps counter the effects of fluoride and heavy metals.
🙌Manganese (found in nuts, leafy greens, whole grains, and legumes) , Vitamins D, E, and A are all necessary for healthy glandular function. YL’s Master Formula contains kelp, boron, manganese, B vitamins, Vitamins D, E, and A among a whole host of additional micronutrients. If you are looking for a “one stop shop” this may be your “go to” supplement.
🙌Good sleep hygiene. There are dozens of natural ways to improve sleep quality. Healing occurs best in a well rested body. Are you making full use of all the tools you may already have in your home? Essential oils well known to enhance sleep include Lavender, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Orange, as well as blends RutaVala, Tranquil, Peace and Calming, and Stress Away all tend to support a good night’s sleep. Immupro and Sleep Essence are two sleep supportive supplements that may also be called in for duty if needed.
🙌Sage (the plant and the essential oil) has some very interesting properties that appear to support the endocrine system. If you choose to dive down this rabbit hole in your research, use the key words “salvia officinalis”, and “endocrine” or “pituitary”. Salvia comes from the Latin word (salvarem) which means “to save”. It may be this plant that best signifies the “mind, body, spirit” healing aspect simply by its activity within the endocrine system.
 
One in eight women will develop a thyroid problem at some point in their lifetime. (It’s not quite that high in men). While many thyroid disorders have root cause found in the thyroid itself, as Yoda said…. “Slow your roll [downhill], you must.” The thyroid is a precision organ, and will not be able to adequately perform if the endocrine glands of the brain (and elsewhere) do not work well. Their work is worthy of our TLC, and giving it the nourishment and attention it needs to perform optimally. Each one of us is a finely tuned, amazingly made unique creation, and each body part is a part of a bigger design working in tandem.
xoxo~ liz
 
https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ (it’s here! We’re keeping it at presale price for just a few more days)
 

Toxic Dye Industry – A Possible Solution

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We fight a toxin load every day from every aspect of our lives. Those who have autoimmune disorders are especially vulnerable to toxin challenges. Unmitigated, someone with one autoimmune disorder can easily become a “collector” of autoimmune disorders. Rarely do they end with “just one”. The body can’t handle the toxins, and once the tipping point happens and the dam breaks, it gets harder and harder to recover from that point.
 
Mitigation doesn’t mean managing the manifested symptoms of the autoimmune disorder. It means staunching the flow of whatever is causing the autoimmune disorder to “activate”. Toxin overload is the main reason autoimmune disorders manifest.
 
Do you see how pervasive the toxin industry is? Frankly, I hadn’t even considered toxic dyes in in 🩱👖👕👚🧥clothing until this article. Solvents, fire retardants etc, yet….. but not the dyes 🙄. Here is a solution to toxic dyes in clothing…. at least it looks like a solution, provided there is no ramification to the environment with bacteria producing colorful byproducts? (This remains to be seen. I’m always dubious of genetically modifying anything nowadays, given the nefarious nature of this activity).
 
We are the keepers of our castles (our homes) and our temples (our bodies).
Awareness matters.
 
Protecting our homes and bodies matters immensely.
 
Do it in baby steps…..start with body care products and household cleaners. Every single baby step matters greatly to the outcome of each one of us.
 
xoxo~ liz
 
 
ecowatch article

The Enigmatic Endocrine System Part I

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The Enigmatic Endocrine System Part I: Organs of Importance
 
When I write, I nearly always have classical or instrumental music 🎼🎧 playing in the background. Today, I’m listening to a playlist of some of the greatest symphonies of all time. It takes an orchestra🎻🎺🥁🎹 of about one hundred musicians and a variety of instruments to create a symphony. If the conductor, a musician, or an instrument doesn’t perform optimally, the symphony will suffer in quality. As more musicians and instruments err, the symphony becomes noticeably wonky, and the “off-ness” most certainly affects the overall listening experience.
 
The endocrine system is very much like an orchestra. Many hands make light and beautiful work! Each of the twelve major glands/organs within the endocrine system relies on the others to do its work properly and efficiently in the body, and unless you’ve acquired an endocrine disorder, I would wager that you probably rarely think about this small but mighty💪 system in the body.
 
Originally, I was only going to cover the thyroid in this series, but as I was writing about the effects of chronically low body temperature, I realized I would be doing you a disservice if I merely mentioned the other endocrine organs in passing. This happens all too often in western medicine, and incomplete information often results in applying a bandaid on the wrong area. We’ve got to look at the entire system if you are going to be a top notch health detective🕵️. With that…. Let’s proceed!

Pineal Gland Facts:

🧠At the “top” of the endocrine system lies a small pinecone shaped, rice sized organ that is deep within the brain. The pineal gland is one of the least understood and most powerful parts of the human body. Its known primary role is to control body rhythm (day and night, the body’s seasonal activity, and even the aging process!) by way of production of melatonin. Melatonin itself has a profound influence in the body. We tend to think of it as our body’s elixir for sleep😴, but lack thereof also affects immune function, blood pressure, cortisol levels, eye health, seasonal mood disorders, and may even contribute to relief from acid reflux. The pineal gland also exerts its influence on another endocrine gland, the hypothalamus. Not everyone needs to supplement melatonin, but if you feel that you do, consider Young Living’s Immupro. It’s a chewable tablet taken right before bedtime. In addition to melatonin, it contains several other natural ingredients known to support the immune system and help facilitate a good night’s sleep.
 
Over time, the pineal gland gets dealt some pretty harsh blows as the body manages viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, a toxin burden, and exposure to heavy metals and fluoride. These all contribute to calcification of the pineal gland over time. As you may imagine, a malfunctioning pineal gland causes a cascade effect throughout the body.

Hypothalamus Facts:

The hypothalamus’ main role is to keep the body in homeostasis (self regulated balance) as much as possible. It also acts as a purveyor of information between the endocrine and nervous systems. Body temperature, thirst, appetite, weight, emotions, sleep cycles, libido, blood pressure, production of digestive juices, balancing of body fluids….. The hypothalamus is a magnificent multitasking micromanager when it is functioning well, but if the pineal gland doesn’t signal the hypothalamus properly, its performance will be inhibited. Head injuries, genetic or congenital conditions, and certain autoimmune disorders may also hinder the endocrine symphony in a variety of ways.
 
The hypothalamus-pituitary connection can be thought of as a major “command center” of the endocrine system. The thyroid does not stand alone. It relies on information coming from these two “high command” organs.

The Pituitary Gland Facts:

The pituitary gland is a fascinating team player within the endocrine system. Though it is tucked deeply within the brain, it is a delicate little bean. It may be damaged or adversely affected by:
🔎Lack of blood supply
🔎Medications (including opiates, SSRI’s, haloperidol, risperidone,and certain antibody therapies)
🔎Concussions. Even seemingly mild concussions may cause a “dimmer switch” like effect on the endocrine system. This effect may occur instantaneously, or can begin to show up months to years after the original injury.

🔎Endocrine disrupting chemicals☠️

 
Endocrine disruptors are well known for causing pituitary dysfunction… they disrupt the entire endocrine system by mimicking, blocking, interfering with hormone production, or modifying the body’s sensitivity to hormones. The term “hormone” comes from the greek word “hormon” which means “to stir up”. Endocrine disruptors wreak havoc on the body’s ability “to stir up” and long term disruption often leads to diabetes, thyroid, and/or sex hormone dysfunction. The cascade doesn’t stop there. It will ultimately affect every system in the body. Thankfully, we have control of the environment within our homes and what we bring in to it.
 
First we have to identify the criminals, right? Once we do that, we change the locks on the door and don’t let them knowingly in again.
Common endocrine disruptors include:
 
☠️BPA: a plasticizer found in inner linings of canned foods and in many plastic bottles and containers.
 
☠️Atrazine and organophosphates are herbicides and pesticides commonly used throughout the agricultural industry. Buy organic to limit exposure. Consider starting a garden for full control over what you put into your body!
 
☠️Perchlorate: another contaminate in food, milk, and water. Buy organic and filter your water to avoid this one.
 
☠️Lead, arsenic, Mercury. Yes, sadly, these are all still out there. If you do a little digging, thimerosal is a mercury based preservative found in certain vaccines and medicines.
 
☠️Perfluorinated chemicals: these bad boys are used to make nonstick cookware. Toss’em!
 
☠️ Phthalates are another common plasticizer. These can be found in plastics. Sadly, they are also found in standard US cosmetics and skin care. Thank goodness we have Young Living’s Savvy Minerals cosmetics and extensive skin care lines, (Bloom, ART, and Balance) suitable for every skin type.
 
☠️Glycol Ethers are chemicals used as solvents and stabilizers found in personal care products, perfumes, cosmetics, household cleaners, and industrial products. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back if you’ve already kicked all these things to the curb, and have your castle (home) and temple(your body) cared for and supported by Thieves Household Cleaner (all things Thieves!) and all of the other wonderful healthy options Young Living has created for us.
 
☠️ Emotional unresolved trauma is another endocrine disruptor. Surprised? Studies are uncovering just how much damage may be done by not working through and releasing emotions. The body doesn’t lie, and we store so much at a cellular level. I encourage you to do the heart work and seek help if needed.
 
Next week, I’ll cover more extensive opportunities to naturally support the functioning of the pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary. Recognizing the clues dropped by these three tiny organs is as important as deciphering and understanding thyroid clues!
 
xoxo~ liz
 
(PS: It’s here!! 🥳 If you’d like to order Volume I of Becoming Your Own Health Detective, the link is in the menu!
 
Thank you for supporting my heart’s work!
 
 

Health Clues from Low Body Temperature – part 2

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In the mid-1800’s, a German physician by the name of Carl Wunderlich measured the temperature🌡 of about twenty five thousand people and found that the average body temperature was 98.6 degrees F (37 degrees C).
 
Each one of us is a product of our internal, external, and emotional environment. Our personal histories (including generationally) have a way of defining us. Roughly twenty years after Dr. Wunderlich established 98.6F🌡 as the human baseline body temperature, the Second Industrial Revolution began. Railroads, new technologies including electricity, telegraph, telephones, “Big Oil”, and later, Big Pharma each had a tremendous impact on our ancestors. As decades passed, the environmental toxin load continued to increase. The Third Industrial Revolution began in the 1960’s and brought us electronics, processed foods, telecommunications, digital technology, biotechnology, nuclear energy, automobiles, more stress and more Big Pharma. The current effects of all of these revolutionary products may have made life (arguably) easier but made us sicker in the process. We are currently the sickest generation in modern history. In 2017, a study of thirty five thousand people found that the average body temperature🌡 is now 97.9 F.
 
Perhaps we shouldn’t be as worried about global warming as we should be worried about human cooling.🙄🧐🤨🤔
 
Chronic low core body temperature🌡 can create a false sense of wellness, also making it hard to mount a defense in the form of a fever if needed. A fever is an active corrective process in the body. To quote Dr. Jernigan, “ Blood that is overcooled from a cool core temperature is too thick to efficiently carry oxygen and the vital lung capacity is reduced leading to shallow breathing. This means that the oxygen to carbon dioxide exchange rate in the lungs is minimal. Now, combine the [slow] degenerative effects of the oxygen deprivation and the cold temperature and the fact that all of this and the overgrowth of microbes [review last week’s post] promote an acidic environment and you have greatly accelerated cellular degeneration and the [eventual] onset of disease.”
 

🌡Tracking Body Temperature🌡

 
Tracking body temperature is super easy with a basic thermometer.
Measure temperature upon morning wake up before getting out of bed (ideally between 6-8am). This will be your core body temperature that is not influenced by food, drink, or activity. Take your temperature again at night sometime between 8-10pm after you’ve been sitting or resting for about 30 minutes.
 
Track the difference between the morning and evening temperatures. There should be a difference of at least 0.9degrees F.
 
Ultimately, you are looking at two things (clues):
 
1️⃣Is body temperature daily average close to 98.6?
2️⃣Does the body allow its temperature to fluctuate from cool in the morning to warmer in the evening?

Temperature Too Cool?

If your body temperature trends towards “coolness”, try incorporating some of these suggestions into your daily life:
 
🔎Have you had lab work to rule out a physiological issue? Labs you may want to request include a full thyroid panel (TSH, T3, T4, Reverse T3, TPOab), saliva cortisol, DHEA, and hormones, CBC/CMP
 
🔎Identify any medications that might be affecting body temperature. Common culprits include beta blockers (blood pressure meds), antidepressants, sedatives, and other mood altering medications. Often, lifestyle changes, holistic (mind,body, spirit) care, and natural alternatives may reduce or eliminate the need for all of these. It requires ownership of one’s own body to do the work to identify and mediate the reason for the need. Hard stuff? Yes. Never doubt for a second that you are not worthy of doing the work to make it happen.
 

🔎What might mind, body, and spirit care look like? To each person it will look a little different because of our individual uniqueness.

 
👉Jump start metabolism. A sluggish metabolism may simply need movement and exercise. Hot/cold therapy is another way to stimulate metabolism. I wrote about cryotherapy in the topic devoted to dopamine deficiency. Do you see the connection?
👉Prayer and meditation relieve stress. Both activities also activate certain parts to the brain that control attention and autonomic functions such as blood pressure and metabolism. This is not an “Amen, Dig in.” type of prayer, rather developing a deep rooted connection with God in quiet and solitude. The studies on this are fascinating.
👉Music influences physiological variables such as blood pressure, heart rate, immune and endocrine function….. and body temperature. Body temperature tends to rise when listening to music, particularly when listening to classical or specific frequency based music. Look for a company called Wholetones (founded by Michael Tyrrell) for more information on healing music.
👉Infrared saunas and biomats. While they have multiple health benefits, for the sake of this particular discussion, they work to help the body “heat up”. Think of them as “training wheels” for 98.6.
👉Outdoor time on the regular. Bonus points for pairing this with exercise!
👉Dry brushing for improved lymphatic flow. A healthy lymphatic system is crucial in the toxin elimination process. If you are not already adding a drop or two of Young Living’s Lemon Vitality essential oil into your water (use a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel cup) start now for daily gentle lymphatic system support.
👉Removing toxins from daily life. I cannot stress this enough. Our bodies are dropping in temperature because of daily cumulative exposure to toxins. We can detox all day every day…. But if we continue to add in toxins as fast as we detox, there is no end in sight. Medications (tho occasionally needed) are a toxin by definition. Knowing this is one of the biggest reasons I’m such a strong advocate for finding a healthier way whenever possible. Additionally, a healthy body temperature starts with a toxin free home. Have you ditched the chemicals yet? Young Living’s Thieves Household cleaner and Thieves Kitchen and Bath Scrub fulfill all cleaning needs, and support healthy immune function in the process. Crank up your diffuser and ditch the fragrance plug in’s. There are a million crazy good smelling possibilities as you make your own signature diffuser blends. My favorite right now is Young Living’s Believe essential oil blend and Lushious Lemon (oh my!). Soaps, skincare, cosmetics, perfumes….. All of these generally are loaded with toxins and Young living has safe, toxin free alternatives. We simply cannot afford NOT to use them.
👉Chiropractic care. Chiropractic manipulation supports nervous system function and regular chiro care may ultimately help a thyroid, adrenal or other underlying physiological dysfunction.
👉Learning to release emotions and attitudes that don’t serve your body. Unhappy, uninspired, dissatisfied, dull, and passive living (ie: life happens to you, you don’t make life happen) are all associated with lower body temperatures. Live life fully and engaged. Nobody can steal that from you. It is a personal choice regardless of circumstance.
👉Raindrop. Have you received one yet? If not, find someone who can give you one. Better yet, get the Raindrop Technique Collection and begin learning with a buddy. There are comprehensive instructions included in the kit.
👉Detoxification of the body is not a “once and done” process. It’s a lifestyle. Make sure your gut is moving proficiently. Probiotic Life 9 (MightyPro for the kiddos), ICP Daily, and digestive enzymes (such as Essentialzymes-4, Detoxzyme, Essentialzyme, Allerzyme, or Mightyzyme kids chewables) may be integral tools for optimal gut health support for the motility or toxin challenged individual.
👉Support the adrenal glands as needed. Endogize capsules or Endoflex essential oil blend are two highly supportive tools.
👉“Hot oils” have their place too in supporting a healthy body’s temperature. Consider applying these oils to the bottoms of your feet daily as a supportive measure: Thieves, Mountain Savory, Nutmeg, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme (notice how many of those are in the Raindrop protocol!)
 
Consider this. Raising core body temperature by 2 degrees positively influences immune system activity by up to 40%. This is why having a low grade fever when you are fighting off something isn’t a bad thing and it isn’t a good idea to suppress a low fever.🤓
I’ll leave you with this. Make 98.6 F great again, and improve your overall health! 🙌 🌡
If you have lived with a low body temperature for years, be aware that your body will need retraining, and that doesn’t happen overnight. This kind of clue scene takes awhile to clean up. It may take a year or longer of daily care before the body is able to begin correcting the impact of chronic low temperature. Patience and baby steps, but I promise it will be worth it!
 
xoxo~ liz
 

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