Health

Health – A Natural Detox Reboot

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Herbs for a New Year’s Cleanse

After a season of holiday excess, we naturally crave a fresh start in January. For many, this begins with a whole-body detox to reboot and reset for healthier habits, supporting the key eliminatory organs: the liver, kidneys, colon, lymph and skin.

Old-time herbal doctors used the term “alternatives” to refer to herbs that help the body return to a healthier state via the gentle stimulation of our eliminatory channels’ natural function. Liver and lymph “moving” herbs play a key role in this category, though many also stimulate healthy elimination via the colon. We’re not talking about harsh laxatives. Alternatives are herbs that could be taken long-term and encourage the body to resume healthy function on its own. Laxatives like senna, cascara, and aloe latex force the body to purge and quickly become habit-forming.

Liver Movers (Cholagogues)

Your liver filters toxins and waste from the blood, turning them into bile, which is excreted via the colon. Bile helps digest fats on its way out, and poor fat digestion and skin issues indicate that you might want to try cholagogues. Liver-moving alternatives include dandelion root, artichoke leaf, burdock root, and yellow dock root. Turmeric root, schisandra berry, and milk thistle help protect and heal the liver. You’ll find these ingredients in many cleanse kits, tinctures, and detox tea blends. They taste mildly to strongly bitter—a flavor associated with improved liver detoxification, increased digestive function, and stimulation of the wavelike muscle motion that moves food through the gastrointestinal tract (which indirectly encourages bowel movements). Turmeric, burdock, and dandelion also can be incorporated into your culinary repertoire.

Lymph Movers (Lymphagogues)

It’s easy to take your lymphatic system for granted. These tiny vessels closely align with your circulatory system, cleaning the fluid around your cells, outside the bloodstream. Lymph vessels also house many of your immune cells. Lymph hubs called nodes clean up debris before the lymph gets dumped into the bloodstream. Lymph has no pump and flows through the body via pressure from your moving body around the vessels; valves ensure the flow goes in the right direction. Signs of sluggish lymph include skin issues, mild edema (edema can signal more serious issues too), and a sluggish immune system. Regular movement, lymphatic massage, compression stockings, and skin brushing help move it along. You can also add lymphagogues that help thin the lymph and stimulate filtration. Favorites include red clover blossoms, burdock root, red root, schisandra, and calendula blossoms, which can be taken in tea, pills, and liquid extracts.

Colon Movers (Gentle, Indirect Laxatives)

Because the liver’s waste (bile) exits via the colon in your feces, it’s important to keep things moving along or the result of all your liver’s hard work gets reabsorbed into the body. If you tend toward constipation, slow digestion, and/or you have fewer than one bowel movement per day, give your colon some TLC. Many kits go for the blowout laxatives, but I prefer a gentler approach that encourages healthy, regular bowel movements. First steps include bitter-tasting herbs (the cholagogues), proper hydration, and gently increasing fiber via whole foods in the diet and supplements like ground flax, psyllium, or chia seeds. If you need a little more encouragement, both triphala and yellow dock root contain low doses of laxative constituents and also tone the colon. Magnesium encourages bowel movements by bringing water into the colon.

Kidney Movers (Diuretics)

Like the liver, your kidneys filter your blood. However, the kidneys remove different compounds and excrete them via your urine. If you void infrequently and have dark, strong-smelling urine, consider supporting your kidneys. The three best ways to do this are to drink more water and eat more green vegetables. The safest kidney tonic diuretics include parsley leaf, dandelion leaf, nettle leaf, burdock root, and corn silk. These are best delivered in a water medium like tea or broth, or in food, though they can be added to broader detox formulas in liquid extract or pill form.

Some cautions: Detox herbs to reset and reboot a sluggish system should not be expected to “cure” kidney or liver disease—these require medical attention. Seek professional guidance if you are pregnant, nursing, have heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, or diabetes. Doing a detox and using detoxifying herbs needs to be tailored to your needs. Detoxifying herbs work best with adequate sleep, hydration, a healthy whole foods diet rich in plant foods, regular activity, and avoidance (to the best of your ability) of toxins.

Remedies for Life, Maria Noël Groves, R.H. (AHG), January 2018, 16, 19.

 

Bitter Brew Detox Tea
This is a nice coffee substitute with broad detoxifying actions.
1 tsp. burdock root Simmer herbs in 8-16 ounces of water for 20 minutes; strain. If desired, sweeten with blackstrap molasses and add unsweetened almond or coconut milk.
1 tsp. dandelion root
1 tsp. roasted chicory root

 

Health – Hydrate for Health

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Did you know the human brain is made up of 85 percent water, and our blood consists of nearly 80 percent? It’s no wonder that water is so critical to health. What’s more, water is also a natural cleansing agent. Drinking water is a great way to support the body’s internal, natural detoxification system, as well as enhance effective elimination.

Unfortunately, a study released in 2013 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly half of all Americans don’t drink enough water. As a result, they can become partially or fully dehydrated.

Partial dehydration can cause problems like fatigue, fuzzy thinking, dry mouth, and even weight gain. And chronic dehydration can increase the risk of many illnesses. When the body doesn’t have enough water, for example, the blood becomes thicker, which can increase the risk of heart problems. Not drinking enough water can also worsen digestive issues such as constipation, and increase the risk of bladder and colon cancer.

Cellular energy production, detoxification, and other metabolic processes are dependent upon water. This all makes sense because, on average, our bodies are made up of 75 percent water. Our skin, bones, muscles, blood, and immune system require water to function properly. Even our teeth are made up of about 10 percent water. That, plus all of the water contained in saliva, is why dehydration can increase risk of cavities and tooth decay.

The key is to stay hydrated long before you get thirsty—because by the time you feel parched, you’re already dehydrated.

How much water and how often?

To ensure you can keep dehydration at bay and support proper ongoing detoxification, drink water throughout your day rather than just a couple times a day. This keeps your cells, tissues, and organs consistently hydrated. Keep in mind, though, that you may want to limit your water intake during the last few hours of your day so you don’t have to wake up to use the restroom during the night.

The amount of water needed to stay hydrated is determined by consuming half of your body weight in ounces. For example, a 128-pound person needs to drink 64 ounces, or eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. If you weigh 170 pounds, you will need 85 ounces or 10 and a half glasses a day. And if highly active, drink extra water during and after exercise.

Keep in mind that you can also get water from food. Focusing on these moisture-rich foods can definitely help boost your daily water intake and lessen the need to drink so much water.

90% or more water:

Watermelon (water is in its name!)

Strawberries                         Grapefruit

Cantaloupe                            Cucumber

Lettuce                                   Radish

Celery                                     Zucchini

Tomato                                  Broccoli

80% or more water:

Peaches                                  Pineapple

Cranberries                            Oranges

Raspberries                            Apricots

Blueberries                             Plums

Apples                                     Cherries

Grapes                                     Carrots

Does the container matter?

Almost as important as the quantity of water is the quality of the water you choose. Whenever possible, drink pure, filtered water. The container you drink from is also important. These containers are free of toxic chemicals:

  • Glass
  • Ceramic
  • Stainless steel
  • Waxed paper cup

Whenever possible, avoid drinking out of:

  • Plastic containers, which contain harmful chemicals
  • Styrofoam cups because they also contain hazardous chemicals

No matter which nontoxic container chosen, it’s a good idea to keep it filled throughout the day. That way, you’ll always remember it’s time to drink more water!

Signs of dehydration:

  • Fatigue
  • Foggy memory
  • Irritability
  • Joint pain
  • Mood swings
  • Weakened immunity

Even mild dehydration can be problematic, so it’s important to continually replenish those water stores.

Excerpts from Inside Health, Dr. Alschuler and Karolyn A. Gazella, 18, 19.

Inspiration says, “In health and in sickness, pure water is one of Heaven’s choicest blessings. Its proper use promotes health. It is the beverage which God provided to quench the thirst of animals and man. Drunk freely, it helps to supply the necessities of the system, and assists nature to resist disease.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 416.

Health – Charcoal

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Charcoal

What images come to your mind with this one simple word? Burned toast? Roasting vegetables over the Bar-B-Q? Smoldering remains of a building or forest? Artistic drawings? Hmmm, how about pencil lead or diamonds, both of which are derived from carbon, another word for charcoal? How can our wonderful Creator use one simple lowly carbonaceous material to make things as diverse as pencil lead and diamonds? Yet beyond these things we find a material whose properties science has not been able to explain. One realm in which charcoal is highly beneficial to us is that of health and well-being.

Aside from the many ways charcoal exists naturally, there are a number of benefits that can be derived from the use of charcoal in its activated form. What is activated charcoal? Activated charcoal is charcoal whose adsorptive, (not absorptive) properties are greatly enhanced by doing a controlled burn of wood, bone or other natural substances which is then further treated by steam or air at elevated temperatures. Adsorption is “attaching onto” rather than “taking into” as in the case of absorption. In fact, “following activation of charcoal with pressurized steam or strong acid, the surface area of one cubic centimeter is 1000 square meters!”1 Activated charcoal can attract and hold 80 quarts of ammonia gas per one quart of pulverized charcoal!2

Activated charcoal can safely be used internally as well as externally. Because of its remarkable adsorptive properties it is often used internally as a treatment for counteracting drug overdose, ingestion of toxic substances, and mushroom poisoning.3 It is also a treatment of choice for digestive ailments such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, as well as adsorption of cancer-producing agents such as methylcholanthrine and benzpyrene.4 Intestinal gas and other intestinal disorders can also be relieved by the ingestion of activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is an effective agent against many different bacteria and viruses, including the E. coli bacteria heard of more and more frequently.5 For those who suffer from peanut allergies, activated charcoal binds within seconds to the allergens, preventing the proteins from causing allergic reactions. It was even able to neutralize peanut protein in combination with other foods such as chocolate and ice cream.6

Do you or someone you know suffer from bad breath? Well, welcome the lowly charcoal, and freshen up! Swish charcoal water around the mouth and bad breath vanishes.4 How about yellowing teeth? Well, simply brush gently with a soft toothbrush and your favorite charcoal powder, followed by flossing or brushing again with a little toothpaste to remove charcoal particles and … say “cheese!”

The indications for the external use of charcoal are equally numerous. Charcoal poultices are recommended for extracting poisons from bee stings, yellow jackets, venomous bites of all sorts, including snakes, fire ants, chiggers, spider bites (including the brown recluse, for which there is no other known antidote), and mosquitoes, among others. It is effective in the disinfecting and deodorizing of wounds, reducing the pain and swelling of cellulitis, treating poison ivy, and drawing out infection. Often pain can be relieved in a very short time for things such as sore throat, earache, sprains, arthritis, pleurisy, allergy headaches and much more. Even abdominal pain should be given the treatment of an external charcoal poultice.

The following charts present general guidelines for some of the most common ailments and their treatments.

Internal Use

ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF POISON OR MEDICINE TAKEN CHARCOAL TO BE USED IF PERSON HAS NOT EATEN IN THE LAST 2 HOURS CHARCOAL TO BE USED IF PERSON HAS EATEN IN THE LAST 2 HOURS
1 tsp.

1–2 tablets

1–2 capsules

 1–2 Tbsp. stirred in water

Drink this plus 2 more glasses of water

 4–10 Tbsp. stirred in water

Drink this plus 2 more glasses of water
1Tbsp.

3–5 tablets

2–5 capsules

 3–4 Tbsp. powder administered same

as above

 6-15 Tbsp. powder

administered same as above
Unknown 1–5 Tbsp. powder administered same

as above

 5-15 Tbsp. powder

administered same as above
Charcoal; Agatha Thrash, MD, and Calvin Thrash, MD; page 41

External Use

TYPE OF

PROBLEM

 ANT, MOSQUITO

CHIGGER BITE

 BEE STING MULTIPLE BEE

STINGS

 SPIDER BITE SNAKE BITE
INITIAL

TREATMENT

OF CHOICE

 Charcoal Band-aid Charcoal paste

applied to sting

 30 minute

charcoal bath

 Charcoal soak

followed by …

 1. Wash bite area

2. ½ hour cool

charcoal soak

3. Compress to entire area
ADDITIONAL

TREATMENTS

 Charcoal

compress

 Charcoal

compress

 Charcoal

compress

 4. Drink 2 Tbsp.

Charcoal every 2

hours for 6 hours

then 1 tsp. every 4

hours for 24 hours
DURATION OF

TREATMENTS

 Until irritation

ceases

Change when dry

 Change every 10 minutes for 1 hour then leave one on for at least 8 hours or until swelling and pain are gone Change every

10 minutes for 1

hour then leave

one on for at least

8 hours

 Change every

30 minutes for 8

hours then every 2

hours for 8 hours

then every 2–4

hours until heal-

ing is complete

 Change compress

every 10–15 minutes

until swelling and pain are gone, add

ice packs if pain and

swelling persist
Charcoal; Agatha Thrash, MD, and Calvin Thrash, MD; page 41

To make a charcoal compress:

Adequate amount of activated charcoal and enough water to make a paste. (Begin with a minimal amount of water)

Spread on one half of paper towel. Fold other half over to form pocket. (Sides may be taped to prevent spilling.)

Place over afflicted area and cover with plastic.

The plastic helps retain the moisture. If the problem is severe, change the poultice often. You may mix ground flax seed or corn starch to help retain the moisture. For small bites, a little charcoal paste placed on a band-aid adhered over the bite works well.4

With any given drug available it is well-known that secondary effects are an issue, often necessitating a second drug to control the side effects of the first, and so on. So it is reasonable to ask about the side effects of activated charcoal. Studies show that charcoal is harmless ingested, or when it comes in contact with the skin.7 Inhaling charcoal also seems to show no negative side effects, even over the long term.8 As with any drug, it is better, however, to ascertain the cause of the ailment and eliminate that rather than depend on a drug. In addition, “activated charcoal is rated in Category I (Safe and Effective) by the FDA for acute toxic poisoning. It is recognized as a universal antidote. (Science News 119:3, 1981). It is listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, and the Poison Control Center recommends activated charcoal for use in poisoning.”9

Charcoal comes in several different forms, and can even be made at home. The most common forms of medicinal charcoal are capsules, tablets, and powder. The finer the powder, the more surface area there is for the process of adsorption. In the case of poisoning, capsules and tablets should not be administered. Charcoal should be administered in its powdered form mixed with water.

If you wish to make your own charcoal, the best is made out of doors. Begin with untreated wood, preferably with the bark stripped off, and place in a hole in the ground. After the fire is burning bright, cover it with a piece of tin and pile dirt on top of the tin. This burns out the soft parts of the wood, leaving good charcoal behind. Take the remaining chunks and grind them into fine powder, remembering that the finer the powder, the more adsorptive it will be. The last part of the pulverizing process may even be done in the blender.

Is it advisable to simply “burn the toast” to get your charcoal? No. Charred food such as burned bread or other scorched foods are not charcoal, and in fact can be cancer producing.4 In addition, charcoal briquettes and other treated forms of charcoal are dangerous and should not be used internally or externally.

There are minimal cautions or concerns with the usage of charcoal. However, there are a few that bear mentioning. If you are taking any other medicines, take the charcoal at least two hours before or after taking other medicines, as the charcoal will in most cases adsorb the medication. Also, charcoal should be avoided if you have intestinal bleeding or blockage, or have had recent surgery.10 It is important to note that charcoal is not effective in treating corrosive products or petroleum products, nor is it useful in treating the following poisons: lithium, cyanide, iron, ethanol, or methanol. There is evidence that charcoal placed directly on a fresh open wound may cause a tattooing effect. In that case, simply place the charcoal paste in a poultice and apply.

One might well ask, with all these benefits, why is charcoal not more widely used? It seems there are several reasons. Though it had been used for centuries, when modern medicine hit the scene with its miracle drugs, charcoal was forgotten. Secondly, it is rather messy, and to many, is not as palatable as could be desired. The use of older, simpler remedies also comes with an art in their using—an art that takes time and energy. Charcoal use is no exception. However, given its safety and efficacy, it is wise to become familiar with this gift.

There are many other medical uses for charcoal, in addition to a multitude of non-medical ones. Suffice it to say that God has given us a remarkable resource for our health and well-being that is readily available, inexpensive, relatively easy to use and highly effective. Like many other things, the simplest ways are often the best.

  1. Charcoal; Agatha Thrash, MD, and Calvin Thrash, MD; page 7
  2. www.charcoalremedies.com/facts
  3. Family Pratice News, Feb 1, 2001; Joanne M. Berger
  4. Charcoal; Agatha Thrash, MD, and Calvin Thrash, MD; page 41
  5. Food & Drink Weekly, Oct 9, 2000
  6. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology; July 2003
  7. Home Remedies; Agatha Thrash, MD; Calvin Thrash, MD; page 143
  8. Activated Charcoal, Cooney, David O., New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc. page 63, 1980
  9. www.amazinghealth.org/activated-charcoal; Dr. Walter Vieth
  10. Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine; Mai Tran

Brenda Douay works as a part of the LandMarks team. She can be reached by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Health – Cayenne, Healing Herb of Choice

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Hold it right there!! Don’t burn this magazine, (or this page of the magazine). Read the rest of the paragraph, and then the rest of the article. Cayenne (in the Solanaceae family) is not related to black pepper (Piper nigrum). Sometimes also referred to as chili peppers, cayenne and others in this family are closely related to tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants, which are also in the Solanaceae family.

Cayenne pepper is just one variety of Capsicum annuum, and though health food stores sell “cayenne” powder, most is from other varieties of small peppers. However, that fact should not be seen as misleading, as there is little difference in the chemical composition of the different varieties of Capsicum annuum. The potent burning in the pepper is caused by the alkaloid capsaicin. Other key constituents of cayenne include carotenoids, flavonoids, and volatile oil. However, capsicum is the constituent most responsible for the herbal benefits. Cayenne is also laden with vitamins A, C, and E, making it a natural anti-oxidant.

When speaking of cayenne as a “healing herb,” it is not being referred to in its cooked or raw fruit form, but typically in its dried, uncooked and usually powdered form. Used in its cooked or raw form, it can be a contributor to ulcers, as well as an irritant to the digestive tract. Other useful forms of cayenne include ointment, liniment and oil.

As you read the remaining part of the article, it is crucial to note that cayenne does not and should not take the place of expert knowledge, whether in the form of an ER visit, say, in the instance of a heart attack or venomous bite, or regular visits to your doctor, as in the case of diabetes. Nor are the suggestions meant as a “fix-all” for poor diet, exercise, or other health habits. The following information is to provide possible additions/alternatives to usual health care. Good health is a combination of caring for one’s body in numerous and balanced ways.

The most important role cayenne plays is in increasing circulation. Almost every other benefit we derive from cayenne stems from increased circulation.1 What are some of the benefits cayenne gives internally? First and foremost, of course, is the role cayenne plays in aiding healthy circulation. It has the ability to prevent internal blood clots, assist in easing varicose veins, and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.1 For diabetics, cayenne is effective in lowering blood sugar levels,1 provides relief from the pain of diabetic neuropathy, and stimulates circulation in the limbs.2 For those of us whose issues are less severe, cayenne is recommended as a general “pick-me-up” herb,4 a powerful tonic for stomach upsets and colds,1, 2 , 3 and breaking a fever.2, 3 If you do not like the speed of your metabolism, apply some heat. It will increase not only your energy level, but boost your metabolism as well.2 Two other very important uses for cayenne occur in emergency situations. Cayenne under the tongue is beneficial for immediate treatment for heart attack1 and subduing the effects of shock.1 People who suffer from spider bites and bee stings can take cayenne powder to counter the effects of the poisons.1 The list could actually go on, but we must visit the benefits of, remarkably, external uses as well.

In talking of internal uses, we learned that cayenne can increase circulation. Well, it also increases circulation externally, being known as a rubefacient.3 Do you get cold hands or feet? Simply make a mixture of cayenne and cornstarch and sprinkle in shoes, socks or mittens,1, 2 being careful NOT to be too liberal. If you have sustained a sprain or bruise, or suffer from an “itis” such as arthritis, apply a cayenne liniment, oil, or ointment.1, 2 Diseases of the skin, as well as cuts, and scrapes, including ones with swelling and infection, often show remarkable response to cayenne treatments.2 A coating of cayenne stops bleeding on open wounds quickly.1, 2 Cayenne creams or ointments can also be applied topically to aid in the reduction of the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy.2 Fresh pepper juice or poultices can be applied immediately to all kinds of insect bites, and in some locales they are used to extract the venom of snake bites.2 Headaches are capable of being debilitating, especially migraines. Try placing a little powder on the end of a toothpick and inhaling. In addition, a little cayenne cream can be applied onto particularly painful areas around the head.2

In some ways, it seems incredible that one substance could be effective in so many different ways, yet when you consider the involvement of circulation in the health of the body, it should be no surprise that cayenne has such a broad application.

Though cayenne is not a drug, there are some counter indications and cautions involved with its use. The first caution, though not in any way dangerous, can prevent extreme discomfort. Do not breathe or inhale very hot or large quantities of cayenne pepper. It is also a wise idea to keep cayenne in any form away from the eyes, so care should be taken when applying creams, ointments, etc., and making sure hands are washed well after application. Hypoglycemics should not take cayenne internally because it can further lower blood sugar levels.1 When using cayenne externally, begin with small concentrations and build to higher or hotter concentrations, as sensitive skin can be burned with too strong a mixture. This is also true when taking it internally. Begin with small amounts and work up. Excessive ingestion of cayenne can cause gastroenteritis and liver damage. Remember, as with anything, balance is the key. During pregnancy or lactation, cayenne should be avoided. Capsules have been known to break before reaching the stomach, causing intense discomfort. At times, the burning sensation is noted in the stomach after ingesting cayenne; therefore, it is best to take it with food or drink of some kind. Most of all, remember, when it comes to cayenne, a little goes a long way.

Having explored the wonders of this plant, where can it or the fruits thereof be obtained? Farmers’ markets are a good resource, in addition to the local store. Health food stores are a good source for the ointment or capsule forms, but one other option worthy of consideration is growing your own. Cayenne loves hot climates, but also does very well in colder places during summer months and even indoors year round. Cayenne needs moist, well-fertilized soil, neutral to slightly acidic. If grown outside in cooler climates over summer months, it can tolerate a light frost in the fall. Once the fruit completely ripens, cut the peppers off the plant, but leave a minimum of ½ inch of the stem in place on the pepper. This fruit can then be placed right on screens to be dried, or hung up in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight. Once dried, they can be stored whole or ground, using a blender or food processor. (Make sure you let the dust settle after grinding to avoid inhalation or contact with sensitive eye membranes.) There are around 20 to 30 species of Capsicum, five of which are domesticated, with many types within each species. So break out your spade and add some color and interest to your world.

Having covered some of the most common uses for cayenne, it is my hope that this article will “spice up” your interest in this wonderful, versatile veggie, and cause you to seek out your own unique applications and uses for this handy herb.

  1. Laurel Dewey, The Humorous Herbalist, Safe Goods Publishing, East Canaan, CT, 1996.
  2. Dave Dewitt, Melissa T. Stock, Kellye Hunter, The Healing Powers of Peppers, Three Rivers Press, New York, NY, 1998.
  3. Andrew Chevallier, The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, DK Publishing, New York, NY, 1996.
  4. Jerry Baker, Jerry Baker’s Herbal Pharmacy, American Master Products, Inc., Pownal, VT, 2000.

Health – Hyperbaric Oxygenation Therapy

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This column has typically focused on prevention of illness and maintenance of optimal health. This time, however, deviates from that routine and covers a modality that may provide tremendous potential for healing in a number of medical situations. That modality is called Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, or HBOT.

Most of us are well aware that the pre-flood life span of humans and all other living things far exceeded that of all other time, since the flood. What caused that change? Were there differences in the atmosphere, air or other surroundings before and after the flood?

The Bible provides some answers to those questions. “And God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’ And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which [were] under the firmament from the waters which [were] above the firmament: and it was so.” Genesis 1:6, 7. This text clearly states that there were waters both above and below the firmament. The record also indicates that through the third day of creation the waters were everywhere above, as well as below the firmament. That was the third day. On the fourth day, “God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry [land] appear: and it was so. And God called the dry [land] Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that [it was] good.” Genesis 1:9, 10. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that the layer of waters above the firmament were left spread out, or covering the heavens.

It is common knowledge that the complete layer of water in existence then is now non-existent. So, what might be the practical difference for us today without that layer of water? There actually seem to be quite a few ramifications affecting many different aspects of life. The ones listed here deal only with those which may affect our health. These include the lack of filtering harmful radiation which would reduce somatic mutations in living cells; the potential of increasing the atmospheric pressure on earth, thereby contributing to a less healthy environment; more drastic changes in weather temperatures; and a lower concentration of oxygen in the air, among others. Creation scientists were intrigued by these possibilities and the resultant questions. If you wish to do some research on your own into this question, here is one link with which you can begin. (www.genesispark.org/genpark/flood/flood.htm)

We do not have the space to cover those particular issues in this article, but suffice it to say that the evidence and correlation are strong enough about pre-flood conditions that some people began questioning what would happen if just one or two of the pre-flood conditions were changed and a pre-flood oxygen level/pressure could be recreated … hence one initiator for further study on the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber.

Actually, people have, for more than 300 years, been breathing pressurized air for its therapeutic benefits. 1, 2 Henshaw, believed to have been the first to promote breathing compressed air, created a specially designed room called a domicilium in A.D. 1664. HBOT, as we now know it, was first developed in response to the issues divers experienced related to increased pressure on the body underwater. It wasn’t until 1935 that commercial and military operations began using pressurized oxygen to treat compromised divers. This is where the scientific study of HBOT really began. However, it is only now beginning to get wider attention and use by the medical community for reasons we will discuss later in this article.

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT? “HBOT is a method of administering pure oxygen at greater than atmospheric pressure to a patient in order to improve or correct certain conditions.”3 The treatment consists of entering a sealed chamber, either built for a single person, or a room equipped for HBOT, for a period of time, usually from one to two hours of treatment. During a session of HBOT, because of the added pressure, oxygen dissolves into all the body’s fluids “including the plasma, the lymph, [and] the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.” 1 These fluids then carry this extra oxygen to other areas of the body, even when the usual circulation routes are poor or blocked.

HBOT aids in so many different medical situations simply because of the way our bodies operate and the fact that the processes of health and healing revolve around the use of oxygen—oxygen is important, first and foremost because all of the body’s major components, including water, protein, carbohydrate and fat, contain oxygen. Oxygen also aids in causing chemical reactions in the body that result in energy production. Think of what would happen if we had no energy to fuel various functions such as circulation, respiration, digestion and maintaining body temperature. We know that with a total deprivation of oxygen death occurs within minutes. When there is a compromised supply of oxygen damage also occurs, though at a slower rate than with complete deprivation. This deprived state is called hypoxia. In this state all body functions become reduced, sometimes causing damage to certain parts of the body, thereby compromising basic functions such as circulation.

For years it has been common knowledge that HBOT is a treatment of choice for decompression sickness. However, more recently it is coming more to the front as a treatment for a myriad of other medical applications. This makes sense medically when you consider that oxygen is vital to all the most basic functions of life.

There are a number of specific scenarios for which HBOT is applicable as a primary treatment. HBOT would be an appropriate treatment in any situation where breathing of oxygen has been compromised, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, near drowning, tunnel collapses, mining accidents, diving accidents, smoke inhalation, high altitude sickness, etc. It is also the treatment of choice for gas gangrene. (Gas gangrene is a bacterial infection that produces gas within tissues and is caused by a bacterium.)

The uses of HBOT in conjunction with other forms of treatment are numerous. There is evidence that it is beneficial for treatment of stroke, for brain and spinal cord injuries, cerebral edema, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, frostbite, chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, wounds that won’t heal or heal with difficulty, burns, bone issues such as infections, inflammations, and fractures that won’t heal, and complications which arise from radiation treatments or surgeries,3, 6 to name a few. In each case we can readily see the relationship to circulation, and the resulting benefit that may be the result of oxygenation under pressure.

The beneficial effects of HBOT for quicker injury recovery as well as for general well-being are now well enough known in certain circles that a number of professional sports teams now own or lease their own HBOT chambers, while a number of other professional athletes also use this form of therapy.7, 8

HBOT is not only useful as a medical device, but is also used in promoting general health through detoxing the body. We live in an age where it is near impossible to be in an environment that is free from toxins. Since oxygen exchange is a major contributor to cleansing, HBOT is being used to remove toxins retained in everyday living. “HBOT has been shown to have detoxification effects and suppresses inflammation.6, 9 Most of our chronic diseases are now recognized to result from chronic inflammation. When you begin to add up all of these beneficial effects of hyperbaric oxygen and combine them with the many other documented effects of HBOT on disease processes that are catalogued in The Oxygen Revolution, it is apparent that hyperbaric oxygen may in fact have anti-aging effects.” 4

HBOT is quite safe, and provides extra oxygen with few side effects when used properly as recommended. Safe guidelines indicate that the chamber should be below 3.0 atmospheres absolute, with virtually no issues reported at pressures below 2.0 atmospheres absolute. Given the inherent nature of oxygen, being highly explosive, the chambers are carefully designed to prevent fire as well as other dangers.

Some of the more common side effects include minor ear or sinus pressure, claustrophobia, fatigue or headache. Some longer-term effects may include myopia (short sightedness) that can last for weeks or months, sinus damage, ruptured middle ear, and lung damage. When administered improperly, oxygen toxicity can also result. However, the reported number of any of these side effects is very small.

There are a few situations where HBOT should be used with caution or not used at all. Caution should be exercised when treating people with severe congestive heart failure, those who are prone to oxygen toxicity, patients with certain lung conditions, and pregnant women.5 If possible in these situations, other forms of treatment are advisable as a first choice.

Since HBOT is well recognized as a safe, highly-effective form of therapy, why is it not more widely used? Why is it that many doctors are not even aware that it exists? Well, there are several reasons. As of yet, most doctors are still not familiar with this form of treatment, in part, because many medical schools do not yet teach hyperbarics or even own an HBOT chamber. In addition, the chambers are costly in themselves, not to speak of the requirement for trained staff to operate them. Also, insurance carriers may and do choose at times not to pay for this treatment. Furthermore, “it is characteristic of the medical establishment, as with any establishment, to be disposed toward preserving the existing order.”3 Another reason has to do with the fact that in the medical community the HBOT is used as a “last resort,” resulting in an unsatisfactory outcome, hence compromising interest in this modality. “Unfortunately, hyperbaric medicine’s critics will often point at these failures and say, ‘we knew it wouldn’t work.’ It is important for both doctors and patients to understand that, as with all treatments, HBOT is more effective when used in a timely manner.”3 Nevertheless, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is gaining a foothold, and calls for research in many different medical situations.

In addition to the references listed at the end of this article, another all around link for HBOT therapy is www.ihausa.org/faq.html

It is my hope that in presenting this article you will be inspired to do your own research and possibly find an ally in healing that is safer and has less side effects than the typical “drug” route, or maybe even in preventing illness in the first place.

  1. Hamblin, D.L. Hyperbaric oxygen: its effect on experimental staphylococcal osteomyelitis in rats. J Bone Joint Surg 50:1129–1131, 1968.
  2. Davis, J.C. and Hunt, T.K. Refractory osteomyelitis of the extremities and the axial skeleton. In Davis J.C. and Hunt T.K. (eds): Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Bethesda, Maryland: Undersea Medical Society, 1977, pp. 217–227.
  3. Neubauer, R.A., MD and Walker, Morton, MD: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Avery Publishing Group, Garden City Park, NY., 1998.
  4. www.altmd.com/Articles/Hyperbaric-Oxygen-Therapy-HBOT-for-Anti-Aging
  5. www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3x_Hyperbaric_oxygen_therapy.asp?sitearea=ETO
  6. www.o2plus.ca
  7. www.hbotreatment.com/sportsinjury.htm
  8. www.hyperbaric-oxygen-ca.com/Athletes.htm
  9. www.altmd.com/Articles/Hyperbaric-Oxygen-Therapy-HBOT-for-Anti-Aging

Health – Skin: Dam, Filter, or Sponge

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There is most assuredly a creative power behind all we see. The human mind has not yet, in the six thousand years of its existence, scratched the surface of the mysteries of life and nature. And what knowledge has been unfolded to us we have been unable to duplicate. The human body is the only thing in all of creation that God did not speak into existence. Rather, He molded the first humans and made their bodies come alive with His own hands. Humans cannot even create perpetual motion, not to mention life, both of which we see everywhere in creation. Every organ is a miracle of operation, created to be perpetual. Though, since Adam and Eve’s fall, the perpetuation has been limited, the body does operate independent of our aid—repairing, replenishing, and supporting; just as God designed.

The human body, the final touch of God’s creation, is an amazing piece of work. In addition to being called as caretakers of God’s creation, we must also care for the incredible machines that we live in. Unfortunately, the human race has done a very poor job of taking care of the earth, and the ensuing pollution has caused our bodies to be exposed to innumerable toxins—some inhaled, some ingested, but almost all are seeped into our bodies through the largest organ: the skin. Prior to the mid-19th century, the skin was seen as an impenetrable barrier. It is now well established, however, that the same construction of proteins and lipids that make the skin waterproof also make it vulnerable to certain agents, both non-toxic and toxic.

The skin is made up of three different layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutis. Each of these layers is further categorized by their respective layers. The epidermis is the outermost layer and consists of three sub-layers: the stratum corneum, keratinocytes, and the basal layer. The stratum corneum is the skin that meets the eye and the environment. It consists of dead keratinocytes, or keratin, which protects the skin from our environment. Keratinocytes are a layer of squamous cells which provide the skin with what it needs to keep pathogens out and water in. The dermis is the middle layer of the skin, and consists of blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles, and sweat glands. This layer is held together by a protein called collagen. It is also the locale for pain and touch receptors. The subcutis, or subcutaneous layer, is the innermost layer of the skin, and consists of collagen and fat cells that help to conserve body heat while protecting other organs from injury by acting as a shock absorber.

Because of its permeability and the proximity of the bloodstream, the skin has been found by the medical world to be an ideal portal for drug administration. Transdermally administered drugs are becoming choice in many instances due to the almost immediate bioavailability which the numerous blood vessels in the skin makes possible. Unfortunately, many, many other things are becoming far too available through the skin. Some of these things we apply in hopes of reaping some benefit; other things we are exposed to without choice and are completely unaware of.

In her book, Silent Spring, which spawned the environmental movement in the early 1960s, Rachel Carson wrote: “For the first time in earth’s history, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death. In less than two decades, toxins have been so thoroughly distributed throughout the animate and inanimate world that they occur virtually everywhere.” She goes on to elaborate on the harmful effects of the DDT sprayings on farmland, farm animals, streams and their ecosystems.

Since the environmental craze began, we have become progressively more concerned with what we ingest. We wash our fruits and vegetables before consumption, we buy “organically grown” produce, and bottled water has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Of course, being conscious of what we put into our bodies is important, but given the knowledge of the skin’s ability to absorb its environment, it makes sense that we would be just as concerned with what we expose our bodies to externally. Though it is impossible to evade poisons altogether, eliminating what we are able of these toxins has become more and more imperative.

What are these toxins? Where do they come from? What are they found in? What effect do they have on our bodies? The list is far too long to go over each (they number in the thousands), but some key poisons which have been targeted specifically in the last 50 years are DDT, arsenic, soot (which has been under scrutiny for over two centuries), 24-D (an herbicide), maelic hydrozid (proven as a powerful mutagen), phelon, urethane, and mustard gas. These toxins are related primarily to environmental control, and used or emitted by industrial plants. Now, in mentioning these toxins, it is not through inhalation only that they find their way into the blood stream. Simply taking a walk in the “great outdoors” brings your external body into contact with these hazardous chemicals, which then enter the blood stream immediately through pores in the skin. When people who live in cities wear surgical masks outdoors to protect themselves from the pollution of the area in which they live, unbeknown to them, they are preventing little; the portal of entry that is by far more effective is still quite exposed to harm.

These chemicals—alias toxins, alias carcinogens, alias mutagens, alias poisons—are precisely what their many names imply. No matter which chemical is in the spotlight, the effect on the body is damaging, and, in many cases, severely so. Each one, in addition to thousands more not mentioned, interfere with the body’s natural cell cycles, which creates mutant cells, in turn increasing the potential for cancer. Port Neches, Texas, is one example of many. The high school in this town was turning out alarming rates of leukemia, so many incidences, in fact, that the school was nicknamed “Leukemia High.” The town was founded around the production of rubber and synthetic rubber during World War II. These plants exposed the residents of the town to high levels of butadiene. Depending on the chemical, our cells are targeted in different ways, and thus different ailments are resulting; among those ailments are a wide range of cancers, birth defects, mental illnesses (again a wide range) and diabetes.

We do not expose ourselves only indirectly through our environment, but also directly in the products we use in personal and household hygiene. Most of the products that we use, from the shower to the kitchen sink, contain harmful chemicals, all of which have more direct contact with our bodies and in greater quantities. Too many of the toiletries and cosmetics we use are carcinogenic cocktails of hazardous waste. Most of the chemicals which go into our toiletries are no different from the harsh toxic chemicals used in industry. Far from enhancing health, they pose a daily threat to it. For example, propylene glycol (PG) is a wetting agent and solvent used in makeup, hair care products, deodorants, and aftershave. It is also the main ingredient in antifreeze and brake fluid. Similarly, polyethylene glycol (PEG), a related agent found in most skin cleansers, is a caustic used to dissolve grease … the same substance you find in oven cleaners. Isopropyl, an alcohol used in hair rinses, hand lotions and fragrances, is also a solvent found in shellac.

The methods employed by the body by which to eliminate toxins are few. When the liver, kidneys, and lungs have been exhausted by chronic exposure and cannot keep up with the intake, the remaining toxins lodge in fat and muscle tissue and become what is called “toxic” or “chemical body burden.” (Today, studies show that most of us have between 400 and 800 chemical residues stored in the fat cells of our bodies. See JAMA, AMA, ACS for reference.) Fortunately for us, the dermis is an excellent warrior on our behalf; though it may not be able to prevent all harmful materials from entry, it does manage to do some damage control through perspiration—yes, sweat. Perspiration is recognized in the medical field worldwide as perhaps the most effective method of removing heavy metals and toxins from our bodies. Most of the time we are completely unaware that we are perspiring because of evaporation, but we are actually losing an average of 1.5 liters per day! (Depending on temperature. In higher temperatures the rate of expulsion can reach 3.5 liters.) It is estimated that the body eliminates about 30% of bodily waste through perspiration. Because of this, it is sometimes referred to as the “third kidney.”

Because of the decline in the quality of our environment, it is more imperative than ever that we are aware of what we are exposed to and the consequences of this exposure. The Bible refers to our bodies as temples for Christ, and as a temple we want to do our utmost to maintain our health. Exposure to toxins cannot be avoided completely; however, consciousness of the products that we use daily, our geologic environment, and even our career choices can improve the wellness of our bodies and greatly decrease the probability of serious illnesses. God was aware of the damage that the human race would cause to the earth, and, in His mercy, created our bodies to battle against what we ourselves have created.

Health – Liquid Life

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When God created Adam, He made him from the dirt of the earth; and Eve He formed from a bone of her husband’s body. Miraculously, somewhere along the way, though, 75% of their bodies turned into water. (That’s right! 75%; only 25% of the human body is solid matter.) The largest component of the body is H2O, which makes up 45–75% of the body’s weight. It is common knowledge that water is good for the body, but it is little recognized just how essential it is to our well-being. Neither are the consequences of dehydration recognized for what they truly are.

Every part of the body has a role to play in our functionality. Given the fact that we are ¾ water, it is obvious that this element is very important to our livelihood. Furthermore, it is found in every single body system—skeletal: 22%, muscular: 70%, blood: 90%, internal organs: 80%, brain: 80%—meaning that if we are deficient of water, every part of our being is affected.

The body has a system to regulate the distribution of water to ensure that the vital organs have first dibs on the water supply when there is a shortage. Each organ, or system, in turn, has its own alarm signals that sound off to alert the rest of the body of its water shortage. Most people regard a dry mouth as the body’s first sign of thirst, and do not drink water unless this symptom is present. The truth is, however, that by the time a person suffers from cottonmouth, the rest of the body is screaming for lack of water. It is the last cry given by our bodies to draw our attention to thirst.

The body manifests the drought in four consecutive stages. If the first doesn’t grab our attention, the second is implemented; and so on down the line. The first of these signals is perceptive feelings. Fatigue which cannot be attributed to excessive physical activity or other stressors, ranks highest among these. Also, anxiety, anger, depression, sleeplessness, cravings for soda, caffeine, alcohol, and introversion are early expressions of onsetting dehydration. If this does not grab our attention, the body moves to stage two. If we still do not recognize our need for water, the regulatory system in the body takes measures to conserve and distribute what water it does have in an attempt to function as capably as possible without its main ingredient. Some of the signs of this phase are constipation, allergies, autoimmune diseases, asthma, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.1

At this point, if there is still no correction of the issue—that is, if the body still remains in a state of dehydration—other, more localized signs begin to appear. Just like a car cannot go for long with insufficient oil before there is damage, the body cannot run without damage with a lack of sufficient water before it manifests the damage. These crisis signs are heartburn, rheumatoid joint pain, back pain, migraines, colitis pains, fibromyalgic pains, and angina pains. Here, the body has not yet deteriorated into a diseased state; however, the early onset signals of disease are quite apparent.

Why exactly is water so very important, and what does it do in the body that its absence would prompt disease? It is the body’s water supply that regulates every single function of the body. When we are not adequately hydrated, the body cannot function properly. From vital organs right on down to the molecular level, function is impaired. Nothing in creation can operate without energy. Just like a car runs on gas, our bodies run on water—through a chemical reaction known as hydrolysis. The flow of water through the body and its cells generates hydroelectricity, actual voltage, which empowers the body in immediate function and also spawns the creation of ATP and GTP—the chemical energy sources in the body. Water, believe it or not, has the amazing ability to serve as “glue” for the cell’s many structures and, at the same time, is used as a “waterway,” starting in the brain, that is used to transport the many signals of the brain and other parts of the body so that every material can be delivered to its respective “address.” It is a mode of transportation for nutrients, neurotransmitters, and cells. It is necessary for the reproduction of cells and the livelihood of existing ones.

What happens when a car runs low on oil? A light appears as an indicator that warns you that you had better replenish the vehicle’s oil. And what happens if you ignore the light? The car components that make your car run are severely damaged. The same applies to the body and water. The “indicator” is the experience of physical discomfort in the area that has been severely rationed due to drought, and the body’s system of self-preservation. And, in an attempt to remedy the pain, rather than giving the body what it is asking for—what it needs—we give it painkillers and other medications that only exacerbate the issue through negligence. This is kind of like turning off the car’s indicator light and giving it sand instead of oil. The body, over time, then begins to deteriorate. Nutrients that are consumed cannot process properly, thus depriving it of needed minerals, vitamins, sugars, and calories necessary for basic function. This in turn is obviously an open door to numerous body malfunctions; cells cannot reproduce properly, creating mutant cells. Cholesterol is allowed to build, blocking blood paths. The blood itself becomes thick, and issues with blood pressure arise. Bones are tapped for energy and are then depleted. When water is not abundant enough to produce the needed energy, the bones become the backup energy supply. Here, cells can be drawn upon to produce the chemical energy necessary for the basic functionality. However, in tapping the skeletal system of its resources, other diseases are spawned, namely osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, as well as the overwork of the body to supplement the energy source we are supposed to be giving it. This results in fatigue; untreated, this turns to severe chronic fatigue and other sleep disorders. Body organs are in need of fuel to function; the lack of this fuel can cause ulcers, angina, high blood pressure and its resulting issues, high cholesterol and its resulting issues, asthma, diabetes and arthritis. But the issues with dehydration span to the cells also. In order to carry out their duties, they also need the energy source provided by H2O. If this does not happen, the cells miscommunicate and create other cells that are mutant and unable to function normally. This can lead to numerous forms of cancer if the issue goes unattended for an extended period of time.

If “feeling” thirsty is not a reliable indicator of when to drink, what is the best way to make sure that the body is adequately hydrated? As a rule of thumb, a person divides their weight in pounds in half and drinks that amount in ounces. When this is done, the body will become more sensitive to monitoring, and you will actually begin to feel thirsty more frequently. Always respond to this prompt, but never wait for it to drink. If a person is physically active or lives in a warmer climate, an additional 8 ounces of water should be consumed for every hour of hard physical labor or each day in warmer climates.

The optimal time to drink water is one-half hour before eating, and an hour after. This prevents the blood from becoming too concentrated from the intake of nutrients. When blood becomes too concentrated, it robs surrounding cells of their water supply to make up for the lack so that nutrients can be distributed more efficiently.

Just as any vehicle will operate efficiently for an extended period of time when it is serviced regularly, so will the body with adequate care. That care is not found in traditional medicine after disease has already taken its toll; rather it is found in the natural basics such as proper rest, nutrition, and, of course, water. It is up to us to take responsibility for our own well-being. The information and understanding that is now available on the body and its operation allows the public that is interested to take their health and quality of life in their own hands, and practice what is not always practiced in modern medicine—preventative medicine. And the cost is most frequently as cheap as the water you drink.

This article is based on scientific findings of the past two decades. Additional information can be found in the works of 1F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.

Health – Detoxification

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It is well-known today that we are all exposed to harmful chemicals and toxins. It is impossible to completely escape being exposed to harmful chemicals. Our bodies are magnificently designed with a very sophisticated system for the removal of harmful substances. When during a period of time the body is contaminated with more toxic substances than it can remove, some of the toxins are retained in body tissues and fluids.

Our bodies are always attempting to maintain a balance. There are many ways that a state of homeostasis is maintained. Everyone who took biology in high school has had the structural system of the body memorized: cells make tissues, tissues make organs, organs make systems, and systems make an organism—in this case the human body. With the understanding of the structural makeup, it is easy to see that the health of our individual cells comprises our overall health. And the toxic body burden acquired over a lifetime of intake inhibits the cell’s ability to function properly, in turn affecting the body’s ability to operate as a whole.

This was demonstrated in a study conducted by Dr. Alexis Carrell in 1912. In his experiment, he confirmed the power of proper nourishment and detoxification. Dr. Carrell, in collaboration with Rockefeller Institute, took healthy, living tissue from a chicken and immersed it in a solution that provided optimal nutrition and no harmful chemicals. The solution was changed regularly to eliminate toxic waste produced for a time by the cell. Carrell’s objective was to prove that cells could live for a long period of time when provided with optimal nutrition free of harmful substances. Under these conditions, the cultivated cells lived for 34 years! The tissue finally died only when a lab assistant forgot one day to change the solution. Under the best of conditions, the cell’s life was extended not just days but decades beyond expectancy! In fact, it was 21 years past the life expectancy of the organism from which it came!

God designed the human body with systems to eliminate harmful substances from our bodies. The process of toxic waste elimination begins at the cellular level. The cells carry out their duties related to detoxification in several ways. One way this is done is by the cell’s ability to engulf, devour, and destroy a toxin. In other cases, the body releases free radicals (a molecule with one unpaired electron) to rid the body of toxic material. Another method that is employed primarily by the liver, but occurs also in the cells, neutralizes toxic chemical compounds in a two-phase process. The first phase is a biochemical transformation of a toxin into a secondary substance. Phase two neutralizes the altered substance and transforms it to an element the body can easily eliminate.

In addition to this, practically every system of the body is involved in detoxification. The organs designed for this are, of course, the liver, kidneys, and the systems particularly pertaining to the lymphatic system, the respiratory system, the skin or the alimentary tract and the circulatory system, including the lymphatic system.

Yet, even with the entire body working as a unit to keep a healthy balance, the intake of harmful substances can be greater than the body can keep up with. Because of the intensity of the pollution in air, water and food, it is needful for optimal health to evaluate a person’s home environment, diet, workplace and hygienic practices. Some helpful questions are, Am I drinking pure soft water, and am I breathing pure air, and am I eating food that has not been chemically manipulated? Because of air pollution some people living in large cities have been able to obtain relief from various maladies by installing an air purification system in their home.

“The medicine of the future will be found in food.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes.) God created in nature everything that we would need to keep our bodies healthy, and it has long been recognized, although not generally accepted, that nutrition is a key component to healthy lives. Hippocrates, 460 to 370 B.C. understood this principle well. “Let thy medicine be thy food and thy food thy medicine.” Certain herbs contain properties useful for detoxification.

Just as we clean our houses, our cars, and our outer bodies, the inner body too needs to be clean. Often times it is best done once a year to restore our bodies to a natural state, void of built-up poisons.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of the world uses herbs as the basis of their medical practices. These herbs are used for preventative medicine and cleansing, as well as for healing. This practice has allowed other cultures to aid their bodies in combating illnesses and terminal diseases that would otherwise be more prevalent and maintain a more ideal environment for the basic units of life—cells.

There are many cleansing programs that are available now, but not all are effective.

Children and pregnant women should not attempt any detoxification program without medical advice. Some people believe that nobody should attempt any type of bodily cleansing program without a physician’s advice, but at the present time in most c0untries herbal cleansing programs are available in health food stores and have been used by millions of people on their own. But if you have a chronic disease of any kind or have any hesitation because of any physical problem, it would certainly be wise for you to consult a physician prior to beginning a cleansing program. A cleansing program should be for a limited time only (a few days) and not repeated over and over again without medical advice. Once you are through with a cleansing regimen, it is important to maintain your body’s cleanliness to experience the greatest results. A diet rich in fresh, unprocessed foods reduces the amount of toxins ingested; it also boosts the body’s ability to eliminate what toxins are unavoidable in the environment. A diet derived from fresh foods provides nutrients that we do not get from foods that are processed. “Between the mind and the body there is a mysterious and wonderful relation. They react upon each other. To keep the body in a healthy condition to develop its strength, that every part of the living machinery may act harmoniously, should be the first study of our life. To neglect the body is to neglect the mind.” Counsels on Health, 122.

Health Nugget – The Pathway of Smell

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Do you appreciate your little nose?

“The nose is the smelling room of the body. It is more than a room—it is in reality a wonderful little house. It is three stories high and is made up of many curious rooms and winding stairs. Two doors, the nostrils, admit the air laden with odors to the waiting room or vestibule. Most of the air passes back through the hall on the first floor, some of it goes up stairs to the second floor and visits the various chambers, but the odors one and all make haste to reach the rooms on the third floor. In the walls of these upper rooms are thousands of delicate hair-like projections ready to be touched.

“These projections are like electric buttons in a house or a hotel. … The very gentlest touch of an odor on one of these hairs or “smell bodies” in the smell chamber of the nose, rings a bell in your office in the brain and tells you that a rose is waiting to be enjoyed or that you are in disagreeable or dangerous air … these little smell bodies, which are called olfactory cells, send different messages to the brain for different odors. …

“Every fragrant odor is healthful or full of health. It makes us breathe more deeply and thus brings more life into the blood, more vigor to the brain.

“Bad odors have just the opposite effect. They warn us of danger in the air and keep us from breathing gases and fumes that would poison us. How often in passing a factory or some other place where there is a bad smell you hold your nose shut to keep out the odor. At the same time you are keeping out bad air.

“You cannot smell any one odor very long at a time. If you do not heed the warning of a bad smell soon the warning will no longer be given. If you bury your nose in a fragrant bouquet or hold it close to the top of a bottle of perfume almost at once you cease to smell anything at all. If you keep smelling and smelling of some sweet flower your very eagerness destroys your pleasure. The odor cannot be constantly smelled. In three minutes or in a shorter time it will be gone. This is because the power of the smell cells is limited. You have been trying to make them work too hard. They are so built that they cannot overdo. If you wait a few moments and let them rest they will go to work again and you can again smell the flower, the perfume, the gas.

“In this the smell cells are like the taste buds. After one has been eating for half an hour the food does not taste as it did at first. The taste buds as well as the smell cells become tired and need a rest. The first mouthful has the keenest taste. The first whiff of an odor has the keenest smell.

“Just as the taste buds in the mouth stand, like sentinels, at the beginning of the food passage to see that nothing dangerous enters, so the smell cells stand, like sentinels, at the beginning of the breathing passage, guarding all the air we breathe.

“The air often carries other enemies besides bad odors. Just inside the doors of the nose, in the nostrils, are several little stiff hairs, that are placed there to keep out these enemies. They keep out flies and other insects as well as the dust. If dust or dirt or insect passes these guards it is caught by the moist walls of the nose.

“In many places, especially in some large cities the air is so full of dust that it forces its way past these sentinels through the nose into the throat and lungs where it often causes disease.

“If the air is very cold or very hot the front doors of the nose are partly closed by certain little muscles whose duty it is to keep watch and not let in any more cold air or hot air than it is safe to breathe. When these little muscles are holding the door shut it makes our noses look thin and ‘pinched.’ Notice this on a cold frosty morning. It is not Jack Frost that is pinching your nose but the little muscles in the tip of your nose that are shutting the doors to keep out Jack Frost. …

“Smell and Taste are good friends and work together. One helps the other. But smell helps taste more than taste helps smell.

“Sometimes you get up in the morning to find that you have a cold in the head. You try to breathe through your nose but cannot. You cannot smell. You sit down to breakfast but you cannot eat. The food does not taste good. You push back your plate and give up trying to eat. This is just what smell and taste were working for. Your cold will disappear sooner if you do not eat much, so they make eating uncomfortable and disagreeable. Every part of the body is all the time helping every other part to keep the living temple growing healthy and strong and beautiful.” Excerpts from The Story of a Living Temple, Frederick M. Rossiter, published by Forgotten Books 2012—originally published in 1902, 43–49.

Praise the Lord for the gift of a nose!

Health – Too Much of a Good Thing

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“Satan well knows the material with which he has to deal in the human heart. He knows—for he has studied with fiendish intensity for thousands of years—the points most easily assailed in every character; and through successive generations he has wrought to overthrow the strongest men.” The Adventist Home, 326.

So how will Satan attempt to overthrow God’s people in the very last days? There are a multitude of methods that he is using: “Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied and entranced, until the day of probation shall be ended, and the door of mercy be forever shut.” The Desire of Ages, 636. “As the time draws near for Christ to be revealed in the clouds of Heaven, Satan’s temptations will be brought to bear with greater power upon those who keep God’s commandments, for he knows that his time is short.” The Review and Herald, January 28, 1875. [Emphasis added.]

What are these agencies? One of them is appetite: “The victims of a depraved appetite, goaded on by Satan’s continual temptations, will seek indulgence at the expense of health and even life, and will go to the bar of God as self-murderers. Many have so long allowed habit to master them that they have become slaves to appetite.” Confrontation, 77. “Appetite and passion, the love of the world, and presumptuous sins were the great branches of evil out of which every species of crime, violence, and corruption grew.” Ibid., 47.

“The controlling power of appetite will prove the ruin of thousands, who, if they had conquered on this point, would have had the moral power to gain the victory over every other temptation. But those who are slaves to appetite will fail of perfecting Christian character. The continual transgression of man for over six thousand years has brought sickness, pain, and death as its fruit. And as we draw near the close of time, Satan’s temptations to indulge appetite will be more powerful, and more difficult to resist.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 154.

“The gratification of unnatural appetite led to the sins that caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God ascribes the fall of Babylon to her gluttony and drunkenness. Indulgence of appetite and passion was the foundation of all their sins.” Ibid., 43.

In this article we will only look at one small aspect of the appetite temptation. Satan cannot force you to sin. God has not given him that power. Satan could not force Eve or Adam to sin; he had to entice them, to persuade them to do it. In the same way, Satan cannot force you to eat anything. He has to entice you to do it. In order for Satan to destroy you through your appetite, he has to persuade you to eat in a way that will destroy you. How can he do this? By making the food that is going to destroy your brain and body taste good. As we will see, it is possible to get too much of a good thing.

The Human Brain

Small molecules contained in the food that we eat are utilized by the brain as neurotransmitters. There is a delicate balance in the brain between excitatory transmitters and inhibitory transmitters. If this balance is upset, serious disorders of the nervous system can result. Today we are using tons of substances in our food that act as excitatory transmitters in the brain. These substances were completely unknown and therefore did not generally exist in their purified form 100 years ago.

In 1908, a chemist in Tokyo isolated the chemical in Kombu (a seaweed that the Japanese had used for generations to enhance the flavor of their recipes). He found to his surprise that the mysterious flavor-enhancing substance in this food was a simple salt or ester of glutamic acid—an amino acid widely distributed in plant and animal protein. This was so exciting that by 1909 this chemist and a friend of his formed a company to manufacture this taste enhancer in the form of monosodium glutamate. By 1933 the Japanese were using over 10 million pounds of this taste enhancer every year. During World War 11 American soldiers obtained some food rations from Japanese soldier prisoners. They were surprised that the Japanese soldiers’ rations were so much more delicious than their own. The reason was that MSG (monosodium glutamate), the flavor enhancer, had been added to the Japanese rations, but the Americans did not have MSG added to their rations.

It did not take long for the American food industry to see the financial boom that could result from the use of this substance. It could also be used to enhance the flavor of some new cheap foods that we were developing which did not taste very good unless some type of flavor enhancer was added.

The Vegetable Protein Industry

Adventists have long known that meat was not the best food. Although this could be discovered easily by reading the first few chapters of the Bible, Ellen White is very specific about this subject:

“Flesh was never the best food; but its use is now doubly objectionable, since disease in animals is so rapidly increasing. Those who use flesh foods little know what they are eating. Often if they could see the animals when living and know the quality of the meat they eat, they would turn from it with loathing. People are continually eating flesh that is filled with tuberculous and cancerous germs. Tuberculosis, cancer, and other fatal diseases are thus communicated.” The Ministry of Healing, 313.

“Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back, step by step, to His original design,—that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth. Among those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, meat-eating will eventually be done away; flesh will cease to form a part of their diet. We should ever keep this end in view, and endeavor to work steadily toward it.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 119.

Because of this information, Adventists have long been interested in the vegetarian diet, but they were told up until the 1960s that they needed to be very careful to get enough protein if they adopted a vegetarian diet. We know today that this advice was wrong, but this type of thinking made Adventists very susceptible to the new foods being introduced by food technologists. We know today that many of the vegetarian foods introduced by the food industry during the last 100 years are just as dangerous and perhaps more dangerous than the more expensive animal foods that they replaced. (A good example of this would be margarine, but that is another subject.)

One of these new wonder foods adopted almost wholesale by the Adventist world was hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP). Here is a thumbnail sketch of how it is made. First, the vegetable products are boiled in sulfuric acid, and then it is neutralized in caustic soda, and then dried. It can be dried until a brown powder is all that remains. This powder does not have a good taste at all, so MSG is added to it, and we have a powder that we can add to all manner of protein dishes. If a person eats meat such as hamburger, the cost of the hamburger can be greatly decreased by adding some HVP—a true “extender.” However, we have discovered other flavor compounds today besides MSG (many of them). We can add other amino acids to this HVP that will make it taste like beef, and then it can be used in barbecue sauces and fast foods. We can add still other protein combinations that will make the HVP taste creamy, and then use it in soups and salad dressings and sauces.

When we chemically analyze these foods, we find out some alarming facts. First of all, we find some compounds that, when used in high concentrations, are powerful brain transmitters, so much so that they can accurately be called brain cell toxins. Examples of these would include glutamate, aspartate, and cysteic acid.

Over fifty years ago, in 1957, it was discovered in animal experiments that these substances can destroy the inner layer of the retina in the eye. This is part of the reason that the writer developed an interest in investigating this subject.

One segment of the population that is extremely susceptible to obtaining large amounts of these substances are the overweight. These people want to lose weight, but they want low calorie foods that taste good. Three of the main ingredients that give flavor to food are carbohydrate (sugar and starch), fat, and protein. If the food is a low calorie food (like lettuce and spinach), it does not taste all that scrumptious unless some type of food flavoring is added. Historically, the way that this is done is to add fat and sugar (think butter, cream, sugar or syrup, mayonnaise, sweet and sour sauce, etc.) But all these things add calories, so today we can make the food taste good with very little additional calories with our new flavor-enhancing compounds. Any time that you buy food, if you see one of the following ingredients on the label you can be almost certain that it contains one or more flavor-enhancing compounds: “hydrolyzed vegetable protein,” “vegetable protein,” “natural flavorings,” and/or “spices,” “glutamate,” “aspartate,” or “glutamine.”

Another segment of the population that we know today is extremely sensitive to these substances are infants, both born and unborn infants. The central nervous system of the infant (both born and unborn) is much more sensitive to these substances than an adult, and although it would be unethical to perform research experiments with these substances on human beings, extensive animal experiments with these substances have demonstrated a severe effect on the development of the brain in every species of animals tested. Many pregnant women are using large amounts of these substances with absolutely no awareness of what the possible results might be. Nobody actually knows what all the results of large use of these substances might be. Some scientists are afraid that these substances can lead to severe misdevelopment of the brain, resulting in learning disorders and serious psychological problems such as autism, hyperactive behavior, dyslexia, and uncontrollable anger. (Their fears are not based on armchair speculations, but on actual animal experiments.)

If we use large amounts of these substances in our diet, what could be the long term result? Nobody knows, but following are a list of disorders that some scientists are studying in relation to these flavor-enhancing compounds: Neural degenerative diseases such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, seizures, headaches, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Probably by now, if you are still reading this article, you are asking the question, How can I know which foods that I am eating are containing these flavor-enhancing compounds? Unfortunately, this is a difficult question to answer since these compounds are found extensively today in almost every type of processed food, but in the next paragraph an attempt will be made to list some of the most common foods where the health seeker will need to be careful.

Soy milk naturally contains much glutamate, but what could become too much of a good thing is if your soy milk has more glutamate added or if it has more hydrolyzed vegetable protein added. Kombu, miso, and soy sauce have MSG added. Sports supplements and weight loss products often contain Nutrasweet (which, of course, contains aspartate). So, one must not think that a product is harmless, just because he or she obtained it from a health food store, or because it is labeled as “organic.” Hopefully, the reader who is thinking analytically will conclude on his own that so-called health foods are not necessarily healthy and may be some of the most dangerous foods in his diet. The so-called “meat substitutes” or “meal analogs” commonly contain large amounts of these flavor-enhancing compounds. Any drink or diet food which has a sweet taste but contains little or no sugar—obviously there is something in the drink that gives it that sweet taste; if it is not sugar, it has to be a flavor enhancer of some type, (common ones are aspartamine or aspartate). For the person who is interested in health, a healthy skepticism of food flavoring agents in general, and especially food additives, is certainly in harmony with present scientific knowledge. Beef or chicken flavoring, extracts, “broth” and “stock” commonly contain MSG and often other flavor-enhancing compounds, and as stated at the beginning, the problem is not that the product itself is bad; many of these products occur naturally in nature and are essential for the body, but too much of a good thing can be dangerous, as hopefully you now understand. Any time the food that you are eating is described on the ingredient list as containing plant protein extracts or sodium caseinate or calcium caseinate or yeast extract or textured protein or autolyzed yeast or hydrolyzed oat flour or hydrolyzed plant protein, you should assume that it contains flavor enhancers. If you commonly eat in restaurants it is probably going to be impossible for you to avoid these things in your diet, and so it becomes even more important for you to see that your intake of these things is as close to zero as possible when you are preparing your own food.

For the reader who would like to study a more systematic and thorough approach to this subject, a book that the writer referred to for additional information for this article that the reader could purchase and study for himself is Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills, by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D., published by Health Press, P.O. Drawer 1388, Santa Fe, NM 87504. ISBN 0-929173-14-7.