Detox with Water

Water Is a Crucial Detox Factor

Since water makes up 99 percent of the molecules in your body, what you drink can be a major source of regeneration and enhanced detoxification. Aim for an ounce of water daily for every two pounds of body weight. But use your body’s feedback when in doubt.

Discolored Pee
If your pee is discolored, you could probably drink more. If it’s clear, you should be good. Ideally, each day you should drink some EZ water, which has a molecular structure of H3O2. Water that comes from underground springs is a good source, and sunlight infused water in a glass container will also be charged up.

Avoid regular bottled water, and if you absolutely must drink municipal or city water that contains a highly toxic form of fluoride, try to use a reverse-osmosis filtration system.

Dieting

While this phase of a diet omits protein and fat, your body will take what it needs by degrading its own less-than-healthy components and reusing what it can in a process known as “self-eating,” or autophagy. Autophagy is your body’s ancient system of cleaning house. In an elegant process, your body will disassemble poorly functioning, diseased, or worn-out cells and use what remains to make new cells.

Alcohol is not allowed in this phase, and coffee is not recommended. But for those who believe they have a physiological dependency, a cup of coffee (always organic) in the morning is allowed. At first you will experience “hunger,” but this sensation is oftentimes just a reaction to the body reorienting itself. This mono detox can have a laxative effect on some people but be binding to others. Remember to drink plenty of water, which can help the cleanse and provide an additional source of energy.

 

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Chemistry of Pleasure

Nitric Oxide

Cells in our brains, blood, blood vessels, and lungs produce a signaling molecule, or gas, called nitric oxide or NO (not to be confused with the nitrous oxide used in dentistry, better known as laughing gas). The production of nitric oxide is triggered by laughter, orgasm, and other experiences of pleasure, as well as by eating fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants, meditating, and exercising (nitric oxide is at work in the sensation of “runner’s high”). Nitric oxide relaxes blood vessel walls, which allows the vessels to widen and encourages more blood to flow through them. In fact, Viagra works by using this natural process in the body: it triggers release of nitric oxide, and the extra blood flow to the penis results in an erection. Similarly, nitroglycerin can stop a heart attack because it, too, releases nitric oxide that widens blood vessels and eases constrictions.

The sensation of nitric oxide being released lasts only a few seconds, but it is a marvelous few seconds! It sets off a chain reaction of other feel-good chemicals in the body. You feel a shift in your energy and an exquisite sense of relaxation. After its release into the system, nitric oxide works with anticoagulants to prevent strokes, signals white blood cells to fight infections and destroy tumors, balances levels of neurotransmitters, and reduces cellular inflammation. The more often your body creates and releases nitric oxide, the softer, more flexible, and wider your blood vessels become because you’ve trained them to relax. Your circulation improves.

Saying Yes to NO

Saying yes to NO actually helps your body function better and avoid serious illness and disease. I find it helpful to think of nitric oxide as the physical manifestation of the vital life force (also called chi or prana) that animates our bodies. Stanford University research on sea urchins shows that nitric oxide is released when the egg and sperm meet in a peak moment of creativity. On the other end of the life spectrum, the brilliant white light that people who have had near death experiences report seeing upon the moment of death may be the result of a burst of nitric oxide. And nitric oxide given to premature babies gets their lungs working, since lung tissue is erectile in nature. Nitric oxide is like the very breath of life. It’s even what lights up a firefly.

Researcher Herbert Benson, M.D., describes nitric oxide as a crucial element in what’s known as a “peak experience” of ecstatic flow, and explains that it allows new neural connections to be made in the brain. Neural connections are the pathways along which information travels. It’s possible that these brain changes lead to new habits of mind. As Benson says, NO is “a biological mechanism that somehow encompasses the dynamics of human belief, the creative process, the essence of physical and mental performance, and even spiritual experience.”

Depleting Nitric Oxide

Anger, fear, and grief deplete nitric oxide. If the endothelial lining of your blood vessels has been damaged by free radical molecules created by stress and physical toxins, your body can’t release enough nitric oxide to actually reduce free radical activity and tissue damage. The nitric oxide mechanism is a positive feedback loop: Create more and you make it easier for your body to create more. Pleasure leads to more pleasure. Life renews itself, while anger, fear, and grief suck the life out of you. To be an ageless, healthy goddess, you must learn to cultivate your ability to experience emotions such as joy and compassion, release grief and resentment, and allow yourself to feel righteous anger when appropriate. For example, if you see someone harming an animal or a child and you stand up for the innocent being, you are contributing to your health and well-being (as long as you’re physically safe confronting them). The worst thing you can do for yourself is hold on to destructive emotions. The biochemistry of pleasure can counteract the biochemistry of aging.

Endorphins

Nitric oxide is the über-neurotransmitter that increases and balances levels of all the others: endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin (a bonding neurotransmitter released while breast-feeding, experiencing an orgasm, or even enjoying the company of others), and DMT, which is generated in the pineal gland in the brain and probably plays a role in dreaming. Although we tend to think that neurotransmitters are generated and used only in the brain, we actually have cells throughout the body that can both produce and receive them. The gut produces more serotonin than the brain does—generated largely as a result of the huge number of healthy bacteria that live in what’s known as your microbiome. When you have a visceral negative reaction to something—you can’t “stomach” it—that’s your neurotransmitters sending you the message “this doesn’t feel right for me.” Conversely, you can get a warm, happy feeling in your belly when neurotransmitters that affect mood are released as a result of a positive experience, thought, or feeling. The idea is to create that warm feeling through the emotional experience of genuine pleasure that supports your well-being, health, and agelessness.

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Substances That Support Cartilage Regeneration

Cartilage can be difficult to regenerate, as it doesn’t have its own blood supply for support, however cartilage-specific stem cells do exist.24 As noted in the journal Cell Stem Cell. “We show that repair tissue from human articular cartilage during the late stages of osteoarthritis harbors a unique progenitor cell population, termed chondrogenic progenitor cells (CPCs). These exhibit stem cell characteristics such as clonogenicity, multipotency, and migratory activity.”

Further, substances such as curcumin may contribute to the regeneration of cartilage. Bone regeneration has also been demonstrated via natural compounds like noni leaves and black tea extracts.
Even the spinal cord has regeneration potential following injury. For instance, co-ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide, an endocannabinoid, and luteolin, a plant compound found in celery
and artichokes, promote neuronal regeneration in the spinal cord.28 Electro-acupuncture is also beneficial, promoting differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and regeneration of nerve fibers
after spinal cord injury.

NATURAL SUBSTANCES THAT SUPPORT REGENERATION
Regenerative substances are all around you, including in your pantry. In fact, foods and so-called nutraceutical supplements are among the top regenerative substances you can hone in on for
better health. This includes turmeric, a bright yellow spice often used in curry, contains curcuminoids, which include curcumin. Curcumin is well known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but it’s also a powerful regenerative substance. It comes in as No. 1 in the list of 20 substances researched for regenerative potential.

Curcumin may:

  • Support “essentially perfect” skin regeneration following surgery
  • Enhance the regeneration of beta cells in the pancreas to benefit type 1 diabetes
  • Promote peripheral nerve regeneration, both in normal conditions and after injury
  • Help repair and regenerate liver tissue

Keep in mind that the spice turmeric typically contains only about 3.14% curcumin, which means it may be difficult to get therapeutic amounts from eating turmeric alone. This is one case where a curcumin supplement may be necessary, but be sure it contains the black pepper compound piperine, which increases curcumin absorption by 2,000%. Eating turmeric along with black pepper may also help to enhance curcumin absorption.

That being said, there’s good reason to also include whole turmeric in your diet, as it contains beneficial compounds beyond curcumin, including ar-tumerone, a fat-soluble compound that supports regeneration in neurologic disease.

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How Much Do I Really Need To Eat

When and How Much To Eat

What you eat after you eliminate Western Pattern food staples is key, but equally important is timing of meals and portion size. If possible, have your last meal of the day before the sun goes down to remain in harmony with our natural ancestral cycle. If you must have a snack, the true test of whether you are truly hungry or just looking for a distraction is to eat an apple. Most of us eat habitually, but if you’re not hungry for breakfast, which is not the most important meal of the day, skip it. Technically, the first meal of your day could be at 1 P.M. It can still be called breakfast because you are literally breaking the fast.

There is no need to label this intermittent fasting when it could be termed “listening to your body.” Do have healthy snacks like a few almonds, a piece of grass fed jerky, or a piece of fruit handy for when hunger strikes. Eat slowly, mindfully, and without the distractions of watching television or using other electronic devices. You’ll notice that giving your full awareness and allowing for sensual enjoyment when you eat will nourish you and optimizes digestion far more deeply than when you eat mindlessly.

Developing healthy eating practices and increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats will deliver the biological information and energy needed to optimize cellular regeneration. And when you are no longer eating for hunger but as a source of distraction, entertainment, or self-medication, do eat less—those who do so live longer. Here are some daily eating practices to embrace:

  1. Eat something raw with each meal. (It is worth repeating that only raw food contains plant stem cells known as meristematic cells, which powerfully contribute to your life energy and longevity.)
  2. Be mindful and take joy in eating.
  3. Remember: fat is your friend and the key to deeply satisfying your appetite and cravings for sweet things. Incorporate healthy oils for cooking and dressing vegetables. Add whole food sources of fat, such as coconut, avocado, olives, certain cold-water fish, nuts, and whole eggs with the yolks, to your diet.
  4. Eat or drink something fermented daily to support the healthy bacteria in your microbiome.
  5. Don’t get overly fixated on eating three square meals a day. Replace at least one meal a day with delicious and highly therapeutic smoothies made from superfoods and regenerative plant extracts. You’ll feel more deeply nourished and energized this way.
  6. Increase your dietary fiber in the form of microbiota accessible carbohydrates or prebiotics. Prebiotics are a special class of fiber that resists hydrolysis by gastric acidity and mammalian enzymes and is instead selectively fermented by the intestinal flora, augmenting the growth or activity of flora that confer a health benefit to the host.

Prebiotics include:

Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, green bananas, cocoa, jicama, almonds, blueberries, carrots, cassava, pumpkin, and taro. In this phase you are likely to experience a number of positive changes. First, the constant craving for quick-fix energy boosters, from caffeine to sugary or refined carbohydrate-rich snacks, will start to fall away. As your body becomes better fat-adapted, many of your past “comfort” foods will lose their addictive appeal.

With this, your entire system will receive a signal of safety and deeper nourishment that it may not have experienced since back when you were a baby. When we rely on the neuroendocrine rollercoaster of high-glycemic foods followed by insulin releases and subsequent blood sugar crashes to power ourselves through the day, we are whipping our adrenals and following a fight-or-flight pattern that is deeply compromising to our health.

As your general stress levels taper off, you may also notice your sleep improve, which can create an incredible enhancement in your regenerative capabilities. In addition, since many of the foods in the ancestral diet require you to acquire and prepare them yourself, you will be benefiting profoundly from the “medicine” of self-care. When you nourish yourself, your soul will heal just as much your body.

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What Inactivity Does To Your Age

Inactivity affects almost every cell in your body

The public health message related to inactivity is often tied with weight gain and obesity. While it’s true that your weight is affected by your activity levels, intentional movement is about so much more than a number on your scale.

“The comprehensive evidence herein clearly establishes that lack of physical activity affects almost every cell, organ, and system in the body causing sedentary dysfunction and accelerated death,” researchers wrote in Comprehensive Physiology.

They found that physical activity could prevent, reduce the risk of or improve these chronic conditions:

Ÿ Accelerated biological aging/ Ÿ Breast cancer
Ÿ Premature death Ÿ Low cardiorespiratory fitness
Ÿ Metabolic syndrome Ÿ Obesity
Ÿ Prediabetes Ÿ Type 2 diabetes
Ÿ Coronary heart disease Ÿ Peripheral artery disease
Ÿ Stroke Ÿ Congestive heart failure
Ÿ Arterial dyslipidemia Ÿ Hemostasis
Ÿ Cognitive dysfunction Ÿ Depression and anxiety
Ÿ Balance Ÿ Gallbladder diseases
Ÿ Colon cancer Ÿ Constipation
Ÿ Endometrial cancer Ÿ Gestational diabetes
Ÿ Diverticulitis Ÿ Erectile dysfunction
Ÿ Sarcopenia Ÿ Insulin resistance
Ÿ Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Ÿ High blood pressure
Ÿ Endothelial dysfunction Ÿ Deep vein thrombosis
Ÿ Osteoporosis Ÿ Bone fracture/falls

Lack of physical activity emerged as one of the most important causes of chronic disease, and because getting active prevents or delays so many chronic diseases, they concluded “chronic disease need not be an inevitable outcome during life.”

Further, intentional movement effectively slows signs of aging. Maximal aerobic capacity, or VO2 max, is a measure of your cardiovascular fitness. In one study, women who are 80 years old and physically active had VO2 max’s that were equivalent to 50-yearold women who were physically inactive.

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Cellular Regeneration

Body Reinvention
Although most people don’t realize it, the body is constantly in a state of reinvention. Cells replenish themselves regularly. Old cells die and new ones are born. Of all your organs, your skin replaces itself the most quickly, but each one regenerates. You do not have the same physical body you had just a few years ago. Every cell has been replaced.

In a sense, we have a shelf life. Structures on the tips of our chromosomes called telomeres, which are like wicks on sticks of dynamite, grow shorter when cells divide. When the wick gets small enough, cells no longer receive the instruction to replicate and their death follows. However, telomeres do not have to shorten as quickly as they do. Research shows that an enzyme called telomerase repairs them and extends them slightly, which offers promise that we have the power to actually reverse aging by improving our ability to repair and lengthen our telomeres.

Meditation and Exercise
Mindfulness meditation, exercise, and thinking differently all show promise for slowing the aging process. Studies by researchers such as Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin show that mindfulness practices rewire the brain, resulting in greater immunity4 and improved ability to manage stress and emotions.  And a recent longitudinal study lasting eight years and following people over 50 showed that as little as an hour a week of moderate exercise can cut your risk of developing chronic disease sevenfold. “Moderate” exercising is as little as an hour a week of dancing around, washing your car, or walking. And even those who had been sedentary up until the beginning of the study had outcomes similar to those who had been exercising all along.  So if you want vibrant new cells in your body, nourish them by making positive lifestyle choices that include maintaining a positive attitude about yourself, your well-being, and your value.

Cellular Breakdown
It’s cellular breakdown that produces the physical changes we associate with aging, from wrinkles to minor aches and ailments. The physical deterioration occurs in large part because of the accumulation of toxins, which results in cellular deterioration and damage along with tissue and organ breakdown. This toxic buildup’s effect on the body is exacerbated by the development of dense fascia: that is, scarring of connective tissue caused by physical, emotional, and mental stress (more on this later). And as I mentioned in the Introduction, spending too much time sitting and lying down speeds up the aging process. That’s why you need to move your body and experience the earth’s gravitational pull through walking, pushing, pulling, and moving.

Move It
One reason movement is vitally important is that your fluids can more easily move toxins to organs that process them if you aren’t sitting all day long. In fact, urinary incontinence is exacerbated by prolonged sitting (as is erectile dysfunction, which is a reason why men need to move too). If the body’s toxins aren’t processed, cellular breakdown occurs.

Toxins
There are toxins in our food and environment we should avoid as much as possible, but many of the toxins that contribute to the aging process are produced in our own bodies. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are meant to be used by the body in the case of an immediate threat to physical safety. They give us quick energy to run for the hills or put up the fight of our lives. When these hormones are chronically elevated in the system due to unremitting emotional and physical stress, they cause cellular inflammation, and that is the primary cause of all chronic, degenerative diseases, including cancer.

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Regenerating Tissue

WHICH TISSUES CAN BE REGENERATED?
The study of cell and tissue regeneration is still in its infancy, but regenerative medicine is a
rapidly advancing field aimed at helping to stave off disease and slow human aging. Synthetic
drug-based solutions are, unfortunately, a primary focus of this field in conventional medicine, but
natural regeneration has occurred since ancient times.
In fact, even the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences
(NIGMS) states, “All living organisms regenerate as part of natural processes to maintain tissues
and organs.”

Some organisms are more efficient regenerators than others, however.
NIGMS uses the examples of the hydra, a freshwater animal that can regenerate two whole bodies
after being cut in half. A Mexican salamander known as the axolotl can also regenerate new limbs,
organs and other body parts. Sea urchins, zebrafish and the planarian, a freshwater flatworm, are
other examples of organisms capable of regenerating significant portions of their body and organs.
Regenerative abilities in humans, though believed to be more limited, also exist. If part of your
liver is destroyed, for instance, it can be regenerated to its previous size and function.
“Our kidneys, pancreas, thyroid, adrenal glands, and lungs compensate for organ loss in a similar,
but more limited, way,” NIGMS notes.  Some of the more exciting advances in regenerative
medicine have revealed, however, that areas of the human body once believed to be finite may
also have regenerative potential. This includes the following:

NERVE CELLS
Neurogenesis, the growth of new neurons, and neuritogenesis,
the formation of neurites, are examples of regeneration within
the nervous system.

“Extensive research has shown that long after postnatal development
the brain continues to birth new neurons (neurogenesis), primarily in
the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, a structure well known for memory processing,”
researchers wrote in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Remyelinating compounds, which stimulate the repair of the protective sheath around
the axon of the neurons known as myelin, also exist and have shown promise in treating
multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases and injury.
Berberine, which is found in the goldenseal plant, hemp seed oil and vitamin D are
examples of substances that support remyelination, whereas statin drugs have been found
to inhibit myelin formation.

BETA CELLS
Numerous natural compounds have been found to regenerate the insulin-producing beta cells,
which are gradually destroyed in insulin dependent, or type 1, diabetes, and do not produce
enough insulin in type 2 diabetes.

If beta cells could be effectively regenerated, or the survival of existing beta cells could be
prolonged, it could allow people with type 1 diabetes to live without the need for external insulin.
Gymnema sylvestre, which has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, is an
example of a natural substance that supports beta cell regeneration.
This woody shrub may stimulate the secretion of insulin in beta cell lines10 and may even increase
the number of beta cells in the pancreas. Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is another compound
that has led to partial regeneration of beta cells in animal studies.

HORMONES
Secretagogues exist that may increase the endocrine glands’ ability to secrete hormones, while
other compounds can regenerate hormones that have degraded. In the latter case, this includes
vitamin C, which may contribute electrons to resurrect the form and function of estradiol,
progesterone and testosterone. In one study, researchers noted:
“The reported results concerning the regeneration of hormones by the transfer
of electrons from an electron donor [vitamin C] offer a new, promising
method for the therapy with hormones. As a consequence of the regeneration
of hormones, a decreased formation of carcinogenic metabolites is expected.”
Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), an amino acid, is another secretagogue that increases serum
growth hormone concentration.

While GABA is available in supplement form, you can also
stimulate its production naturally by eating foods with glutamate, such as grass-fed meat, eggs
and dairy products, mushrooms and seaweed.

L-arginine, another amino acid, is also a secretagogue that may increase growth hormone
secretion, along with progesterone. Boosting human growth hormone is important, as levels
tend to decline after age. Such declines are associated with many of the hallmarks of aging,
including declines in muscle mass, increases in body fat and thinning bones.
Like GABA, l-arginine is available in supplement form, but you can also find it via whole foods,
including coconut, pumpkin seeds, seaweed, grass-fed meat and nuts. Maintaining healthy levels of
magnesium, by eating magnesium-rich foods such as avocados, leafy greens, nuts and seeds, is also
important, as magnesium intake is associated with the hormones testosterone and insulin-like
growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

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Curcumin A Substance That Supports Regeneration

Regenerative substances are all around you, including in your pantry. In fact, foods and so-called
nutraceutical supplements are among the top regenerative substances you can hone in on for
better health. This includes:

CURCUMIN
Turmeric, a bright yellow spice often used in curry, contains curcuminoids,
which include curcumin. Curcumin is well known for its anti-inflammatory
and antioxidant properties,30 but it’s also a powerful regenerative substance.

Curcumin may:

  • Support “essentially perfect” skin regeneration following surgery
  • Enhance the regeneration of beta cells in the pancreas to benefit type 1 diabetes
  • Promote peripheral nerve regeneration, both in normal conditions and after injury
  • Help repair and regenerate liver tissue

Keep in mind that the spice turmeric typically contains only about 3.14% curcumin, which
means it may be difficult to get therapeutic amounts from eating turmeric alone.
This is one case where a curcumin supplement may be necessary, but be sure it contains the
black pepper compound piperine, which increases curcumin absorption by 2,000%. Eating
turmeric along with black pepper may also help to enhance curcumin absorption.

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Common Causes Of Bags Under The Eyes

Common Causes of Bags Under Eyes

There are several possible causes for puffy, baggy eyes. Allergies, certain medical conditions, and genetics are all contributing factors, but most often the main cause comes down to the aging process and lifestyle.

As your skin ages, the tissues around your eyes start to weaken. This not only causes the skin to sag, it also allows fluid to build up, which is what makes the under-eye area appear swollen or puffy.

One of the main reasons for this is that collagen production in your body drops as you get older.  Collagen is one of the major components that keeps your skin tissues firm, thick, and elastic. Losing it is what causes wrinkles and other signs of aging to appear, including bags under the eyes.

Besides fluid, the weakened tissues allow fat that normally supports your eyes to move below your eyes as well. To add to this, blood vessels can also become more visible, which darkens the area underneath your eyes.

Excess fluid retention, lack of sleep, and smoking are other common factors that can worsen or accelerate this effect.

The good news is that you can use natural means to reduce or get rid of bags under eyes. Some will have a more immediate impact, while others have long-term effects.

Top Ways to Get Rid of Bags Under Eyes

Clear Out Your Sinuses

net pot allergy relief

Clearing out your sinuses flushes out allergens that may be contributing to eye puffiness. It won’t reverse bags that are there from skin aging, but it’s a good way to find out how much of the problem is coming from allergies.

One of the best ways to do this is to use something called a neti pot.

Neti pots have become quite popular recently, although they have their origins in the ancient practice of Ayurvedic medicine. They are a simple way to use a saline solution to irrigate your nasal canal. This can help with sinus congestion, a stuffy nose from allergies, and even sinus infections.

Flush your sinuses regularly to reduce both bags and dark circles.

Use Tea Bags Under Your Eyes

Placing tea bags on your eyes may sound silly, but it’s an old trick to reduce under-eye bags.

Tea bags mainly work because they contain caffeine. Caffeine is known as a vasoconstrictor, which means that it constricts blood vessels. This lessens puffiness and can help with dark circles as well. In fact, this is one of the reasons caffeine has become a popular skincare ingredient.

Black and green tea will both work well. Black tea has a higher caffeine content, but green tea has greater anti-inflammatory properties.

Steep your tea bags for 3-5 minutes before chilling them completely in the refrigerator. You can then either apply them just under your eyes or over your whole (closed) eye. Leave on for 15-30 minutes.

Reduce Your Salt Intake

Consuming too much salt can lead to fluid retention, which in turn contributes to eye puffiness. Watching your salt intake can be a big help to reduce or get rid of bags under eyes.

The best way to do this is to eat and cook fresh, whole foods whenever possible. Salt lightly and use other seasonings to make up for the lower amount of sodium. You may find that your blood pressure and heart health improve along with your eyes!

Apply a Cold Compress

Cold compresses are useful for any kind of swelling, and this includes under your eyes. Though a temporary solution, using a compress will have an immediate effect on puffiness. It’s a good option to use if your eyes puff up extra from lack of sleep or stress.

You can use a small ice pack in a cloth or anything else that’s chilled. Even a cold, wet washcloth will do the trick. Apply the compress for just a few minutes at a time, stopping when you see results.

Attributed to https://theartofantiaging.com/natural-ways-to-get-rid-of-bags-under-eyes/

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