Red Flags

Lets talk about food. Some people are avid label readers, choosing those food products that list good-for-you ingredients and are the freshest, and some people have the 'its a free-for-all' attitude and put whatever they want in their shopping cart. Here are a few thoughts on what foods to avoid to help the already conscientous shopper and create hesitation in those who aren't.

Choosing the right foods to eat can be a time consuming and costly process. The most obvious steps to take are to read food labels, check for organically, locally grown foods, and the least obvious steps - think about a food's origin and look closely at all foods for any signs of mold or deterioration.

There are food products in this country, and elsewhere, that should raise a red flag for mold content or any contamination. Remember Mad Cow Disease? But, it isn't just meat that can be tainted. Grains are a breeding ground for molds and mycotoxins (the waste product of molds) that may not necessarily be seen in the final product. They are stored in silos for periods of time, and if exposed to moisture, initiate mold very quickly. Once the mold is present, it should not be eaten, by livestock or humans. Mold contamination easily affects feed for livestock, which then potentially gets passed on to humans through the meat and dairy products.

Also, fruits and vegetables have high moisture content. They need breathing room to stay dry and inhibit mold. Purchase the dryest, freshest fruits and vegetables possible that are stored in packages adequately vented. Organic foods are best but can still become wet and lay compacted in the vegetable case. Always store fruits and vegetables in a clean, breathable area in the refrigerator to not pass on mold from previous foods stored. Noticably contaminated food is hard to throw when there are hungry people in the world, but for safety and health reasons, it should be a given.

This topic is not meant to be frightening, just as a hint of caution. Maybe it will help make the next trip to the grocery store a little easier knowing about these red flags.

Toxins, Microbials, Fungus, Oh My!

Fungus, toxins, and microbials should not be treated as one. They would probably be offended, because they are technically different organisms or the byproduct of organisms.

To set the record straight - a fungus is a single-cell or multi-branched organism that lacks chlorophyl and vascular tissue, toxins are the poisons produced by any organism, and microbials are bacterias, parasites, or other tiny, living organisms.

At BioActive we tend to include toxins and microbials in the broader category of fungus, which is not accurate, but is a little catchier to the ear than microorganisms. We like to say, "You have fungus," which means there are more negative organisms in the body than positive, and the body is reacting to the overgrowth or overpopulation of those organisms.

The meaning of "You have fungus" also includes the symptoms a person feels, whether its sinus infection, yeast infection, arthritis pain, brain fog, lethargy, and so on. Relief from these symptoms would mean eating a low carb diet, exercising, getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water and taking supplements to push the body to the positive side of the health scale.

So, when hearing "You have fungus," it encompasses many different topics in regards to health by BioActive Nutrients' standards. Keep in mind, most people have negative bacteria, parasites or other organisms in their system. Its just a matter of keeping the body more positive than negative.

US Olympic Women's Hockey Supporters!!!

When BioActive Nutrients heard of a local woman playing for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team, we jumped at the opportunity to help support her! Not only is the boss at BioActive a former hockey player and coach, but there are a few employees who have a little hockey blood running through their veins too. The boss bought all of us a t-shirt signed by Molly Engstrom to help with her expenses.

All the employees, including Boo, Guy's dog, are shown in these pictures taken at the Northwest Sports Complex rink in Spooner, WI. We can't wait for the 2010 Olympics to start so we can cheer on Molly and the Women's Hockey Team. Go U.S. Women!

Patience and Benefits

Supplementation can be a tricky thing. It takes careful planning to start and maintain a supplement regimen. We suggest doing as much research about a company - background information, product certifications, product testing, return policy, and customer service - as would be done on a particular type of product.

Feel comfortable with a company before ordering. Does the company seem to have high standards? Do they seem trustworthy? These can be substantiated by browsing the website and calling the company directly. Once this is established and the company feels like the right company for you, the next step would be to research their products.

Research the products that would be good, everyday supplements like a multivitamin and multimineral, probiotics, fish oil and L-glutamine powder. Start each product at intervals to judge the effects of the product. After a short period of time, these four basics will keep you feeling good by helping a broad range of minor symptoms and maintaining a healthy immune system.

If there are specific conditions to be addressed, wait a few months after starting a few supplements before incorporating another supplement in your daily regimen so the body can tell you what is working well and what may need to be adjusted. Taking too many supplements initially may create problems and become discouraging because there is the potential for a reaction to an ingredient. Eliminating each product over time becomes a long process to determine which ingredient is the cause.

Patience just may be the key to supplementation. Its definately a slow process to ultimately take whats right for you and your specific conditions, however, just think about how long it has taken for you to get unhealthy. And, even though it may take some thought, work and time to get healthy, the future will hold everyday benefits.

Synergize!

No, this is not a new aerobics class.

To synergize is to combine certain actions or things to acquire a greater result. Some things just work better alone, and some things work much better in combination. Take, for instance, your health. Wouldn't it be better to eat right and exercise to acquire better health, than to do one or the other?

This theory applies to a number of situations in life. Today, we will address synergy in supplementation - combining vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Did you know that vitamin A needs the B-vitamins, vitamin D and E, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc for proper absorption and function? And that magnesium should be taken with calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A and D? This is one reason for taking a multivitamin and multimineral, otherwise, the positive effects on the body are at a minimum.

The cleansing process needs to incorporate a combination of supplements to achieve the greatest effect, particularly in an antifungal cleanse. An antifungal cleanse requires taking a multivitamin and multimineral to continuously feed the body nutrients and keep inner functions working properly.

A probiotic is essential for keeping the intestinal tract inhabited with positive bacteria instead of being overtaken by toxic microbials that weaken the immune system and inhibit absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Any antifungal product, such as caprylic acid, olive leaf extract, undecylenic acid, grapefruit seed extract, neem, apple cider vinegar and garlic, should be taken two products at a time to eliminate harmful microbials and toxins. These should be rotated, or alternated, with two other antifungals once a month to kill off lingering microbials and toxins.

To completely eliminate dead microbials and other waste from the body, a fiber should be used. There are some fiber products that latch onto anything negative in the intestinal tract and help remove them. Each fiber has its own way of cleansing.

It may be difficult to decide what to do in certain situations in life. Hopefully today one thing was learned, when it comes to acquiring maximum health - just 'synergize'!

Food for Fighting Fungus

When we say 'Food for Fighting Fungus' this usually means an extremely low sugar and carbohydrate diet. It may mean learning and thinking about food in a completely different way than the past.

The key to a fungus-free diet, and getting healthy, is to reduce the amount of sugar and carbohydrate intake, and eliminate moldy foods and yeast products. Reducing sugars will cut off the food supply for fungus and yeast already in the body, and curtail toxins produced by them. Its the toxins and byproducts from the fungus and yeast that build up and rear their ugly heads as arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, digestive problems, rashes, brain fog, sinus problems and a multitude of other conditions.

Time is also critical for a fungus-free diet. If the practice of an unhealthy diet has been occurring over a period of years, it will take at least six months of a high protein, vegetable laden diet to start feeling better. The fungus in the body will search for food, but finding none over time will cause it to eventually die off.

Antibiotics, prescription drugs, chlorine and polluted environments may make the healing process harder and work against a healthy diet. These elements only add to any toxic fungal exposure that is already present in the body. Avoidance and elimination will help, plus are some of the easier, healthier steps to accomplish.

Here is a short list of some foods to eat to deprive the fungus:

Green apples, any kind of berry, grapefruit, avocado, eggs, real sour cream, meats (organic, free-range, grass fed are best), vegetables, and nuts.

So make the change. Eating food to fight the fungus will help you feel a whole lot better!

Fungus As The Norm?

Think about fungus. If you don't know much about fungus and its effects on humans, do some research on it. There are plenty of credible websites on the Internet. The more we know and talk about it, the more others will become aware of the link to illness and humans.

There is an article about Candidiasis on the website http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/213853-overview that states, "Candidiasis is caused by infection with species of the genus Candida, predominantly with Candida albicans. Candida species are ubiquitous fungi that represent the most common fungal pathogens that affect humans." And later the article says there is an increasing number of people who have been affected by Candida, however, time and lack of fungal testing and diagnostics creates a black cloak over fungal etiology. Fortunately, in the past few years, there has been a smattering of medical news articles taking the results of studies of fungi in humans and publicly sticking their necks out.

In 2003, the Mayo Clinic addressed sinus infection in a study and found the presence of fungi in...nasal mucus. The answer to this problem - antifungal drugs. Treatments that had been used, such as antibiotics and steroids, provided less improvement than the antifungals recently tested. Now, this is a major breakthrough for anyone who believes fungus is the cause of health problems.

There are a large number of supplements and lifestyle changes that will eliminate the effects of fungus. If you're not accustomed to either of these, starting making them a part of your day. You will start feeling better.

The most effective supplemental antifungals we know of are olive leaf extract, caprylic acid, undecylenic acid, grapefruit seed extract, neem, apple cider vinegar, garlic, curcumin, and oil of oregano. Also, a probiotic is absolutely necessary.

Lifestyle changes that help are a healthy diet and exercise. A healthy diet means eliminating sugars and most carbohydrates for a period of time, which can be difficult, but essential. Starting an exercise program can be hard mentally and physically, so you may want to see a doctor first to determine what kind of exercise is best for you. Any type of exercise should be scheduled on a daily basis according to your routine and body type.

Familiarize yourself with fungus. It will help you realize how much sense there is to the connection between fungus and human illness.

More Fungal Symptoms

There are so many more fungal symptoms than anyone could imagine. Here is a general idea of other chronic illnesses and conditions associated with fungus - arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression, allergies, digestion, respiration, skin diseases, and sick building syndrome.

If you're someone who is still questioning whether or not you have fungus, then maybe you should read a few insightful books from fungal experts. The following books give in-depth information on how a person acquires fungus, how a person feels, and what to do to eliminate fungus:

1) The Fungus Link I, Volume 1, 2nd Series by Doug Kaufmann. The book focuses on Allergies, Arthritis, Digestion, Respiration, Mental Health, Heart Health, Women’s Health, and Pain.

Doug Kaufmann started his medical education in 1969, as a Navy Corpsman in Vietnam, and continued, for the next 28 years, in laboratory, research, and clinical nutrition. He has been the host of 'Know the Cause' which airs on cable and satellite television for over a decade.

2) The Yeast Connection, by William Crook, M.D. In 1978, Dr. Crook was inspired to write about his discoveries. He found people who are healthy, usually show very low background populations of Candida Albicans, a fungal organism that can be found in the digestive tract and vagina. But these populations are kept in check by beneficial bacteria and a proper diet.

Dr. Crook was a pioneer on fungus and the relationship to an adults' chronic health complaints and childrens' learning disorders and hyperactivity.

You can also go to www.bioactivenutrients.com/news/learn-more-fungus/ to read about fungus from published articles in 'Drs. Prescription for Healthy Living' magazine.

Fungus? We All Have It

You Say 'Fungus'?

The first reaction people have when they hear of fungus in the body is usually, "Hmmm. How does someone know if they have fungus in their body?"

Just answer the following questions:

1. Have you taken antibiotics in the past?


2. Does your diet consist mainly of processed foods?


3. Do you crave sugar or carbohydrates?


4. Have you ever taken any prescription drugs?


5. Do you experience yeast infections?


6. Do you experience digestive problems?


7. Do you experience chronic fatigue?


8. Do you have a weight problem that is hard to control?


9. Do you have a recurring sinus infection?


10. Do you want to become healthier?

If you've answered 'yes' to more than half of these questions, you have fungus.