Think RED!

Red Juices for Lymphatic System, Adrenals, Kidneys and Heart

The color red (and purple) is associated with the adrenal glands, the lymphatic system and the kidneys. Red foods also nourish the heart. When you think of red produce (tomatoes, berries, cherries, pomegranate, beets and cranberries), the nutrient that stands out is lycopene, which is a carotenoid that is a powerful antioxidant associated with reduced cancer risk,  especially prostate cancer. It is also associated with reduced risk of heart attacks. Many red fruits and vegetables are also rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate, and flavonoids, which have been shown to reduce inflammation. Cranberries are a good source of tannins, which prevent bacteria from sticking to cells; hence they are important in fighting infections. They are the reason cranberry juice is a standard treatment for bladder infections.

I want to focus in on the lymphatic system in today’s newsletter because it’s a system we don’t think much about. Rarely does anyone in the medical field bring it up unless there’s a problem such as lymphoma. But lymphatic system health is something we should all be aware of and work to maintain.

The lymphatic system is a drainage system with a network of fluid, organs and vessels that removes cellular debris, proteins, foreign bodies, bacteria, viruses, toxins, and excess fluid from tissue spaces. Since it has no pump like the heart, the lymphatic system can become congested, especially with a sedentary lifestyle, because it is exercise that keeps it moving. It can get clogged up and you’ll never know it until something gets your attention with a huge wake-up call. A clogged lymphatic system can weaken your immune system and stress your other pathways of elimination. It can contribute to everything from cellulite to cancer. See my e-book The Cellulite Cure.

Symptoms that You May Have Lymphatic Congestion

• Rings are tight on your fingers
• Soreness and/or stiffness in the morning
• Tired/fatigued
• Bloating/water retention
• Skin itches
• Weight gain, especially around the mid-section
• Swollen glands
• Impaired immunity
• Brain fog
• Breast swelling or soreness with each cycle
• Dry skin
• Mild rash or acne
• Mild headaches
• Elevated histamine and irritation due to environmental allergens
• Occasional constipation, diarrhea and/or mucus in the stool

If you have any of these symptoms, or even if you don’t, I recommend a lymphatic system cleanse. (We don’t usually wait to change the oil in our car until we have symptoms.) In addition to red juices, which are very supportive of the lymphatic system, increase your water intake to a minimum of 8 glasses of purified water a day. Drink at least 3 glasses of veggie juice daily; make some of that red juice. Start your day with warm water and some lemon with a dash of cayenne pepper. Get the Lymph Rejuvenator or get the Internal Cleanse Kit with the free Colon Cleanse Kit. This has the Lymph Rejuvenator in the kit. I also recommend that you check out the Lymphasizer (Swing Machine). It is very effective at moving the lymph.

Today’s Juice Recipe

Red Sunrise

Drinking beet juice may help to lower blood pressure in a matter of hours. One study found that drinking one glass of beet juice lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 4–5 points.

• 1 green apple
• 1/2 small beet with leaves
• 1 cucumber, peeled if not organic

Cut produce to fit your juicer’s feed tube. Juice ingredients and stir. Serves 1.

From The Juice Lady’s Guide to Fasting

6 Juices for Tiredness & Low Adrenals

6 Juices for Tiredness & Low Adrenals

Large numbers of people suffer from fatigue that is not relieved by rest and sleep. This is one indicator that the adrenals are stressed and not functioning well. Stress plays a big part in exhausting the adrenal glands. Stress also affects the liver leading to low orotic acid production. Deficiency of orotic acid causes calcium to be high. This may also interfere with protein synthesis and inhibit replication of cells. This leads to fatigue and low blood sugar. Low adrenal function can contribute to this problem in that the adrenal glands regulate mineral levels. Mineral levels would not be abnormal if the adrenals were functioning properly. (Do not take cod liver oil if your calcium is high.) 

Sleep, Stress, and Adrenal Fatigue

Sleep, Stress, and Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal Fatigue is a decrease in the adrenal glands’ ability to carry out normal function. It is commonly caused by chronic stress from any source—emotional, physical, mental, or environmental— that exceeds the body’s capacity to adjust well to the demands placed on it by the stress.

Adrenal Stress, Weight Gain & Poor Sleep

Adrenal Stress, Weight Gain & Poor Sleep

Have you ever experienced a particularly stressful time where you started putting on weight for no apparent reason?  You were eating about the same amount of food and getting about the same amount of exercise, yet the scale started moving up. Your body’s stress response affected your hormones. 

Stress comes in many forms–intense work demands, disappointing news, relationship problems, poor sleep, buying a new home (or selling an old one), caring for an aging parent or a sick child, illness, loss, injury, trauma, or even eating food that isn’t good for you.  It all impacts the body. 

4 Unusual Sleep Remedies That Work!

4 Unusual Sleep Remedies That Work

1. Over-thinking and overheating at night. If you find that your chattering mind won’t turn off at night, 3 g. of glycine (a non-essential amino acid) taken at bedtime has been shown in studies to help alleviate this problem. “Glycine undergoes passive diffusion through the blood-brain barrier and acts primarily on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA). Its actions on the NMDA receptor are believed responsible for inhibiting muscle activity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and for lowering core body temperature to facilitate sleep. Oral glycine administration also increases serotonin levels without increasing dopamine levels [5] to help normalize circadian rhythms. In addition to helping objectively normalize the physiology of sleep,[8] oral glycine supplementation was shown to ameliorate the subjective symptoms of sleep deprivation] On testing, subjects report improved sleep satisfaction and decreased daytime sleepiness and cognitive impairment.” Additionally, if you wake up in the night with “spinning thoughts,” a pinch of glycine under the tongue can help. [1]

Weight Gain & Insomnia: Adrenals stuck in “ON”

Adrenal Fatigue Can Make You Fat & Sleepless

Your adrenal glands are little glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Though small they have a big job. They are responsible for producing a hormone called cortisol – the stress hormone which when elevated can contribute to lower levels of key hormones and neurotransmitters. This leads to the classic symptoms of adrenal fatigue like tiredness, low energy levels, and a general lack of vitality and enthusiasm. If you have other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, insomnia, inability to lose weight, feeling anxious, allergies, or brain fog, Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) may be at the root. If you suspect you may have AFS, take my Adrenal Fatigue Quiz.

SLEEP, STRESS and ADRENAL FATIGUE

How Are They Related and What Can You DO?

Adrenal Fatigue is a decrease in the adrenal glands’ ability to carry out normal function. It is commonly caused by chronic stress from any source—emotional, physical, mental, or environmental— that exceeds the body’s capacity to adjust well to the demands placed on it by the stress.

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Dr. James Wilson is well known for his work with adrenal fatigue.  He says, “Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms, known as a syndrome, that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level. Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, it can also arise during or after acute or chronic infections, especially respiratory infections such as influenza, bronchitis or pneumonia.

Adrenal-Thyroid Connection and Energy

Adrenal-Thyroid Connection and Energy

Are you feeling tired? Run Down? In need of energy to make it through the demands of the holiday season? When your adrenals are constantly stressed, this sets off an autoimmune, inflammatory response in your entire body. The adrenal-hypothalamus-pituitary feedback loop regulates the secretion of cortisol. All of your organs and your immune system are impacted negatively by the resulting constant assault of cortisol. Low adrenal function can actually cause someone’s thyroid problem to be much worse than it would be otherwise. This leads to fatigue that is cured by sleep.

When people with both low thyroid and low adrenal function are put on thyroid hormone alone, they sometimes feel worse. If you have low adrenal levels and take thyroid hormone by itself, the increased metabolism may accelerate the low adrenal problem. Also, interactions between the hormones are sometimes as important as the direct action of the hormones themselves. Some adrenal hormones assist in the conversion of T-4 to T-3, and may assist in the final effect of T-3 on the tissues. Some scientists believe that even the entrance of thyroid hormone into the cells is under the influence of adrenal hormones. If your adrenal level is low enough, you could benefit by taking both adrenal and thyroid support together.

I recommend Vitality Renew (for adrenals) and Thyrocsin (for thyroid). Also, my books The Juice Lady’s Remedies for Stress and Adrenal Fatigue and The Juice Lady’s Remedies for Thyroid Disorders could be very helpful.

Adrenal-Thyroid Connection

Adrenal-Thyroid Connection

When your adrenals are constantly stressed, this sets off an autoimmune, inflammatory response in your entire body. The adrenal-hypothalamus-pituitary feedback loop regulates the secretion of cortisol. All of your organs and your immune system are impacted negatively by the resulting constant assault of cortisol. Low adrenal function can actually cause someone’s thyroid problem to be much worse than it would be otherwise.

When people with both low thyroid and low adrenal function are put on thyroid hormone alone, they sometimes feel worse. If you have low adrenal levels and take thyroid hormone by itself, the increased metabolism may accelerate the low adrenal problem. Also, interactions between the hormones are sometimes as important as the direct action of the hormone itself. Some adrenal hormones assist in the conversion of T-4 to T-3, and may assist in the final effect of T-3 on the tissues. Some scientists believe that even the entrance of thyroid hormone into the cells is under the influence of adrenal hormones. If your adrenal level is low enough, you could benefit by taking both adrenal and thyroid support together.