CAUTION: "Inactive" Ingredients in Most Common Drugs and Supplements are harming you!

Inactive ingredients are also known as excipients. These  are added to pills and capsules to pad out the active ingredient that you are paying for.

These are commonly chemicals that enable the production machinery to go faster without stoppages. They also increase the volume of the pill or capsule so you think you are getting a bigger bang for your buck.

More excipients than active ingredient

A recent study^[1]  has found that the vast majority of the most common prescription drugs  and supplements contain "inactive" ingredients. These extra ingredients have been shown to cause adverse reactions.

Your doctor prescribe drugs for their "active ingredient". The doctor would have told you about the possible side effects of those active ingredients. The same is also true when you go into the health food store to buy your supplements.

What the doctor doesn't tell you is up to 99% of pills and tablets are actually made of "excipients". These excipients are the "inactive" ingredients. They help the drug's appearance, color, flavor, absorption, shelf-life, and other properties. These "inactive" ingredients are only for the benefit of the manufacturers bottom line and not yours.

Read the labels

You need to know that more than 90% of all oral medications tested had at least one such "inactive" ingredient that can cause allergic or gastrointestinal problems, especially to those with certain sensitivities. 

​This includes, but is not limited to, ingredients such as chemical dyes... gluten... peanut oil... and lactose. In fact, most medications contain more than one type of inactive ingredients.

If you do take any prescription or OTC medications, do your best to research what their "inactive" ingredients are. Check their possible effects (not just the possible side effects of the main "active" ingredient, in other words.)

Most "inactive" ingredients are shown in the small print in the ingredients list. Common ones are Magnesium Stearate, Rice Flour, Tapioca Flour, Silicon Dioxide, Titanium Dioxide. There are many more of these excipients (see list here) that the FDA have determined are safe for manufacturers to add to their products to increase their profits.

Types of Excipients (Inactive Ingredients that do not help you) can be found here.

References

• 1.  Lokesh B, Stefan S, Sheehan C, William R (2006). "Excipients: Background/Introduction". In Katdare A, Chaubal, Mahesh (eds.). Excipient Development for Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, and Drug Delivery Systems. CRC Press. ISBN 9781420004137. OCLC 476062541.
• Osterberg RE, See NA.Toxicity of excipients--a Food and Drug Administration perspective.Int J Toxicol. 2003 Sep-Oct;22(5):377-80.PMID: 14555410 DOI: 10.1177/109158180302200507
  
  Steinberg M, Silverstein I.The use of unallowed excipients.Int J Toxicol. 2003 Sep-Oct;22(5):373-5.PMID: 14555409 DOI: 10.1177/109158180302200506
  
  Parhiz H, Khoshnejad M, Myerson JW, Hood E, Patel PN, Brenner JS, Muzykantov VR. Unintended effects of drug carriers: Big issues of small particles. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2018 May;130:90-112. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.06.023. Epub 2018 Jul 3. PMID: 30149885 PMCID: PMC6588191 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.06.023
  
  Abrantes CG, Duarte D, Reis CP. An Overview of Pharmaceutical Excipients: Safe or Not Safe? J Pharm Sci. 2016 Jul;105(7):2019-26. doi: 10.1016/j.xphs.2016.03.019. Epub 2016 Jun 1. PMID: 27262205 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2016.03.019
  
  Pifferi G, Restani P. The safety of pharmaceutical excipients. Farmaco. 2003 Aug;58(8):541-50. PMID: 12875883 DOI: 10.1016/S0014-827X(03)00079-X
  
  Yuan CJ, Marikawa Y. Developmental toxicity assessment of common excipients using a stem cell-based in vitro morphogenesis model. Food Chem Toxicol. 2017 Nov;109(Pt 1):376-385. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.09.023. Epub 2017 Sep 18. PMID: 28927898 PMCID: PMC5656506 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.09.023
  
  Pérez-Ibarbia L, Majdanski T, Schubert S, Windhab N, Schubert US. Safety and regulatory review of dyes commonly used as excipients in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2016 Oct 10;93:264-73. doi: 10.1016/j.ejps.2016.08.026. Epub 2016 Aug 12. PMID: 27531552 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2016.08.026
  
  Chen ML. Lipid excipients and delivery systems for pharmaceutical development: a regulatory perspective. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2008 Mar 17;60(6):768-77. Epub 2007 Nov 12. PMID: 18077051 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2007.09.010
  
  Pouton CW, Porter CJ. Formulation of lipid-based delivery systems for oral administration: materials, methods and strategies. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2008 Mar 17;60(6):625-37. Epub 2007 Nov 4. PMID: 18068260 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2007.10.010
  

The Cause of your Disease has been known for a very long time. Yet the FDA and other governmental organisations that are supposed to protect the health and well being of the population are being paid off to ignore this.

The cause was recognised back in 2006, but FDA refuses to remove their blindfold. Mainly because they are blinded by money and political interference.

Is this what you want?

Watch the video below and then make the decision whether or not you want to allow this state of affairs to continue. If you do nothing, then who will. Not doing anything will allow disease to run riot throughout you and your family. Your children and grandchildren will suffer their whole lives because of your inaction.

Watch the video below (1 hour 25 mins) and then decide to do something about removing the cause of your and your families disease, allergies and other disorders from your family tree completely.

You are the only one who can make the change. Do it now and stop blaming others for not doing anything about it.

Contrary to popular beliefs - up to 90% of stomach ulcers are proven to be caused by Helicobacter pylori...

If you didn't already know it - this is the single most important fact that you should know about stomach ulcers.

No matter what you have been told or what you have read elsewhere. It has been clinically proven over and over again using thousands of case studies that Helicobacter pylori   (H.pylori) is the most likely cause of your stomach ulcer.

Getting rid of H. pylori has also been shown to heal stomach ulcers. 

Just knowing these 2 basic facts and the other important facts listed on this page could save you from months of unnecessary pain and suffering.

What symptoms and facts are related to Helicobacter pylori?

The Fact that Doctors won't tell you about Stomach Ulcer treatments...

Doctors "forget" to mention this important fact which demonstrates how ineffective the most common stomach ulcer treatments really are. This fact has purposely been kept from you by health professionals and drug companies. And just because they want to make money off you.

Nearly ALL doctors know already know that the drug is unlikely to work. This is because they all experience this result almost all the time in their own practices.

What are these negative effects?

These negative effects are: Joint pain, diarrhea, dizziness, fever, flu-like symptoms, stomach upset, low blood pressure, kidney damage, increased liver enzymes, mouth ulcers, nausea, light sensitivity, itching, rash, skin discoloration, hives, vomiting, heartburn, shortness of breath, blood disorders and loss of appetite.

You should be concerned about these negative effects. Obviously these are fairly extensive and can be quiet harmful.

What can you use instead of these drugs?

You just need to take 3 capsules a day for 30 days with your breakfast to get rid of the H.pylori.

Ulcer-Gone contains a rare and difficult to grow herb. It has been selected because it contains the most potent natural means of killing H. pylori in the stomach. It manages to do this because this herb contains multiple natural chemicals. All of which are proven H. pylori bacterium killer. This combination have been found to be 40 times more powerful than any other natural remedy.

You need only 3 capsules a day with breakfast for 30 days to clear the H. pylori. Your Stomach Ulcers should have disappeared as well. 

You will have no more pain or discomfort from your stomach ulcers. 

Your Doctor or pharmacist can use a simple non-invasive test after you completed the course. This will confirm that you are free from this Stomach Ulcer causing infection of H.pylori.

A lot more information about H. pylori and Ulcers can be found here.

Food addiction isn't all your fault

Does your food addiction start like this?

It’s been a hard day at work and you just want to relax. You get home put on Netflix and open that bag of crisps, chips or sweets. One bite turns into one hundred and you’re left with an empty packet on your lap with you trying to blame the dog.

Don’t worry, this happens to the best of us, and it isn’t actually that uncommon with certain foods. Processed foods are scientifically engineered to be irresistible and easy to gobble up in large quantities. If you can’t stop, the chips are doing their job. Some brands even have that as a catchphrase.

The big issue here is that we become addicted to the mouth feeling and the temporary feel good of eating these foods. A lot of us feel the regret after eating these and still go back to them later in the day or the next day.

So what can you do to control this?

1. GET CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR FOOD

For a food to be “easy to eat”, it has to be: broken down easily (less chewing), and low volume (doesn’t take up much physical space). The more we have to chew something, the longer it takes us to eat, giving our fullness signals a chance to catch up.

That feeling of “fullness” matters a lot too.

When you eat, your stomach expands. It’s partly through that sensation of pressure that your body knows you’ve had enough. Processed foods deliver a lot of calories without taking up much space, meaning you can eat a lot before you realize you’ve overdone it.

Count your chews.

Note: Don’t do this forever. That would be weird. Just try it.

First, eat a whole food — a vegetable, fruit, whole grain, lean protein, whatever — and count how many chews you take per mouthful.

How long does it take to eat an entire portion of that food?

How satisfied do you feel afterward?

Do you want to eat more?

Then, next time you eat junk food, count how many chews you take per mouthful.

How long does it take to eat that serving of crisps, chips, or cookies?

How satiated do you feel afterward? Do you want to eat more?

Make some comparisons and notice the differences. Contrast how long eating each of these foods takes you, how satiated you feel after eating each of them, and how much you want to keep eating.

How will you use that information to make food choices moving forward?

2. WHAT MESSAGES ARE YOU GETTING ABOUT THE FOOD YOU ARE EATING

Food manufacturers use marketing strategies to imply processed foods are healthy. And even if you know they’re not, they have other ways of getting you to buy them.

The good news? Simply being aware of this trick can help you bypass it.

Evaluate your pantry.

Examine the foods you have in your home and the messages you’ve been given about them by the manufacturer.

Note: Keep in mind that this is a mindful awareness activity. You’re not doing this to judge yourself or feel shame about the food choices you’ve made. Look at your pantry with curious and more informed eyes.

Step 1: Look for “health halo” foods. Do you have any? If so, why did you choose them? Was it the language used to describe it? Was it the packaging? A trendy “superfood” ingredient? Is it organic, gluten-free, sugar-free, Paleo, or something else?

Step 2: Read the nutritional information. Once you’ve identified the “health halo” foods, take a closer look. Is your “healthy” organic dark chocolate peanut butter cup all that nutritionally different from that mass-market peanut butter cup? Chances are, it’s just different packaging.

Step 3: Count how many varieties of junk foods you have. If you love ice cream — how many flavours do you have? If you peek into your cupboards, are there cookies, popcorn, candy, or crisps/ chips? Without judgment, count the total junk food variety currently in your
home. Generally, the more options you have, the easier it is to overeat.

The takeaway?

You’ll be more aware of the particular types of marketing you’re susceptible to, which you can use to make more informed food choices.
You’ll also have a better idea of which treat foods you prefer, and by reducing the variety of them in your home, you’ll cut down on opportunities to overeat.

We often use food for reasons other than physical nourishment.

Hard day, let’s have a takeaway. Temporarily, we feel better because of the mouth pleasure.

The next time we have a hard day, we remember the temporary and we repeat the ritual. If we continue to repeat this cycle, we may find ourselves slipping every time we feel blue.

We’re not even thinking about it at this point; it’s just habit. It is this habit that becomes a food addiction.

Habits are powerful, for better or for worse. They can work for us or against us.

Luckily, we have control over this.

All it takes is a little time and an understanding of how habits get formed.

All animals learn habits in the following way –

Trigger (Something Happens) > Behaviour > Reward.

Identify your triggers - they are what is driving your food addiction:

CHANGING YOUR HABITS TO AVOID FOOD ADDICTION

When you find yourself eating when you’re not physically hungry, increase your awareness of your triggers by asking yourself:

What am I feeling?

What time is it?

Who am I with?

Where am I?

What thoughts am I having?

Find a new behaviour every time you feel these triggers. These must be individual to you for them to be effective.

The road to a better lifestyle is takes more than just your nutrition. However, the skills and habits required to control your nutrition makes the rest of the journey far easier.

Give these a try and let us know how you get on and how you feel they can be improved.

Share your experiences below in the comments.

The really big problem with Food Addiction is that a a lot of the ingredients that the food manufacturers use cause Cancer. So in addition to becoming your drug pusher of choice they are making you sick. Eventually your addiction is likely to kill you unless you make the changes to your eating habits.

Become a member of our Destroy Disease group and take advantage of our Free 7 Day Health Kickstarter  to help you break your Food Addiction and become a healthier you.

Risk of prostate cancer

About 1 man in 9 will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer during his lifetime. Prostate cancer develops mainly in older men. About 60% are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.

As a preventative the consumption of one or two brazil nuts a day is a minimal requirement compared to the potential of Prostate Cancer as you get older. If you are allergic to nuts then there are Selenium supplements you can take. So do one or the other from as early an age as possible.​

Prostate cancer affects men. This small gland is located beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is actually part of the reproductive system and helps to make the fluid that is known as semen. Semen is needed to carry sperm, so a healthy prostate is needed for proper ejaculation and fertility. Prostate Cancer occurs when the prostate gets larger.

As men get older it is natural for some enlargement of this gland to occur. However, in some cases, this can be a sign of very serious Prostate Cancer. This type of Cancer can make urination and ejaculation painful or difficult, and can greatly affect reproductive and sexual wellbeing. But asides from complications and pain, Prostate Cancer can be seriously life-threatening. The pressing issue of Prostate Cancer has led to extensive research on treatment options and preventative measures. In particular, there has been interest in the use of particular vitamins and minerals to naturally prevent and control this form of Cancer.

One mineral that has proven to be particularly important is Selenium. 

In several different medical trials and scientific studies, it has been found that low levels of Selenium in the body can lead to a lesser risk of Prostate Cancer. In particular, it is known that this important mineral can actively defend the body against the development of Prostate Cancer.

This is because it can support the effects of antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress from occurring in the body. When oxidative stress builds up it can lead to Cancer. So it is important to ensure that antioxidants are able to fight this in your body.

Getting enough Selenium optimises the Cancer preventing benefits of antioxidants. Asides from this, it is thought that Selenium can encourage the immune system to destroy tumours.

If you are at risk of Prostate Cancer or are concerned about your future Cancer risks, then it definitely worth ensuring you have enough Selenium in your diet. People with low Selenium intake can reduce their Prostate Cancer risk just by getting more of this essential mineral in their diet. So if you are a man over the age of 50 it is especially worth watching out for Selenium.

Diet for Prostate Cancer

Now that you know how important Selenium is to your health and wellbeing, you may want to know how to include it in your diet.

There is not actually a huge range of foods that contain Selenium. For those who don’t eat meat, dairy or shellfish, there are even fewer food sources. This means that most vegetarians and vegans may struggle to find good food sources of Selenium.

However, the good news is that you don’t need a lot of Selenium in your diet at all. As a trace mineral, you only need a ‘trace’ or a small amount of it in your diet. Even a small portion of Selenium-rich foods could be enough to meet your Recommended Daily Allowance of 55 mcg. Although, if you want to treat health conditions with Selenium then you may want to get a little more Selenium than the RDA suggests, just under 200 mcg.

Organ and muscle meat are known to be rich in Selenium. The liver is a good option since it is rich in nutrients and healthy enzymes. Although an unusual choice of meat, it tends to be cheaper and offers a unique flavour to meals.

Try swapping traditional cuts of meat for organ meats to increase your Selenium intake. Poultry can be a good source of Selenium although in most cases this is only true of organic and free-range poultry. Fish, eggs, and dairy foods also contain a significant amount of Selenium and can be included every now and then as part of a nutritious and healthy diet.

Plants

With plant foods, most of the Selenium they contain depends on the soil they were grown in. Soil contains Selenium which is absorbed by the plant roots. Depending on the geographical location of growth, the Selenium concentration of plant foods can vary quite a bit. Generally though, if a plant food is considered to be rich in Selenium you can be sure that it has enough to help you meet your RDA.

One of the absolute best sources of Selenium is Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are certainly the most concentrated plant food when it comes to this trace mineral. Just one Brazil nut provides you with up to 95 mcg of Selenium. This is almost twice an adult’s RDA. In a recent New Zealand study, Brazil nuts were found to be a far more preferable source of Selenium than supplements. If you are not a fan of Brazil nuts, you can also look to walnuts to support your wellbeing.

Including a Selenium rich food like these nuts in your diet regularly should negate the need for any supplement in the first place. Other plant foods that contain a notable amount of Selenium include various cereals and grains, raisins, onions, garlic and kidney beans.

Having a variety of these Selenium-rich foods in your diet can help you to meet your daily needs for this trace mineral. Asides from this, it can certainly help you to support long term health and wellbeing. Whether you want to prevent Cancer or support cognitive (brain) health, you can rely on this mineral to help you.

An essential mineral

This amazing nutrient is vital to your health even if you never heard of it. It is an essential mineral, meaning it must be obtained through your diet. It is only needed in small amounts, but plays a major role in important processes in the body like metabolism, killing cancer and thyroid function.

Your body only need a tiny amount of Selenium to remain healthy. It helps your body make special proteins, called antioxidant enzymes. These play a significant role in preventing cell damage.

Nutritional Selenium

Brazil nuts have the highest levels of nutritional selenium. One ounce of brazil nuts contain 544 micrograms of this important nutrient or 777% the Recommended Daily Allowance.

High quality supplements are available. They should contain L-selenomethionine, the most absorbable form of selenoproteins.

For most people the best option may be to include selenium-rich foods in their diet. Great sources include: brazil nuts, crimini mushrooms, cod, shrimp, tuna, halibut, salmon, scallops, chicken, eggs, shiitake mushrooms, lamb, and turkey. Brazil nuts are particularly rich in selenium; it only takes one or two per day to improve your selenium status and boost immune function. (10)

This important nutrient can be toxic in high doses

Selenium is an element necessary for normal cellular function, but it can have toxic effects at high doses. Frequently reported symptoms included diarrhea (78%), fatigue (75%), hair loss (72%), joint pain (70%), nail discoloration or brittleness (61%), and nausea (58%). Symptoms persisting 90 days or longer included fingernail discoloration and loss (52%), fatigue (35%), and hair loss (29%). 

Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral required for good health. It is obtained from food, and the recommended dietary allowance is 55 μg/d for persons 14 years or older.  The tolerable upper intake limit of 400 μg/d.(1,2) This nutrient is available in a diverse diet with meat, grains, vegetables, and nuts is typically sufficient to negate the necessity for supplementation.(3) Selenium toxicity can occur with acute or chronic ingestion of excess selenium. Symptoms of toxicity include nausea; vomiting; nail discoloration, brittleness, and loss; hair loss; fatigue; irritability; and foul breath odor (often described as “garlic breath”).(1,2,4-6)

Selenium is found in the environment in soil. Soils of certain areas in the Great Plains and western United States(4). There are other parts of the world which have high concentrations, which are taken up by plants. For example, chronic toxicity was endemic in parts of China until recently.(6) Outbreaks of acute selenium poisoning are rare, but have been reported.(7,8)

Outbreaks of selenium poisoning are rare; the last occurred in 2008 with 201 cases. Prior to that was in 1983 and involved 12 persons who had consumed extremely potent selenium tablets as a dietary supplement.(7,8) A single case in 1996 was attributed to vitamins with elevated amounts of selenium.(9) Occasional cases are caused by unintentional or suicidal ingestion.(5) 

Did you know that Selenium could help your body to fight Cancer? 

Or that it is prescribed to treat chronic dandruff - it is an ingredient in many anti-dandruff shampoos?

This valuable mineral can actually do a huge amount for your wellbeing! As a trace mineral, you only need a small or ‘trace’ amount of it in your diet. But even a tiny amount of this mineral can make a big difference to your wellness. 

The main benefit is its ability to fight Cancer.

Not only can this trace mineral prevent the development of Cancer, but it can also help the body to destroy cancerous cells and tumours. Whilst fighting most forms of Cancer, it is particularly effective at fighting Prostate Cancer. 

As well as this, Selenium can be relied on to prevent Asthma attacks, since Selenium deficiency leads to an increased risk of Asthma.

The list of benefits that this mineral can offer you is seemingly endless, and this is just a few of its uses! 

It can also promote absorption of nutrients, treat Cardiomyopathy, and lower your risk of Keshan disease. 

All this is possible with just a small amount of Selenium in your diet. An adult only needs around 55 mcg a day, which can be achieved by eating just a few Brazil nuts daily. Whatever foods you get this mineral from, you can be sure of benefiting your body and tackling diseases with this important nutrient.

Cancer Killer

There are many different types of Cancer. Nearly all of them are characterised by the excessive growth of dangerous cancerous cells in certain areas of the body.

One major form of Cancer is Prostate Cancer, which affects around 40,000 men a year in the UK alone.

Risk of prostate cancer

1 man in 9 will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer during his lifetime. Prostate cancer develops mainly in older men. About 60% are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older, and it is rare before age 40. The average age at the time of diagnosis is about 66.

As a preventative the consumption of one or two brazil nuts a day is a minimal requirement compared to the potential of Prostate Cancer as you get older. If you are allergic to nuts then there are Selenium supplements you can take. So do one or the other from as early an age as possible.​

Men Only

Prostate cancer only affects men. This small gland is located beneath the bladder and in front of the rectum. It is actually part of the reproductive system and helps to make the fluid that is known as semen. Semen is needed to carry sperm, so a healthy prostate is needed for proper ejaculation and fertility. Prostate Cancer occurs when the prostate gets larger.

As men get older it is natural for some enlargement of this gland to occur. However, in some cases, this can be a sign of very serious Prostate Cancer. This type of Cancer can make urination and ejaculation painful or difficult. It can also greatly affect reproductive and sexual wellbeing. But asides from complications and pain, Prostate Cancer can be seriously life-threatening. The pressing issue of Prostate Cancer has led to extensive research on treatment options and preventative measures. In particular, there has been interest in the use of vitamins and minerals to naturally prevent and control this form of Cancer.

One mineral that has proven to be particularly important is Selenium. 

In several different medical trials and scientific studies, it has been found that low levels of this mineral in the body can lead to a lower risk of Prostate Cancer. In particular, it is known that this important mineral can actively defend the body against the development of Prostate Cancer. 

This is because it can support the effects of antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants prevent oxidative stress from occurring in the body. When oxidative stress builds up it can lead to Cancer. So it is important to ensure that antioxidants are able to fight this in your body.

Getting enough Selenium optimises the Cancer preventing benefits of antioxidants. Aside from this, it is thought that it can encourage the immune system to destroy tumours. 

If you are at risk of Prostate Cancer or are concerned about your future Cancer risks, then it definitely worth ensuring you have enough Selenium in your diet. People with low Selenium intake can reduce their Prostate Cancer risk just by getting more of this essential mineral in their diet. So if you are a man over the age of 50 it is especially worth making sure you get getting enough of this mineral.

As a woman it is an important mineral that you need to protect you from Cancer.

Brain Health

Supporting your brain health is important at any age.

One nutrient your brain relies on is Selenium.

This actually plays an important role in the production of neurotransmitters. These are brain chemicals responsible for transporting chemical messages through the brain. Without them, you would be unable to react or respond to anything. This makes Selenium quite important to normal brain function. In fact, a low level can lead to notable cognitive decline. 

Older people are at risk of Dementia if they have a Selenium deficiency. As you approach the age of 60, it is more important than ever to ensure you get enough Selenium in your diet. It could help you to lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Another benefit to brain health that this powerful trace mineral offers is in the treatment of Intracranial Pressure. This is a condition that causes a range of unpleasant and frustrating symptoms. These include frequent headaches, Vertigo, nausea, speech disorders, and chronic fatigue. According to some early research, Selenium could help to manage this condition and relieve the symptoms of it as well.

Diet

Your diet should include Selenium for your health and wellbeing. 

There is not actually a huge range of foods that contain this important mineral. For those who don’t eat meat, dairy or shellfish, there are even fewer food sources. This means that most vegetarians and vegans may struggle to find good food sources of Selenium. 

The good news is that you don’t need a lot in your diet at all. As a trace mineral, you only need a ‘trace’ or a small amount of it in your diet. If you eat even a small portion of Selenium-rich foods that could be enough to meet your Recommended Daily Allowance of 55 mcg. Although, if you want to treat health conditions with Selenium then you may want to get a little more Selenium than the RDA suggests, just under 200 mcg. 

Organ and Muscle Meat

Organ and muscle meat are known to be rich in Selenium. The liver is a good option since it is rich in nutrients and healthy enzymes. Although an unusual choice of meat, it tends to be cheaper and offers a unique flavour to meals.

Try swapping traditional cuts of meat for organ meats to increase your Selenium intake. Poultry can be a good source of Selenium although in most cases this is only true of organic and free-range poultry. Fish, eggs, and dairy foods also contain a significant amount of Selenium and can be included every now and then as part of a nutritious and healthy diet.

Plant Foods

With plant foods, most of the Selenium they contain depends on the soil they were grown in. Soil contains Selenium which is absorbed by the plant roots. Depending on the geographical location of where the plant is growing, the Selenium concentration of plant foods can vary quite a bit. If a plant food is considered to be rich in Selenium you can be sure that it has enough to help you meet your RDA. 

One of the absolute best sources of Selenium is Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are certainly the most concentrated plant food when it comes to this trace mineral. Just one Brazil nut provides you with up to 95 mcg of Selenium. This is almost twice an adult’s RDA. In a recent New Zealand study, Brazil nuts were found to be a far more preferable source of Selenium than supplements. If you are not a fan of Brazil nuts, you can also look to walnuts to support your wellbeing.

If you include a Selenium rich food like these nuts in your diet regularly it should avoid the need for any supplement in the first place. Other plant foods that contain a notable amount of Selenium include various cereals and grains, raisins, onions, garlic and kidney beans. 

Having a variety of these Selenium-rich foods in your diet can help you to meet your daily needs for this trace mineral. Asides from this, it can certainly help you to support long term health and wellbeing. Whether you want to prevent Cancer or support cognitive (brain) health, you can rely on this mineral to help you.

Irrelevant Nutrient

The trace mineral selenium was considered an irrelevant nutrient as recently as three decades ago. Now scientists have discovered that selenium is actually crucial to the health of humans. It plays a role in helping to protect the body against a wide range of damaging diseases and conditions.

Selenium’s rise from an irrelevant mineral to a crucial trace element has occurred as a result of studies. They indicated its role in regulating metabolism, cell manufacture, enhancing reproductive efforts, neutralising damaging free radicals and protecting the body against infection and cancer. In addition to these benefits, selenium is the only trace element that is incorporated into our genetic material. Selenocysteine is a specific amino acid that is incorporated into numerous proteins in our bodies under the direction of the genetic code.

Mostly we obtain selenium from plants. This bonds with proteins in our bodies to create compounds known as selenoproteins. At least 25 unique selenoproteins exist within our bodies. These play an important role in many processes from protecting us against free radical damage through to activating thyroid hormone release.

Commonly found in supplements as Sodium Selenite.

Multiple Protective Roles

Selenium combines with the body’s natural antioxidant, glutathione, to form powerful compounds known as glutathione peroxidases.

Glutathione peroxidases are compounds that convert hydrogen peroxide and other damaging compounds into water or harmless alcohol. Selenium also combines with a specific protein to form a compound referred to as Selenoprotein P. This particular protein helps to protect the circulatory system including the heart and all the blood vessels from damage.

The other benefit of selenium is that it reactivates vitamins C and E back to their active state. Vitamins C and E work to neutralise free radicals and without selenium, these neutralised compounds would be excreted out including the vitamins C and E. By binding with the toxic molecules, vitamins C and E are put back into their active state so that they can attack more free radicals and protect our bodies.

Immune System

Selenium plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the immune system. Selenium is required to signal cytokines, which are compounds that tell your immune system to get to work. Additionally, selenium has been shown to prevent viral mutation of many species and thus prevent recurring infections.

Important studies in the US and Finland have shown the protective effect of selenium against cell mutation. Within the UK, dietary selenium levels are considerably lower than in the US. These levels have fallen very significantly in recent years. Levels now stand at around half the Government’s defined Reference Nutrient Intake which for the UK is 70 mcg for men and 60 mcg for women.

A dietary supplement of selenium has tremendous potential for reducing the various forms of cell mutation at a relatively low cost. When researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a study involving 1300 patients, they found more than 50% reduction in certain cell mutation diseases when compared to the placebo group.

Thyroid

The thyroid gland holds the largest concentration of selenium of any organ in the body. Three different selenium-bound proteins are responsible for making active thyroid hormone available in circulation. Selenium is therefore essential for all the processes carried out by the thyroid gland including metabolism, normal growth and development. This is aside from the link between thyroid hormones and all the other hormones within our body. Thyroid hormone deficiencies affect most other hormonal glands in the body.

Selenium’s role in protecting the cardiovascular system remains unclear. It is theorized that selenium’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may help protect the heart, although more research needs to be carried out to confirm this.

Foods

Food sources of selenium include chicken, meat, grains, fish and dairy products. However most of the foods we ingest contain very low levels of selenium especially if you live in Europe. The reason for this is because selenium is a trace mineral that is extracted by plants from the soil and therefore its availability is largely determined by soil quality. Unfortunately most of Europe, China and New Zealand are known for having selenium deficient soils, as do parts of the USA.

It is estimated that before the end of the century using moderate climate change projections, the predicted future (2080–2099) soil selenium losses will be 58%. Predicted losses from croplands were even higher, with 66% of croplands predicted to lose 8.7% selenium. These losses could increase the worldwide prevalence of selenium deficiency.(11)

When combined with vitamin E‚ selenium (selenomethionine) may have several additional benefits. It can support some of the cells that are responsible for producing energy. Overall‚ it may promote fertility and growth.

Finally‚ selenium supports healthy blood flow because it is essential to the production of prostaglandins. It is also involved in thyroid hormone synthesis‚ and immune system functioning; the latter is because it may work with other minerals to build up white blood cells.

There are several forms of selenium supplements available on the market. Selenium (selenomethionine) combined selenium with organic methionine that is incorporated directly into proteins; it releases selenium into the bloodstream when these complex molecules are broken down during the metabolic process.

As you can see from the diagram above, persistent hypertension can subject you to conditions that ultimately will kill you.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of our blood against the walls of the arteries. These carry the fresh oxygenated blood away from the heart and out into the body. Blood pressure can vary throughout the day, but generally stays within a general range. This depends on body position, breathing, stress, fitness, medications, and time of day. Blood pressure is usually lowest at night and rises quickly upon waking.

Your blood pressure is measured with two numbers—the top number is called “systolic”, and the bottom number is “diastolic”. The systolic number, measures the pressure of your blood against the walls of your blood vessels as it is pumped out of your heart. The number on the bottom, the diastolic measurement, represents the pressure in your blood vessels when your heart rests between beats. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

Generally, a healthy blood pressure regarded as being between 90-120 systolic, and 60-80 diastolic. Blood pressures measured above 120/80 are considered high and termed “pre-hypertension”. Blood pressures of 140/90 or above are considered “hypertension” and usually require medical treatment or a change in your lifestyle. A ‘hypertensive crisis’ is a dangerous situation when your blood pressure rises dramatically high and means that your blood pressure is 180 or higher (systolic), over 100 or more (diastolic). Mine hit 200 when I had kidney stones.

So now that the Medical Industry is telling over 80% of the population they have hypertension what are they doing about it? They are doing what they always done, push drugs onto you instead of trying to find the cause and treat that. 

As a group Doctors are the most successful drug pushers in the world. Their bosses (The Pharmaceutical Industry) are the Drug Overlords who have managed to convince Governments that their drugs are good for the population. Statistics show that this is not the case as deaths caused by Pharmaceuticals being misprescribed or over prescribed is now the 4th highest cause of death in the USA. This is more than the deaths caused by illegal drugs.

This is similar to what the American Medical Association did with obesity. See the article here.

Why Does It Matter If You Have High Blood Pressure?

Having hypertension means that your arterial walls have stiffened due to a variety of factors that is discussed later in another article. 

When blood vessel walls lose their elasticity, you run the risk for deadly heart disease, strokes, and aneurysms (dangerous bulging of arterial walls).

As an example, think of an old garden hose that is stiff and cracked. If you turned the water on full blast, then pinched the hose, you’d create buildup of pressure in the hose. Often that pressure will create a leak.

The same thing happens when you have high blood pressure. Arterial walls get stiffer, and surges of blood can actually create bulging and ballooning in the walls of the arteries, even in the aorta or the brain. If and when these bulging areas rupture, you have a hemorrhagic stroke or a ruptured aneurysm. This is often Deadly.

One of my dancing teachers had an aneurysm in the brain in the middle of a dancing competition, she was dead before she hit the ground. She was never diagnosed with a hypertension before she died. If you have hypertension then you need to start looking after yourself before it is too late.

What Causes High Blood Pressure?

While not a lot is known about the direct causes of high blood pressure, there are several key things that come into play. Often there is a genetic factor but genetic factors do not CAUSE high blood pressure. They simply make you more likely to get it at some point. What is interesting here, is that some people may be more susceptible to certain things while other factors have virtually no effect on them. Age also makes a difference. As we age, our blood vessels tend to get less elastic, so that lifestyle factors affect us more.

The above statement is the one that is the most common one that Doctors use. The reason why is that have no idea what is causing your hypertension. And to be honest it is a load of BS.

It was know as far back at the beginning of the 1900's that people who lived in underdeveloped countries and ate mainly vegetables and plants. They had the occasional meal of meat and had a "normal" blood pressure well into their old age. By this I mean the records show that the normal blood pressure was 120/80 (or less) from their teens to the day they died in their 70's and 80's. They also walked everywhere and worked had with manual labour.

So now the Doctors take the easy option. They prescribe pills instead of telling their patients to walk more, dig the garden and do some sort of manual labour to keep the body in good shape. Going to the gym doesn't really cut it as the whole body needs to be working, and not just a selected number of muscle groups.

Unhealthy Lifestyle factors that you can change

Here are a few unhealthy lifestyle factors that definitely contribute to hypertension, but they often do not show up until middle age. These include:

The Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension

Hypertensive Crisis

A hypertensive crisis is divided into two categories: urgent and emergency. In an urgent hypertensive crisis, your blood pressure is extremely high, but your doctor doesn't suspect you have any damage to your organs.

In an emergency hypertensive crisis, your blood pressure is extremely high and has caused damage to your organs. An emergency hypertensive crisis can be associated with life threatening complications.

Signs and symptoms of a severe hypertensive crisis may include:

This is a medical emergency and may require a visit to Urgent Care or ER. Medical complications of a hypertensive crisis can include stroke, and damage to the blood Vessels.