Walking Backwards ~ The Benefits of Retro Walking

Jennifer Rae Vliet

If you have trouble walking forwards with any kind of klutz curse like yours truly, this is something to be very careful about and best to use a treadmill with bars to hold on to with each hand to safely get acclimated, but wow, the benefits are amazing. Also, if you are concerned about the whole knees over toes thing, there is even a whole theory now out there about how that really isn't bad for the knees, and I suggest that this does go hand in hand in the research for walking backwards. There is even a YouTube channel called Knee Over Toe Guy. The goal is to not hurt oneself and get the maximum bennies out of walking backwards. Here we go...retro style!

What are the benefits of walking backwards?

Researchers say that with regular walking, the forward thrust or power is from your ankle. With backward walking, the power is from your hips and knees. This switch-up offers many benefits.

1. Builds muscle strength

When you walk, your gait or walking pattern is heel-to-toe. So with each step, your heel hits the ground first, followed by your toes. With backward walking, it's the opposite. Your toes hit the ground before your heel. This changes how the muscles work in your hips and legs.

The movement pattern in reverse or retro walking has been shown to make your legs work harder than walking forward. For example, as you walk backward, you engage the quadriceps at the front of your thigh to straighten your legs and propel you back. This can help you build lower-body muscle strength. Studies have shown that walking backward enhances quadriceps strength better than forward walking.

2. Improves balance and gait

Walking backward can improve gait, walking speed, and balance, especially after an injury or illness. One review found that when combined with other physical therapy treatments, retro walking improved gait and muscle strength in people with knee osteoarthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and ACL injuries.

Another study examined a backward walking training program in people who had a stroke. It improved balance and walking speed better than standing balance training. A more recent study had similar findings. People recovering from a stroke walked backward on a treadmill for 30 minutes three times a week. They had better balance, walking speed, and cardiorespiratory fitness in four weeks.

3. Burns more calories than forward walking

Because your muscles work harder, reverse walking can help you burn more calories than regular walking. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) found that walking briskly –– at 3.5 miles per hour –– burns 4.3 METs or metabolic equivalents. Walking backward, on the other hand, burns 6.0 METs.

A MET measures how much energy your body uses during physical activity. One MET, for example, is the amount of oxygen you use at rest. So according to the ACSM, reverse walking burns about 40% more calories per minute than walking briskly. This is a great way to raise the intensity of your exercises.

4. Boosts cardiorespiratory fitness

Walking is an excellent form of cardio that can boost your heart and lung health. Changing directions is effective, too. Reverse walking can improve your cardiorespiratory fitness, allowing your heart and lungs to provide oxygen more efficiently during exercise. In a small study, young women completed a backward walking and running training program. After 6 weeks, they had less body fat and better cardiorespiratory fitness.

5. Increases flexibility and range of motion

Retro walking changes your usual gait, which may improve your flexibility and range of motion and help with aches and pains. When you step backward, your knee straightens before your foot lands. This repeated movement can improve your range of motion if you have trouble extending your knee fully due to injury or illness. It can also boost flexibility in the ankles and hamstrings at the back of the thigh.

6. May help limit knee pain

Experts say that walking in reverse puts less pressure on the knee joint and kneecaps. It also strengthens the quads, which help support the knee. This may ease knee pain from illnesses or injuries like knee osteoarthritis and runner's knee. That explains why walking backward on a treadmill is one of many techniques that physical therapists use in rehabilitation programs.

The change in walking direction also engages low back muscles that stabilize your spine. Researchers believe this may help people with chronic low back pain.

7. Challenges your brain

Walking backwards is good for your brain, too. For many people, walking is an automatic process that doesn't need too much thought. But reverse walking challenges you to pay more attention and consciously think about how you move. This can help proprioception and body awareness as you move.

Learning new things, like mastering the retro walking technique, is one of many ways to keep your brain sharp. A study in Cognition found that people who walked backward — or even thought about it — had better short-term memory of past events.(SOURCE)

This is a great very short video from Dr. Patrick the motivationaldoc on YT ~

Why I WALK Backwards...This Can Change Your Life! Dr. Mandell

And of course, my favorite, Dr. Berg has a 2 minute video on how it can help your knee problems greatly!

Here are some controlled studies on retro walking to check out if that is your thing.

In summary, God gave us an amazing body and has designed our brain to right the body at all costs! Not only does Retro-Walking help the body in many ways as you can see but it challenges our noggin and as we age, that is always a good thing.

US approves its first over-the-counter birth control pill in landmark decision hailed by advocates

The US has approved its first over-the-counter birth control pill, broadening access to reproductive healthcare for millions.

Regulators in the US have approved the nation's first over-the-counter birth control pill in a landmark decision that will soon allow people to obtain contraceptive medication as easily as they buy eyedrops.

The Food and Drug Administration cleared once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The manufacturer, Ireland-based Perrigo, won’t start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales.

Hormone-based pills have been the most common form of birth control in the US since the 1960s. Until now, all of them required a prescription.

Medical societies and women’s health groups have pushed for wider access for decades, noting that an estimated 45% of the 6 million annual pregnancies in the US are unintended. Teens and girls, women of colour and those with low incomes report greater hurdles in getting prescriptions and picking them up.

The challenges can include paying for a doctor's visit, getting time off from work and finding child care.

“This is really a transformation in access to contraceptive care,” said Kelly Blanchard, president of Ibis Reproductive Health, a nonprofit group that supported the approval. “Hopefully this will help people overcome those barriers that exist now.”

Perrigo says Opill could be an important new option for the estimated 15 million US women who currently use no birth control or less effective methods, such as condoms. They are a fifth of women who are child-bearing age.

But how many women will actually gain access depends on the medication's price, which Perrigo plans to announce later this year.

“The reason why so many of us worked tirelessly for years to get over-the-counter birth control pills is to improve access ... cost shouldn’t be one of those barriers,” said Dr Pratima Gupta of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Most older birth control pills cost between €13 to €26 for a month's supply without insurance coverage.

Over-the-counter medicines are generally much cheaper than prescriptions, but they typically aren’t covered by insurance.

Women’s health advocates hope the decision paves the way for more over-the-counter birth control options and, eventually, for abortion pills to do the same.

Health and wellness secrets of the Founding Fathers

From Ammo.com Founding Fathers Quotes on the Importance of Physical Health and Exercise

By Jennifer Graham of Deseret News

If the Social Security Administration had been around in 1776, the Founding Fathers might have retired on disability instead of giving birth to a nation. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other leaders of the American Revolution suffered chronic effects of diseases like smallpox, tuberculosis and malaria, and were devastated by the deaths of their children.

In her 2013 book "Revolutionary Medicine, The Founding Fathers and Mothers in Sickness and in Health," Jeanne Abrams, a professor at the University of Denver, explained how the primitive health conditions in the 18th century affected not only ordinary colonists, but the leaders of the fledgling nation.

As America prepares to celebrate its 240th birthday — looking great for her age, we might say — Abrams spoke with The Deseret News about the health of the Founding Fathers and their families.

Deseret News: You say that Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were as well versed in medicine as any contemporary learned medical practitioner. (And they didn’t have Google.) What accounts for their knowledge?

Abrams: Jefferson was notoriously skeptical of physicians, although he was friends with a number of them. He is reputed to have said that whenever he saw two or more physicians conversing, he looked up to see if there were any vultures hovering overhead. He thought doctors as a whole killed more patients than saved them. He took what today we would term a more holistic approach to medicine, for he felt the body had a natural ability to heal itself if radical and heroic measures such as bloodletting weren’t introduced, and he thought people should understand the basics of medicine and be able to treat their families at home for at least common, more minor illnesses.

As for Franklin, we all think about electricity and his famous experiment with the kite and the key, but most people don’t know he also was responsible for a number of important medical inventions. I wear bifocals, as do millions of people today, which were one of his innovations. He also came up with a flexible urinary catheter (to help his brother, who had a prostate problem), and he experimented with using electrical impulses to reduce palsy.

Deseret News: How was pain treated in revolutionary America?

Abrams: They had apothecaries, and many early Americans made their own concoctions from medicinal herbs. Jefferson used thyme and lavender grown at Monticello for stomach problems and headaches. Abigail Adams applied cabbage leaves for aches and pains. They had receipt books — we call them recipes — that were handed down in families. For pain, they often used herbal remedies, an infusion made from willow bark which is akin to aspirin, and they used a lot of laudanum, which was a liquid distillation of opium to alleviate discomfort and insomnia.

In that era, people still looked at health in terms of the four humors (Hippocrates’ theory that blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm had to be balanced in the body). If you had a fever, perhaps it was because you had too much blood and some needed to come out, hence the almost ubiquitous use of bleeding for almost all illnesses.

Deseret News: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington were the opposite of today’s anti-vaxxers — they advocated inoculation against disease, despite popular opposition. How did colonial inoculation differ from the shots our children get today?

Abrams: Inoculation put the live virus into bodies. It was controversial because it presented some danger. It could blow up to a full-blown case of smallpox, and people died from that. They also didn’t understand completely the parameters of the contagious period, when people were actively contagious and could spread the smallpox. Still, inoculation had a much lower rate of mortality than acquiring it the “natural” way, so it was a significant improvement in treating the disease.

In 1776, Boston allowed smallpox inoculation for a short time, and Abigail Adams and her four children were inoculated; one became extremely ill, and she witnessed the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Boston while she may still have been contagious and possible spread the illness.

Franklin lost his own young son to smallpox and so became a vocal advocate for inoculation, which he felt could save lives. At his own expense, he published a pamphlet on how to inoculate for smallpox, and because he knew it was an expensive procedure for the working class, he arranged for free inoculation of poor children in Philadelphia.

And Washington insisted that all troops of the Continental Army be inoculated against smallpox, probably one of his most important decisions during the Revolutionary War.

Deseret News: Alexander Hamilton is the most popular founding father right now, because of the Broadway musical. What can you tell us about his health?

Abrams: Alexander Hamilton was one of the victims of the 1793 yellow fever epidemic that killed 10 percent of the population of Philadelphia, but fortunately he had a relatively mild case and recovered. By that time, he and Thomas Jefferson were political enemies. Jefferson would become head of the Republican-Democratic Party, and Hamilton was one of the leaders of the Federalists. Jefferson thought Hamilton was simply faking when he first claimed to have yellow fever.

That infamous epidemic closed down the American government, which was then located in Philadelphia as the nation's temporary capital, and people were divided along political lines on how best to treat the disease and what caused yellow fever. No one at the time understood that it was a virus spread by infected mosquitoes.

Deseret News: Health officials say obesity has reached epidemic levels in America. Were any of the founders overweight or obese?

Abrams: Most of the founders were quite lean; remember, people in those days walked or rode horseback to get around so there was definitely more exercise, and they didn't have to contend with the opportunities technology has provided for increased sedentary leisure, prolific food and beverage choices, and less exercise.

Franklin was tall and muscular most of his life, as were Washington and Jefferson. Franklin and Jefferson were both advocates of healthy living and great fans of adequate exercise, and Franklin was almost manic about the benefits of fresh air and good eating and sleeping habits. Jefferson in particular ate little meat, but emphasized vegetables and fruit in his diet and daily exercise. John Adams was corpulent and was sometimes mockingly referred to as "His Rotundity" by his political detractors, but ironically he lived the longest of the founders, until the age of 90, and for the most part he was quite healthy.

Deseret News: Washington had severe dysentery during the French and Indian War and suffered from the effects of smallpox and tuberculosis. How did he continue? Were men and women of that era just hardier than people today?

Abrams: Washington was sick a lot of the time. They all were. He suffered from smallpox but fortunately recovered, and if you recover, you’re immune for life. Most people in the South had recurrent malaria, which affected both Washington and James Madison significantly. Mortality rates were very high in early America, and over a quarter of children died before they grew up. Even measles was a devastating epidemic.

There used to be a theory that early Americans, because they knew they would lose children, kept an emotional distance from their offspring. But when you read the letters of the founders, you know that’s not true. They grieved deeply.

Jefferson was predeceased by five of his six children, and Martha Washington outlived all four of her children. John Adams lost four of his six children. When he was in Philadelphia at the Constitution Convention, Abigail Adams gave birth to a stillborn baby, and — this was especially poignant for me — she wrote to him that it was God’s will, and he wrote back, “Isn’t it a wonder how much someone can miss someone they’ve never met?”

I don’t think the founders were hardened to loss, but they went on with stoic fortitude. It’s a wonder they were able to accomplish all they did from a political standpoint, given the backdrop of their tragic family lives.

SOURCE>>>>

Do You Have Seasonal Allergies ~ Got the Sniffles?

Are you going through boxes of tissues weekly, finding yourself consumed with congestion and sneezing fits and wondering if it will ever end?

Here at The Plain Truth Your Health Today Online, we want to share health information that is not only off the beaten path and interesting, but that can actually help you.

Here is a compilation of a great videos on the topic that will hopefully result in some understanding but more importantly, RELIEF!

What exactly are allergies?

Dr. Berg Shares the Missing Link Connecting Your Allergies to Lack of Folate

He further explains how natural histamines can help...

Here is a great acupressure technique to help ease allergy symptoms and drain your sinus'.

Maybe herbal relief also will help...

Feeling the sniffles? Check out these herbs for allergy relief

Naturalnew.com

Most people often rely on over-the-counter medications for addressing allergic reactions. But there are some natural herbal remedies that you can try to provide relief from allergies, and minus the potential side effects. These include the following:

Mullein

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is used nowadays for less serious conditions like allergies, sore throat and inflamed tonsils. But according to functional medicine specialist Dr. Sobia Khan, the herb has been a go-to remedy for respiratory issues centuries before antibiotics were developed. Mullein's soothing properties make it a "friend" to the lungs.

Mullein contains antioxidants, such as vitamin C and flavonoids that protect cells from free radicals. It is also good for the lymph glands, a bonus for the immune system during allergy season. Moreover, the herb also possesses antiseptic and antiviral properties that stop pathogens in their tracks.

Goldenrod

Often considered a weed, the perennial goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) shouldn't be dismissed as such because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine properties. It is well-known as a decongestant – effectively relieving blockages in the upper respiratory tract. This quality makes goldenrod a good choice for allergies, influenza, sinusitis or the common cold.

S. canadensis owes its medicinal properties to beneficial plant compounds it contains. Flavonoids like kaempferol and quercetin protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Meanwhile, saponins in goldenrod enhance the immune system and help it ward off harmful pathogens. (Related: Stop spring allergies with these 5 easy-to-source herbs.)

Stinging nettle

Aspiring gardeners often link stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) with a painful encounter. However, the Arizona-based Sinus & Allergy Wellness Center considers it one of the most effective herbs for allergic rhinitis. In fact, stinging nettle has been used back in Ancient Greece for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Outside its painful quality, stinging nettle is a powerful antioxidant, astringent, antimicrobial and analgesic. It can reduce allergy-related inflammation without producing any adverse side effects. As a bonus, the leaves of stinging nettle can be cooked and added to salads, soups or stews – much like most green, leafy vegetables.

Horehound

A bitter herb of the mint family, horehound (Marubium vulgare) is often used in cough drops that help loosen mucus – making it one of the most ingested herbs in the United States. Given its potential to help suppress a nasty cough, the herb also shows potential to treat seasonal allergies. Horehound can relieve stuffiness, so it's ideal to take it when the allergy-related sniffles hit.

M. vulgare's medicinal properties stem from its plant compounds, such as trace amounts of volatile oils, alkaloids, flavonoids and diterpenes. Marrubiin, the most active diterpene in horehound, is responsible for the herb's expectorant properties. Moreover, the bitter-tasting marrubiin increases the flow of saliva and gastric juice – stimulating the appetite as a result.

Rosemary

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is more than just a cooking herb: It also helps address inflammation caused by allergic reactions, thanks to its bioactive compound rosmarinic acid. One study published in International Immunopharmacology expounded on this anti-inflammatory effect.

According to the study authors, rosmarinic acid greatly decreased the inflammation in mucus cells and hyper-secretion of mucus cells in an animal model of asthma. They also found that the plant compound reduced the number of goblet cells that trigger mucus hyper-secretion. Goblet cells often multiply in response to different factors such as cigarette smoke, particles and toxins.

MOSQUITO BITES AND YOUR HEALTH

It is best to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito and here is why...getting bitten by a mosquito could result in a great deal of health issues and even death. Let's look at what happens when you get bitten by a mosquito!

By Jennifer Rae Vliet

What Happens To Your Body When It's Bitten By A Mosquito

BY JOEY KEOGH from TheList.com
Mosquitoes must find nothing more delicious than human skin. That's how it feels when you're covered in itchy bites, agonizing over how to avoid scratching. So what really happens when these deadly insects bite us?

The female mosquito lands on your skin and extends her proboscis (a narrow part of the mouth used to retrieve blood) into it as she tries to locate a yummy blood vessel. Mosquitoes aren't teeny vampires, though, they just need protein-rich blood to produce eggs and propagate their species.

The mosquito injects us with a vasodilator, which keeps blood flowing rather than clotting while it feeds. It is this injection of the mosquito's saliva that causes the problem. As Dr. Renee Matthews, MD notes, our body reacts pretty strongly to this. "When a mosquito bites us, our body's immune system creates histamines, causing the skin around the mosquito bite to itch," she advises. Still, you might not notice right away and may even start itching hours later. Likewise, "Redness and swelling are part of the immune reaction, as well."

The Purpose for Mosquitos according to ThoughtCo.com in a column on The Most Interesting Facts About Mosquitos

Why Do Mosquitoes Exist?

Basically, mosquitoes exist because they're next to impossible to wipe out. Species don't exist in a vacuum; as long as they can find food and don't have environmental pressure against them, they'll continue. Mosquitoes are millions of years old as a species. In the ecosystem, they do serve as food for other species (birds, frogs, and fish) and as pollinators. The larvae eat detritus in the water, helping to clean it. There are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes, but only about 200 bite humans.

So, whats the big deal? Dr. Josh Axe reports that you can actually acquire parasites from a mosquito bite...

How does someone become infected with a parasite?

Believe it or not, a relatively high percentage of adults living in the United States may carry parasites. Where and how does somebody get infected with a parasite?

Parasites are generally acquired from consuming contaminated food or water, but people with imbalanced gut flora, leaky gut syndrome or a weakened immune system may be more susceptible. Some can also be spread through the bite of a mosquito or sand fly, or transmitted to humans from animals such as cows and pigs that are infected with parasites like Cryptosporidium or Trichinella. (SOURCE)

Look what is happening right now in Peru

Brimful clinics, cemeteries as dengue ravages Peru

Piura (Peru) (AFP) – Two months after cyclonic downpours flooded the town of Catacaos in northern Peru, dozens of inhabitants lie sick and dying of dengue, a disease carried by mosquitos attracted by stagnant water.

Near the border with Ecuador, Peru's Piura region is battling a new health crisis even as the South American country is still recovering from the world's highest reported Covid-19 death rate.

This time it is an epidemic of dengue, a viral disease with symptoms ranging from fever, headache and joint pain to bleeding, organ failure and sometimes, death.

The virus is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito that lays its eggs in standing water, of which there is a lot in Piura since cyclone Yaku hit northern Peru in March.

Dozens of people were killed and thousands affected as rivers burst their banks, destroying homes and infrastructure.

Half of the Piura region's 416 clinics were damaged by the cyclone that also paralyzed the local economy as thousands lost their ability to survive from informal jobs.

Dengue patients are being cared for at home by family as public health systems have collapsed © ERNESTO BENAVIDES / AFP

'Lost control'

By June 13, Piura had reported 82 dengue deaths -- including 11 children -- and more than 44,000 infections since the start of 2023, said the region's rights ombudsman Cesar Orrego.

This was about a third of the national toll of 248 deaths and more than 146,000 infections.

We have lost control" of the epidemic, vector-borne diseases expert Valerie Paz-Soldan of the Cayetano Heredia University in Lima told AFP.

On Thursday, Peru's health minister resigned over her handling of the crisis.

Most of Piura's 1.8 million inhabitants live along the coast.

In Catacaos, an agricultural area, Yaku turned roads into rivers, destroyed the drinking water and sewerage systems, and ruined mango, grape and rice crops.

Water accumulated in open tanks, hollows and containers, multiplying mosquito breeding grounds. In the heart of Catacaos, the football field is still water-logged.

Multiple fumigation efforts failed to stop the epidemic spreading like wild-fire through the town's rickety homes. (SOURCE)

Then we have the Gates meddling in on nature and we know how things go when The Gates' viewpoint on sustaining life goes...this in its best estimation may sound good to environmentalists but the lack of trust with anything "Bill Gates" related needs to be heavily noted here.

A Company Just Released 150K Genetically Modified Mosquitoes in the United States

Genetically modified mosquitoes were just released in the US for the first time, thanks to a biotech firm funded by Bill Gates.

Chris Young of interestingengineering.com

he Bill Gates-backed biotech firm Oxitec is going ahead with plans to release hundreds of millions of gene-altered mosquitos in Florida in order to test an experimental new form of population control, the company confirmed in a press release. The initial batch of mosquitoes was released this week.

The controversial project, conducted as part of a partnership between the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) and Oxitec, will see six locations in the region host Oxitec’s gene-hacked male Aedes aegypti mosquitos over the next few months.

Oxitec — which announced a collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2018 — says the new tests could help to greatly reduce populations of the mosquito breed, which is responsible for spreading diseases such as dengue and malaria.

As Oxitec emphasizes in its press statement, the company's mosquitos are male and, therefore, do not bite.

Instead, they are intended to reduce the number of potentially disease-transmitting female Aedes aegypti by introducing a self-limiting gene that sees offspring die before reaching adulthood.

The firm says the Aedes aegypti accounts for only 4 percent of the mosquito population in the Florida Keys, but is responsible for almost all disease transmission. The company also states that community support for the project is "high."

Controversy amid global plans to gene-hack mosquitos

Still, the method is controversial due to the fact that a genetically altered species is being released into an ecosystem with potentially unknown consequences. Critics have also pointed to the fact that this may open doors for firms to use gene-altered invasive species for other uncontrolled projects.

Oxitec faced a backlash in August 2020, when it originally released its Florida Keys plans. In a press statement at the time, Dana Perls, the food and technology Program Manager at Friends of the Earth, said that "the release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will needlessly put Floridians, the environment and endangered species at risk in the midst of a pandemic."

The Oxitec technology has already been tested in São Paulo, Brazil, where after 13 weeks, it suppressed up to 95 percent of the mosquito species.

Oxitec's isn't the only method for gene-altering mosquitos to curb their populations — this month, it was announced that researchers from Imperial College London have successfully altered the gut genes of mosquitos to spread antimalarial genes to their offspring. The same team had previously used the gene-editing tool CRISPR to eradicate a population of Anopheles gambiae in a lab. (SOURCE)

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Mosquitos are something to avoid and something to respect all at the same time. I personally do what I need to do to keep from being bitten by them and if I happen to get the unfortunate bite, I always have The Bug Bite Thing tool at the ready. This is not a paid sponsorship but worth the mention because this little tool can help reverse what the mosquito deposits into your skin if you can get to it asap.

God had a purpose for all of His creations and expects us to be good stewards of our land and all that He has given us dominion over. There is a way to protect human life first and foremost and we are so advanced that all's it takes is research on ways to handle the problems that mosquitos can cause. When you look around and gene altering endeavors, it is imperative to look ahead and see how that is going to affect the cycle of life for other species but once again, human life is a priority and as you can clearly see, things can get out of hand and very quickly. The liberal agenda and their displaced compassion to a large degree and an outright mission to punish those of us that want to put humans first. They do not want us to harm life and protect even the flea; and by doing so, they have really tilted the scale and have caused a lot of harm to humankind.

In 2011, the state of California banned the usage of an incredibly effective enzymatic treatment of 2-{1-Methyl-2-(4-phenoxphenoxy) ethoxy} pyridine. By doing so, they actually caused what exterminators were calling a SUPER FLEA. They cared more about the fleas then everybody and every other living thing instead. By not being allowed to control the flea population, animals suffered GREATLY and thus as a result, PEOPLE SUFFERED. Exterminators were using their strongest chemicals and still couldn't control the problem. Outside critters suffered, birds, racoons, squirrels, you name it. FINALLY, they allowed the product back into the state in 2017. It was A LONG 6 years, let me tell you!

The bottom line is, get educated, protect yourself, and let's fight for life and be good stewards with what God has given to us, use our noggins and do what needs to be done as God would see fit!

Colon Cancer, Polyps, and Prevention

Dr. Mercola reported back in 2019 that colon cancer was on the rise. Many other outlets are reporting the same thing in recent news. What is going on and how can we decrease our chances of getting colorectal cancer?

First and foremost, one of the healthiest things we can do for our bodies is to adhere to God's Food Law's as they were put in place by our Creator for a reason. Adam and Eve were given these food laws! Doing research on this topic and educating oneself on a preventative lifestyle for all cancers is always a good idea.

The following featured posts do not necessarily express the views of The Plain Truth. We are sharing other opinions and will sometimes offer a commentary on anything we may disagree with.

Here is Dr. Mercola's column:

Colorectal cancer in younger adults on the rise

Colorectal cancer is often thought of as a disease that affects older adults, but new statistics say otherwise. Rates of colorectal cancer in men and women under the age of 50 have risen in recent years, and scientists are concerned the spike may continue. When diagnosed early, colorectal cancer is curable. With a healthy diet and physical activity, up to 50% of cases are even preventable. But lack of awareness in younger patients may be playing a large role in the increase.

Not only have researchers seen a spike in the number of cases in men and women in their 20s and 30s, but they believe the increases are accelerating. Dr. Darren Brenner, lead author of a colorectal cancer study published recently in the journal JAMA Network Open, said, “We thought that this trend would slow down or level off after people first noticed it a few years ago. But every year we keep seeing the increase in colorectal cancer among young people, and it is very alarming.”

In the study, Brenner and his colleagues found an increase of 3.47% in colorectal cancer rates among Canadian men under 50, between 2006 and 2015. Between 2010 and 2015, rates among women under the age of 50 increased by 4.45%. Researchers believe colon and rectal cancers may be decreasing among older adults due to increased awareness and use of screening tests, such as colonoscopies. Colonoscopies are able to recognize and remove colon polyps before cancer has a chance to develop.

Colorectal cancer is largely linked to lifestyle habits, so like many types of cancer, it is often preventable. Research suggests that only 5 to 10% of cancer cases are due to genetic defects, while the rest are linked to environment and lifestyle factors. Making healthy choices today can help significantly lower your risk of colorectal cancer, along with other types of cancer and serious health issues. Top tips to help prevent colon cancer include:

Eat more vegetables — Vegetables contain an array of antioxidants and other disease-fighting compounds that are very difficult to get anywhere else. They’re also one of the best forms of dietary fiber. Studies have repeatedly shown that people with higher vegetable intake have lower rates of cancer.
Eat more fiber — Dietary fiber has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, particularly incident colorectal adenoma and distal colon cancer. Further, for every 10 grams of fiber you add to your daily diet, your risk of colon cancer decreases by 10%.
Optimize your vitamin D levels — Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. Research has shown those with higher blood levels of vitamin D were less likely to develop colorectal tumors.
Avoid processed meats — The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers.
Be knowledgeable about red meat consumption — Research suggests that people who eat the most red meat (in one study this was 5 ounces a day) have a 24% greater risk of colorectal cancer than those who eat the least.
Exercise — Studies suggest physically active men and women have about a 30 to 40% reduction in the risk of developing colon cancer compared to those who are inactive.
Maintain a healthy weight and control belly fat — Studies have linked obesity to an increased risk for about a dozen different cancers, including cancer of the colon.
Limit your alcohol intake and quit smoking — Both excessive alcohol intake and smoking are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

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The Dailymail.com even covered the topic this past March of 2023:

Mystery of colon cancer epidemic among young people: Rates have doubled among under-55s since the 1990s — and experts don't know why

"Experts are not sure what is behind the shift, but unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption and sedentary lifestyles have all been blamed for the higher rates.

But this may not explain why other cancers have remained flat or continued to tumble in under-55s at the same time, scientists say.

Cancers of the colon and rectum are the third most common type in the US and the third leading cause of death of both men and women.

It is most often diagnosed in people aged 65 to 74. Early warning signs including blood in feces, abdominal pain and unintended weight loss.

These are often missed in younger age groups, with doctors instead believing they are warning signs of another illness instead of cancer associated with the elderly.

Dr Rebecca Segel, senior scientific director of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society and lead author, said: 'We know rates are increasing in young people.

'But it's alarming to see how rapidly the whole patient population is shifting younger, despite shrinking numbers in the overall population.

'The trend toward more advanced disease in people of all ages is also surprising and should motivate everyone 45 and older to get screened'.

The truth of it is, we all have cancer cells in our body, it is just when they start teaming up and clustering where we have a problem. Here are some excellent videos from Dr. Berg on the truth about polyps and preventative actions measures to lessen the potential of cancers and that increase the function of the body to fight cancer cells."

Dr. Berg explains cancer like this: cancer is a dysfunction of your mitochondria (inside your cells) it changes and starts to adapt to an ancient metabolic pathway that involves fermentation of its fuel; it loses its mortality and keeps reproducing and it is also a sugar hog. When they do a pet they scan areas of higher levels of glucose metabolism.

He says that lowering any inflammation in the body is paramount to cancer prevention and highlights how important your diet is which obviously is a main contributor to inflammation.

As you can see and hear, there are many triggers that lead someone to being more susceptible to different types of cancers and there are so many people suffering that have followed a very straight and narrow diet and lifestyle. The Plain Truth is that God has given us great help in how to live an amazing life! He loves us. (John 14:21) He wants the best for us. He wants to bless us and make our food amazing (Isaiah 1:19) and heal our land (2Chron 7:14) and take our sickness away (Exodus 23:25) and set us high above all the nations of the earth! (Deut 28:1)

God wants the best for His Family, for us, for we are His children! Here are some featured writings from The Plain Truth on His dietary laws.

Does the New Testament Abolish Meat Restrictions? Clean vs Unclean

Is All Animal Flesh Good Food?

The Shocking Link Between Your Liver and Your Feet

When you watch the old black and white movies of the 30's, 40's and 50's, you will hear often by the actors, "it is time for my liver pill!", or "dear, did you take your liver pill, you look a little pale". They were on to something! It is said that our liver is the hub of our health. Eighty percent of our hormones are filtered through the liver and insulin resistance has been proven to originate from a compromised liver for various reasons...but there is more to the liver than you might think.

Dr. Berg discusses how gout, varicose ankle veins, burning on the bottom of your feet, toe fungus, cracked heels, edema, (and more), reveal issues with your liver.

Dr. Berg also has a great video on How to get rid of a fatty liver, here

Liver: Anatomy and Functions

Anatomy of the liver

Anatomy of the liver and biliary system with blood vessels

The liver is located in the upper right-hand portion of the abdominal cavity, beneath the diaphragm, and on top of the stomach, right kidney, and intestines.

Shaped like a cone, the liver is a dark reddish-brown organ that weighs about 3 pounds.

There are 2 distinct sources that supply blood to the liver, including the following:

Oxygenated blood flows in from the hepatic artery
Nutrient-rich blood flows in from the hepatic portal vein

The liver holds about one pint (13%) of the body's blood supply at any given moment. The liver consists of 2 main lobes. Both are made up of 8 segments that consist of 1,000 lobules (small lobes). These lobules are connected to small ducts (tubes) that connect with larger ducts to form the common hepatic duct. The common hepatic duct transports the bile made by the liver cells to the gallbladder and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) via the common bile duct.

Functions of the liver

The liver regulates most chemical levels in the blood and excretes a product called bile. This helps carry away waste products from the liver. All the blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver. The liver processes this blood and breaks down, balances, and creates the nutrients and also metabolizes drugs into forms that are easier to use for the rest of the body or that are nontoxic. More than 500 vital functions have been identified with the liver. Some of the more well-known functions include the following:

Production of bile, which helps carry away waste and break down fats in the small intestine during digestion
Production of certain proteins for blood plasma
Production of cholesterol and special proteins to help carry fats through the body
Conversion of excess glucose into glycogen for storage (glycogen can later be converted back to glucose for energy) and to balance and make glucose as needed
Regulation of blood levels of amino acids, which form the building blocks of proteins
Processing of hemoglobin for use of its iron content (the liver stores iron)
Conversion of poisonous ammonia to urea (urea is an end product of protein metabolism and is excreted in the urine)
Clearing the blood of drugs and other poisonous substances
Regulating blood clotting
Resisting infections by making immune factors and removing bacteria from the bloodstream
Clearance of bilirubin, also from red blood cells. If there is an accumulation of bilirubin, the skin and eyes turn yellow.

When the liver has broken down harmful substances, its by-products are excreted into the bile or blood. Bile by-products enter the intestine and leave the body in the form of feces. Blood by-products are filtered out by the kidneys, and leave the body in the form of urine. (Source HopkinsMedicine.org)

The Plain Truth is, when in doubt, look to the liver and find ways to support your liver!