Did You Know?

Inflammation and inflammation-related diseases are one of the most commonly reported and diagnosed medical conditions with over 44% of Americans (125 million people) [1] diagnosed with a chronic inflammatory disease and many millions more experiencing mild inflammatory responses (such as painful joints, swelling, sore muscles, and headaches) on a regular basis. Over the counter anti-inflammatory medications are one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide. Over 30 million take some sort of prescription or over the counter anti-inflammatory medication every day. [2] But did you know that many of these man-made medicines can have inflammatory side effects in the long run? While pharmaceuticals can help reduce pain and inflammation quickly, taking these synthetic options for long periods of time can have disastrous side effects that take a toll on vital organs and overall health and well-being. Long-term use of anti-inflammatory medications can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and stomach ulcers. [3]

Natural Approaches to Healing Inflammation

If you or someone you know has been struggling with acute or chronic inflammation for months or even years, now is the time to try a more natural approach. Science is showing that natural plants and herbs can be just as effective (or more effective) at treating pain and inflammation than over the counter options. [4]. The best part about using all-natural supplements for inflammation is that they don’t have any damaging long-term side effects. And, these botanicals can help to heal the underlying cause of inflammation—rather than simply manage symptoms.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the top anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements. Whether you have mild aches and pains from time to time or whether you’re struggling with a chronic inflammatory condition or autoimmune disease, when it comes to reducing both acute and inflammation in the body these plants are superstars!

The Best Herbs for Inflammation

1. Boswellia serrata (aka frankincense) is a plant native to India with a remarkable set of anti-inflammatory properties. It acts by turning off cytokines that begin the inflammatory process and stopping the formation of leukotrienes, which are the immune cells responsible for inflammation. [5]

2. Bromelain is an enzyme that comes from the stem of pineapples. It has been shown to reduce inflammation, swelling, pain, and soreness. [6]

3. Black Pepper is much more than a kitchen staple. It’s active ingredient, piperine, is a natural anti-inflammatory, and studies show that it could reduce inflammation associated with asthma, arthritis, chronic gastritis, and Alzheimer’s, and more. [4]

4. Cayenne Pepper contains the inflammation-fighting compound capsaicin, which is a potent inhibitor of substance P, the pain-producing neuropeptide that’s produced as a result of inflammation. [7]

5. Cinnamon is not just a delicious spice. Research indicates that cinnamon drastically reduces inflammation by blocking the release of inflammatory fatty acids from cell membranes and inhibiting the formation of other inflammatory substances. [7]

6. Devil’s Claw is a claw-shaped fruit native to South Africa where it has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for inflammation and as a modern treatment for arthritis pain. Numerous studies have shown it’s just as effective as common over the counter and prescription medications. [5]

7. Ginger is another cooking staple that contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds. Several studies have shown that it decreases overall inflammation and pain related to migraines, menstruation, arthritis and more, and it is just as effective as Aspirin and Ibuprofen in doing so. [8]

8. Turmeric is another plant native to India with impressive anti-inflammatory benefits. This common spice contains curcumin, an anti-inflammatory polyphenol that occurs naturally in the plant. In a double-blind study, it was shown to be more effective than pharmaceutical options at reducing pain and inflammation after surgery. [9]

9. White Willow Bark contains a compound called salicin, which has a similar anti-inflammatory effect in the body as Aspirin but without the gastrointestinal side effects. [5]

Fully Human Supplements for Inflammation

Fully Human Supplements combines all of these anti-inflammatory ingredients into one capsule. Founder, Tim Chrisman, started Fully Human Supplements after trying multiple medications and procedures that only temporarily relieved his persistent, overwhelming joint pain and arthritis. Desperate for relief, he began to extensively research natural alternatives for chronic inflammation, which led to remarkable results and the formation of Fully Human Supplements. The brand offers two natural anti-inflammatory options in two different strengths: Liberty and Freedom.

Liberty is a proactive maintenance supplement that works with your body to prevent long-term inflammation. This dosage is especially useful for athletes and people with highly active occupations or lifestyles because it helps to shorten recovery time. It also helps reduce daily inflammatory triggers from diet and stress. Freedom is a more potent and targeted dose that works at repairing chronic inflammation. This option is best for those who are actively seeking relief from chronic inflammation and inflammatory disease. As their names suggest, both Liberty and Freedom are designed to fully liberate you from inflammation.

Both Liberty and Freedom consist of the 9 anti-inflammatory super herbs and extracts listed above, all of which are scientifically shown to heal or maintain healthy inflammation levels. There are over 400 scientific studies supporting the anti-inflammatory properties of these 9 ingredients. While there are a lot of natural and safe inflammation remedies out there (from cold plunges to PEMF therapy), few are as inexpensive and effective as high-quality supplementation. Unlike over-the-counter pharmaceutical medications, both Liberty and Freedom are extremely safe and effective for long-term use.

As a former gymnast, who has struggled with pain in my wrists and lower back ever since, I decided to try out Liberty from Fully Human Supplements for myself. Here’s what I noticed after using the products for 4 weeks.

Week 1

+ Reduced redness, swelling and puffiness in hands and face (sometimes within as little as 30 minutes after taking Liberty)
+ Fewer stress headaches throughout the work week

Week 2

+ Reduced brain fog; fewer headaches
+ Increased mental clarity and focus
+ Decreased joint pain in wrists

Week 3

+ Decreased symptoms of PMS
+ Less painful menstrual cycle

Week 4

+ Less reactivity to inflammatory foods including gluten and dairy
+ Decreased backaches and pain

To liberate yourself from pain and inflammation, head over to FullyHumanSupplements.com

This article is a sponsored post written in collaboration with Fully Human Supplements, whose products and ethos comply with Conscious Lifestyle Magazine’s stringent quality and integrity guidelines.

About The Author

Meghan McDonald is the Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine. She holds a master’s degree in social psychology from San Diego State University where she conducted award-winning research into the nature of human social behavior. She is an advocate for many environmental and social justice causes and a champion of social impact-focused brands and products that adhere to high sustainability and ethical standards. As a regular travel and lifestyle contributor to Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, Meghan funnels her extensive knowledge of natural products, organic living, and consumer behavior into researching and reviewing brands and products that promote health, wellbeing, sustainability, equality, and positive social change. She has traveled to over 25 countries and loves exploring diverse destinations worldwide while documenting the local artisans and businesses offering conscious, healthy alternatives.

photo: sun potion

MYou may have heard the term adaptogens thrown around recently, but if you’re like most people, you might still be unsure of what they are and why on earth you should care. If you are curious or wondering what are adaptogens? Well, adaptogens are a group of plants such as roots, leaves, berries, and mushrooms that have the incredible ability to help our bodies better deal with stress, whether from internal or external factors. They seem to be having a real moment right now—and no wonder! Not only are there some great companies out there making adaptogens more accessible, available, and intriguing (thanks to both clever marketing, packaging, and a lot of educating their customer)—we’re also starting to wake up to the fact that we have the ability and power to boost our own well-being, strengthen our immune system, and take good care of ourselves. There is a lot we can do through food, ritual, movement, and habits that can help our bodies handle the demanding world we live in, and adaptogens can be one powerful piece of that. This article will not only give you a helpful list of adaptogens, we will also tackle all the adaptogen benefits you’ll surely enjoy should you opt to give these healing herbs a try.

What Are Adaptogens?

So, let’s get into it. What are these plants, and where did they come from all of the sudden? Firstly, there’s nothing new about them. They have been around, and utilized medicinally, for centuries. Some have roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Native American medicine, or amongst other indigenous populations. Adaptogenic herbs have been tried and tested through time, and today we have access to these plants anywhere in the world. The actual term adaptogen is, however, more recent. It was coined by Russian scientists who, during World War II, were looking for substances to help their soldiers through incredibly stressful and trying times. They looked to indigenous populations and discovered some plants (like Rhodiola rosea) had this unique ability to help the body adapt to stress and increase stamina and focus. They named these plants adaptogens; and the definition included that in order to be considered an adaptogen, a plant had to be safe and increase the body’s resistance to stress. Adaptogens work by modulating the release of stress hormones from the adrenal glands. One of the benefits of adaptogens is their ability to help your body bounce back when you’re feeling run down and exhausted. When you’re feeling anxious, restless, and unsettled, adaptogens can help your body’s nervous system calm down so that you can chill out. Adaptogens are roots, leaves, berries, beans, or mushrooms and can be found in supplement form as a powder, as tinctures, in capsules, or as dried herbal teas. Most of them work best when taken consistently over a period of time, yet you may still be able to feel some instant calming or uplifting benefits just from one dose. When purchasing adaptogens, look for organic and wildcrafted herbs to make sure they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides. You also want to buy from a company that is transparent about their sourcing, sustainability, and quality control to ensure you’re getting the best quality adaptogen product, both for your body and the earth.

Stressful Environments

Most of the time, people use adaptogens for stress relief. Interestingly, most adaptogens grow in harsh, difficult climates and environments, so they themselves have had to learn to adapt to stressors in order to survive. Some of these plants grow high in the Himalayan mountains or in the Andes. Some are found far north in the cold Siberian forests. The great thing is that by ingesting them we can reap some of those very same benefits! Today adaptogens are getting a lot of buzz in the health and wellness world, and the timing is quite interesting. As our lives are getting increasingly more driven by technological advances and with the expectation of us always being available, both in our work or private life, maybe it’s no wonder that there’s a need for some stress-helpers that connect us to Mother Earth, as well as encourage some small meaningful rituals of self-care on the daily. The simple act of making a cup of tea, baking a healthy treat, or simply sprinkling some adaptogens in your morning coffee feels both manageable yet meaningful. Another aspect that may contribute to adaptogens having a moment right now is the focus on more preventative care. We now know that the majority of health challenges and illness are caused, in part or entirely, by lifestyle factors—that is, the food we eat, the toxins we’re exposed to, exercise or lack thereof, and stress! Using herbal adaptogens can be one of many preventative ways to decrease stress levels and improve our overall health and well-being. While they’re not the be all end all answer (sadly it’s not magic) they can be part of tools in our box to help us better navigate and handle modern life.

Adaptogenic Trends

Adaptogens will not only help you adapt to stress, they also adapt to your body and what it needs, they also adapt to your body and what it needs, helping it find its way back to homeostasis (aka it’s happy place!) Adaptogens are dual directional and support our bodies’ natural defense systems against stress. And that stress can come in many forms; internally from inflammation, infections, anxiety or emotional stress, or from external factors, whether that’s your smart phone’s notifications, a screaming boss, deadlines, pollution or noisy, busy city life! They also work on the immune system and can help it calm down when it’s over active (which is the case in autoimmune conditions and with allergies) and boost it when it’s underactive and we feel like we’re catching every cold and flu that goes around. Instead of taking remedies once you’re already sick, avoiding getting sick altogether is certainly a better approach. Another trend that is co-existing with the increased interest in adaptogens for stress is the focus on biohacking, brain health, and performance boosting, both physically and mentally. Adaptogens and their benefits fit well in this framework too, as many of these adaptogenic plants and herbs have the ability to increase mental and physical stamina, boost athletic performance and recovery, and support better focus and memory. With an increasing interest and focus on wellness in our culture today, comes an interest in a wider range of remedies, modalities, and practices. While Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners, acupuncturists, herbalists, and Ayurvedic practitioners have utilized these adaptogenic herbs for thousands of years, they are now becoming more accessible and mainstream. More people are turning to these kinds of practitioners for guidance and treatments—many times because they haven’t been able to get the help they needed from their traditional doctor. Often, which was the case for me, people are introduced to these herbs for the first time in the setting of a practitioner’s office.

8 Need-to-Know Adaptogens

While adaptogens have some overlapping benefits, such as their stress-busting abilities and immune support, they each also have their own unique spirit and personality. This just means it might take a few tries to find your perfect match(es). An adaptogen that does wonders for your best friend might not be the best fit for you. Check out the adaptogens list below for a better idea of what you may need.

1. Ashitaba: The Rejuvenator

Native to Japan, this green plant is a real beauty food with anti-aging benefits. Ashitaba is an incredibly resilient and regenerating plant—after you pick its leaves, it will grow back a new leaf in just 24 hours! And we can also benefit from its rejuvenating super powers when ingesting it. Ashitaba can help with wound healing, improve digestion, and help with memory, focus, and concentration. It’s a great plant source of vitamins B6 and B12, making it a very good choice for anyone on a plant-based diet; but, in general, these are key nutrients for energy and well-being for all of us. It contains a compound that helps stimulate nerve-growth hormone production, something that is key for longevity. This adaptogen can be ingested easily in a powder form and has a beautiful green color. It’s a great addition to a matcha latte or a green smoothie and may even give your skin an extra glow! Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Sun Potion Wild Harvested Ashitaba Powder Sun Potion offers an ultra-high quality, sustainably wild harvested 4:1 extract of Ashitaba leaf and stem from pristine regions in Taiwan. With a mild, tealike taste and fine powder grind, Sun Potion’s Ashitaba is similar to matcha with exponentially greater health-boosting effects. This green adaptogen is packaged in a cobalt blue glass jar for maximum freshness and potency.

2. Ashwagandha: The Stress Buster

This stress-busting root has been utilized in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Its botanical name, somnifera, means restful sleep, and it’s also believed to give horse-like vigor to those who use it regularly. Ashwagandha is a go-to adaptogen for anyone looking to get a handle on stress, increase their energy while also improving sleep and calming their nervous system. Ashwagandha is the only adaptogen that’s been found to have a stimulating effect on the thyroid, something worth noting when more and more people, women in particular, are dealing with an underactive thyroid. It’s also been given to lactating mothers to increase milk production and likely also to help deal with the big change of having a new baby. Ashwagandha is one of the best adaptogens for anxiety and stress. Its calming effect can help people dealing with anxiety feel some relief, and people who take it regularly often note a significant decrease in stress. As one of the best adaptogens for stress, ashwagandha has the ability to decrease the secretion of cortisol and is overall soothing to the adrenal glands, making it a good fit for someone overcoming adrenal fatigue or burnout. This herbal adaptogen has a bitter taste, so it’s best taken in a capsule or tincture, or mixed with something with a stronger flavor, such as chocolate! Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Sun Potion Organic Ashwagandha Root Powder  Sun Potion offers a delicious and ultra-high-quality organic, vegan, GMO-free Ashwagandha root powder sourced from small organic farms in Northern India. It is cold-water extracted, allowing for maximum potency and preservation of the heat-sensitive medicinal compounds in the plant.

3. Astragalus: The Immune Booster

Astragalus is a yellow root that has traditionally been used in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years and still is many practitioner’s absolute favorite go-to adaptogen. With both anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, it’s a go-to adaptogen during the cold and flu season or for anyone looking to boost their immune-regulating T-cells, including someone recovering from illness. It’s also beneficial for both the nervous and the digestive system. Astragalus has been found to have the ability to stimulate the enzyme telomerase, which helps repair damaged DNA in the body. This is what makes astragalus a great anti-aging and vitality supporting herb! While traditionally astragalus root was found in China, most astragalus on the market today has been cultivated. While astragalus is great for preventing illness, once you have a fever, stop taking it as it’s known to make a fever last longer. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Sun Potion Organic Di Tao Astragalus Powder Sun Potion offers a high-potency, 10:1 cold water extract of Astragalus root, sourced at high elevations in the ‘Di Tao’ native growing regions of China. Sun Potion’s extract of this well-known adaptogenic herb is ethically and sustainably wildcrafted, which means it is grown in the wild, in its native habitat, for maximum strength, potency, qi-boosting effects, and freshness.

4. Eleuthero: The Stamina Builder

Also referred to as Siberian Ginseng, eleuthero is a powerful herb that’s been used in Chinese Medicine to help people recover from low energy, to invigorate, and to support sexual function. This root was the first plant to have been classified as an adaptogen! Today, this adaptogen is often used to increase the stamina and performance of athletes and can improve mental alertness too. It’s generally recommended to take this adaptogen periodically, not all the time, and is usually not recommended for those with high blood pressure. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Gaia Herbs Wildcrafted Eleuthero Root Capsules  Gaia Herbs offers a wildcrafted, full spectrum CO2 liquid phyto-extract of Eleuthero root grown on pristine land in North Carolina. With 3,350mg of dry herb equivalent per capsule, Gaia’s Eleuthero extract, packs an energy and health-boosting punch you can feel from the first dose.

5. Maca: The Hormone Helper

This starchy tuber from the Andes Mountains in South America is an incredibly stubborn root that can thrive in the most challenging environments. Traditionally, in Peru, maca was eaten as a food, but today it’s usually found in a powder form that can easily be added to smoothies and elixirs. Maca is an aphrodisiac and has been shown in several studies to have a positive effect on libido. It’s a well-known hormone supporter and can potentially help boost fertility and sperm count. It has a sweet taste reminiscent of butterscotch and can add a nice flavor to healthy treats and smoothies, pairing particularly well with cacao or vanilla. Maca, one of the most popular adaptogenic herbs, belongs to the cruciferous vegetable family and contains high levels of glucosinolates, so treat this superfood as you would any other brassicaceae/cruciferae veggie. If you’re buying it as a powder supplement, look for gelatinized maca powder, which is not raw (it’s not actually gelatinous). Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Maca Magic Organic Maca Powder Maca Magic is organically grown at the genetic origin of the plant in Peru’s Magic Valley, located on the Jumin plateau at 14,000 feet elevation, high in the Andes mountains. This pristine region grows superior adaptogenic herbs and has been home to many lineages of Inca and earlier Peruvian cultures carefully tending the land for many thousands of years.

6. Reishi: The Chill Pill

Reishi is another great adaptogen for stress. Reishi is often referred to as the Queen Healer mushroom, and in Chinese its name translates to “spirit plant”. It’s the most studied plant on earth and was discovered in China as far back as 396 BC where emperors used reishi tonic in their quest for immortality. Reishi does indeed contains longevity-supporting and immune-regulating compounds and is packed with antioxidants that help protect our bodies from damaging oxidative stress. This adaptogen can be a beneficial sleep aid because it helps calm the nervous system. Reishi contains ganoderic acid, which helps inhibit histamine release, making it a good fit for anyone dealing with allergy symptoms. Studies have found amazing blood sugar-lowering benefits of taking reishi regularly. It helps downregulate the enzyme responsible for breaking down starches into sugars. Loaded with antioxidants and boasting with anti-inflammatory properties, reishi is a longevity-supporting super mushroom! Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Sun Potion Organic Reishi Powder  Sun Potion uses a blend of four different species of Reishi (red, white, black and purple) to create a full-spectrum mycoproduct cultivated under strict organic protocols in the USA. This adaptogen is specially processed using enzymes that increase the body’s ability to absorb the powder and incorporates whole extracts from the mushroom at all stages of its life cycle.

7. Schisandra: The Balancing Berry

Schisandra is often used to combat fatigue and bring about hormonal balance. Schisandra is a climbing plant with pink leaves and red berries, and it’s these berries that get harvested and dried for “medicinal” use. Traditionally, Russian hunters used it as a fatigue-fighting tea, and Chinese Medicine uses it to balance yin and yang. This adaptogenic herb is generally calming and can have a balancing effect on the endocrine and immune system, which both take a hit from chronic stress. It’s also high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that is crucial for immune health. Some studies found that schisandra may increase stomach acids, which can be helpful in some people, but a problem for others. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Oregon’s Wild Harvest Organic Schisandra Capsules  Orgeon’s Wild Harvest offers organic, non-gmo, sustainably sourced schisandra berry powder in convenient capsule form. These freshly milled berries, which are among the best adaptogens there is, have all the potency and purity of the raw schisandra powder without the intensely bitter and astringent taste. Great for on the go use or open the capsules in water to make a potent tea.

8. Shatavari: The Fatigue Fighter

In the Ayurvedic apothecary, shatavari is probably the most important herb for women’s health and is an aphrodisiac and fertility booster. This type of adaptogen actually contains precursors to the hormone progesterone and can help women with minor hormone imbalances. Shatavari is related to asparagus and is (like asparagus) a diuretic. It also has anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting benefits. It’s worth including that shatavari is usually not recommended if you have a history of estrogen-receptor-positive cancer. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Himalaya Herbal Healthcare Organic Shatavari Caplets Himalaya Herbal Healthcare offers a CO2 extracted, organic and sustainably harvested extract of Shatavari in convenient caplet form. They combine the root, stem, powder and a standardized extract of this adaptogenic herb, which ensures you receive all possible medicinal health benefits of the plant in a potent, concentrated form. Please note: Always check with your health care practitioner before adding any new supplement or herb to your routine, especially if you’re on medication, have a diagnosed condition, are pregnant or nursing. This article is inspired by the book Super Powders: Adaptogenic Herbs and Mushrooms for Energy, Beauty, Mood, and Well-Being by Katrine van Wyk. Published by Countryman Press.

About The Author Katrine van Wyk is a certified holistic health coach, wellness consultant, yoga teacher, and the author of three books on natural nutrition: Super Powders, Best Green Drinks Ever, and Best Green Eats Ever. She has been featured in Vogue, Refinery 29, Well + Good, Be Well, Forbes, and more. Katrine received her nutrition training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and has trained and practiced alongside Dr. Frank Lipman at the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center. As a part of Dr. Lipman’s team of health coaches, Katrine has helped to guide his high-profile patients through dietary changes that also fit their busy lives. Learn more at katrinevanwyk.com

Recommended Product Disclaimer

The products recommended in this article may have different formulations than the products used in the studies and research cited in this article. As such, they may have different effects than have been reported by these studies. No claim is made or implied whatsoever as to the effects of any recommended products or their effects on health. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products recommended are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

photo: andrew ridley

1. Cordyceps

[cȯr-di-səps] / Ophiocordyceps sinensis Use Cordyceps to:

+ Perform better (both athletically and in the bedroom)

+ Increase energy

+ Alleviate asthma or bronchitis

Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom valued primarily for its extraordinary ability to increase energy and reduce fatigue. It’s been a centerpiece of traditional Chinese medicine for more than 1,300 years, with the first known record of its use dating back to the Tang Dynasty in AD 620. If historical lore is to be trusted, yak herders in the Himalayas of ancient Tibet and Nepal first noticed the effects of cordyceps when their animals became significantly more frolicky and frisky after grazing in areas where it grew. What those yaks were grazing on is another interesting tidbit: cordyceps’s stoma and fruiting body grow out of the mummified carcasses of insect larvae, usually caterpillars—hence its English nickname, the “caterpillar mushroom.” In the wild, cordyceps spores inhabit and kill their insect host, stealing all its nutrients to survive. While some strains of cordyceps now grow in other locations (the mountainous regions of Peru, for example), the original celebrated strain of cordyceps grows only on the Himalayan Plateau, at roughly 12,000 feet above sea level, so harvesting them from the wild is both extremely challenging and prohibitively expensive. This in part explains why cordyceps was so valuable in ancient China as one of the best medicinal mushrooms—it was as rare as it was effective. Today, a Himalayan harvester hopes to find about ten small specimens per day. These treasures may then appear on the shelves of a local apothecary and sell for $500 to $1,300 an ounce—wild cordyceps can cost as much as $20,000 a pound!—meaning that a good harvest year can make a huge difference in the life of the field worker. In fact, some experts estimate that the harvesting of wild cordyceps represents up to 90% of the cash income in the areas of Tibet where cordyceps grows, and about 40% of all rural area cash income in Tibet. It’s a huge business, albeit not a very sustainable one. But don’t worry—there’s cordyceps that have been cultivated in a vegan-friendly way through liquid fermentation (the mycelium is strained and dual extracted to create a mushroom extract that is as potent as the wild variety). Considered as one of the most popular healing mushrooms, cordyceps is most notable for its energizing effects, due to its beta-glucans. Those present in cordyceps, like all other beta-glucans, deliver oxygen to the body on a cellular level, which not only decreases the occurrence of disease but also increases energy and stamina. Cordyceps also significantly boosts adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in the body. ATP is the body’s main energy supply source and is required for all cellular processes. Cells need energy to activate our muscles and keep us moving. Think of ATP acting on our bodies the way batteries do in a flashlight. When our ATP levels dip, our energy levels take a dive as well. When ATP is recharged, by cordyceps, for example, we shine bright again, moving with ease and alacrity. Because it is so effective at increasing energy and decreasing fatigue, cordyceps is a popular and effective mushroom supplement for the elderly who are seeking to counteract the lethargy that often accompanies aging and for athletes who are looking to perform at peak levels. Here’s a notable example. Cordyceps first came under the spotlight of mainstream culture in 1993 when China’s Olympic women’s track-and-field team broke three world records in a single week. The athletes were tested for banned substances and none were detected. Ma Junren, the team’s legendary coach, eventually disclosed that the secret to the team’s success was a “secret elixir made from the Cordyceps sinensis mushroom.” Those results are probably a bit more extreme than what you and I will experience, but the fact is that everyone can benefit from using cordyceps as a general rejuvenator, particularly when your body is recovering from illness. Because of cordyceps’s unique ability to boost oxygen flow and increase ATP, it can also have a tremendous impact on respiratory issues, such as asthma or bronchitis. I had a friend who had suffered from asthma since he was a young boy, but as an adult, he started using cordyceps, taking 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams in capsule form daily. After about a month of consistent use, he no longer needed his inhaler or prescription asthma medications. Cordyceps’s anti-inflammatory properties mean that it can help with blood flow, overall heart health, and lowering cholesterol. Its beta-glucans and another chemical compound called cordysepic acid have been known to shrink tumors and directly stimulate lymphocyte production, to kill foreign bodies in the immune system. Among the many other benefits of this medicinal mushroom, there’s the interesting fact that cordyceps has been known to help with libido. This perk is attributed to both the cordysepic acid as well as deoxyadenosine, another chemical acid. Both help with erectile dysfunction by boosting testosterone levels and increasing blood flow by getting things moving in all the right places. Just as it affected those frisky animals in the Himalayas, cordyceps can help out humans in the bedroom. No wonder it’s earned the rather unimaginative, yet fitting, nickname “cordysex.” If you happen to be in the Himalayas during a harvest period, you’ll recognize cordyceps by the dark brown “tail” (fruiting body) growing out of the carcasses of dead caterpillars. And if you are there for such an event, be careful, since there is a lot of competition for this highly valued fungi; fights over foraging rights can get ugly.

The Insane Power of Fungi

Cordyceps is part of the Ascomycetes fungus family, which also includes truffles and morels; Penicillium, the mold that naturally produces penicillin; and ergot fungus, the source of the most potent hallucinogen in the world, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The fact that members of the same family can be used in such different manners—as prized culinary mushrooms, or as one of the most prevalent and prescribed antibiotics in the history of Western medicine, or as a powerful mood-altering illegal substance—perfectly illustrates the incredible dichotomy of the fungi kingdom. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Four Sigmatic Organic Cordyceps Mushroom Elixir Along with many other high-quality mushroom supplements, Four Sigmatic offers the legendary energy- and stamina-boosting cordyceps mushroom in convenient packets for a quick pick me up on the go or at the beginning of your day. Their cordyceps elixir is made by extracting the fruiting bodies of the mushroom. Organic, non-GMO, and free from fillers and carriers, their product is suitable for vegans and is not harvested from caterpillars.

2. Shiitake

[shē-təh-kē] / Lentinula edodes Use Shiitake to:

+ Have clear, glowing skin

+ Support your liver

+ Lower cholesterol

Shiitake, which is one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world, second only to the button mushroom, makes it the most easily accessible medicinal mushroom in the list. A veritable culinary delicacy featured in Asian cooking for centuries, shiitake has become increasingly popular in American cooking over the past decade. Delicious when used fresh, dried shiitake is also a favorite among chefs and home cooks who are seeking a more concentrated flavor. For strictly medicinal purposes, shiitake can be taken as a supplement in capsule form or as an extract. Each preparation will deliver a host of benefits and how you decide to consume it will vary depending on your particular needs. Medicinal use of shiitake dates back at least as far as AD 100 in China, when it was used to treat and prevent upper respiratory diseases, boost circulation, increase energy, decrease fatigue, and as a general chi-enhancing elixir. It comes as little surprise that it was also used to combat and prevent signs of aging. Today, we know shiitake to be a truly rare superfood, and one of the best medicinal mushrooms there is, as it contains seven of the nine essential amino acids (amino acids are the building blocks of proteins that must be consumed from outside sources, as the human body does not produce them). Shiitake also contains a host of essential enzymes (like amylase and cellulase, both of which aid in digestion), is a good source of vital minerals (including magnesium and potassium, which have antioxidant properties), and essential vitamins (such as B and D). Like other healing mushrooms, Shiitake’s benefits include its immunomodulating abilities and its impact on the cardiovascular system. Regarding the immune system, one of the polysaccharides in shiitakes is lentinan, which stimulates and activates the different varieties of white blood cells that fight off infections. Lentinan has been especially powerful in combatting the effects of HIV and liver disease, making it an effective treatment for any sort of bodily detoxification. Perhaps surprisingly, this can even include improved skin appearance. People don’t often connect chronic acne or persistent breakouts with what’s going on with our internal organs, but our skin is really a mirror for whatever is happening in our liver. A fully functioning liver often equates to a flawless face. Shiitake mushroom extract can also have tremendous effects on the cardiovascular system, as it can prevent substances from binding to the linings of blood vessels. For example, eritadenine, one of shiitake’s bioactive compounds, has repeatedly shown to help lower cholesterol by inhibiting its absorption in the bloodstream. It does this in part by suppressing the accumulation of lipids in the liver tissue and helping to eliminate cholesterol through the blood vessels, rather than allowing fatty acids to build up. Along with numerous anti-inflammatory and antiviral capacities, shiitake’s ability to improve blood circulation could mean much for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. To that end, the benefits of medicinal mushrooms are continuing to be more seriously studied. You can identify shiitake by its medium-size, umbrella-shaped brown cap. The edges of the cap roll inward and the underside and stem of the mushroom are white. In the wild, shiitake grows on hardwood trees primarily in the mountainous regions of China, Japan, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Commercially, shiitake is commonly grown in sawdust and grain (logs are more expensive, heavier, and can be harder to obtain). Log-grown shiitake is more potent than sawdust-grown, so this is another reason to do your research when sourcing mushrooms. If your vendor does not cite where their shiitake grew, it was most likely grown in sawdust or grain.

Shiitake in Action

A powerful story showcasing shiitake’s healing properties involves a young teenage celebrity I know who was quietly suffering from a particularly pervasive and tenacious case of acne. Though he was using aggressive treatments, his skin was increasingly becoming a source of stress on his professional life as a public figure. The young man started taking 1,500 milligrams of shiitake extract, stopped taking his prescription, and in about a month his skin had cleared considerably, improving until the acne was completely gone.

Fun Fact

Many chefs prefer to use sun-dried shiitake, as the drying enhances the mushroom’s flavor. As an added bonus, the sun’s ultraviolet rays convert ergosterol (a derivative of a triterpene sterol found in shiitake and other fungi) into vitamin D2. With up to a hundredfold increase in vitamin D, sun-dried shiitakes can be a significant dietary source of your requirement of the vitamin. Because of the media hype a few years ago surrounding widespread vitamin D deficiencies in the United States, many companies capitalized on the money-making potential, and the vitamin D supplement market was quickly saturated. Be wary of these supplements, as many of them are questionable. Shiitake, on the other hand, directly delivers pure vitamin D. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Host Defense Organic Shiitake Mushroom Extract Host Defense Shiitake Extract uses certified organic mushroom mycelium that is triple extracted for maximum potency and a full spectrum of constituents: polysaccharides (beta glucans, arabinoxylan, glucose, xylose, galactose and mannose), glycoproteins, ergosterols, triterpenoids and other myco-nutrients, which are essential for supporting immunity.

3. Maitake

[mā-tək-ē] / Grifola frondosa Use Maitake to:

+ Manage weight naturally

+ Stabilize blood sugar

+ Improve digestion

Another name that’s a must-have in our medicinal mushrooms list is maitake. In Japanese, maitake means “dancing mushroom,” a name that historical lore suggests was derived from the Samurai. Foraging for these precious mushrooms often involved long and strenuous escapades deep in the mountains and forests of Japan, and it is believed that the Samurai danced for joy upon discovering these edible treasures. Other names by which you might recognize this superfood include “sheep’s head” and “ram’s head.” Like many of other top medicinal mushrooms, maitake has powerful immunomodulating properties, particularly due to its beta-glucan polysaccharides. What separates maitake from other medicinal mushrooms is its SX-fraction, a water-soluble compound so named because of its ability to counteract the effects of Syndrome X. Also known as metabolic syndrome, Syndrome X is not one disease, per se, but rather refers to a group of risk factors, including high blood sugar, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess fat, that feed on one another to negatively impact your health and wellness. The SX-fraction compound, which is one of the many exemplary medicinal mushroom benefits, has the potential to reduce blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and body weight, so it can potentially work wonders on those suffering from diabetes or obesity. SX-fraction also works as an adaptogen, meaning it will not only benefit those who are hyperglycemic but can also stabilize blood sugar levels in those who are hypoglycemic. As with many health issues, solving the root of the problem often creates a positive domino effect on overall health and wellness. In the case of diabetes, if blood sugar is regulated and insulin resistance eliminated, it’s possible that kidney and renal functions, which often deteriorate as a result of diabetes, could be stabilized and any existing damage potentially reversed. Crazy stuff, isn’t it? You can identify maitake by its cluster-like form that resembles the feathers of a fluffed chicken—hence the popular name for the mushroom in the United States, “hen-of-the-woods.” Known as one of the best healing mushrooms today, maitake primarily grows at the base of oak or elm trees in the northeastern parts of Japan and North America. Maitake can be eaten fresh or dried and is a popular culinary mushroom used by chefs the world over. It’s also often taken in powder form after an extraction process.

Maitake in Action

A woman I worked with years ago suffered from intestinal candidiasis (a yeast-like bad fungus that had accumulated in her GI tract due to a bacterial imbalance in her body). Because candida is a strain of yeast, she was sure she could not eat mushrooms for fear of literally feeding the problem. However, it’s a myth that those suffering from candida cannot eat mushrooms—in fact, many medicinal mushrooms like maitake and reishi have antifungal properties that work to eliminate bad fungi such as candida. Once she realized that mushrooms could actually help her, she started taking 3,000 milligrams of maitake extract daily, and within a few months, her candida had disappeared completely and her digestive system was back to normal.

Fun Fact

If you’re searching for flavor, look no further than maitake. Aside from being one of the most highly recommended medical mushrooms, it also contains l-glutamate, the amino acid responsible for that much-touted and oft-elusive “umami” taste. Known as the “fifth flavor,” you can experience umami by eating bacon, Parmesan cheese, and foods containing the artificial flavor-enhancer monosodium glutamate (MSG). None of these options are nearly as healthy as maitake, though, so look to mushrooms for your next culinary high. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Host Defense Organic Maitake Mushroom Capsules Host Defense Maitake uses activated, optimally dried, certified organic mushroom mycelium and fruit bodies, with a full spectrum of constituents: >55% (550mg/serving) polysaccharides, .5% (5mg/serving) fatty acids, and an array of extracellular constituents, including enzymes, antioxidants, and other myco-nutrients, essential for supporting natural immunity.

4. Turkey Tail

Coriolus versicolor or Trametes versicolor Use Turkey Tail to:

+ Treat the common cold and flu

+ Aid digestion

+ Help heal infections

Considered as one of the best medicinal mushrooms there is, turkey tail earned its name due to the mushroom’s fan shape, which resembles the tail end of fall’s favorite bird. Its Latin name means “of several colors,” which is also fitting as this mushroom can be identified by the concentric circles of varying colors that appear on its fruiting body. A pervasive grower, turkey tail is the easiest to forage of all the medicinal mushrooms simply because of its ubiquity—you can find it almost anywhere, growing on dead or fallen hardwood trees, stumps, or branches. This quality may have been what led to its use in traditional Chinese medicine—it has been said that ancient Taoists were astonished by how easily this colorful mushroom grew on pine, which was a notoriously antifungal tree. They concluded that a mushroom of such tenacity and strength must contain incredible medicinal properties. And so it does. Like many other medicinal mushrooms, turkey tail mushroom extract is full of polysaccharides and triterpenes that give it its immunomodulating properties, providing overall immune support and regulation to put you on the path to your healthiest self. What sets turkey tail apart from the rest of the medicinal mushrooms are two of its unique beta-glucans: polysaccharide krestin (PSK) and polysaccharide peptide (PSP). PSK has received national media attention for its anticancer properties, which sparked a significant link between medicinal mushrooms and cancer. In Western medicine, the goal of cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation is to kill the cancer cells, but a serious consequence of these aggressive treatments is that the immune system is often left compromised—you cannot kill all the bad cells without also taking out many of the good. What is amazing about the PSK and PSP in turkey tail is that they have the ability to regenerate white blood cells (which are necessary to ward off infection) and stimulate the activity and creation of T-cells, macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells, enabling the immune system to once again ward off and destroy pathogens. As of this printing, PSK has been more thoroughly studied than PSP, particularly in Japan, where, as early as the 1980s, the government allowed PSK to be used to treat several types of cancer. Today, it is the best-selling anticancer drug on the Japanese market and is used in combination with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Though PSP is a newer discovery, research suggests that it’s significantly more powerful than PSK, which is an exciting notion for developing future cancer treatments. Turkey tail has also proven successful in stimulating the regeneration of bone marrow damaged by cancer treatments and has also been effective in treating human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis C. You can identify turkey tail by its fanlike shape; it often grows in tiered clusters on dead or fallen hardwood trees. The multicolored concentric bands are usually in shades of brown, black, and deep red, but can be blue and green as well. Unlike other medicinal mushrooms, turkey tail has a thick, leathery feel; is stemless; and has small pores on its underside instead of gills like on many other mushrooms.

Turkey Tail in Action

What drove turkey tail’s seriously healing potential home for me was a TED Talk given by world-renowned mycologist Paul Stamets, in which he brought turkey tail to the attention of the masses by sharing a personal tale involving his mother, medicinal mushrooms, and cancer. At age eighty-four, she had been diagnosed with the second most aggressive case of stage 4 breast cancer a doctor at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle, Washington had seen in more than twenty years of practice. The doctor suggested she try turkey tail in conjunction with her treatment, as it was being clinically tried at the time (ironically, Stamets was supplying the turkey tail to the medical study). His mother started taking eight capsules of turkey tail each day and during this 2011 TED Talk, just two years after his mother was diagnosed and given mere months to live, Mrs. Stamets came to the stage, weeping with her son as they announced that she was completely cancer-free.

Fun Fact

Foraging 101 is all about turkey tail, because if there is one mushroom you can find on your lunch break, it’s this one. Once you find it, you’ll start seeing it everywhere—seriously. Note that turkey tail is not edible in its natural form, so don’t immediately try to gobble up your woodsy finds. The most common ways to consume it are in powdered and liquid extract forms. Conscious Lifestyle Recommends: Host Defense Organic Turkey Tail Mushroom Capsules Host Defense’s turkey tail uses activated freeze-dried, certified organic mycelium, with a full spectrum of constituents. It is sustainably harvested and carefully cultured on the Fungi Perfecti farm using the Stamets P Value system for quality assurance. This ensures the provenance and genetics of their turkey tail mushroom supplements for maximum potency and health benefits.

A Note on Side Effects and Dosages

We recommend that the use of medicinal mushrooms be strictly monitored for those on antibiotics, anticoagulants, certain diabetes drugs, and intravenous glucose. Since medicinal mushrooms are potent whole foods and support the body in blood circulation and blood sugar control problems, using them alongside particular drugs intended for the same purposes may cause unexpected results, or an unwanted “doubling up” on treatment. For these conditions, healing mushrooms may still be very beneficial; however, it is important to discuss all usage of medicinal mushrooms with your doctor and to start slowly and incrementally increase your dosage. Also, while these mushrooms are generally regarded as safe by health care professionals, if you are pregnant or regularly taking prescription medication(s), it is essential that you consult your doctor before consuming them, specifically mushroom supplements. Though overdosing should not be an issue with either commercially available products or mushrooms used in a culinary capacity, it is still important to note that none of the information presented here is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any kind. As with any supplement or natural medicine, it is best to start slowly and work your way up to higher dosages to let your body adjust. This article is excerpted from Healing Mushrooms: A Practical and Culinary Guide to Using Mushrooms for Whole Body Health by Tero Isokauppila.

About The Author Tero Isokauppila is the president and founder of Four Sigmatic—a natural superfoods company that produces an impressive range of responsibly sourced mushroom powder supplements. He holds a degree in both chemistry and plant-based nutrition from Cornell University and was awarded a Finnish innovation award for discovering that the Japanese matsutake mushroom also grows in Finland. He grew up in Finland on his family’s centuries-old farm, regularly foraging for mushrooms. He currently lives in California, where he is the owner and founder of The Shroom Room in Venice. Learn more at foursigmatic.com

Recommended Product Disclaimer

The products recommended in this article may have different formulations than the products used in the studies and research cited in this article. As such, they may have different effects than have been reported by these studies. No claim is made or implied whatsoever as to the effects of any recommended products or their effects on health. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products recommended are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

Most of us would love to be smarter, happier and healthier. And while there are many things needed to accomplish that, the research emerging around the highly medicinal Lion’s Mane mushroom is showing that it actually could be a big part of the puzzle. Revered in many ancient cultures and used medicinally for thousands of years, this powerhouse fungi can do everything from protect your brain against cognitive decline, boost memory, support immunity, reduce anxiety, boost mood and enhance a sense of focus throughout your day, among many other things. Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) grows abundantly throughout North America, Europe and Asia. While native to all four continents, it has been only recently used amongst Western culture, although its value has been widely known and understood throughout Asia in regions like China and Japan for millennia. The mushroom physically looks like the mane of lion—long, white and shaggy—with rich tentacle-like dreadlocks of mushroom wisdom bursting out from all sides. It resembles spongy neuronal tissue, just like that of the brain (often in nature plants very conveniently provide visual cues to the things they are good for). It generally grows on harder surfaces rich in plant cellulose, namely trees in wooded areas. Lion’s Mane benefits have been studied fairly extensively in animal models and more recently in clinical trials with humans. While Lion’s Mane has revealed itself as a solution for various health concerns, this mushroom has rapidly grown a reputation for its brain-health benefits and mood- and cognitive-boosting properties. While there are more studies needed in humans to truly establish this as one of the great medicinal herbs of all time, there has been fairly extensive research in animal models that are showing some promising results. However, because of its remarkable safety, its use has grown widely in recent years amongst biohackers and wellness seekers, with rave reviews across the board and more research slated to be published on the way. So what exactly is so special about this superstar mushroom? Read on to find out.

1. Protects and Regenerates the Brain and Nervous System

Lion’s Mane is truly one of a kind. There is no other herb or mushroom that’s been found in nature that seems to have the same effect on stimulating the production of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). [1,2] These are two remarkable compounds that essentially stimulate the growth of new nerve tissues and brain cells. Harvard psychiatrist John Ratey describes BDNF as “Miracle-Gro for your brain.” BDNF is a powerful protein that essentially stimulates the production of new brain cells and strengthens existing ones. More specifically, when your body releases BDNF, it flips the switch on a series of genes that grow brand new brain cells and pathways. High levels of BDNF make you learn faster, remember better, age slower and rapidly rewire your brain. As if that wasn’t enough, BDNF also increases your brain’s neuroplasticity. When your brain cells get damaged or if you are facing a stressful situation, BDNF protects them and helps them come back even stronger. It causes your neural pathways to become more flexible instead of shutting down. And that’s just BDNF. This mushroom is also the closest thing that’s been found in nature to a solution to regenerate nerve cell functioning via its stimulating effects on the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). NGF is similar to BDNF, but it works throughout your nervous system—not just in the brain. It has been shown to repair damaged nerve tissue, cause regeneration of nerve fibers and also improve the communication between neurons and axons. It is currently being tested as an experimental treatment for depression, Alzheimer’s, Multiple sclerosis and other illnesses resulting from nervous system degeneration. [3,4,5] These compounds, among others, are also thought to help protect the brain against environmental toxins and defend against the natural effects of aging. [6]

2. Improves Cognitive Functioning, Memory and Ability to Focus

If you’re looking for natural, non-toxin brain steroids, then you need look no further than our fungal friend Lion’s Mane. Mounting evidence points to this mushroom as helping to support cognitive functioning, boost mental focus and improve memory. Research in humans found positive results on mental functioning in the elderly, [7] and the mushroom’s mood-boosting properties (more on that soon) help to promote a focused, calm and peaceful state of mind. Animal models show reduction in beta-amyloid plaque [8], a major bio-indicator that this mushroom can help to restore brain health; and there is also evidence that Lion’s Mane interacts with parts of the brain’s reward circuitry, specifically kappa-opioid receptors in the brain, that are related to learning and memory. [9] The biologically active compounds in Lion’s Mane are thought to easily cross the blood-brain barrier for optimal neural-activity. It’s important to understand too that memory is innately tied to how neurons and nerves function in the brain. If Lion’s Mane has the potential to protect these through its stimulation of NGF and BDNF, then it can improve a lot of different functions, memory included. Early research is indicating this is possible and happening to varying degrees—in one study where test subjects were given extracts of Lion’s Mane mushroom, they demonstrated significant improvements in short-term memory. [10]

3. Improves Mood and Helps Relieve Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

A few recent studies seem to indicate a positive, mood-boosting effect from Lion’s Mane. Recently, a study conducted on Japanese menopausal women (they gave them either Lion’s Mane cookies or the control placebo) found positive results in supporting emotional well-being and alleviating stress. [11] Other compounds such as Amycenone (a patented Lion’s Mane extract) have been tested in mice and have been found in animal models to help reduce depression and anxiety. [12] Additional studies in mice have also shown that the mushroom boosts levels of acetylcholine, an essential neurotransmitter that’s important for mood and mental functioning. [13] Lion’s Mane mushroom benefits may also help to alleviate anxiety and depression through its powerful effects on reducing inflammation. A growing body of research is showing clear links between mental illness and brain inflammation, and Lion’s Mane has been shown to reduce the production of inflammatory proteins. [14–15] And, finally, preliminary studies on mice are showing that it may achieve its effects on the mood front by upregulating neurogenesis in the hippocampus. [16] The hippocampus is the area of the brain that neuroscientists believe to be responsible for regulating things like emotional stability and memory.

4. Immune Support

Lion’s Mane, like most medicinal mushrooms, contains beta-glucans and polysaccharides indicated to help support healthy immune functioning. [17] Studies in animal models have found enhanced immune functioning, particularly via antimicrobial activity in the gut and even anti-cancer activity from use of Lion’s Mane. Because of its bacterial effects in the intestines, it has been shown to induce positive changes in probiotic gut bacteria, which in and of itself has numerous positive effects in terms of immunity. The mushroom also has beneficial effects on insulinemic response and blood sugar response [18] and seems to have various anti-inflammatory properties, all of which largely work together on various pathways in tandem to keep the body’s immune system in tip-top shape.

5. Has Anti-Aging Properties

Like many herbs and mushrooms that work in myriad ways throughout the body, one of Lion’s Mane health benefits is that it shows anti-aging effects both directly and indirectly by generally supporting overall health and well-being, as well as specifically stimulating bodily processes that are connected to slowed aging. In addition to slowing aging (and increasing the repair rates) of the brain and nervous system, Lion’s Mane polysaccharides have been shown to increase the activity of superoxide dismutase (a powerful antioxidant and cell protectant) in the brain and the liver [19] and have also exhibited anti-aging properties in human cell cultures. [20] One remarkable study even found that giving mice who had been injected with a lethal dose of salmonella bacteria daily doses of Lion’s Mane extract nearly quadrupled their lifespan! [21]

6. Repairs the Gut

Taking a high potency extract of Lion’s Mane on a regular basis confers many health benefits, not least of which is helping to protect the gut in a number of ways. It has been shown both anecdotally and in studies on mice to protect and heal the lining of the intestines from developing ulcers and generally help with inflammatory conditions of the intestines like gastritis, Chron’s disease and colitis. [22,23,24] One human study, focused on people with ulcerative colitis, found that taking a mushroom-based supplement containing 14% Lion’s Mane extract significantly reduced symptoms and improved quality of life after three weeks. [25]

7. Fights Inflammation

When it comes to medicinal mushrooms, one of Lion’s Mane greatest benefits is that it is hands down one of the best for fighting inflammation. One way to measure inflammation-fighting capacity is through antioxidant activity. In that realm, it’s is a superstar: one study examining the antioxidant capacity of 14 different mushroom species found that Lion’s Mane had the fourth-highest antioxidant activity. [26] However, it takes more than just antioxidant activity to be an inflammation-reducing powerhouse, as there are many other pathways in the body that mediate it, including reducing excessive nitric oxide, prostaglandins, reactive oxygen species, and pro-inflammatory factors such as NF-κB, among others. It’s a good thing then, that Lion’s Mane works on all of these aforementioned pathways quite powerfully. [27,28,29]

8. Reduces the Risk of Cancer

Cancer is a complex disease, and Lion’s Mane should absolutely not be considered a cure by any stretch; however, early research is showing it holds promise and definitely warrants further investigation in this area. Lab and animal studies suggest that the mushroom has cancer-fighting abilities thanks to several of its unique compounds. [30–31] In fact, when Lion’s Mane mushroom extract is mixed with human cancer cells in a test tube, it causes the cancer cells to die at a faster rate. What’s more, is that this has been demonstrated with several types of cancer cells, including colon, stomach, blood and liver cancer cells. [32,33,34] Another fascinating study discovered that an extract of Lion’s Mane was actually more effective than traditional cancer medicines at slowing tumor growth in mice and also had fewer side effects. [35] But it’s also important to note that the cancer-fighting effects of Lion’s Mane have yet to be tested in humans, so more research is clearly needed.

9. Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

In keeping with its reputation as a whole-body health tonic, Lion’s Mane mushroom benefits heart health in a number of ways, in particular, by balancing cholesterol levels as well as improving circulation throughout the body. One study done on mice found that consuming an extract of the mushroom reduced total cholesterol, in addition to the bad LDL variety and triglycerides, while also increasing the good HDL cholesterol. Further studies in rats and mice have found that Lion’s Mane also improves fat metabolism systemically. [36–37] In fact, in one of the papers, rats that were fed a high-fat diet while simultaneously being given daily doses of Lion’s Mane extract were found to have 27% lower triglyceride levels and 42% less weight gain after 28 days of the therapy. [38] Finally, it may also improve circulation by inhibiting platelet aggregation and preventing the thickening of arteries characteristic of atherosclerosis.

10. Psycho-Spiritual Effects

If all of that wasn’t enough, Lion’s Mane mushroom has been revered all through history for its culinary, spiritual and medicinal properties documented primarily within Asia. A long-time favorite of royalty and Buddhist Shaolin monks, the mushroom has been used historically to enhance and support meditation practice to generate “Qi”—a form of life force energy essential to an effective spiritual practice and for overall health and well-being—in the body. It was also referred to in Japan as “yamabushitake,” which means “Mountain Priest Mushroom,” a reference to its known effects on centering the mind and increasing spiritual potency.

What to Look for in a Quality Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplement

Whenever possible, look for USDA-certified organic Lion’s Mane products or those certifiably harvested sustainably in the wild. Mushrooms always consist of an inner and outer network. The inner network is generally known as the mycelium, and the outer network is known as the fruiting body. Products grown in the wild generally have both of these parts, while products grown indoors often, but not always, contain only the mycelium. Ideally, look for a full-spectrum inner and outer network product, whenever possible. Sometimes fruiting body-only products have richer levels of active compounds; however, these ingredients are often grown outdoors (meaning that the growing environment isn’t always controlled properly). This makes it important to be sure that the source doesn’t have airborne heavy metals contamination. This can be avoided by seeking US-grown products or making sure those that come from India or China are certifiably grown in rural, pollution-free areas. Also, keep an eye out for products that use a heat-based or enzyme-treated mushroom extract as these methods help breakdown any potential anti-nutritional factors the mushroom may have produced in self-defense against predators that sometimes can slightly impede absorption.

Dose

As far as dosages go, depending on the extract and source, benefits can be achieved with as little as a few hundred milligrams and can exceed up to several grams daily. Benefits can also be achieved when taken every other day, rotating with other medicinal mushrooms.

Recommended Lion’s Mane Supplements

About The Authors

Noah Berman is the Co-founder and Head of Product at Higher Mind Wellness. After being diagnosed with Sjorgren’s Syndrome as a teen, Noah shifted his focus and life mission toward wellness. Since then, he has worked with doctors, scientists, and businesses such as Aloha, Evermore, Torii Labs, and Ritual.com to create natural health and wellness products. His primary focus is on the power of plants, fungi, biomimicry, algae, and the microbiome to restore health and wellbeing. He sees these as the future of taking our power back into our own hands. Learn more about his latest project at highermindwellness.com Justin Faerman has been studying and writing about holistic health practices, herbalism and natural medicine for over 14 years and is a leading authority on both modern and ancient therapies for creating lasting health and wellness. He has a degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and has conducted field research into organic and regenerative agriculture practices and eco-social sustainability during his time there. He is also the Founder of Lotus Superfoods, a boutique purveyor of rare herbs and superfoods as well as the Co-founder of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine and the Flow Consciousness Institute. Learn more about his work at flowconsciousnessinstitute.com and lotussuperfoods.com

References

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J Affect Disord. 2015;184:245-8. 6. Zhang J, An S, Hu W, et al. The Neuroprotective Properties of Hericium erinaceus in Glutamate-Damaged Differentiated PC12 Cells and an Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(11). 7. Mori K, Inatomi S, Ouchi K, Azumi Y, Tuchida T. Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Phytother Res. 2009;23(3):367-72. 8. Phan CW, David P, Naidu M, Wong KH, Sabaratnam V. Therapeutic potential of culinary-medicinal mushrooms for the management of neurodegenerative diseases: diversity, metabolite, and mechanism. Crit Rev Biotechnol. 2015;35(3):355-68. 9. Saito T, Aoki F, Hirai H, Inagaki T, Matsunaga Y, Sakakibara T, Sakemi S, Suzuki Y, Watanabe S, Suga O, et al. Erinacine E as a kappa opioid receptor agonist and its new analogs from a basidiomycete, Hericium ramosum. J Antibiot (Tokyo) 1998 Nov; 51(11): 983–990. 10. Mori K, Obara Y, Moriya T, Inatomi S, Nakahata N. Effects of Hericium erinaceus on amyloid β(25-35) peptide-induced learning and memory deficits in mice. Biomed Res. 2011;32(1):67-72. 11. Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R, et al. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomed Res. 2010;31(4):231-7. 12. Yao W, Zhang JC, Dong C, et al. Effects of amycenone on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10, and depression-like behavior in mice after lipopolysaccharide administration. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2015;136:7-12. 13. Zhang J, An S, Hu W, et al. The Neuroprotective Properties of Hericium erinaceus in Glutamate-Damaged Differentiated PC12 Cells and an Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model. Int J Mol Sci. 2016;17(11). 14. Sheng X, Yan J, Meng Y, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of Hericium erinaceus derived polysaccharides are mediated by intestinal immunology. Food Funct. 2017;8(3):1020-1027. 15. Mori K, Ouchi K, Hirasawa N. The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Lion’s Mane Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) in a Coculture System of 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and RAW264 Macrophages. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2015;17(7):609-18. 16. Ryu S, Kim HG, Kim JY, Kim SY, Cho KO. Hericium erinaceus Extract Reduces Anxiety and Depressive Behaviors by Promoting Hippocampal Neurogenesis in the Adult Mouse Brain. J Med Food. 2018;21(2):174-180. 17. Zhu L, Wu D, Zhang H, et al. Effects of Atmospheric and Room Temperature Plasma (ARTP) Mutagenesis on Physicochemical Characteristics and Immune Activity In Vitro of Hericium erinaceus Polysaccharides. Molecules. 2019;24(2). 18. Chaiyasut C, Woraharn S, Sivamaruthi BS, Lailerd N, Kesika P, Peerajan S. Lactobacillus fermentum HP3-Mediated Fermented Hericium erinaceus Juice as a Health Promoting Food Supplement to Manage Diabetes Mellitus. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2018;23:2515690X18765699. 19. He X, Wang X, Fang J, et al. Structures, biological activities, and industrial applications of the polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) mushroom: A review. Int J Biol Macromol. 2017;97:228-237. 20. Noh HJ, Yang HH, Kim GS, et al. Chemical constituents of Hericium erinaceum associated with the inhibitory activity against cellular senescence in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem. 2015;30(6):934-40. 21. Kim SP, Moon E, Nam SH, Friedman M. Hericium erinaceus mushroom extracts protect infected mice against Salmonella Typhimurium-Induced liver damage and mortality by stimulation of innate immune cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2012;60(22):5590-6. 22. Wang M, Konishi T, Gao Y, Xu D, Gao Q. Anti-Gastric Ulcer Activity of Polysaccharide Fraction Isolated from Mycelium Culture of Lion’s Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes). Int J Med Mushrooms. 2015;17(11):1055-60. 23. Qin M, Geng Y, Lu Z, et al. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ethanol Extract of Lion’s Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes), in Mice with Ulcerative Colitis. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2016;18(3):227-34. 24. Jiang S, Wang S, Sun Y, Zhang Q. Medicinal properties of Hericium erinaceus and its potential to formulate novel mushroom-based pharmaceuticals. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2014;98(18):7661-70. 25. Therkelsen SP, Hetland G, Lyberg T, Lygren I, Johnson E. Effect of a Medicinal Agaricus blazei Murill-Based Mushroom Extract, AndoSan, on Symptoms, Fatigue and Quality of Life in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis in a Randomized Single-Blinded Placebo Controlled Study. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(3):e0150191. 26. Abdullah N, Ismail SM, Aminudin N, Shuib AS, Lau BF. Evaluation of Selected Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms for Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Activities. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:464238. 27. Kim YO, Lee SW, Oh CH, Rhee YH. Hericium erinaceus suppresses LPS-induced pro-inflammation gene activation in RAW264.7 macrophages. Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 2012;34(3):504-12. 28. Geng Y, Zhu S, Lu Z, Xu H, Shi JS, Xu ZH. Anti-inflammatory activity of mycelial extracts from medicinal mushrooms. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2014;16(4):319-25. 29. Lee KF, Chen JH, Teng CC, et al. Protective effects of Hericium erinaceus mycelium and its isolated erinacine A against ischemia-injury-induced neuronal cell death via the inhibition of iNOS/p38 MAPK and nitrotyrosine. Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15(9):15073-89. 30. Lee SR, Jung K, Noh HJ, et al. A new cerebroside from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus and its applicability to cancer treatment. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2015;25(24):5712-5. 31. Li Y, Zhang G, Ng TB, Wang H. A novel lectin with antiproliferative and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activities from dried fruiting bodies of the monkey head mushroom Hericium erinaceum. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2010;2010:716515. 32. Kim SP, Kang MY, Choi YH, Kim JH, Nam SH, Friedman M. Mechanism of Hericium erinaceus (Yamabushitake) mushroom-induced apoptosis of U937 human monocytic leukemia cells. Food Funct. 2011;2(6):348-56. 33. Li W, Zhou W, Kim EJ, Shim SH, Kang HK, Kim YH. Isolation and identification of aromatic compounds in Lion’s Mane Mushroom and their anticancer activities. Food Chem. 2015;170:336-42. 34. Li G, Yu K, Li F, et al. Anticancer potential of Hericium erinaceus extracts against human gastrointestinal cancers. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;153(2):521-30. 35. Li G, Yu K, Li F, et al. Anticancer potential of Hericium erinaceus extracts against human gastrointestinal cancers. J Ethnopharmacol. 2014;153(2):521-30. 36. Choi WS, Kim YS, Park BS, Kim JE, Lee SE. Hypolipidaemic Effect of Hericium erinaceum Grown in Artemisia capillaris on Obese Rats. Mycobiology. 2013;41(2):94-9. 37. Yang BK, Park JB, Song CH. Hypolipidemic effect of an Exo-biopolymer produced from a submerged mycelial culture of Hericium erinaceus. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2003;67(6):1292-8. 38. Hiwatashi K, Kosaka Y, Suzuki N, et al. Yamabushitake mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) improved lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(7):1447-51.

Recommended Product Disclaimer

The products recommended in this article may have different formulations than the products used in the studies and research cited in this article. As such, they may have different effects than have been reported by these studies. No claim is made or implied whatsoever as to the effects of any recommended products or their effects on health. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products recommended are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

D id you know that every single organ and system in your body—from your bones to your heart, to your brain and everything in between—will regenerate itself completely multiple times over the course of your life? You grow a completely new heart every 15 years, your bones are only two years old, your lungs and skin are around two to four weeks old, and your intestines have replaced all their cells within the last three days. So, if this is the case, why do chronic health issues persist over weeks, months and years? Why does our health typically deteriorate over time instead of improve as we age? And what are those lucky few people doing who seem to enjoy radiant, disease-free health and longevity well into old age that the rest of us aren’t? Is it their genes, their eating habits, their lifestyle, their mindset, all of the above or something else entirely?

The Secrets to Longevity, DNA Repair and Deep Healing

Figuring out the answers to the above questions requires a diverse background of training, skills and experience in a number of fields—from the traditional health sciences to the cutting edges of neuroscience and epigenetics, to the far reaches of transpersonal psychology, ethnobotany, energy medicine and beyond—ones that someone like Alberto Villoldo, Ph.D. is uniquely suited for. As a respected and prolific medical anthropologist who has spent nearly 30 years working alongside the world’s leading medical researchers and doctors, as well as spending equal amounts of time studying the ancient healing modalities and alternative medicine traditions of the indigenous tribes throughout the Americas, Villoldo holds unique insight into the roots of disease and the secrets of longevity that emerge from blending the best of science, psychology and spirituality. And what he has discovered in his 30-year journey is nothing short of extraordinary—that longevity, genetic rejuvenation and repair, and deep healing of virtually any and all ailments of a mental, emotional or physical nature can be accomplished through a powerful five-phase process that blends the best of both ancient and modern science.

The 5 Steps to Growing a New Body 

In Alberto’s new book Grow a New Body, he dives deep into the science, supplements and daily practices needed to accomplish all of the above and far more in a remarkably short period of time—as little as 7 days if his protocols are followed steadfastly and correctly. In the book, he dives deep into the 5 key phases anyone seeking to restore their body to optimal health and create lasting, lifelong wellness must undergo.

Phase 1. Discovering Your Inner Healer

In Alberto’s own words, Phase 1 is about addressing the most foundational roots of health and disease:

“In the West we do not have a health-care system, we have a disease-care system that recognizes thousands of ailments and myriad remedies. Shamanic medicine traditions, on the other hand, identify only one ailment and one cure. The ailment is alienation—from our emotions, from our bodies, from the earth, and from Spirit. The symptoms of this ailment are physical and emotional disease. The cure is the experience of Oneness, which restores inner harmony and facilitates recovery from all maladies, regardless of origin.                             

When our minds, our emotions, our relationships, or our bodies go out of kilter, we tend to ignore the problem until something goes very wrong—a scary diagnosis, a broken relationship, the death of a loved one, or simply an inability to function easily in everyday life. When things are a little bad, we read a self-help book or go to a workshop. When they’re really bad, we bring in experts to fix the problem—oncologists to address cancer, neurologists to repair the brain, psychologists to help us find peace and understand our family of origin. But this fragmented approach to health is merely a stopgap. To truly heal, we need to rediscover the original recipe for wellness discovered millennia ago: One Spirit Medicine.

One Spirit Medicine states that the best way to heal and maintain health is to grow a new body on a regular basis. It recognizes the body as a system, not as a collection of parts that can be medicated or replaced when they go wrong. You cannot repair the heart without attending to the gut and the brain, and vice versa. And Western science has shown us that you can begin to grow a new body in as little as seven days.”

Phase 2. Shedding the Old Ways

The old ways Alberto refers to are the outdated methods of Western “disease care” medicine in favor of the new science of preventative, holistic functional medicine. In order to truly achieve radiant levels of health, wellness and longevity, we literally need to reboot our bodies and minds at the deepest levels, which requires proactive lifestyle changes that work to support health every day, not once we become sick after years of neglecting and abusing our bodies unintentionally or otherwise. There are three keys to doing this effectively according to Alberto’s research:

1. Detoxifying and repairing the gut-grain 2. Switching on your longevity genes with diet 3. Supplementing with superfoods and other holistic power medicines

The end result of this program is a completely upgraded brain and body that kick off the epigenetic repairs needed to sustain radiant health for the rest of your life.

Phase 3. Resetting Your Death Clock

Phase 3 is all about repairing health at the cellular level, which is also intimately connected to the mental and emotional levels in a powerful mind-body feedback loop. To do that fully, you’ll need to learn to transform dysfunctional emotional patterns founded on anger and fear, and how to supplement with certain nutrients that can help to improve higher-brain function and help you manage stress. During this phase, you’ll also learn to work with and optimize your mitochondria (the power centers of your body) along with how to reset your cells’ “death clocks” and switch on longevity proteins controlled by mitochondria that extend life exponentially. You’ll learn exactly what free radicals and inflammation do to the body and how to reverse the damage, and you’ll discover ancient shamanic techniques used for thousands of years that can upgrade your body and brain. It is infinitely less complicated than it sounds, and part of Alberto’s genius is offering easy things you can do that achieve many of these goals at once.

Phase 4. Whole-Self Rebirth

Phase 4 supports you in the process of letting go of old, unhealthy ways of thinking so that you can experience full spectrum mind-body healing. You’ll learn how to shed outworn narratives about your past and embrace a new, liberating personal story. You’ll overcome fear of loss and change, and discover a new purpose for your life journey.

Phase 5. The Longevity Lifestyle

In Phase 5, you combine everything you’ve learned from the previous four steps into action. This is where the magic happens—in just seven days you will initiate a radical healing process in the body that will speed up the regeneration and repair of every organ and system in your body with new, upgraded genetic information and proper functioning that works at the deepest levels to restore the optimal functioning of your body and mind. You will learn to change what and when you eat in order to enter into ketosis to activate the regions in the brain that will allow you to have an experience of Oneness. You will also learn to work with neuro-nutrients available at your health-food store that detoxify the body and brain and switch on the genes that create health and longevity. Lastly, you will learn how to do a soul retrieval to recover the vibrant and innocent parts of yourself that were lost because of childhood trauma.

A Proven Process of Rejuvenation

The Grow a New Body rejuvenation program outlined in Alberto’s new book is the result of decades of research and study both in the lab and at the front lines of holistic medicine, and has been successfully implemented and fine-tuned for the last 10 years with thousands of people from around the world. Backed by the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience, quantum biology, psycho-neurobiology, functional and mind-body medicine, this book is a powerhouse of wisdom of all flavors and highly practical, real-world tested information that anyone can use to supercharge their health in a remarkably short period of time—just one week! To start the 7-day Grow a New Body Protocol, order a copy of Alberto’s book Grow a New Body for yourself at: growanewbody.com This article is a sponsored post written in collaboration with The Four Winds Society, whose products and ethos complies with Conscious Lifestyle Magazine’s stringent quality and integrity guidelines.

About The Author Meghan McDonald is the Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine. She holds a master’s degree in social psychology from San Diego State University where she conducted award-winning research into the nature of human social behavior. She is an advocate for many environmental and social justice causes and a champion of social impact-focused brands and products that adhere to high sustainability and ethical standards. As a regular travel and lifestyle contributor to Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, Meghan funnels her extensive knowledge of natural products, organic living, and consumer behavior into researching and reviewing brands and products that promote health, wellbeing, sustainability, equality, and positive social change. She has traveled to over 25 countries and loves exploring diverse destinations worldwide while documenting the local artisans and businesses offering conscious, healthy alternatives.

It’s every dog owners least favorite moment: you have to leave the house to run an errand or go to work, and you can literally feel the sadness beaming back at you from your pup’s big, loving eyes—they aren’t coming, and they know it; and they are starting to get anxious. If you’ve seen any of the videos of what your dog does when you leave the house, it’s typically an extended, agonizing bout of whimpering from separation anxiety. With no concept of time, you may as well have just left forever in their eyes—that’s why they are so excited when you get back! Their worst fears are allayed because their favorite person in the world has returned—But what if they didn’t need to feel that fear and intense anxiety in the first place? What if you could safely and naturally keep them chilled out and calm while you are out and about? And what if, especially for older dogs with hip or joint issues, you could also significantly reduce or even eliminate their pain at the same time? Not only is it possible, but vets and savvy dog owners at the cutting-edge of holistic pet health have secretly been using a powerful natural herb to do all this and more for years: CBD.

The Natural Way to Put an End to Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety and Pain

If you haven’t heard of CBD yet, it’s basically a borderline miracle compound extracted from the hemp plant that is one of nature’s most powerful natural remedies for anxiety and pain in both animals and humans. There’s been a ton of real-world evidence about CBD for dogs as well as new research into the compound over the last few decades suggesting that it really does work for quickly reducing anxiety [1-2] and blunting pain in most mammals—dogs included. In fact, a recent veterinary clinical trial conducted at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine indicated that CBD was effective in reducing measures of pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. [3]

FOMO Bones: All-Natural CBD for Your Health-Conscious Pooch

And perhaps best of all, thanks to companies like FOMO Bones, it’s super easy to use—no hiding pills in cheese or trying to sprinkle powders artfully in their food so they don’t taste whatever medicine you are trying to give them—simply feed your pup an all-natural, organic dog treat a little bit before you leave the house or when they need some joint relief and voila, problem solved. FOMO Bones (FOMO stands for ‘fear of missing out’, which is definitely what your dog is having when you leave them alone!) were created by dog owner and entrepreneur Beau Schmitt for his Goldendoodle Ziggy who was having intense bouts of separation anxiety and chronic pain from arthritis and cancer. After she passed away, Beau made a promise that he would create a solution for other dogs and their owners facing similar issues. And these things WORK. According to pet parent Kourtney, “We love our FOMO Bones! My corgi gets nervous licking fits and also has bad car anxiety, and these bones help so much with both of those issues.” But perhaps our favorite thing about FOMO Bones as a solution to doggy anxiety is their all-natural and high-quality formulation, which is GMO and pesticide free. FOMO Bones help to safely and naturally relieve separation anxiety, social anxiety, and hyperactivity due to their unique combination of CBD isolate and an herbal anti-anxiety formula (made up of calming herbs such as Valerian root, Passionflower, and Chamomile). Their CBD comes from family-owned hemp farms in Colorado, and the treats themselves are made at an FDA-approved facility based in the U.S. Moreover, there’s absolutely no THC in them whatsoever (in case you were wondering!), and they are soft, which makes them suitable for older dogs and those with sensitive teeth. Head over to their website here to learn more about CBD for dogs and read stories from other dog owners who have had big success giving these delicious treats to their pets. Use code: LIFESTYLE10 for 10% OFF! And be sure to check out their super cute instagram here! [1] Fusar-Poli et al. “Distinct effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on neural activation during emotional processing.” Arch Gen Psychiatry 66.1 (2009): 95-105. [2] Schier et al. “Cannabidiol, a Cannabis sativa constituent, as an anxiolytic drug.” Rev Bras Psiquiatr, 34.1 (2012): 104-110. [3] Gamble L-J, Boesch JM, Frye CW, Schwark WS, Mann S, Wolfe L, Brown H, Berthelsen ES and Wakshlag JJ (2018) Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Clinical Efficacy of Cannabidiol Treatment in Osteoarthritic Dogs. Front. Vet. Sci. 5:165. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00165 This article is a sponsored post written in collaboration with FOMO Bones, whose products and ethos complies with Conscious Lifestyle Magazine’s stringent quality and integrity guidelines.

About The Author Meghan McDonald is the Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Conscious Lifestyle Magazine. She holds a master’s degree in social psychology from San Diego State University where she conducted award-winning research into the nature of human social behavior. She is an advocate for many environmental and social justice causes and a champion of social impact-focused brands and products that adhere to high sustainability and ethical standards. As a regular travel and lifestyle contributor to Conscious Lifestyle Magazine, Meghan funnels her extensive knowledge of natural products, organic living, and consumer behavior into researching and reviewing brands and products that promote health, wellbeing, sustainability, equality, and positive social change. She has traveled to over 25 countries and loves exploring diverse destinations worldwide while documenting the local artisans and businesses offering conscious, healthy alternatives.

If you discovered a product with healing powers that not only detoxified the blood and body and restored energy to the muscles and mind, but also provided anti-aging benefits such as fighting wrinkles, combatting cancerous growth in cells, and maintaining memory and cognitive functioning, would you be intrigued? Join the millions of people around the world who have become interested in the benefits that activated charcoal can have on overall health and the quality of daily life. This one unique ingredient has been developed into one hundred consumable and topical formulations that can help resolve health and beauty issues ranging from the reduction of high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels to the minimization of acne and wrinkles.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal, sometimes referred to as “activated carbon,” is a form of carbon that has been specifically processed to have small pores. These pores help increase its absorption of elements and its ability to engage in chemical reactions. Because it is manufactured for specific functions related to absorbing, expelling, or reacting to elements, it is sometimes referred to as “active” charcoal. Manufacturers create charcoal powder from peat, coal, wood, petroleum, or coconut shells. Heating common charcoal with gases causes it to develop tiny internal spaces (its pores), giving it an astoundingly high degree of “microporosity.” Even one gram of activated charcoal has an estimated surface area of 32,000 square feet! This activation process can be performed using either physical or chemical means, but both methods produce the same quality product. The activated charcoal you find in stores and through distributors is derived from a variety of sources, but it’s all created with the intent of ridding pollutants, contaminants, or chemicals from an environment. It can be used for a multitude of things, including removing air or water pollutants, making wine, purifying distilled alcohol, removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from products, and even cleansing the body of harmful elements. While it has historically been used for medicinal or environmental cleansing purposes, it is now being included in a variety of beauty, health, and home uses that can all contribute to the improvement of your overall health and the quality of your daily life.

The Top 12 Benefits of Activated Charcoal

1. Reduces Indigestion

The addition of activated charcoal has increased the success rate of curing indigestion immensely. Consuming a simple teaspoon of it dissolved in 1 cup of water or taking activated charcoal capsules can calm the enzymatic activities and chemical reactions that contribute to the development of indigestion. The powder can be used simply and easily, helping to alleviate and ultimately resolve indigestion completely without any side effects or chronic condition aggravation.

2. Helps Prevent Hangovers

With its ability to absorb toxins and chemicals that contribute to interferences with normal system functions throughout the brain and body, activated charcoal is able to help restore a natural balance following a night of excessive alcohol consumption. Used in hospitals and clinics around the world as the most common treatment for alcohol poisoning, a simple teaspoon serving of charcoal powder dissolved in 1 cup of water can help reverse the damage done the night before and minimize the physical and mental upsets of the dreaded hangover.

3. Provides Digestive Cleansing

One approach to digestive cleansing is the use of activated charcoal for detoxification and restoration of natural balance in enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other organic compounds that are utilized by the body regularly. A good dosage is 1 teaspoon of powder dissolved into 1 cup of water, along with a diet rich in fibrous fruits (like apples) and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli), and an adequate intake of water, the digestive cleansing process can be performed naturally, without concern for harmful side effects and complications.

4. Detoxifies Your System

One of activated charcoal’s benefits is that it has the ability to block the absorption of harmful and hazardous compounds into the body while simultaneously absorbing and ridding the body of dangerous elements that were already present. With 1 teaspoon of powder dissolved in 1 cup of water, you can detoxify the brain and body, resulting in more energy, improved cognitive functioning, increased immunity, and reduced incidences of illness and disease.

5. Cleanses Blood

Activated charcoal has a number of beneficial absorbent qualities that allow it to travel through the bloodstream, body, and brain, absorbing toxins, chemicals, and compounds that can put blood health at risk. Due to its ability to combat the infiltration of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, it can be used as a preventative and curative measure safely and naturally.

6. Alleviates Allergies

Activated charcoal can be used as a purging agent, traveling safely through the bloodstream, digestive system, and body to attract and trap the impurities, toxins, and volatile organic compounds that contribute to allergic reactions. When these allergens are removed from the body’s systems, the natural stability of metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular system functions is restored, helping resolve respiratory, cognitive, and digestive issues. A simple teaspoon of activated charcoal consumed in a solution of 1 cup of water can alleviate allergy symptoms within thirty to sixty minutes and help block allergens for twenty-four hours. Because the product is all-natural, it has no harmful side effects, additives, or preservatives that can complicate existing conditions.

7. Naturally Relieves Pain

Purging the body of inflammatory compounds that can contribute to pain and discomfort in bones, muscles, tissues, and joints, charcoal powder benefits you by attracting, absorbing, and transporting pain-causing elements out of the body. Providing the same cleansing benefits to the bloodstream, brain, and digestive system, activated charcoal detoxifies and removes chemicals, unnatural compounds, and organic elements that interfere with the body’s natural processes, thereby improving immunity, support system functioning, and healthy hormone production, all of which help minimize infection, inflammation, and illness that can contribute to pain. With a simple solution of 1 teaspoon of charcoal per dose combined with a glass of water, any patient in need of pain relief can put aside their potentially harmful, chemical-laden drugs and medicines and rely on this risk-free, all-natural treatment instead.

8. Boosts Antifungal Protection

Activated charcoal can be used both as a topical treatment applied directly to the site of a fungal infection and as an oral application to purge the body of harmful pathogens. A dosage of 1 teaspoon of the powder dissolved in 1 cup of water will expel internal fungal infections from the body’s systems, helping boost immune system function and decrease healing time. For topical treatments, a one-to-one ratio of activated charcoal and water or coconut oil can be applied directly to the site of the fungal infection, wrapped with a piece of gauze or fabric, and secured with surgical tape or plastic wrap. By employing both of these methods, recovery from a fungal infection can be achieved quickly, safely, and naturally.

9. Treats Acne

With an all-natural, two-step approach to healing acne that utilizes activated charcoal’s benefits for internal and external healing, anyone can reduce the incidence of breakouts. First, for internal health, consume a simple teaspoon of the powder dissolved in 1 cup of water up to three times daily to help purge the body’s systems of toxins and pathogens that can interrupt immunity and hormonal functions, both of which can contribute to acne. Secondly, use the following activated charcoal skin and body wash to help cleanse your pores of oily buildup. To make a simple wash for the face or body, use the following dosage: + 1 part activated charcoal powder + 1 part water Combine the ingredients into a paste. Apply to the afflicted areas and scrub to allow the charcoal to absorb into your skin and remove toxins, oils, and impurities that can interfere with normal follicle openings and the processes related to natural oil production at the skin’s surface.

10. Whitens Teeth

In numerous studies, activated charcoal has been compared to other popular teeth whitening processes and has proven to be the more effective solution. A small amount applied to the teeth (1 opened capsule or crushed pressed pill, or a 1⁄4 teaspoon of the fine powder alternative) unleashes it’s beneficial ability to absorb toxins, organic compounds, and pathogens, ridding the mouth of conditions that contribute to stained and yellow teeth. Using activated charcoal on your teeth in this way also eliminates bacteria and pathogens from the mouth and protects teeth against the onset of decay.

11. Promotes Nutrient Absorption

Activated charcoal benefits the body in countless ways, but namely by absorbing the toxins, impurities, and compounds that commonly interfere with proper nutrient absorption. When activated charcoal absorbs and extracts interfering elements from the body’s cells, organs, and systems, the body is able to function as intended. A dosage of the powder of 1 small teaspoon dissolved in water and consumed daily can help anyone improve their body’s ability to process nutrients, maintain the health of their body’s systems, and safeguard their immune system and cells from degradation and complications. Supporting everything from heart health to brain health to hormone production, anyone’s well-being and vitality can be simply and easily restored… naturally.

12. Other Special Uses of Charcoal

Because activated charcoal powder has the ability to remove toxic chemical and organic compounds from air and water, it has been the center of countless studies performed to identify its healing benefits within the body. Charcoal is readily used in cases of poisoning and drug and alcohol overdoses since it can rid the body of dangerous, harmful toxins. Additionally, it has become a star ingredient in the treatment of blood disorders, cardiovascular conditions, digestive disruptions, and even brain and neurological conditions. This odorless, tasteless, non-toxic powder is also an effective ingredient in a number of common external applications. With the ability of charcoal to detoxify and naturally treat common skin conditions safely and effectively, it can be used in the treatment of insect bites, athlete’s foot, and acne, as well as in do-it-yourself makeup applications that safeguard your skin’s health. As with any supplement or natural medicine, it is best to start slowly and work your way up to higher dosages to let your body adjust.

Recommended Activated Charcoal Supplements

Activated Charcoal Side Effects with Medications

Activated charcoal’s ability to trap toxins and impurities in the body and remove them naturally is impressive. However, there are cautionary conditions regarding it’s use that should be considered when the person who intends to consume it is also on prescriptions or medications. With the ability to block the absorption of foreign formulations, one of charcoal’s side effects is that it may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb or process medications, making it absolutely necessary to consult a physician regarding its use when taking prescription or over-the-counter medications.

How to Select and Store Your Powder

When charcoal is processed into powder, the original source can play a major role in its quality and intended use. Because it has such a wide variety of protective and preventative applications, such as gas purification, water purification, decaffeination, metal extraction, sewage treatment, medication, air filtration, etc., the consistency and porosity, or “grit,” of the activated charcoal can vary just as widely. For example, in industrial, environmental, and agricultural uses, the most commonly preferred products have a larger hardness or abrasion number. With organic, high-quality varieties being easily accessible and low in cost, selecting the right activated charcoal product for your favorite at-home applications is easier than ever. For using charcoal in beauty and health treatments, it should have a high density and low ash content. The fine forms that should be used in personal applications are readily available in health stores and online, making the purchasing process very easy.

Recommended Product Disclaimer

The products recommended in this article may have different formulations than the products used in the studies and research cited in this article. As such, they may have different effects than have been reported by these studies. No claim is made or implied whatsoever as to the effects of any recommended products or their effects on health. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products recommended are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

References

1. Robert W. Derlet, T. (2018). Activated Charcoal—Past, Present and Future. [online] PubMed Central (PMC). 2. Thomas Chandy, Chandra P. (2018). Activated Charcoal Microcapsules and their Applications Journal of Biomaterials Applications.

About The Author Britt Brandon, CFNS, CPT is a certified personal trainer, a certified fitness nutrition specialist, and the author of many books, including Apple Cider Vinegar for Health, Coconut Oil for Health, and The “I Love My Instant Pot” Vegan Recipe Book. As a trainer, competitive athlete, fitness and nutrition blogger, and mom of three children, she is well versed in the holistic approaches to keeping the body in top-performing condition. Learn more at ultimatefitmom.com

For thousands of years, pearls have been highly sought after for their iridescent beauty and splendor; but few know that they also possess powerful healing and health-boosting properties that create the mirror image of their radiance within the body. While most think of them as jewelry or gemstones, they can also be ground into a fine powder for internal use—a secret long known to the Daoists of ancient China, who prized them for a different reason than their typical ornamental use.

Ancient Health Secret

In nearly every ancient civilization, the benefits of pearl powder were well known. Their use in China of both as a medicine and as a cosmetic, dates back at least to 320 AD where it was sought by emperors and empresses alike. As proclaimed in the medical books of the Ming dynasty, it was used to stimulate new skin growth and healing, release toxins, and remove sun damage and age spots. In India, the powder was also used in Ayurvedic medicine where it was known to increase general strength and health and was frequently an ingredient of love potions. In medieval Europe, the powder was widely perceived to have therapeutic qualities as well. Seventeenth-century German and English works claimed its effectiveness in a wide range of physical and mental conditions, and famed scientist and philosopher Francis Bacon recommended it as a means of prolonging life. Moving into the 21st century, a slew of researchers from universities around the world have picked up where ancient cultures have left off, putting pearl powder to the test in a number of human and animal studies—and what they have found is not only impressive but proves that it more than lives up to the hype.

The Health Benefits of Pearl Powder

1. Longevity

In both human and animal studies, pearl powder has shown promising results in either directly increasing lifespan or stimulating the production of various antioxidants and biochemicals that have a connection to increased longevity and overall health and wellness. In various studies, fortifying the diets of silkworms, mice, nematodes, and fruit flies with pearl powder significantly increased lifespan, in some cases up to 50% or more. The way it works in animals and humans is complex, and its life-extending properties are believed to be a result of its ability to boost antioxidant levels—in particular, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione—two of the most potent antioxidants in the body. Both of these antioxidants have strong connections to longevity, especially SOD which has been shown to help reverse many diseases, aid DNA protection and repair, and extend lifespan in a number of studies. It also inhibits the MAO-B enzyme, which correlates to measurable life-extending and health-enhancing effects. [1-9] Various components of the powder also affect DNA and RNA metabolic activities, and thus can support cell renewal and regrowth. More studies are needed, but early human clinical trials show very positive and promising results across the board.

2. Skin Health and Bone Regeneration

Scientists studying the health benefits of pearl powder have found that a special substance it contains—called nacre—is able to cause the regeneration of fibroblasts and osteoblasts, which are essential to the formation of new skin, collagen, and bone tissue. Fibroblasts are “builder stem cells” that abound in the connective tissue that surrounds our muscles, skin, and organs. By enhancing fibroblasts regeneration, pearl nacre in fact can help keep your body in shape and make your muscles and organs strong. Fibroblasts stimulate rapid wound healing and the formation of new skin and collagen cells, which restores a youthful glow to skin, reduces wrinkles, sun damage, and other signs of aging, and causes skin tightening, which reduces sagging and increases suppleness. Osteoblasts are stem cells responsible for new bone formation and regrowth. In 1992, Museum D’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France studied the osteogenic properties of nacre, which is the exact material that comprises pearl. [10] During the study, nacre chips were placed on a layer of human osteoblasts. They found that the osteoblasts that were near the nacre chips proliferated, and then attached themselves to the chips. Even more amazing, the osteoblasts formed a complete sequence of new bone in the presence of the nacre. How do we know it was the nacre that caused this? Because only the osteoblasts surrounding the nacre chips induced this type of mineralization. [11-13] In 2003, the same group of French scientists decided to investigate pearl fillings. They placed pieces of nacre in experimental cavities in the lumbar vertebrae of sheep. They found that the insertion of this nacre induced the production of layers of newly formed bone adjacent to the implanted pearl nacre filling. They also discovered that inserting the nacre caused an increased mineralization of the sheep’s bone, which means that the bone surrounding the cavity actually became stronger. [14-15] Another one of pearl powders benefits is that it is one of the richest sources of calcium on the planet—up to 80% or more by weight. Not only that, but human and animal studies comparing the bioavailability of pearl to that of other calcium supplements in a human clinical trial show that pearl powder is absorbed twice as efficiently as conventional calcium carbonate supplements (by far the most common form of calcium in dietary supplements). Scientific tests reveal that the calcium and naturally occurring essential trace minerals in pearl have a natural highly aligned micro-crystalline structure that is highly biocompatible with the human body and that helps to stimulate new bone growth, increase mineralization, and increase overall bone density. [10-15]

3. Calming and Relaxing

Perhaps one of the most well-known and sought-after health benefits of pearl powder is for its calming and relaxing properties. It has been used to relieve stress, soothe the nervous system, improve mood, and promote deeper sleep for millennia—and scientists may have discovered why. Aside from the generally calming effects that calcium has in the body, it has been shown to elevate GABA levels in the brain and body. GABA is a calming neurotransmitter that is often deficient in people with anxiety and chronic stress. Researchers also found that pearl powder benefits and stimulates various receptors in the body related to serotonin production in both animals and humans. [16] For this reason, many people find pearl powder calming and stabilizing. This was, and still is, one of the main uses for the substance in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, as well as one of its greatest benefits in our modern, fast-paced world.

4. Spiritually Activating Shen Tonic

On this same wavelength, pearl is revered as a legendary shen tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Shen is one of the three “treasures” or energies that permeate the body. Shen means “spirit” or ”god” in Mandarin and is believed to be the energy, or principle, in the body that regulates the mind, emotions, and our connection with higher aspects of ourselves. As a shen tonic, the powder is believed to harmonize and strengthen this energy. As such it has been used as a consciousness-expanding medicine throughout its long, storied history. But just what does that translate to in practical terms? Most will notice it to be emotionally soothing and balancing, with long-term use leading to deep feelings of inner peace and tranquility. Many also report that pearl produces a noticeable mood lift and enhances meditation. [17] For this reason, it has been revered by Daoists seeking enlightenment and greater spiritual capacity and that tradition continues to this day.

5. Improves Intelligence

Last, but certainly not least, one of pearl powders greatest benefits is that it has been shown to affect the mind and brain in some incredible ways as well. Chinese scientists found that the powder can improve children’s IQ. In one study, more than 200 children with mental disabilities took 750 to 1500 mg of the powder every day, and after three months, 92% of the children showed an increase in IQ of more than 80%, which enhanced it into normal range. [18] Another study at China Medical University examined the effect of a pearl powder supplement on mice. They found that mice who had taken it for 12 days did better in maze tests and had stronger immunity than mice who did not. In other words, it made the mice smarter and healthier.

6. Seaborne Superfood: Rich in Health Boosting Nutrients

To top things off, pearl powder supplements are also a rich source of hard-to-get nutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron, along with essential trace minerals such as strontium, copper, selenium, silicon, and titanium. It is also a complete protein, supplying all eight essential amino acids and a handful of more exotic ones including Aspartic Acid, Thronine, Serine, Alanine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Methionine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Leucine, Valine, Proline, Tyrosine, Cystine, Histidine, and the calming and relaxing Taurine. There are other amazing compounds found inside of pearls that are only just beginning to be understood and investigated scientifically, including mucopolysaccharides, which have inflammation-fighting properties and alkaline phosphatase, which is one of the active components in the remineralization of cells and likely has much to do with the extraordinarily high bioavailability of its nutrients.

How to Choose a Quality Supplement

There are a couple of important things to look for in choosing a quality pearl powder supplement to make sure you can benefit from all the nutrients locked away within these tiny but potent gems. The first is that it must be ground into an extremely fine powder so that your body can absorb it in the first place. In order to do this, it must undergo a special type of processing and, as with any type of processing, it should be as minimally invasive as possible and not damage any of the nutrients within the substance at hand. There are three ways to do this safely and effectively: levigation, micronization or nanozation, and enzymatic processing. Another important thing to understand about pearl is that for medicinal use, non-jewel-grade cultured, pure pearls are used, as it would simply be far too expensive and difficult otherwise. The pearl used in supplements is grown, or rather “seeded” in mussels (freshwater) or oysters (saltwater) and is sustainably farmed and harvested under controlled conditions for human use. There is some debate as to which variety is better; but the truth is they both have nearly identical effects, and it makes little difference so long as one of the above-mentioned proper processing and grinding technique is used. As with any supplement or natural medicine, it is best to start slowly and work your way up to higher dosages to let your body adjust.

Recommended Pearl Supplements

How to Use Pearl Powder

Pearl has a number of beneficial uses: + It can be consumed as tonic internally. Simply add the powder to a glass of water or juice to make a refreshing tonic or mix into your favorite smoothie. + It can be used topically for its anti-aging and skin-strengthening effects. To use pearl powder on your skin, mix it with a small amount of water or moisturizing lotion and apply topically as needed. Leave on the skin for as long as is comfortable to let it penetrate into it.

Side Effects and Interactions

Pearl has no known side effects taken at normal doses (up to 1g per day) and is extremely safe, but as always, caution is advised when starting a new supplement. Always start slowly and with small doses and work your way up to make sure it is biocompatible with your body.

Recommended Product Disclaimer

The products recommended in this article may have different formulations than the products used in the studies and research cited in this article. As such, they may have different effects than have been reported by these studies. No claim is made or implied whatsoever as to the effects of any recommended products or their effects on health. The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products recommended are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.

References

1. Chiu et al. “Efficacy of Protein Rich Pearl Powder on Antioxidant Status in a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.” Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics, Elsevier, 13 June 2017. 2. Cao G, Xu Z, Wei H, Yao S, Liu Y. “Pearl in health-care” Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 1996 Oct; 21(10):635-8. 3. Shengshan Hu, Dayuan Wang, Jianpin Liu, Hong Yu, Hongwen Leng, Liwei Tan, Yuanzhen Xiong: “Research on anti-aging effects of pearl water solution.” Chinese Herbal Medicine 25(4): 203, 1994. 4. Chen Y, Tan W, Qian Z., Gu Z., Pan J., Zhuang X.: “Experimental Study of the antioxidation effect of pearl” Senior Medicine Journal 1988, 8(2): 109-120. 5. Tong ZH, Gu WZ, Zhu G, Zhao YW. “The anti-aging effect of pearl oyster shell powder (POSP).” Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 1988 Dec;8(4):247-50. 6. Yijun Chen, Tianxi Hu, Xucheng Chen: “Study of the antioxidation effect of pearl using chemical method.” Senior Medicine Journal 8(6): 288, 1988. 7. Zhi Xu, Derong Hu, Cai Cao, Huanying Wei, Shuhan Yao, Yuan Liu: “The effects of pearl on fruit fly’s life span and mice’s anti-radiation ability.” Chinese Medicine Journal 10(2): 29, 1998. 8. Yijun Chen, WeishengTan, Zengping Qian, Zhenlun Gu, Jianxin Fan, Xinmei Zhuang: “Research on the anti-aging effects of pearl powder.” Senior Medicine Journal 8(2): 199, 1988. 9. Jian Wang, Dehui Hou: “The effect of pearl on free radical content and fruit fly’s life span.” Acta Academia Medicine Suzhou17(2): 218, 1997. 10. Shen Y, Zhu J, Zhang H, Zhao F. “In vitro osteogenetic activity of pearl.” Biomaterials. 2006 Jan;27(2):281-7. 11. Camprasse S, Camprasse G, Pouzol M, Lopez E, “Artificial dental root made of natural calcium carbonate (Bioracine).” Clin Mater. 1990;5(2-4):235-50. 12. Lopez E, Vidal B, Berland S, Camprasse S, Camprasse G, Silve C. “Demonstration of the capacity of pearl to induce bone formation by human osteoblasts maintained in vitro.” Tissue Cell. 1992;24(5):667-79. 13. Lamghari M, Almeida MJ, Berland S, Huet H, Laurent A, Milet C, Lopez E. “Stimulation of bone marrow cells and bone formation by pearl: in vivo and in vitro studies.” Bone. 1999 Aug;25(2 Suppl):91S-94S. 14. Atlan G, Delattre O, Berland S, LeFaou A, Nabias G, Cot D, Lopez E. “Interface between bone and pearl implants in sheep.” Biomaterials. 1999 Jun;20(11):1017-22. 15. Lamghari M, Berland S, Laurent A, Huet H, Lopez E. “Bone reactions to pearl injected percutaneously into the vertebrae of sheep.” Biomaterials.2001 Mar;22(6):555-62. 16. Zhang, J. et al. (2016). “Anticonvulsant and sedative–hypnotic activity screening of pearl and nacre (mother of pearl).” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 181, 229-235. 17. Jianxin Pan, Zhenlun Gu, Zengnian Qian, Yajun Wang: “Study of the effects of pearl on central nervous system.” Chinese Traditional Medicine 21(11): 596, 1999. 18. Huang S., “The effect of pearl on children with mental disabilities”, Journal of Chinese Herbal Medicine 1976, 8:22.

photo: elsa olofsson

Perhaps you have made the decision to try CBD (which stands for Cannabidiol). Or perhaps you are already using CBD but need some guidance in finding the right CBD oil and products. That is the purpose of this excerpt from Pain-Free with CBD. We want to help you find a CBD product that is safe, high quality, and easy to acquire on a continuing basis. But we especially want you to be safe. It is likely that you or someone you love is in pain and suffering from one of the 21 ailments covered in chapter 3 of Pain-Free with CBD, and you are interested in using CBD for painful conditions like arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or multiple sclerosis. These are complex ailments and require the attention of a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional. We encourage you to discuss CBD with the members of your healthcare team because many of these illnesses have a wide variety and large number of prescribed medications, and you want to be certain there are no harmful interactions. It can be hard to discuss CBD products with your doctor because of the stigma attached to anything having to do with cannabis or even natural remedies. Fortunately, the attitudes of physicians are changing as they, too, become educated about the endogenous cannabinoid system.

HOW TO BUY CBD OIL

If you live in a state with a medical cannabis law (or full legalization), you can visit a dispensary to look for and acquire CBD products, although depending upon the state, you may need a doctor’s recommendation to enter the dispensary. Perhaps the most amazing thing about shopping for CBD is that you can do so from the comfort of your home. Most CBD product manufacturers provide online shopping at their websites. Here you can find a few recommended CBD brands from reputable companies. You may be thinking, “What about Amazon?” Well, search for ‘CBD oil’ at Amazon, and you might be overwhelmed by the choices. However, these products are actually hemp oil, not CBD extract. In fact, Amazon prohibits sale of any products with cannabidiol (CBD) but does not prohibit searches using the term ‘CBD.’ This should give you a good idea of how the market has blurred the lines between hemp oil and CBD.

Hemp-Derived CBD vs. Hemp Oil

Amazon’s array of CBD products brings us to a very important discussion: the difference between hemp-derived CBD and hemp oil. The 2018 Farm Bill created a huge “green rush” that is continuing to develop and expand. Hemp is now legal to grow in any state, and products manufactured from hemp can be sold throughout the United States. Hemp oil, as opposed to CBD oil, is derived from the stalks and seeds of the hemp plant. It has been available for years in health food stores, where people would purchase it as a food supplement. It is very high in antioxidants, omega-3, and omega-6 but contains a miniscule amount of CBD. Hemp oil is made by pressing the hemp seeds and stalks to obtain the oil. To achieve any therapeutic benefit, you must obtain CBD oil that is extracted from the leaves of the hemp plant using a solvent and distillation process. There are several processes for CBD extraction, and those who are interested can find plenty of websites that explain the various options for extracting CBD. In years past, it would require an enormous amount of hemp leaves to extract CBD, and it was not a particularly efficient or economical process. With the recent CBD “green rush,” efforts have been underway to get more bang for the buck. This has entailed modifying the hemp plant to manufacture more CBD while still retaining the THC at less than 0.3 percent. These efforts will continue as long as cannabis remains illegal under federal law.

Cannabis-Derived CBD

For those who live in a medical cannabis or fully legalized state, there is another option for where to buy CBD oil and products: cannabis-derived CBD. This means that the CBD is extracted from a cannabis plant rather than hemp. It also means the CBD oil will have THC, although the THC may be at very minimal levels. These CBD oils are normally provided as tinctures with ratios of both compounds. So, for example, you might be able to obtain a 3:1 tincture, which means there are three parts of CBD to one part of THC. There are many different ratios available, some as high as 18:1. In oils with this high level of CBD, the intoxicating effects of THC will be neutralized by the CBD, but THC will still contribute to the overall therapeutic effect. As you may choose to learn, there are some diseases that benefit from the addition of a small amount of THC. Cannabis-derived CBD is far more efficient and economical. Without the restraint of keeping THC at less than 0.3 percent, which hobbles the hemp farmer, a cannabis farmer can manipulate his or her plants to produce higher amounts of CBD than would normally be produced.

HOW TO CHOOSE CBD OIL: THE RIGHT PRODUCT FOR YOU

As you begin your search for the right CBD product, there are several considerations that will affect your decision. You will discover there are numerous delivery methods, including tinctures, topical preparations, vape pens, transdermal patches, capsules, and edibles. Regardless of delivery method, however, there are considerations that factor into every decision. Some of these factors are simple and straightforward, such as cost. Others will call on you to make a personal decision about the different types of CBD oil available, and it may take a couple of different tries before finding the CBD therapy that is right for you. Factors for consideration when you buy CBD oil include:

1. Full-Spectrum or Isolate

As you read the labels or packaging information for the CBD products, these terms will likely appear. Basically, they refer to the final product of the extraction process. An isolate CBD product undergoes a process that extracts just the CBD molecules in isolation and then puts those molecules of CBD into a carrier medium of some sort: oil, salve, etc. In full-spectrum CBD, the extraction process captures the CBD as well as other cannabinoids, terpenes, and compounds from the plant. These additional compounds contribute to the entourage effect, which is a theory that cannabinoid compounds work more effectively together rather than in isolation. There is no universally right or wrong choice, and patients will need to experiment to determine which product works best for them.

2. Concentration

CBD can come in many forms. A concentrate is a high-potency CBD oil. Concentrates may be referred to as wax, shatter, rosin, and FECO (full extract cannabis oil). These products allow patients to consume large dosages of CBD. The potency of a concentrate ranges from 20 percent to over 70 percent. The potency of the concentration varies depending on what part of the plant was used to process the oil. As you buy CBD oil, keep in mind the following: stalks and stems will produce only small amounts of CBD, leaves have more, and the flowers, or cola, will contain the most CBD. Unfortunately, concentrates are difficult to measure. Since most people tend to eyeball the amount they are consuming, accuracy of the dose is nearly impossible.

3. Speed and Duration

The manner in which the CBD product is used will determine the speed and duration of the effect. Inhalation remains the most rapid way to introduce cannabinoids into the human body. CBD vape pens can provide rapid onset of relief, but that relief may be short-lived compared to CBD capsules, which take time to digest and enter the system but have a longer period of effect. For those who may be concerned about the effects of CBD, transdermal patches offer an interesting benefit because they can be removed, and the effects will dissipate in about 20 minutes. When treating pain, you may discover that a combination of delivery methods and types of CBD oils is preferable—for example, capsules for systemic relief, with a vape pen used to treat breakthrough pain.

4. Ease and Familiarity

If you are new to CBD and still learning how to choose the best CBD oil for yourself, you may have initial feelings of anxiety as you navigate your way through this unfamiliar territory. This is natural. It is important to remember that CBD is safe and nonintoxicating. Delivery methods have vastly improved, and you no longer must smoke CBD in order to obtain relief. If you prefer taking pills, you will find CBD capsules available in varying doses. Tinctures are another option. As you learn more about CBD, this will all become easier.

5. Flavor

This is an area that few people initially think of, but it can have a huge impact on how you feel about a product. Not too long ago, before the CBD boom gathered steam, CBD oil was a bit like classic ice cream, with one flavor: vanilla. CBD oil tasted a lot like hemp, which is to say it tasted like mown grass. Some people did not mind, but others were repulsed. As the market began to grow, entrepreneurs realized that flavor was an issue and became more inventive. Currently, many CBD products have flavors such as mint, citrus, and berry. It is important to recognize that most flavored CBD tinctures are made with CBD isolate, not full-spectrum CBD. Manufacturers of full-spectrum CBD have modified their formularies in recent years, and high-quality CBD tinctures now have a more neutral flavor.

6. Cost

For most of us, cost is a consideration. Insurance will not cover the costs of CBD medication, so if you decide on CBD therapy, the costs will be out-of-pocket. This is where understanding the difference between hemp oil and hemp-derived CBD oil is of vital importance. Hemp oil will be significantly cheaper but has no therapeutic benefit because it has no CBD. Exploring your options is important, but do not get fooled into buying hemp oil disguised as CBD oil.

HOW TO TAKE CBD OIL: DELIVERY METHODS FOR CBD

When determining where to buy CBD, it’s important to understand the different forms available and to consider how to take CBD oil. There are essentially four ways to use CBD for medical purposes: oral, inhalation, topical/transdermal, and suppository. Each has its advantages.

1. ORAL INGESTION

CBD can be orally ingested via four methods: capsules, tinctures, edibles, or pastes and concentrates. Capsules: Capsules are familiar, and many people choose capsule form for their CBD oil. The advantage of capsules is the familiarity of the method and the fact that they will act systemically, delivering a measured dose of CBD to the entire body. Capsules come in many different strengths, and new users should find the lowest strength available. Costs are equally broad.

Concentration: 5 mg and up Speed: 1 to 2 hours Duration: 6 hours Ease of Use: Good Flavor: N/A Cost: $30+ depending on quantity and dose Tinctures: The ongoing renaissance of cannabis as medicine has reignited interest in tinctures, which were once a staple for physicians even as late as the mid-20th century. Today’s entrepreneurs researched original preparations of cannabis in old pharmacopeias and developed modern CBD tinctures based on those preparations. Tinctures can be alcohol or oil based, with oil-based tinctures taking longer for onset. Tinctures have many advantages. Taken properly (hold the drops under the tongue and let them absorb), they can be very fast acting. They are discreet and easy to transport. They can be very effective for breakthrough pain. Use caution, and be sure you are getting hemp-derived CBD, not hemp oil. CBD oil tinctures run a broad gamut in price. You might need your math cap to determine which are the best buys because each website seems to provide different measurements, from ounces to grams, and at different prices. Costs can range from $60 for a half ounce at one website to $139 for 30 ml at another. However, when converting the measurements, these are approximately the same price. Suggestion: Siri or Alexa can be a big help in converting ounces to milliliters or milligrams to grams.

Concentration: 2.5 to 5 mg Speed: 15 minutes to an hour; oil-based tinctures may take 1 to 2 hours Duration: 6 to 8 hours Ease of Use: Moderate Flavor: Affected by the oil in which the CBD is suspended Cost: $25+ depending on size of bottle and manufacturing Edibles: People are intrigued with cannabinoid edibles, and there are, of course, CBD edibles. For those who hate to take pills or tinctures, CBD edibles may be a fun way to take medicine. After all, there are adult gummy daily vitamins and supplements. So, if you are taking CBD oil strictly as a supplement, the edible format may not be bad. In fact, it may ensure that you take the CBD every day. The problem with edibles as a medicinal delivery form is the production, which may not be up to the same standards as those employed by tincture and capsule manufacturers. And gummies are likely to have sugar, which may be a serious problem for some. Additionally, anything you ingest takes longer to reach your bloodstream, and the times can be erratic depending on what else you may have ingested.

Concentration: Normally around 10 mg per edible Speed: 1 to 2 hours Duration: 6 to 8 hours Ease of Use: Good Flavor: A vast variety Cost: $10+ CBD Drinks: CBD is literally everywhere! There are dozens of brands of CBD water, infused sodas, teas (kombucha is a big hit in this category), and beer. Until a few years ago, such concoctions would have been unthinkable because the theory was that cannabinoids could be dissolved only in oil, which is why CBD is so commonly referred to as CBD oil. But new extraction methods have allowed manufacturers to dissolve CBD in water, which has led to these new delivery forms. From a therapeutic delivery perspective, these drinks really are not an option. There are stability issues, and the CBD can leave the liquid and cling to the container’s interior. While this is not the best scenario for someone seeking pain relief, CBD drinks can be a refreshing source of hydration and provide another way to feed your Endocannabinoid system (ECS) and contribute to an overall sense of well-being. Pastes and Concentrates: Depending on how much CBD you require on an ongoing basis, concentrates or pastes may be an appropriate option for you. These delivery forms can be obtained with CBD content varying from 45 percent to almost 90 percent. This allows for a more economical administration of CBD oil but requires more active involvement of the patient in terms of preparation and administration.

2. INHALATION

The iconic image of someone smoking a joint to get medical relief from cannabis is still prevalent, but similar to just about everything else, modern technology has provided new answers to old methods. Vaporizer Pen or E-Cigarette: The terms vaporizer pen (more commonly referred to as a “vape pen”) and e-cigarette are often used interchangeably, but e-cigs are more associated with tobacco smokers. Vape pens allow the user to purchase “pods” of CBD oil that fit on the rechargeable pen. Vaping is much easier on the throat and lungs than smoking a joint. With vaping there is minimal smoke, and it is cooler in temperature and has little to no odor. Many CBD manufacturers will arrange partnerships with vape pen manufacturers so as to simplify pod production. Only buy vape products from reputable manufacturers.

Concentration: Variable; 2 mg and up Speed: Very rapid onset—a few minutes Duration: 2 to 3 hours Ease of Use: Moderate Flavor: N/A Cost: $20+ Disposables are an inexpensive way to become acquainted.

3. TOPICAL/TRANSDERMAL

TOPICAL CBD salves are a wonderful delivery method for localized pain such as arthritis or neuropathic pain. There are creams that have a smooth texture and salves that are more formidable. Deciding which to use is a personal choice. Some have menthol added, making them similar to Bengay. Simply apply the salve to your aching muscles or joints.

Concentration: Large variety of concentrations ranging from 100 mg to 500 mg of CBD per container Speed: 10 to 20 minutes Duration: Several hours—very dependent on site and patient’s overall physical condition Ease of Use: Good Flavor: N/A Cost: $16+ TRANSDERMAL Transdermal patches are applied to the skin, and the CBD is absorbed into your body. The effects can last for 8 to 12 hours.

Concentration: 10 mg per patch Speed: 20 minutes Duration: 8 to 12 hours Ease of Use: Good Flavor: N/A Cost: $12 to $20 depending on potency

4. SUPPOSITORIES

A fairly new entry on the CBD market is the CBD suppository, which is a sublingual method. There is very little clinical research about this delivery form, and rectal bioavailability has its skeptics. Nevertheless, this option is available and could be useful in some situations, such as end-of-life care or when certain diseases such as ALS, MS, and cancer become advanced to the point of rendering a patient incapable of ingesting or inhaling CBD.

Concentration: 25 to 50 mg per unit Speed: 15 to 30 minutes Duration: 1 to 3 hours Ease of Use: Moderate to Difficult Flavor: N/A Cost: Availability is sketchy and price variable—$50 for 10 on one website

HOW TO IDENTIFY HIGH-QUALITY CBD

It cannot be said often enough: All CBD is not alike. The market is unregulated, so it is advised to proceed with caution. Always know what to look for when buying CBD oil.

1. Ingredients

The first thing to look for is a listing of ingredients on the label. If there is no list of ingredients, then it would be best to avoid purchasing that or any product from the labeled company. The number one thing to look for when buying CBD oil is the phrase “hemp-derived CBD” on the label. Hemp oil is not the same as CBD oil. The label should specify “hemp-derived CBD,” or it may even say “cannabis sativa (<0.3%).” Beware of any product label that makes a specific claim of being able to “cure” or “heal” when searching for where to buy CBD oil.

2. Brand Transparency

Whether you buy CBD online or in one of the many CBD shops that have been popping up, you want to look for brand transparency. A transparent CBD company will not hesitate to share information about the product, and that information should be immediately available. Do not trust a salesperson’s response of “Oh, I can get that for you. What’s your email?”

3. Cost

The cost of the product does not indicate the quality. Indeed, it is quite the opposite in some cases. Keep in mind that the market is unregulated, and there are charlatans who will gladly charge you 10 times what a product is worth.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR AS YOU BUY CBD OIL

Because the CBD market is largely unregulated, there are no nationwide rules for what should be on a product label, but here are a few things to look for:

1. Amount of CBD in the Item and Serving Size

Normally this will be found in an obvious position on the label. It will typically read something like “600 mg,” which indicates the total concentration of CBD in the container. If you are buying a tincture, capsules, suppositories, or patches, there should be information on the dose per unit. It will say something like “60 capsules with 10 mg CBD each.”

2. Batch Number

Batch or lot number provides the means to access the lab test, and, ideally, one can go to the product website and download the lab test. This is something you are more likely to find in states with medical cannabis laws or on products that come from states with medical cannabis laws. Sometimes it will be found stamped on the bottom of the container.

3. Product Testing

The batch or lot number will lead you to the lab report (or COA—certificate of analysis), which has an enormous amount of data. The information listed will typically include percentage of CBD and other cannabinoids, terpenes (compounds that contribute to the aroma of cannabis), heavy metal screening, pesticide screening, and solvent screening. It is not necessary for you to understand all of these, but it is important that a company provide the analysis.

USING CBD FOR THE FIRST TIME: HOW TO TAKE CBD OIL

So, you have made a product selection and are now ready to use CBD for the first time. If you have used cannabis in the past, you are probably comfortable with using CBD without any reservations. But if you have never used cannabis, aka marijuana, then you may be a bit nervous. This is understandable because of the previously discussed stigma and misinformation. However, you need not be nervous. CBD will not intoxicate you, and there is no high. Just remember, start low and go slow. In other words, start with a low dose and increase slowly.

Deciding on a Dose

Most CBD products such as tinctures and capsules will have recommended doses on the label or packaging. If you have never taken cannabinoids before, you may want to start with half the recommended dose. When taking capsules, always start with one a day for three to five days just to see what effect they may have. Sometimes the other ingredients in capsules can cause complications such as diarrhea.

A CBD BUYER’S GUIDE FOR BUDGET SAVERS

As you have learned, learning how to buy CBD oil and CBD products can be daunting. Move slowly and deliberately to find the product that is best for you. Here are some tips to do so:

1. Determine which form of CBD is best for you—oral, inhaled, or topical—and focus on that method. Do not let yourself be distracted by online ads or ‘helpful’ CBD store merchants who try to steer you toward another method of administration.

2. Use the Internet to comparison shop. Even if you plan to buy your CBD near you locally, it does not hurt to shop around, and the Internet is an easy way to do so.

3. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. This is an old maxim but a very helpful one when you shop for CBD. Beware of products or websites that use the words cure and heal.

4. Look for companies that offer sample-size product so you can try a product before investing a significant amount of money.

5. Compare apples to apples. In other words, try to standardize the offerings. One company may list 30 ml of tincture. Another may say 1 ounce. They are the same thing. Alexa or Siri can be a big help with conversion math, or you can make use of asknumbers.com.

6. If you are buying CBD oil online, identify a product and company you like and then research the company. Spend some time doing different searches about the XYZ CBD Co., and see what is being said about it on the web.

7. It is okay to say, “No thanks.” If you are undecided or uncomfortable, just say no. There are numerous franchise CBD stores that often offer just one product line of CBD. Do not purchase simply because you are there and the clerk seems nice. Do your homework!

Excerpted with permission from Pain-Free with CBD: Everything You Need to Know to Safely and Effectively Use Cannabidiol, by Alice O’Leary-Randall and Eloise Theisen, published by Rockridge Press. Copyright ©️ 2019 by Callisto Media. All rights reserved.

About The Authors Alice O’Leary Randall is a senior spokesperson for the medical cannabis movement, cofounded in 1976 with her late husband, Robert C. Randall, the first person in the United States to legally receive medical cannabis. For more than two decades, Robert and Alice worked tirelessly to reform the prohibitions against cannabis. After Robert’s death in 2001, Alice became a hospice nurse and later a grief counselor. She retired in 2012 and reentered the medical cannabis field. She frequently writes and speaks on the issue. Working with Mary’s Medicinals of Denver, she developed the Cannabis Primer series in 2015 and Mary’s Prime time in 2017. She has served on the board of directors for the American Cannabis Nurses Association and the advisory board for United in Compassion, an Australian medical cannabis organization. Her book Medical Marijuana in America: Memoir of a Pioneer was first released in April 2014. Her most recent publication is Mary’s Cannabis Primers Collection: Vol I. Both titles are available on Amazon. Learn more at aliceolearyrandall.com Eloise Theisen, AGPCNP-BC is a board-certified Adult Geriatric Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in nursing. Prior to cannabis, Eloise worked for about 14 years in oncology at John Muir. She started her own cannabis practice about in 2014, and she has treated over 6,000 patients using cannabis. In 2018 she cofounded Radicle Health in Walnut Creek, California. Eloise was possibly the first health care partner (HCP) to bring a clinical dosing regimen to the cannabis space and has assembled the knowledge and data to use CBD and cannabis to help with a broad range of conditions and disease, especially those that commonly afflict seniors—pain, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. There are very few HCPs nationally with the same level of expertise and experience. Eloise is the current President of the American Cannabis Nurses Association and will serve as President through 2022. Learn more at radiclehealthcare.com

photo: autumn goodman

The Bone-Beauty Connection: Teeth and the Keys to Oral Health

We have been taught to brush twice daily, floss, and visit the dentist to maintain healthy teeth and gums and prevent tooth decay, yet the staggering number of cavities, crowns, root canals, and extracted teeth confirms that something is amiss. Although there are a plethora of periodontal promises ranging from fluoride floss to minty mouthwash, there is more dental decay now than in any previous century. Wearily, we roam the drugstore dental aisles. Searching for solutions, we attain countless tubes of paste, we maintain the ingrained hygienist and dentist appointments, and we brush with daily diligence for decades. Even so, healthy mouths evades us, and the possibility of periodontal disease percolates. Receding, bleeding gums are the norm. Unexpected cavities form, and millions of root canals are performed. The definition of insanity, doing the same thing and expecting different results, applies to our current state of dental care. Our mouths are a microcosm mirroring the macrocosm of imbalances on our planet. Our dental dysbiosis reflects our lack of symbiosis in our relationships to our bodies, global food production, medicine, and the environment. On a microscopic level, everything that is going on in our mouth is going on in the world: enamel and topsoil erosion, systemic corrosion, crumbling bones, mold in our homes, triclosan in toothpaste, toxins dumped in haste, factory farms festering with fungi, pollutants in the sky, adverse effects of petroleum oil, glyphosates affecting our gums, guts, and soil; deforestation, fluoridation, pesticides, and antibiotics that mutate microbes, gum pockets that erode, chronic disease, mercury in our mouths and seas, environmental allergens, chaotic carcinogens, and invading pathogens. These things threaten the borders of our body and the boundaries of our planet.

Mastering the Mouth through Bacterial Balance

The mouth is the principal portal into our bodies. It interfaces, absorbs, and assimilates our world. The endocrine, immune, and digestive systems are intimately bound to the microbiome of our mouths. By understanding the human microbiome, we understand that our oral health depends on a thriving microbiome; and as human hosts to this bacterial banquet, the key to vitality in our bodies and mouths is bacterial balance. What we now know is that many of the periodontal procedures and medicants of modern dentistry disrupt the beneficial bacteria of our gums and mutate our mouth’s microbes. Many of our oral-care practices suppress immunity. Instead, we need to reconcile with our bacterial community for healthier gums and teeth. We need to fluff our oral flora, and befriend our body’s bacteria. We need to abandon the products, practices, and antibiotics that are making our microbes mutate, mottling our teeth, and deforesting the flora of our oral ecology.

Not All Dentists Are Created Equal

On top of this microbe mutation, the profession put in charge of our oral health and tooth care is shrouded in subjective science. Dental diagnosis can vary vastly from dentist to dentist. To demonstrate this, a researcher for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, armed with a hidden camera and a dental assessment from the University of Toronto, visited twenty dentists. Her otherwise healthy mouth only needed a cleaning and a crown replacement, but if she had followed the combined recommendations of the twenty dentists, then nearly every tooth in her mouth would have been treated, including multiple unnecessary root canals, veneers, fillings, and crowns.[1] Another journalist, with a trusted dentist’s confirmation that he only needed one crown on a molar, traveled across the United States for fifty dental examinations. All fifty dentists examined the same mouth and the same X-rays. Their estimates ranged from $700 to $19,000, and the treatment plans ranged from crowning one tooth to having all twenty-eight crowned, from gum surgery to veneers! The actual molar that needed a crown was missed by fifteen of the fifty dentists. When asked about the journalists’ findings, the American Dental Association was not surprised by the inconsistencies, as they claim, “Dentistry is an art based on scientific knowledge.”[2] This journalistic research illustrates that there is money to be minted from the health of our mouths, which may be fiscally influencing some dentists. Although dentistry conjures images of the exactness of an X-ray, sterile environments, white lab coats, and advanced scientific equipment, it is not an exclusively objective vocation. Clearly, there are fifty shades of gray affecting our pearly whites. Fifty interpretations from one X-ray! While we let that information sink in, it is easy to feel exasperated and to roll our eyes at such inconsistency; or we can see this as a crack for the light to shine in. When it comes to caring for our teeth and our oral health, we can master the map of our mouths. With leading-edge information from compassionate, pioneering dentists, we can now understand how our bodies are designed with a dentinal fluid that acts like an invisible toothbrush, repelling cavities and synthesizing new dentin from odontoblasts. We can see that our mouths can be incubators of infection and that we need to create a microbe-topia for the multitudes of microbes in our mouths. This is the triple threat to having a healthy mouth: the harmful procedures, the lack of understanding about the tooth-nurturing dentinal fluid, and the periodontal scorched-earth policy on bacteria. This trifecta is the perfect periodontal storm that fosters endodontic entropy, dental problems and decay, and a system that settles for Band-Aid solutions of bleaching, gum grafts, veneers, and fillings.

Common Dental Procedures: What You Need to Know

Now let’s look at some common dental procedures and weigh the pros and cons.

Silver Fillings

Silver-colored dental amalgams have been used to fill cavities for more than 150 years. They are made from a combination of silver, copper, tin, and mercury. These fillings are more economical and durable than other filling materials. The American Dental Association recommends silver fillings for children who squirm in the dentist’s chair because they are easier to place than composite fillings.

Silver Fillings: Cons

+ Dentists must drill away healthy tooth bone to prepare the tooth for silver fillings. + These eighteenth-century dental solutions are 50% mercury, one of the most toxic substances on the planet; yet even though this toxicity is scientific fact, mercury is implanted in multitudes of mouths in the form of fillings. Mercury is also a cumulative toxin that passes through the blood-brain and placental barriers. It tenaciously binds to tissue, altering DNA, nerves, cell membranes, and mitochondrial function. Mercury toxicity is linked to dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and other degenerative disorders.[3] Mercury is also linked to periodontal disease, receding unhealthy gums, and skin hyperpigmentation.[4] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims that the highest body burden of chronic mercury toxicity comes from silver fillings. In addition, when mercury fillings are removed, even though there is not a metallurgic change to the mercury, the EPA considers it toxic waste, and fillings must be handled with a strict no-touch protocol to protect dentists and the environment from mercury poisoning.[5] The FDA states, “A person with four fillings has enough mercury to make a 20-acre lake unfit for fishing.”[6] Yet, somehow, it is still okay for our mouths and tongues to touch it daily, and it is still common in tooth care and not universally banned in dentistry. + Both old and new mercury fillings release vapors twenty-four hours a day, with a 500% increase when chewing, teeth grinding, and drinking hot fluids. According to the Journal of Dental Research, gum chewing increases mercury-vapor release considerably![7]

Other Filling Options

Costly porcelain fillings are not 100% pure porcelain; they contain carcinogenic nickel and aluminum too. Most white composite fillings contain bisphenol A (BPA), formaldehyde, and aluminum. The best current filling choices for healthy teeth are zirconium-oxide fillings, ceramic resins, and non-drilling techniques. Because all filling materials are foreign to the immune system, it is a best practice for dentists to do a biocompatibility blood-serum test. Ideally, preventing cavities and learning how to keep teeth healthy naturally is optimal! (We’ll go into that soon.)

Wisdom Teeth

This third set of molars generally develops in the late teens and early twenties. These teeth are considered best to be removed as prophylactic prevention to avoid impacted teeth, and partially erupted wisdom teeth may be hard to clean or may affect neighboring teeth.

Wisdom-Teeth Removal: Cons

+ A report published in the American Journal of Public Health deemed that 6.7 million out of 10 million preventive wisdom-tooth extractions are unnecessary.[8] + The British National Health Service has stated that the practice of prophylactic removal of pathology-free impacted wisdom teeth should be discontinued. There is insufficient evidence that impacted wisdom teeth cause dental problems, and the expense and risks of the surgery are not justified.[9] + We may need the wisdom of these teeth later in life for chewing surfaces; additionally, extraction alters the structure of the neck, jaw, and mouth. + But that’s not all. Multiple pathological bacteria are often found in the jaw on wisdom-tooth extraction sites. This is because it is standard protocol to leave the periodontal ligament in after extraction. Simply put, this causes a sluggish area in the bone marrow where virulent bacteria gather and eat away at the jawbone.[10] + These jaw cavitations are a hidden consequence of wisdom-teeth extractions, as most of the time there are no visible symptoms. When a jaw cavitation shows up on an X-ray, the bone has already eroded by 50%.[11] These areas in the jaw are medically referred to as osteonecrotic lesions. Dr. Hal Huggins’s research institute revealed that these jaw-cavitation sites are sanctuaries for serious pathogens that can lead to an array of autoimmune diseases. Biological dentists, who learn how to keep teeth healthy naturally, can check for cavitations by making a small incision in the gum of the extraction site and examining for mushy pockets in the jawbone. If there is decay, a simple procedure can clear it up: the site is opened, the decay is scraped off the bone, bacteria are thoroughly removed, blood flow to the area is reestablished, and the site is treated with ozone. If you do need a tooth extracted, including a wisdom tooth, be sure to work with a dentist who will also be sure to remove the periodontal ligament as part of the protocol. Through the dedicated research of dentists Weston Price and Ralph R. Steinman, we now know that proper nutrition is the key to keeping wisdom teeth. When enough nutrients are supplied to the jawbone during pregnancy and childhood, all thirty-two teeth have enough space in the mouth without crowding.

Root Canals

A root canal is a procedure for infected teeth that kills the unhealthy tooth by removing its internal structure, including the nerves, pulp tissue, and blood vessels. The hollowed-out tooth is rinsed, filled with latex and cement, and then topped with a crown. The purpose of a root canal is to hermetically seal the tooth and save the chewing surface.

Root Canal: Cons

+ Theoretically, a root canal seems like a good idea, but, clinically, it is a bacterial horror story. A dead tooth remains in the mouth as an incubator of infection, a bacterial breeding ground, and a necrotic nest for pathogens to grow and spread. This oxygen-starved stagnant tooth becomes a haven for harmful microbes, which lead to dental problems. The whole goal of a root canal is to have a non-infected, sterile tooth; but the exact opposite is created. Each tooth contains three miles of microscopic dentin tubules that are impossible to sterilize! With the blood vessels removed, neither antibiotics nor white blood cells can reach the location to fight infection. Every time a root-canaled tooth is used to chew, bacterial toxins are squirted into the bloodstream. These toxins that flow from the anaerobic infection silently spread to the gums, ligaments, and jawbone. Because the nerve tissue is removed in the procedure, there will be no pain indicating infection. In an interesting correlation, physician Josef Issels in forty years of treating cancer found that 98% of his patients had root canals.[12] He insists that his patients remove root-canaled teeth before starting treatment. Dr. Stuart Nunnally, a highly respected and pioneering biological dentist, conducted independent tests on root-canaled teeth.[13] To qualify, the teeth had to be symptom-free and show zero signs of pathology on an X-ray. One hundred percent of these root-canaled teeth, upon surface inspection and in X-rays, were textbook-perfect root canals yet lab tests revealed that the teeth harbored severe toxic pathogens. While this type of information has not permeated into every dental practice, and with the knowledge comes some ethical decisions for dentists about how to approach diseased teeth, thankfully there is vibrant discussion in endodontics journals about the impossibility of sterility in root-canal-treated teeth. If you have a root canal and this information is unnerving to your seemingly healthy mouth, it is important to know that although root canals become focal infections that feed anaerobic bacteria 100% of the time, not all root canals are causing systemic health issues, because of an individual’s epigenetics and because each person handles toxicity differently. If you are experiencing a decline in health (especially in the months preceding the procedure), or if you have an autoimmune issue, you may want to explore having root-canaled teeth extracted and the periodontal ligament removed. This is an easier decision if it is a back molar, as the space can be left as is, yet a difficult decision with a front tooth, as you may then need to explore a bridge or a zirconium post implant tooth. It takes a special quality of mind to be schooled in certain methods yet hold the capacity to question these methods and to forge ahead to find new terrains of thought and scientific solutions. Fortunately, some dentists do, and there are new frontiers in dentistry that can help us all rectify the damage of previous decades of dental procedures. When it comes to more natural oral health and teeth care, some biological dentists are pioneering the way with the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy that stimulates growth factors, and ozone injections and gels to clean infections and infuse surgical sites with a “breath of fresh air.” These dentists are also leading the way with more biocompatible material choices.[14] Dentists that are leading the field with these innovations will be among the first to integrate successful stem-cell therapy for tooth regeneration, which will be a reality in the very near future.

Fluoride’s Effect on Bones and Skin: What You Need to Know

If you suffer from cavities, then fluoride toothpaste and treatments might be right for you. Possible side effects may include bleeding gums, skeletal fluorosis,[15] sclerosis, dementia diagnosis,[16] pitted and crumbled teeth,[17] impaired myelin sheath, acne,[18] arthritis, gingivitis, bone-crippling disease, joint pain in your knees,[19] thyroid disease,[20] hip fractures, hyperactivity, damaged sperm motility,[21] increased infertility,[22] disrupted collagen synthesis,[23] gastritis, suppressed immune system, impaired glucose metabolism, skin rashes, damaged bone formation,[24] cell mutation, nausea, tooth discoloration, frequent urination, poisoning, DNA alteration, and reduced IQ.[25] Go ahead and ask your dentist if fluoride is right for you. Although we have been told and sold on fluoride in tap water and in dental and tooth care products to strengthen bones, it actually makes bones brittle and stiffens skin by impeding collagen production. “Contrary to marketing madness, tooth decay is not caused by fluoride deficiency! The United States’ EPA has fluoride on its ‘substantial evidence of neurotoxicity’ list. Fluoride appears to interfere with critical bodily chemistry, damaging gums, disrupting collagen production, and reducing enzyme activity. Fluoride accumulates in the body, especially in the pineal gland, lowers IQ, forms deposits in the brain related to Alzheimer’s, promotes early-onset puberty, and the list goes on and on.” [26] With all of these documented side effects, maybe fluoride isn’t the answer to how to keep teeth healthy naturally. To truly grasp how cavities form, we need to understand how teeth are nourished and cleansed from the inside by a dentinal-lymph fluid. Mottled, fragile, disintegrating, tainted teeth are the dental devastation from not understanding that our teeth are alive and intimately connected to the body, bloodstream, and lymph. It is through this systemic connection that some medications and chemicals, such as antibiotics and fluoride, contribute to brittle, discolored, and even crumbling teeth, by suppressing the dentinal-lymph system, which is active in healthy teeth. This affects bone and teeth mineralization, nerve health, microbial diversity, saliva pH, and endocrine function.

The Invisible Toothbrush: Optimizing Your Oral Health

Teeth are fed from their roots by the dentinal-lymph system, like tree roots drawing up nutrients via the sap. The dentinal-lymph flow is a toroidal system: Lymph-liquid spins inward and upward into the tooth’s core, the pulp chamber. It flows through the tooth and out onto the enamel. Like microscopic sweat, these tiny droplets coalesce on the surface of the enamel, forming a fluid layer that prevents biofilm formation and commingles with saliva to lubricate and communicate with the mouth’s microbiome. Operating much like the lymph system, there is a microscopic flow of fluid involved in healthy teeth care that originates near the intestinal area and flows upward and outward through the teeth, flushing out toxins, providing nutrients for the teeth’s mineral matrix, and repelling microbial biofilm on the tooth surfaces, preventing tooth decay and gum disease, and maintaining a healthy mouth. When this dentinal-lymph secretion is properly metabolized and functional, it acts like an invisible toothbrush, preventing systemic decay, inhibiting the penetration of pathogens, and neutralizing acids on the tooth’s surface. However, this dentinal-lymph flow can stagnate and even fully reverse. Diet and hormones are the principal activators of this self-cleansing system. Certain chemicals and medication, as well as a diet of processed food, sugar, and carbohydrates that spikes insulin levels and disharmonizes hormones, cause the dentinal-lymph system to reverse. When this happens, the capillaries in the tooth suck in bacteria, like a straw, and other microbes from the mouth into the tooth, causing infection and biofilm formation within the pulp chamber and dentin tubules. This self-contaminating system causes a “leaky tooth,” and it is the genesis of cavity creation. A cavity is an infection in the tooth. Like all wounds, it has the ability to heal. Teeth are alive! The current condition of your teeth and mouth can evolve with better tooth care. Dr. Ralph R. Steinman, the same dentist who scientifically proved the existence of the dentinal-lymph system,[27] showed that including dietary magnesium and phosphorus reduced the decay rate by 86%.[28] Dr. Melvin Page confirmed this by finding that when phosphorus blood levels drop below 3.5, cavities begin to form.[29] Additionally, the former president of the ADA, Dr. Weston Price, concluded that fat-soluble vitamins K2 and D3 reversed and inhibited decay. Fillings are Band-Aid solutions and are susceptible to recurrent decay. Yet, when the underlying causes of cavities are addressed and the dentinal-lymph flow is restored, teeth will remineralize and be more resilient to cavities in the future.

The Mouth’s Microbial Menagerie: How to Optimize It For Greater Health

There are more bacteria in a kiss than there are people on the planet. Our mouths are a microbial menagerie. As holobiont human hosts to these microbes, we have forged an elaborate evolutionary and ancient alliance. A good host provides a stable, loving home and nourishing food for their flora friends. In return, these microbes micromanage our bodies by digesting food and secreting beneficial biochemicals. They are also sentient sentinels that strengthen our immunity while preventing pathogenic periodontal party-crashers from proliferating and from excreting endotoxins and colonizing the community. The key to oral health is maintaining an ecologically balanced and diverse microbiome. Contrary to this, we have been caught in the dross of carpet-bombing the biome—practicing a scorched-earth policy of periodontal and tooth care. Chemicals in teeth bleaching, fillings, rinses, and fluoride; the sudsy surfactants of toothpastes; the antibiotic atomic bombs on bacteria; masticating meals of glyphosates and pesticides; root canals festering focal infections; the metallic mass of mercury, titanium, and nickel—these have all scorched the hive intelligence of our oral habitat. This defoliation of our oral flora has made extinct and mutated microbes, resulting in complex ecological shifts of resident microbiota, giving rise to gingivitis, halitosis, cavities, oral thrush, cankers, and bleeding and receding gums. Our mouth, once a moist microhabitat of homeostasis, becomes an oxygen-starved oasis of anaerobic activity, eating away at our immunity and sending systemic disease throughout the body. Just as toxic food and chemical irritants induce leaky guts by microscopically perforating the intestines, the scrubbing and rubbing of our gums with mutating medicants and caustic chemicals cause leaky gums. Bacteria from our mouth does not normally enter our bloodstream, but dental procedures and products can perforate the epithelium, the skin in our mouths, which is only one cell thick, providing a port of entry into the bloodstream. When the bacteria and plaque that cause tooth decay and gum disease enter our circulatory system, they cause a cascade of inflammation, releasing cytokines and C-reactive proteins. A healthy mouth is a healthy gut and vice versa. We have gone from a seemingly Golden Age of Antibiotics to a very real Anarchy of Antibiotic Resistance. On average, a baby receives three courses of antibiotics in the first two years of life. By age ten, another eight courses. By age twenty, seventeen courses, and by age forty, thirty courses in total![30] Antibiotic exposure is everywhere, in drinking water and in non-organic supermarket food. All antibiotics have their allowable limits in the food and water supply. Antibiotics are indiscriminate assassins. Any surviving resistant bacteria mutate fast and bask in the empty niches the antibiotics made. Soon pathogenic biofilms bloom, and we no longer have protection from infection. It is important to save antibiotic use for life-threatening crises rather than ingesting them in daily doses that erode our immunity.  Our bodies will always contain a population of pathogens; the beautiful balance is to have the good bacteria far outnumber the bad. For example, even healthy mouths are homes to the cavity-causing Streptococcus mutans. Some research is positing that what might make S. mutans virulent is that it’s missing its ancestral bacterial buddies. This particular pathogen only causes a problem when it forms a biofilm and adheres to the tooth’s surface. Normally, pathogens exist in a free-floating planktonic state in our body’s ecosystem. But when they grow in numbers, they are able to gain traction by communicating through quorum sensing, enabling them to colonize into a biofilm. Quorum sensing is the way in which pathogens communicate to coordinate group behavior and regulate gene expression. A biofilm is a densely packed colony of microbes that adhere to surfaces and surround themselves with sticky secretions. A mucopolysaccharide plaque layer is produced around the biofilm colony, which forms a barrier that is not permeable to antibiotics, yet antibiotics are often prescribed for oral disease. Dental plaque is a biofilm that can either entrap existing oral pathogens from flourishing or provide a refuge for pathogens to hide from alkalinizing salivary flow. Under healthy teeth and mouth conditions, an oral-ecological balance of bacteria keeps biofilms healthy and stable. But plaque is an ideal nest for germs. This blocks the teeth from respiration and prevents the saliva and dentinal-lymph fluid from doing its job of cleansing the teeth with a protective coating. To restore balance to the mouth’s microbiome, we need strategies to inhibit the quorum sensing that forms biofilms. We need to clear colonized citadels of their powerful cohesion on our mouth’s surfaces and crevices. There is extensive research on strategies that inhibit quorum sensing. In various studies, essential oils such as cinnamon, peppermint, tea tree, frankincense, and clove showed promising results in reducing quorum-sensing activity. In one study, clove oil reduced quorum sensing by up to 70%![31] These essential oils indicate anti-infective activity that can coexist with our flora while cleaning up periodontal pathogens and remineralizing teeth. Now we have scientific studies confirming the ancient wisdom of using botanical-biotics to maintain natural oral health and ecology.

Elevate Oral Ecology: The 3 Keys to Healthy Teeth For The Rest of Your Life

1. Stop

Start by ceasing many of the daily and dietary habits that are compromising to healthy teeth and oral ecology. Whatever improvements you make to your mouth will benefit your body’s well-being as well. Stop dentinal-lymph suppressors of processed food, sugar, and chemicals that inhibit endocrine function. Stop spikes in blood sugar that create insulin resistance. Ideally, maintain blood sugar around 80. Stop mouth breathing by assessing medications, food allergies and sensitivities, sinuses, and cranial balance. Chronic mouth breathing in children deeply affects the way in which the shape of their face grows. Myofunctional orofacial therapy is a revolutionary way to reeducate the habitual patterns of the oral and facial muscles and can help with teeth grinding, sleep apnea, headaches, and other health issues.[32] Heal and seal leaky guts by eliminating gluten, corn, and glyphosate irritants. Stop phytic acid consumption. Phytic acid is an antinutrient that plunders phosphorus stores in the body. Soak and ferment gluten-free grains, legumes, and nuts to reduce this antinutrient. Remove mercury fillings. These silver fillings irritate gums and guts, cause gum recession, feed virulent pathogens, and more. Be sure to see a qualified biological dentist who follows the removal procedures of the Hal Huggins Institute for your safety and the dentist’s. Stop the microbe mutators of excessive antibiotics, glyphosates, surfactants, and fluoride toothpastes. Stop using synthetic dental- and tooth-care products from the “May Be Harmful if Swallowed” category.[33] Our gums and teeth are living tissue, and we want to approach cleaning them a little differently than we would scrub a countertop. If toothpaste is the magic cleaner for our teeth, then why are cavities at an all-time high, and why does toothpaste come with a big warning label: “May Be Harmful if Swallowed”? Most toothpastes and rinses, including many of the brands sold in health food stores, use chemical and synthetic ingredients that are more appropriate for industrial purposes than for cleaning the delicate tissue of the body or cultivating oral health. Brushing with these chemicals may be harmful to our health. Absorbing through the mouth’s mucous membrane into the bloodstream, these synthetic substances may lead to decomposing collagen, hinder hormones, damage the delicate epithelium, activate acne, disturb microflora in the digestive tract, and, in the end, encourage poor health. Some toothpastes, rinses, and mouthwashes are better than others.[34] To help you make a wise decision about what you brush into your mouth (and apply to your body), there are oral-care formulas in my book Renegade Beauty. Commercial toothpaste gives an illusion of a fresh and clean mouth, yet it is the art of oral care, diet, and diligent brushing that actually removes the plaque. It is best to be a purist about oral health and diligently care for teeth with a toothbrush and a dab of salt or baking soda and a pure botanical serum. These simple, time-tested ingredients help maintain healthy teeth and prevent dental caries due to their buffering capacity, bacteriostatic nature, and alkalinity promoters that inhibit plaque formation and balance the mouth’s microbiome. They also remineralize teeth by increasing calcium uptake to the enamel, neutralize the pH in the mouth, reduce the effect of harmful metabolic acids, and they are quite safe to swallow! Hopefully, no one is gulping gobs of toothpaste! However, the rate of absorption is very high inside the mouth, where the moist tissue of the skin wall, the epithelium, is only one cell thick. This is very important if one has bleeding gums (and some of the surfactants in commercial toothpaste can cause gums to bleed, break down the phospholipids of our tongue and gums, and aggravate cankers) where anything in the mouth will have direct access to the bloodstream. We would not want to put anything in, on, or around the body that could not be swallowed. We can also maintain healthy teeth and molars with the molecular matter of phytonutrients; brushing with botanicals such as neem, cardamom, clove, peppermint, and mastic provides antibacterial and anti-fungal support while benefiting digestion and the rest of the body.

2. Seal and Heal

Bleeding, inflamed, and receding gums are signifiers of bacterial imbalance and that bacteria may be entering the bloodstream. Restore integrity to the oral epithelium by healing and sealing leaky gums and enabling the saliva’s ability to protect enamel. Gum sealers are soothing serums with vulnerary botanical-biotics—seabuckthorn, rose otto, frankincense, and myrrh—diluted in a lipid such as coconut or MCT oil, as well as using ozonated oral gels. These botanical-biotics are rich in phytonutrients known for their ability to heal tissue, restore skin cells, foster phospholipids, and nurture the epithelium. When these soothing serums are applied to bring back healthy gums, people often find a reduction in gum bleeding overnight. Oral alkalinizers of baking soda, sea salt, and magnesium are soothing in mouth rinses and effective as toothpastes due to their alkalinizing-exfoliating action that removes plaque and contributes to oral health. Their nutrients also switch on saliva’s smoothing and soothing abilities. Saliva contains chemicals and enzymes that exist solely to take care of the teeth. Healthy teeth exist in a sea of saliva, a sea of saline alkalinity. If saliva is too acidic, it dissolves the enamel on your teeth and creates an environment that supports bacteria. With decay, saliva jumps into action to coat the tooth with its beautiful healing fluid. The quality and quantity of saliva also hinge on hydration, so drink up! Mouth swishers of coconut or MCT oil imbued with essential oils work well for pulling and then spitting out. Or swish the oral environment with probiotics; simply pop a capsule in water with an oral alkalinizer and swish a freshly cleaned mouth and then swallow. Whiteness comes from within! Tooth enamel is actually transparent, and gray, glassy teeth denote a deficiency in the body of vitamins D3 and K2. These fat-soluble vitamins for teeth nourish the dentin, creating shiny, white teeth. Polish off plaque that can get stained by food pigments with one-half teaspoon of 3% food-grade hydrogen peroxide mixed with a teaspoon of baking soda on a dry electric toothbrush or use activated charcoal while brushing. Quorum-sensing inhibitors are your beneficial bacteria’s best friends. Erudite essential oils of rose otto, thyme, peppermint, cardamom, frankincense, tea tree, clove, and cinnamon can be used in diluted forms to brush teeth, as a rinse with oil or water, and in tooth care serums to massage into the gums. Get really clean in between each tooth by sliding these serums across dental floss and upgrade your flossing routine. Botanical-biotics The aromatic compounds of essential oils act as bacteriostatic microbiome regenerators, and biofilm disruptors. Neem, cardamom, tea tree, frankincense, rose otto, myrrh, and clove are just a few of the intelligent essences that tidy up bacterial activity rather than indiscriminately bombing all bacteria. They effectively reduce biofilm formation in an unhealthy mouth, specifically biofilms formed by S. mutans. Cinnamon has shown the ability to penetrate pathogenic biofilms.[35] Healing and sealing the guts with diet, herbs, and probiotics are also essential to optimal oral health and teeth care. There is a relationship between the mouth and the metabolism of the rest of the body. Our teeth are connected to every organ and gland via the bloodstream. Any infection that the mouth harbors, any metals, and any toxins in our mouths affect our overall health.

3. Feed with Seeds

With so many agents in our society making our microbes extinct, from antibiotics to pesticide-laden processed foods, we need to build our oral bacterial bank account and fund it with investments of diverse flora and food for healthy teeth.

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Maintain a healthy oral microbiome of bustling bacteria with prebiotics and probiotics, as they are microbe multipliers. Prebiotics feed and enhance the growth of probiotics. Chicory root, available as an easy-to-use powder, is a prebiotic rich in oligosaccharides. Probiotics are food supplements with living microbes that are beneficial when used in adequate numbers. Lactobacilli (specifically L. fermentum, L. plantarum, L. casei, L. reuteri, and L. rhamnosus) and Bifidobacterium all showed the ability to adhere to saliva, inhibit the proliferation of periodontal pathogens, and reduce cavity-causing bacteria and plaque.[36] As one of the best foods for healthy teeth, a probiotic-dairy combination was found to reduce the cavity- and periodontal-disease-causing bacteria in the mouth. Providing Lactobacillus reuteri to children from the last trimester through the first birthday has been found to reduce cavities at nine years old. It can also help heal damaged gums and gingivitis.[37] Researchers are looking for modes of delivery that increase retention and exposure times of probiotics to the mouth using lozenges. Yet we don’t have to wait. Daily use in the diet along with swishing, seeding, and applying increase probiotic presence in saliva, dentinal lymph, and the entire GI tract. Successful experiments at some dental practices have applied a mixture of probiotics after scaling and root planing called guided pocket recolonization.[38] This can be safely and simply carried out at home with a blunt-tipped syringe, filled with a mix of probiotics and a carrier oil, like MCT.

Seeding a Dental Diet

Switch on saliva and dentinal-lymph flow with wholesome sustenance, fermented foods, and balanced blood sugar to maintain healthy gums and natural, effective tooth care. Healthy fats are where it’s at, as a deficiency in the vital fat-soluble vitamins K2 and D3 can alter gut bacteria. K2 is a carboxylating osteocalcin, meaning it ushers key minerals like calcium and magnesium into the bones from the blood, preventing calcification of the soft tissues and inhibiting mouth plaque from turning into tartar. Certain enzymes, serratia proteolytic enzymes for example, can clean up plaque like Pac-Man and break down biofilm barriers. Further boost the health of the oral environment with the supportive minerals and vitamins for teeth, including CoQ10, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), magnesium, phosphorus, amino acids, and vitamin C. Find superfoods, herbs, and supplements that have these nutrients, and flourish with food fares of smoothies, soups, and brews. Our bodies are brilliantly designed. When we repopulate our mouth’s microbiome and activate our invisible toothbrush by eliminating what hinders the innate functioning of our bodies, the external maintenance of brushing and flossing is so easy, because our teeth are alive and will respond to our oral health efforts! The current condition of our mouth can evolve, as enamel can be restored, dentine can be reactivated, saliva can remineralize teeth, and gums can be rejuvenated. A mouthful of bustling bacteria just might keep the dentist away. This article is excerpted with permission from Renegade Beauty by Nadine Artemis. Published by North Atlantic Books, copyright © 2017 by Nadine Artemis. Reprinted by permission of publisher.

References

[1] “Dentists Vary Widely on Diagnosis and Cost,” CBC News Canada, October 18, 2012, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/dentists-vary-widely-on-diagnosis-and-cost-cbc-marketplace-finds-1.1279371. [2] William Ecenbarger,“How Dentists Rip Us Off,” Reader’s Digest, www.dentistat.com/ReaderDigestArticle.pdf. [3] James Wynbrandt, The Excruciating History of Dentistry:Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces, 1st ed. (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2000), 181. [4] “Amalgam/Mercury—Dental Filling Toxicity,” Huggins Applied Healing, www.hugginsappliedhealing.com/amalgam-mercury-dental-filling-toxicity/. [5] U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Mercury Releases and Spills,” www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/. [6] Parin Shah, January 22, 2004, www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dockets /06n0352/06N-0352-EC22-Attach-6.pdf. [7] G. Sällsten, J. Thorén, L. Barregård, A. Schütz, and G. Skarping, “Long-Term Use of Nicotine Chewing Gum and Mercury Exposure from Dental Amalgam Fillings,” Journal of Dental Research 75, no. 1 (January 1996): 594–98. [8] Jay W. Friedman, “The Prophylactic Extraction of Third Molars: A Public Health Hazard,” American Journal of Public Health 97, no. 9 (September 2007): 1554–59. [9] Ibid. 10 Corinne Vizcarra, “Incidence Levels and Chronic Health Effects Related to Cavitations,” www.biodentistrydrvizcarra.com/?s=8&sub=8. [11] The Tooth Truth: Cavity-Free Conversations with Dentists, Doctors and Health Heroes (White Lake, ON: The Raw Divas, Inc., December 1, 2012), www.wishsummit.com/book. [12] Erwin P. Vernon, DDS, “Ozone and Root Canals,” The Holistic Dentist, April 20, 2012, http://theholisticdentist.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/ozone-root-canals/. [13] Stuart M. Nunnally, “In Vitro Enzymatic Inhibition Associated with Asymptomatic Root Canal Treated Teeth: Results from a Sample of 25 Extracted Root Fragments,” Journal of Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society 27, no. 3 (2012): 112–16, https://iaomt.org/wp-content/uploads/Nunnally-RC-Enzyme-Inhibition.pdf. [14] See Nadine Artemis, Holistic Dental Care: The Complete Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2013) for questions to ask your dentists before making an appointment. [15] R. F. Gerlach, A. P. de Souza, J. A. Cury, and S. R. Line, “Fluoride Effect on the Activity of Enamel Matrix Proteinases in Vitro,” European Journal of Oral Sciences 108, no. 1 (2000): 48–53. [16] Marilyn Chase, “Rat Studies Link Brain Cell Damage with Aluminum and Fluoride in Water,” Wall Street Journal, October 28, 1992. [17] Michael Connett, “Mechanisms by Which Fluoride May Reduce Bone Strength,” April 2012, http://fluoridealert.org/studies/bone06/. [18] Milton A. Saunders Jr., “Fluoride Toothpaste: A Cause of Acne-like Eruptions,” Archives of Dermatology 111 (1975): 793. [19] H. A. Cook, “Fluoride Studies in a Patient with Arthritis,” The Lancet, October 9, 1971. [20] National Research Council, “Fluoride in Drinking Water: A Scientific Review of EPA’s Standards,” NRC (2006): Fluoride’s Impact on the Thyroid Gland, 2006, 224–236, http://fluoridealert.org/studies/nrc_thyroid/. [21] Michael Connett, “Fluoride’s Effect on the Male Reproductive System,” April 2012, http://fluoridealert.org/studies/fertility01/. [22] Ahmad Al-Hiyasat, “Reproductive Toxic Effects of Ingestion of Sodium Fluoride in Female Rats,” Fluoride 33, no. 2 (2000): 79–84, http://fluoridealert.org/wp-content/uploads/al-hiyasat-200011.pdf. [23] M. Bely, “Changes in Collagen Structure of Bone Tissue in Experimental Fluorosis,” http://fluoridealert.org/wp-content/uploads/bely-1988.pdf. [24] Joel Griffiths, “Fluoride Linked to Bone Cancer in Fed Study,”December 28, 1989, http://fluoridealert.org/articles/ntp01/. [25] “Impact of Fluoride on Neurological Development of Children,” Harvard School of Public Health, July 25, 2012, www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/. [26] S. J. Padillaetal., “Building a Database of Developmental Neurotoxitants: Evidence from Human and Animal Studies,” Neurotoxicology Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 2009, https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?dirEntryId=200234; Artemis, Holistic Dental Care, 20 [27] For further scientific research, explore the book about Dr. Ralph R. Steinman’s pioneering work: Clyde Roggenkamp, Dentinal Fluid Transport (Loma Linda, CA: Loma Linda University Press, 2005). [28] Ralph R. Steinman and John Leonora, “Effect of Selected Dietary Additives on the Incidence of Dental Caries in the Rat,” Journal of Dental Research 54 (May 1975): 570–77. [29] Melvin Page,Your Body Is Your Best Doctor, rev. ed. (New Canaan, CT: Keats, 1991). [30] Blaser, Missing Microbes. [31] Shodhganga,“Summary,” http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/63580/18/18_summary.pdf. [32] Joy L.Moelle, “Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy: The Critical Missing Element to Complete Patient Care,” DentalTown.com, August 2010. [33] Dig deeper into oral ecology, self-dentistry, and botanical oils for the mouth in my book Holistic Dental Care: The Complete Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums. [34] For a list of harmful ingredients in oral-care products, read “May Be Harmful if Swallowed” at www.livinglibations.com/default/may_be_harmful_if_swallowed. [35] Titik Nuryastuti et al.,“Effect of Cinnamon Oil on icaA Expression and Biofilm Formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis,” Applied Environmental Microbiology 75, no. 21 (November 2009): 6850–55. [36] R. M. Karuppaiah, S. Shankar, S. K. Raj, K. Ramesh, R. Prakash, and M. Kruthika, “Evaluation of the Efficacy of Probiotics in Plaque Reduction and Gingival Health Maintenance among School Children—A Randomized Control Trial,” Journal of International Oral Health 5, no. 5 (2013): 33–37. [37] Matthews, The Symbiont Factor, 205. [38] W. Teughelsetal., “Guiding Periodontal Pocket Recolonization: A Proof of Concept,” Journal of Dental Research 86, no. 11 (November 2007): 1078–82.

About The Author Nadine Artemis is the author of Holistic Dental Care and Renegade Beauty. She is a frequent commentator on health and beauty for various media outlets, and Alanis Morissette calls her “a true-sense visionary.” Nadine is the creator of Living Libations, a line of botanical health, oral care, and beauty creations. As an innovative aromacologist, Nadine has formulated an elegant collection of rare and exceptional botanical compounds. Her potent dental serums provide optimal mouth and tooth care and are used worldwide. Visit her website: livinglibations.com