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You may have heard of probiotics, but do you know about prebiotics?
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EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
By Joe Leech
While there are many health benefits to being vegetarian, some of us don't want to completely cut out meat.
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>- Best CBD Oils of 2020: Reviews & Buying Guide - EcoWatch ›
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By Joe Leech
Bitter.
That's the best word I can use to describe moringa, the seeds of which I tried in Uganda.
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Frankincense: A Potent Anti-Inflammatory and Possible Cancer Fighter
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By Eleise Britt
Weight loss teas claim to suppress appetite, increase fat burning and boost metabolism.
But do they work?
This article takes a sales-free look at the scientific evidence.
What Is Weight Loss Tea?
Weight loss teas are usually a blend of tea and herbs, depending on the brand.
They're said to help with weight loss by enhancing fat burning, increasing metabolism and suppressing appetite.
Many are also marketed as "detox teas" and "fit teas," with claims they increase energy and cleanse your body of toxins.
Most of these teas come with a recommended exercise and eating plan to be followed in addition to drinking the tea every day or two.
They are generally expensive and heavily marketed on social media.
Summary: Weight loss teas are a blend of tea and herbs that are claimed to enhance weight loss through several different mechanisms. Detox teas and fit teas are similar and all come at a premium price.
Diuretics and Laxatives in Weight Loss Tea
Many weight loss teas contain laxatives, caffeine or diuretics.
These ingredients can lead to short-term loss of water weight, giving you the illusion of having lost weight or feeling slimmer.
As the name suggests, a drop in water weight is a drop in the amount of water stored in the body. This type of weight loss is not from a reduction of fat stores and is not a sustainable method of weight loss.
As soon as you stop using the tea or hydrate properly, you will regain the water weight.
Losing water weight can also lead to dehydration. It is not a healthy or safe practice and can lead to serious health problems.
For weight loss to be sustainable you need to decrease the amount of fat stored in the body.
Laxatives
Many weight loss teas contain a natural laxative called senna.
Laxatives make you move your bowels more frequently and in some cases senna can cause stomach cramps, pain and diarrhea.
Long-term use of laxatives is not only unpleasant, it can become dangerous.
Continual use can cause your body to become dependent on the laxative, which is especially problematic when you stop taking them. Dehydration and severe electrolyte imbalance can also occur.
Also be mindful that psyllium husk, a type of fiber supplement, can have a laxative effect. It's commonly used as an ingredient in weight loss teas.
Diuretics
Diuretics make you urinate.
This is because they stimulate the body to excrete increased water and sodium.
This may be useful if your body is holding on to excess fluid. However, they are not useful for long-term weight loss and can cause dehydration.
Natural diuretics found in weight loss teas include:
- Dandelion
- Hawthorn
- Juniper
- Parsley
- Hibiscus
- Nettle
- Caffeine.
Tea leaves naturally contain caffeine, albeit in small amounts.
Summary: Many weight loss teas contain laxatives and diuretics. They can cause a loss of water weight but not body fat.
Do They Enhance Fat Burning, Suppress Appetite and Boost Metabolism?
Some weight loss teas do not contain diuretics or laxatives.
Instead they use ingredients claimed to have fat-burning, appetite-suppressing and metabolism-boosting properties.
Many of these ingredients lack evidence to support these claims.
Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia Cambogia has been used as an ingredient in many weight loss supplements.
However, evidence to support weight loss claims is not strong.
A large systematic review of trials found any weight loss that resulted from taking garcinia cambogia was minimal and short term (1).
Watch this video for a more in depth look at garcinia cambogia.
Ginseng
There's no solid evidence in humans available to support any weight loss effects of Ginseng (2).
This includes gynostemma pentaphyllum which is often referred to as a type of ginseng.
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The ancient practice of meditation—particularly mindfulness meditation—has recently surged in popularity. In fact, in the U.S. about 8 percent of adults and 1.6 percent of children have tried it already. This is because the health benefits of mindfulness meditation are incredibly impressive … and supported by scientific studies.
There is a huge fad component to the gluten-free movement.
However, many people genuinely cannot tolerate it, even without celiac disease.
The problem is they don't realize it and then live with the symptoms as though it's normal.
Trending
Feeling stressed?
Trouble sleeping?
Craving sugar and gaining weight?
Some may diagnose this cluster of symptoms as Adrenal Fatigue … but is it actually a real condition?
This is a sales-free look at the facts.
What is Adrenal Fatigue and the Function of Adrenal Glands?
Adrenal fatigue refers to a cluster of common symptoms one might experience when under long-term mental or emotional stress.
It's also known as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, HPA Axis Disregulation or Hypoadrenalism.
The concept was introduced in 1998 by chiropractor and naturopath James Wilson. Since then it has become very popular among alternative health practitioners.
The adrenal glands—small organs above the kidneys that produce certain hormones—help to manage stress. But they are said to grow tired or fatigued when overworked for a long period of time.
As a result they produce inadequate amounts of hormones that influence stress, such as cortisol. At least, that's the theory.
In the medical community adrenal fatigue is not recognized. In fact, the Endocrine Society (which represents more than 18,000 endocrinologists in 122 countries) says:
"Adrenal fatigue is not a real medical condition. There are no scientific facts to support the theory that long-term mental, emotional or physical stress drains the adrenal glands and causes many common symptoms."
So there is clearly a divide in opinion between alternative and conventional medicine.
Summary: Adrenal fatigue is a condition said to be caused by long-term stress. However, it is not recognized in the medical community.
Adrenal Fatigue vs. Adrenal Insufficiency
It's important not to get these confused.
Adrenal insufficiency is a serious disorder, characterized by adrenal glands that produce insufficient hormones. Addison's disease is the name of autoimmune adrenal insufficiency.
It's quite rare, affecting 11 out of every 100,000 people. But rates are on the rise, particularly in women (1, 2).
Much like Hashimoto's disease it cannot be treated with diet and lifestyle alone. Without proper hormone replacement medication, adrenal insufficiency is life-threatening.
Adrenal fatigue, if it exists, is not immediately dangerous.
Summary: Adrenal fatigue should not be mixed up with adrenal insufficiency, which is a rare yet serious condition treated with strong hormone medication.
Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms Are Subjective
It's human nature to try and make sense of patterns and clusters.
Clusters of symptoms are no exception and we often give them a non-scientific name, like Leaky Gut Syndrome.
Adrenal fatigue is another example. These are several symptoms listed on James Wilson's AdrenalFatigue.org website:
- Always tired
- Feeling stressed
- Struggling to keep up with daily tasks
- Reliance on caffeine through the day
- Strong cravings for sugar or salt
- Low libido
Immediately it's clear how broad and unspecific symptoms are. No doubt they are real, but they easily overlap with other known medical issues.
The real issue is that the symptoms are not objective, nor measurable. That is, there is no validated symptom score to assess how mild or severe a case may be.
Summary: Symptoms of adrenal fatigue are real, but so broad that they overlap with other medical issues.
Adrenal Fatigue Tests Are Not Accurate
Proponents claim existing blood tests are not sensitive enough to detect small declines in adrenal function.
So the only criteria for diagnosing adrenal fatigue are the non-specific symptoms.
Therefore it's not actually possible for health practitioners to determine what classifies as adrenal fatigue and what doesn't, assuming it is a real condition.
Some practitioners claim it can be measured and diagnosed using salivary cortisol. This is a way to measure the HPAA adaptation to stress and is useful for helping to diagnose adrenal insufficiency.
But researchers note salivary cortisol is not necessarily representative of blood cortisol. Numerous other factors including adrenal sensitivity, cortisol binding, estrogens and HPAA responsivity influence the saliva reading. This makes it an unreliable stress biomarker on its own (3).
Additionally, treatment endpoints are as non-specific as the diagnosis.
In other words, without measurements there is no way to confirm when a patient's adrenals are corrected or "cured." It's the reason why studies must use adrenal fatigue questionnaires to measure results instead of testing physical or chemical changes (4).
If this were the case for other common medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, the doctor would never know when to increase, decrease or stop medication.
Summary: There is no way to accurately test or measure adrenal fatigue. Therefore practitioners cannot actually prove who has it, nor when it has been corrected.
Adrenal Fatigue Supplements
Few medical conditions are broad and unmeasurable.
Fibromyalgia is one of them, perhaps adrenal fatigue is another.
Despite this, supplements for adrenal fatigue and associated natural remedies are more common than ever. Even the creator of adrenal fatigue, James Wilson, sells his own line of supplements online.
Keep in mind that given the non-specific nature of adrenal fatigue, there is no way to develop a supplement to specifically treat it. Nor a way to test if that supplement is effective.
Nutrition supplements should be used to supplement deficiencies linked with a particular condition. However, only a handful of studies even mention adrenal fatigue let alone have tested for associated nutrient deficiencies.
There are also many hormone supplements available that promise to treat this condition. But these can do more harm than good if they aren't required.
Adrenal Crisis is not uncommon in patients receiving inappropriate adrenal hormone treatment.
Summary: Adrenal fatigue supplements are sold by many alternative health practitioners, including the creator of adrenal fatigue. However, it's not possible to develop or test a supplement's effectiveness without a way to measure the problem condition first.
Adrenal Fatigue Treatment and Diet Changes Do Help
Many claim that adrenal fatigue "treatment" restored their health.
They lost weight, have more energy and feel fantastic. Of course this is great to hear, but actually not surprising.
The typical adrenal fatigue treatment protocol includes eating more fruits and vegetables, cutting out sugar-laden and starchy junk food, exercising more, improving sleep quality and taking measures to reduce stress.
These recommendations address the fundamental aspects of good health, also known as the pillars of health. Anyone who improves one or more of these diet and lifestyle aspects will feel better to some degree.
But whether adrenal gland function actually shifts as a result of these changes is debatable and not possible to prove from observation.
Summary: An adrenal fatigue diet and treatment protocol may help improve an individual's health. But this is because it encourages important diet and lifestyle improvements, rather than a boost to adrenal gland function.
Could Adrenal Fatigue Be Subclinical Adrenal Insufficiency?
Some proponents claim adrenal fatigue is a mild or early form of adrenal insufficiency and should be formally recognized as such.
Much in the same way as subclinical hypothyroidism is to hypothyroidism.
But in cases of subclinical hypothyroidism, doctors are able to measure a patient's blood TSH levels. This provides an objective measurement used to determine diagnosis and treatment efficacy.
As this isn't possible with adrenal fatigue it's difficult to confirm this theory, though it is interesting.
Is Adrenal Fatigue Real?
It's frustrating if you constantly feel unwell to have a doctor that seems unable or unwilling to discover the true problem.
I understand that, because the symptoms are very real. It's the reason adrenal fatigue has become such a popular alternative approach to this type of scenario.
However, there is no scientific evidence to validate the concept. Without any reliable method of measuring adrenal fatigue it's near impossible to make the "diagnosis."
That said, believing one has adrenal fatigue can sometimes be beneficial. It provides a "physical" reason for individuals to take action and improve their diet and reduce stressors. This is why so many experience improvements.
But if the real problem is more sinister than poor diet and high stress, accepting adrenal fatigue as the root cause can be dangerous. It only prolongs the time required to discover what's really causing symptoms.
Add to that the unproven adrenal fatigue supplements pushed on desperate customers and you start to question how helpful or ethical this diagnosis is.
In the end it's clear that taking measures to improve your diet and better manage the stressors in your life is key to getting your health back … Whether adrenal fatigue exists or not.
Reposted with permission from our media associate Diet vs Disease.