Healthy by Nature radio show this week
Dennis Goodman, MD is the author of an important book, Magnificent Magnesium: Your Essential Key to a Healthy Heart & More. We talk about how the inexpensive mineral magnesium can help with blood pressure, cramping of all kinds, sleeplessness, osteoporosis and much more. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

We are not sausages
How about a little joke (featuring a guy who probably got an immediate frying pan to the head). Wife: “Do you think my skin is starting to show my age?” Husband: “I can’t tell because of all the wrinkles.”

On a past show we discussed with Tim Mount from NeoCell how collagen supplements minimize and help prevent facial wrinkles. The subject came up again the same day with Dr. Kate Rheaume-Bleue when we talked about her book on vitamin K2. I’ve also talked about how Aloe vera helps wrinkles not only topically but, also from the inside.

The skin reflects what is going on inside our bodies and it is our largest detox organ. That is why for example, we might experience a skin rash as a side effect of medication. Or why if we don’t manage our blood sugar well, skin tags might show up. (Skin tags are those tiny growths around neck, underarm or wherever clothes rub.) If our gut bacteria are out of balance, all manner of skin issues can result. If the thyroid system is under-functioning, skin can become thin and dry. If the circulatory system isn’t efficient, the skin doesn’t receive the nutrients it needs, waste products can accumulate and we for sure won’t have a healthy rosy glow. As yet another example, if the liver is upset we might turn a different color—yellow.

On the flip side, we know that almost anything that gets onto our skin is absorbed into the blood stream. The skin is an active two-way street and an important organ system that is in constant contact with all the others. We really must not think about the skin as just a decorative and somewhat inert casing our innards are stuffed into.

That weed
I’ve heard it said that a weed is just an herb we haven’t yet found a use for.

This particular rant started when I ran across a study about a substance in the weed milk thistle. Before that I only knew Milk Thistle as protective of the liver. So, I became curious and was quite surprised and impressed at all I found. There are well over 900 scientific articles on the herb covering a wide range of topics. Today, I start with the skin connection. Next week I’ll discuss some of Milk Thistle’s other health benefits.

As a child I was fascinated by milk thistle plants that grew wild in many parts of Ohio. When I broke a stem trying to take one of the pretty purple flowers to Mom, it bled a sticky white milk…hence the name. Oh, and the “thistle” part of the name is no joke because they are quite prickly. Silibinin, or as it is often called, silymarin, is a flavonoid (or if you want to get fancy, a bioactive flavonolignan). It seems to be the most active therapeutic component in the plant.

I have to wonder who got the idea to test silibinin for protection and healing of sun damage to the skin and for skin cancer. The research I found on that subject used either cell cultures or hairless mice. (Do these little guys feel embarrassed when they are around hairy mice?) Anyway, the research consistently shows that the substance protects skin from skin cancer by reducing the damage to cellular DNA caused by the sun’s radiation. Here is one such study.

The DNA-protecting actions reduce one of the main causes of skin aging and wrinkles.These studies have been from applying silibinin topically. (A web search shows there are creams available.) However, since whatever is in our circulation does affect the skin, I can’t help but think that milk thistle taken orally also offers some protection for the skin. To put this in a historical context, our ancient ancestors in their caves could not run to the store for Coppertone. Yet they had to be out in the sun hunting and/or gathering food. Did they suffer from skin cancer? I don’t think so. I believe they were protected under the original plan. The factory specification diet provided internal sunscreen with the load of protective antioxidants in the whole fresh plant foods that they ate.

NEXT week
Part 2 of A weed that makes you look better and feel better

LAST week Follow-up
LINK to that show in the archives. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you should listen to the archive of this show because adrenal fatigue may be the cause. Although this is a common problem, it is not commonly addressed in mainstream medicine. Richard Snyder, DO discussed his new book, Adrenal Fatigue for Dummies which explains the condition and how to reverse it. He talked about melatonin for sleep and the need for vitamin D and vitamin K2. I recommend Superior Source micro-lingual products for all of three. It is especially convenient if melatonin can go to work quickly.

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MY BOOKS:

Fat-Free Folly. Challenges dangerous mainstream thinking about fats. Supported with generous amounts of current science and grounded in a common sense historical framework. Learn how to build health and lose weight while enjoying more delicious food.

Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments. Besides explaining the dangers of these medications and helping fix the real cause (which is seldom too much acid) this book is also helpful for solving other digestive problems.

Aloe Vera – Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy. Research shows that Aloe has benefit beyond skin and digestion–also for immune function, detoxification, nutrient absorption, blood antioxidant levels, blood sugar regulation and more. Learn how to pick the most potent brands.

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2014 Martie Whittekin, CCN