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Have you ever stood confused in a grocery aisle brimming with an endless choice of cooking oils, wondering which one to buy? Until a few years back, I often found myself in this bewildering situation. In fact, in the past, I rarely paid attention to which oil I used for cooking until one day I happened to visit a close friend’s kitchen. She had different cooking oils for baking, frying, grilling, and garnishing.

That day I learned that using the right oil can make a whole lot of difference in the taste and the nutritive value of the food you cook. Since then, I have been experimenting with various cooking oils and this article is a summary of my experience and research.

The cooking oil we use plays a crucial role in our wellbeing. Our body needs fat for producing hormones, absorbing the fat-soluble vitamins, and generating energy. However, the therapeutic properties of the cooking oil we use can change depending on how we use them. Therefore, it is important to know which oil to use in a given situation.

For instance, virgin olive oil when overheated gives off toxic smoke; hence, it is not recommended for heavy cooking and deep frying.

From vegetable oil to cannabidiol or CBD oil, the market is full of oil options that make confusing health claims, thereby causing confusion to anyone looking for edible oils.

Consider the below-mentioned factors when selecting healthy cooking oil for each culinary adventure you embark upon.

1. The Degree of Saturation

The first thing you should know about oil is its degree of saturation. This is because the more saturated the cooking oil is, the more heat-tolerant it is.

Fats are classified into two groups based on their saturation.

• Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA)

These are procured from an animal source like meat and dairy and are solid at room temperature. For instance, butter and lard. A few plants produce saturated fats, namely palm oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter.

• Unsaturated Fatty Acids (UFA)

Unsaturated fats are derived from plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish and are liquid at room temperature. These fall into two categories, namely monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Unsaturated fatty acids are well-known for their health benefits.

Cooking oils contain a combination of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Oils that contain a high proportion of saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature, whereas those that contain a high amount of unsaturated fats are in the liquid form.

Saturated fats are stable; hence, if you need cooking oils that do not turn rancid and lose their nutritive value during high-temperature cooking, I would recommend using coconut, avocado, and canola oil.

On the other hand, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can be used for low-heat cooking or for garnishing salads and cooked vegetables.

2. Health Benefits

Whether saturated or unsaturated, all oils offer special health benefits when consumed and applied topically.

For instance, research has proven the therapeutic effects of using olive oil in the diet.

Similarly, evidence suggests, cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound found in hemp plant, and can be applied topically, vaped, or used in cooking to manage several medical conditions.

The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that we choose healthy unsaturated fats and limit our saturated fat intake. Where saturated fats increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases, unsaturated fats such as polyunsaturated or monounsaturated offer several health benefits.

Furthermore, the American Heart Association affirms that saturated fats increase the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, and high cholesterol and replacing them with unsaturated fats can reduce such cardiac disorders.

Thus, it is recommended that oils containing a high proportion of saturated fats, like coconut oil and lard, should be used in moderation as their daily intake may spike up the cholesterol levels. However, since these oils do not oxidize when heated, they are good for high-heating cooking methods like frying. We will read more about this in the next point (Smoke Point).

On the other hand, oils rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are recognized for their therapeutic and protective properties. Consequently, the FDA recommends soybean, avocado, and fish oil to be included in the daily diet. These oils are proven to regulate the heartbeat and offer a variety of other health benefits.

Furthermore, oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids are proven to have positive effects on one’s overall health. Refer the chart below to choose a cooking oil with a healthy fat composition.

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Choosing a cooking oil with the right fat composition can help you obtain maximum health benefits from your cooking.

3. Smoke Point

One of the most important things to consider when choosing the right cooking oil is its tolerance to heat. The temperature at which the molecules in the oil start breaking down (oxidation) is called as the smoke point.

Culinary oils contain fatty acid chains that determine the smoke point of the oil. The longer the fatty acid chain, the more the oil can be heated without it getting oxidized or broken down. Oxidation of oil is associated with unpleasant odor and flavor and reduction in its nutritive value.

This is particularly true for oils that are high in PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) like olive, canola, and soyabean oil. When overheated, these oils can produce toxic and carcinogenic compounds, thereby proving to be harmful in the long term.

Therefore, as a budding cook, I first acquainted myself with the smoke points of various oils, enabling me to decide where to use them.

Oils with a low smoke point are best consumed cold, drizzled on salads, or used to garnish a few cooked dishes like grilled fish or chicken. However, oils with high smoke points are suitable for frying and cooking at high temperatures.

Refer to the table below to learn about the most popular cooking oils, their smoke points, and uses.

Oil	Saturated/Unsaturated Fat Content (SFA/ UFA)	Smoke Point	Cooking Applications
Coconut Oil	SFA > UFA	420° F	Deep-frying, medium-heat cooking, and body care
Avocado Oil	SFA < UFA	520° F	Deep-frying, baking, and grilling
Canola Oil	SFA < UFA	435° F	Deep-frying, sautéing, medium-heat cooking
Other Vegetable Oils	SFA < UFA	425° F	Pan-and-deep frying, baking, and medium-heat cooking
Unrefined Sunflower Oil	SFA < UFA	225° F	Drizzled over salads, making vinaigrettes, and sautéing vegetables
Fish Oil	SFA < UFA (High PUFA Content)	Very low smoke point and high heat sensitive	Adds flavor to Asian-style soups and gravies
Virgin Olive Oil	SFA < UFA	331° F	Light sautéing, along with salad dressings, or on steamed vegetables
CBD Oil	SFA < UFA (High PUFA Content)	330° F	Drizzled on salads and in dips and smoothies. It can also be used when baking.
Sesame Seed Oil	SFA < UFA	410° F	Drizzled on cooked food or used in Asian-inspired cooking for a strong flavor and aroma.

Chart Sources: (1), (2), (3)

4. Flavor and Aroma

Most cooking oils, like canola and sunflower oils, have neutral flavor and odor, thereby enabling you to use it in any form of cooking without affecting the overall taste of the dish. On the other hand, peanut, sesame, and cannabidiol oils have a unique flavor and aroma that is adopted from their respective source ingredients.

Therefore, when choosing your cooking oil, it is critical to research the impact of the oil’s flavor on the food. For instance, sesame and groundnut oils add a rich nutty flavor to food. Hence, unless your recipe demands so, it is wise to use a neutral oil that will not dominate the taste of your dish.

Most Asian dishes are known for using sesame and fish oil that add an extra flavor to the cuisine. Similarly, Mediterranean cuisine uses extra virgin olive oil to add a peppery flavor to most dishes.

5. Packaging

The importance of packaging of cooking oils goes beyond merely storing the oil and attracting customers. It is a quick indicator of the quality of the contents. Oils need to be protected against oxidative damage, absorption of foreign odors and flavors, moisture, and thermal deterioration.

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For instance, olive oil stored in a PET or plastic container tends to get oxidized faster in comparison to when it is stored in a glass bottle, causing the oil to turn rancid (unpleasant odor and acrid taste). Conversely, high-quality olive oils are stored in dark glass bottles to prevent sunlight and atmospheric oxygen from destroying the contents.

Similarly, sunflower oil, like vegetable oil, is affected by light and oxygen. Glass containers offer adequate protection to the oil, thereby increasing its storage life.

A reputed oil producer will take extra care and invest in a packaging that will not mess with the longevity of the cooking oil. Therefore, it is critical to check the quality of the packaging before buying the cooking oil.

Cooking oils are not created equal. Each oil has a different role to play in whipping up a nutritious meal. The good news is that choosing the most appropriate and healthiest cooking oil for any culinary occasion isn’t rocket science.

Use the tips shared in this article to pick the right cooking oil for your meals, making them nutritious, delicious, and heart-healthy for you and your family.

Author Bio

Joy Smith is a speaker, mentor, entrepreneur, mother of four, and grandmother of six. After trying a number of poor quality CBD products, she teamed up with her family to develop an organically grown, full spectrum hemp oil to help people who suffer from a wide array of ailments. Visit Joy’s website to learn more at joyorganics.com

The post 5 Essentials to Consider When Choosing Healthy Cooking Oils appeared first on Natural Revolution.

I never thought it could be something more than that.

Approximately 37 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss. Many of these individuals begin to lose their hearing in their early 20s but may go on for decades unaware of the problem. While some cases of hearing loss can not be corrected outside of hearing aids, others can be reduced by making changes in diet, as well as by making simple natural changes in daily routine.

To learn how you may be able to treat your hearing loss naturally and keep it from getting worse, please read further.

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What Causes Hearing Loss

There are multiple causes of hearing loss. Some causes of hearing loss exist at birth such as when a patient has a fistula between the middle and inner ear. Other causes of hearing loss tend to develop over time. While many people believe that hearing loss is inevitably a result of natural aging, this should not stop anyone from taking whatever measures they can to protect their precious gift of hearing.

It is true that some hearing loss is caused by what scientists call sensorineural hearing loss. In sensorineural hearing loss, the hairs in the inner ear become damaged over time as the body processes carbohydrates for energy. In the processing of carbohydrates, free radicals are developed, and these lead to the destruction of the hairs needed for proper hearing. In addition, this type of hearing loss can be caused by disease such as meningitis, or by overexposure to loud noises.

Sensorineural hearing loss can best be treated by the use of hearing aids that can augment natural healing. If you are questioning whether or not you suffer from this sort of hearing loss, please contact a competent hearing center that can have you properly diagnosed to determine the extent of the damage.

Other causes of hearing loss are conductive in nature, and over these forms of hearing loss, we have more control. Conductive hearing loss can be caused by a multitude of factors. They may be caused by injury or disease. They may also be caused by something as simple of the build-up of excessive ear wax.

This does not mean, however, that conductive hearing loss problems are simple to fix. Far from it. For example, many people overuse Q-tips, which may, in fact, cause hearing loss in two ways. One way that overuse of Q-tips may cause hearing loss is by puncturing the eardrum. Another way in which they can lead to hearing loss is a bit more insidious.

Many people use Q-tips in an attempt to actually clean their ears from the waxy buildup that may be causing hearing loss. However, cotton swabs can actually push wax further inside the ear canal, leading to worse, not improved, hearing. Indeed, the warning on the Q-tip box itself directs users not to insert the swab into the ear canal, and yet, people continue to do so. Fortunately, there are a number of products on the market today that can substantially remove ear wax without causing further damage.

But once the damage has been done, are there natural remedies which can help? Yes, there are several which can help.

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Herbs to Help Hearing Loss

Fortunately, folk wisdom has much to offer when it comes to combating hearing loss naturally. Several herbs have been traditionally used in multiple forms of medicine other than our current allopathic model to fight off hearing loss and even help repair loss that has already occurred due to conductive causes.

Gingko Biloba is an ancient herb that existed in the days of the dinosaurs. Gingko has been proven to increase blood circulation, something that is critical in reversing hearing loss as it allows vital nutrients to pour into the damaged tissue for healing. Gingko Biloba has been used for centuries to fight inflammation and the pain resulting therefrom. It has also been shown to treat Alzheimer’s patients.

When taking Gingko as a supplement, most nutritionists advise starting with approximately a 40 mg dose daily. You can find quality supplements in both pill form and in a powder form that can be mixed with food or drink.

Another herb which is excellent for treating conductive hearing loss is echinacea. Echinacea or American Coneflower has been widely regarded in the states as a cold and flu remedy. And with good cause. Echinacea is also another excellent anti-inflammatory and pain-killing herb.

Echinacea can be found in pill, liquid or powder form. The taste is rather harsh, so it is recommended not to take echinacea as an addition to food or drink. However, the results are well worth a bit of “bitter beer” taste. Echinacea dries up the sinus tissues, which make up a good part of the ear canal. Therefore, hearing loss which stems from inflammation due to disease may well be treated with this wonderful herb.

Ginger is another excellent herb to help combat hearing loss. Ginger likewise helps to stimulate blood flow. In addition, ginger is a powerful antioxidant that can help to counteract some of the effects of free radicals. While on its own it will not remedy hearing loss, it can be a powerful tool to help you to retain your hearing, especially if you’ve just started to notice concerns.

Turmeric is another excellent anti-inflammatory herb. It has been used throughout the centuries in Asian cultures for its curative properties. Similar to ginkgo, it can help relieve inflammation of the sinus tissues, which can lead to greater healing. It also helps to stimulate the blood circulation to bring vital healing nutrients to the area that needs us both. It ameliorates the healing of damaged tissues and can help repair some of the damages that free radicals cause.

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Best Practices to Protect Your Hearing

Of course, when it comes to your sense of hearing, common sense is truly the best physician. There are some simple practices that you can easily integrate into your day to day life that can help protect your precious ears.

The most obvious thing you can do to protect your ears is to avoid excessive exposure to noise. This can be more easily said than done. Noise surrounds us daily, and not all of us are consciously aware of it.

To see how much you really aren’t hearing, try the following exercise: turn off all known sources of sound currently surrounding you. And then simply listen. Really listen. You will be shocked at the complexity of sounds you can hear. It may be the drip of a faucet or the hum of the overhead fluorescent lights. We are immersed in a cacophony of sounds.

There are other exercises you might try as well besides just turning down the volume. Acupuncture has long been utilized in eastern medicine, and many practitioners believe that acupressure offers many of the same benefits. Acupuncture and acupressure both work on the philosophy that the body has meridians, or energy channels, which can get blocked. Releasing these energy channels allows chi, or energy, to flow through the body efficiently, alleviating many ailments.

Acupuncturists advise that there are two points you may try to get relief from your hearing loss. The first is right next to your ankle. There is a bit of a divot between where your ankle bone is and where your foot begins. Try adding pressure to that area, gently, for two to three minutes.

The other acupressure point to try is located right in front of your ear when you open your jaw slightly. There is a minor depression there, which you can activate to help you with hearing loss.

Understand that hearing loss can start at any age — many people mistakenly think of hearing loss as something that comes on in old age. I started to struggle with my hearing at the young age of roughly 18 years old. I remember being in high school and wondering why I had such a harder time hearing people on the telephone than my friends and family.

It’s disappointing to discover you’re suffering from hearing loss, especially at a young age. Our ability to hear sounds and respond to them becomes so important to our daily wellbeing and survival if we’ve never experienced hearing loss before. When it comes on, it can really confuse and upset the sufferer. But regardless of the cause of your hearing loss, there is hope. Please do not give up your search.

It is important that you start taking initiatives to live a healthier life when it comes to your hearing. You don’t want to put yourself at risk for even more serious forms of hearing loss such as sudden deafness. Sudden hearing loss isn’t as common, but about 90% of people who experience it will lose hearing in one of their ears for good.

You don’t want to ignore the signs and end up with an even worse problem. Be proactive and start taking care of your ears today. There are plenty of natural ways to improve your hearing and set yourself up for a healthier relationship with the sounds around you.

About the author

Kate Harveston is a health and wellness writer from Pennsylvania. She is passionate about teaching people how to live more all-natural and sustainable lives. You can find more of her work at sites like Greatist, Care2 and the Environmental News Network, as well as at her blog, So Well, So Woman.

The post Natural Ways to Combat Hearing Loss appeared first on Natural Revolution.

The secret to a long life is in your diet. If you eat healthily, you can increase your life expectancy by up to 7 years. Consuming more healthy foods and less unhealthy or processed foods is the key to increase vitality and longevity.

Leading a healthy life not only increase your life expectancy but also provides you with other benefits including:

• Good Mood: Your diet can affect your mood. Consuming certain foods can cause people to feel tired and irritated. Similarly, foods that are rich in certain nutrients can also cause you to feel happy.
• More Energy: The right food provides you with energy to be able to do work without feeling tired early on. As a result, you end up being more productive.
• Increased cognition

Let’s now have a look at how you can live a healthy life:

Exercise Regularly

Studies show that exercise has a direct correlation with the release of endorphins which help reduce stress and lighten up the mood.

Exercise also helps reduce fat and promote muscle growth, hence making you physically stronger. It also keeps cholesterol in check and reduces the chances of diseases such as heart attacks.

Exercise also strengthens your immune system that helps fight bacterial infections. According to research, 150 minutes of brisk walking a week can increase life expectancy by 3 years.

Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Even though 30 mins can seem too much at the beginning – especially if you don’t exercise at all –  consider training for at least 10 mins a day and slowly move up the intensity ladder.

You can even try meditation. Studies suggest that meditation helps reduce stress. Doctors recommend meditation 15 mins twice a day.

Improve Your Relationships

Be around positive people. Spend time with family and friends. Watching a movie or having a meal with them can significantly help reduce stress and make you feel better. Going out with friend and family on a vacation or a social event can also be extremely healthy for you.

Toxic people can feed on your happiness and health. Don’t be afraid to cut such people out of your life.

Improve Your Eating Habits

What you eat can have a significant impact on your hormones and health. Eating too much bad food such as oily foods, fast foods or junk food can significantly damage your body, make you obese, and even lead to depression.

Make sure to drink plenty of water. Doctors recommend that a person must drink at least 2 liters of water a day. It cleanses the body, keeps you hydrated and also helps keep weight in check.

Have a balanced diet. Eat green vegetables and fruits. Also, add protein, healthy fats, and healthy carbs in your diet.

New research also recommends drinking coffee as it helps reduce the risk of diseases ranging from type 2 diabetes to Parkinson’s disease ^[R]. Another study suggests that coffee consumers have longer lifespans. However, be sure not to go overboard with it. About two cups a day is enough to get all the benefits we need from drinking coffee.

According to research, 25% of Americans have vitamin D deficiency. Consider visiting a dietician and get a customized diet plan made according to the needs of your body.

Improve Your Sleeping Habits

An irregular sleep cycle or a lack of sleep can negatively impact your health as well as your hormone levels. It can weaken your immune system and lead to depression as well.

Getting a good night’s sleep can help regulate hormones and lead to a stronger immune system.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, consider trying relaxation techniques such as scented candles. Avoid drinking coffee, using the computer, and using phone prior to your sleeping schedule.

To get the healing and rejuvenation that sleep offers throughout the night, it’s important to sleep for at least seven to eight hours (uninterrupted).

Letting Go of Bad Habits

This is a no-brainer. The first step to a healthy lifestyle is to avoid unhealthy habits. These include staying away from recreational drugs, quitting smoking, and reducing drinking.

If you are involved in drugs, consider going into rehab or a community group. You can also use nicotine gum to quit smoking. Also, check out their brotherly quotes for some motivation.

Living a healthy lifestyle can be one of the best decisions you can make. Healthy should be your top priority so make sure to start today. It is all about saying bye to bad habits and accepting a lifestyle that’s healthy and positive.

The post 5 Easy Ways to Live a Happy Healthy Life appeared first on Natural Revolution.

The chemical formula for Epsom salt is MgSO₄, which means that its active components are magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. But why is it called Epsom? Epsom salt gets its name from a saline spring at Epsom in Surrey, England. It’s the place where this compound was first distilled from mineral water. If we’re being precise, then it’s basically a mineral salt. The transparent crystals might fool you at the start, but once you’re accustomed to using it, you’ll know the difference between Epsom salt and the usual salt right away.

Why I’m talking about Epsom salt? It’s a miracle salt. There. I said it.

I had been scrolling through different social media sites, trying my luck to overcome my back pain. Among the crowd of so many to-dos and not-to-dos, I came across Epsom salt. At first, I thought that all the benefits were just exaggerated fluff. But a part of me believed that there’s something about this salt. It’s unique and relieves body ache (it had me on the back pain!)

I followed my itch to discover more about the product and the more I researched it, the more I came to realize the significance of this salt. Then it was the time. I had to treat my excruciating back pain and this was just the thing. Next morning, I rushed to the supermarket and bought the best quality Epsom salt. I came back home and rushed to the kitchen to make myself one of those fancy bath bombs.

Why Use Epsom Salt?

As soon as I took the bath, I felt the pain ceased to exist. My whole body felt so relaxed and even those little paper cuts on my fingers start healing faster. Epsom salt has been one of the mineral salts that have a wide range of benefits, which outweigh its negative impacts. It is known to treat a variety of health issues, such as swelling, body ache, gout, and constipation to name a few. The use of Epsom salt depends on how and where you use it. It’s a salt for everyday use. I’ve shared my bit of the experience and today, I’m going to share some more experiences you can have once you start using Epsom salt.

1. Epsom Salt Gives Magnesium Levels A Boost

Due to the fact that magnesium regulates more than 300 enzymes in the human body, it plays a crucial role in controlling, regulating, and operating many body functions, such as nerve and muscle control and production of energy and electrical impulses among many others. Studies have reported that magnesium deficiency is linked to several neural diseases, such as a migraine, depression, and epilepsy. Low magnesium levels are caused by severe diarrhea, alcoholism, and malnutrition, leading to hypercalcemia, or high calcium levels.

However, since Epsom salt is an abundant source of magnesium, soaking your feet in an Epsom salt and water mixture helps you increase the levels of magnesium without the need to take magnesium supplements. Via this Epsom salt bath, many health problems can ward off. To be honest, whenever I have swollen feet at the end of the day, all I need is a bucket, some warm water, and a few tablespoons of good old Epsom salt. That just does the trick. Always.

2. It Detoxifies The Body

While we are schooled about certain organs in the biology class, we sometimes ignore the fact that our skin is the largest organ of our body and the pores of which can help us draw out some toxic compounds. For several centuries, European spas used healing salts (including Epsom salt) for therapeutic purposes. Nifty!

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According to Dr. Ray, a member of the American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine (A4M), magnesium from Epsom salt is absorbed to some degree in the skin, due to which it normalizes the magnesium level (in case of magnesium deficiency) and other magnesium-related metabolisms. When you soak in an Epsom salt bath, a process called ‘reverse osmosis’ initiates, which draws out the salts as well as toxins from your body.

3. Alleviates Pain, Inflammation, and Cramps

Epsom salts are also known to relieve body pain, joint inflammation, and the cramps arising as a result of muscle tension. In relevance to the body detoxification baths, Epsom salts help soothe the body, alleviating the discomfort and swelling in sore muscles, joints, and feet. It also helps in reducing the puffiness around aching feet, bruises, sprains, and injuries related to feet and other body areas (just like it treated my paper-cut fingers!)

Different studies have indicated that magnesium plays a critical role in preventing chronic inflammation that might be building up from a long time. The decrease in the levels of this mineral, as stated before, leads to the increased level of a potential marker of inflammation.

4. It Eases Constipation

Most people don’t realize that apart from being an active detoxifier, Epsom salt is also a proactive laxative. Due to its natural laxative properties, the FDA has approved it for the treatment of constipation. When Epsom salt enters the body, it induces an increase of water and clears the colon by stimulating the ilium brake. It does so by releasing digestive hormones and neurotransmitters.

Use of food-grade Epsom salt eases the flow of water in the intestine and hence, flushes out the toxins from the body. Plus, it also helps in driving out the gallstones from your gallbladder. However, oral consumption for the treatment of constipation by Epsom salt brings temporary relief and isn’t recommended for long-term usage. In case of an unwanted side effect like itching, hives or irritation, immediate consultation with a physician is highly recommended. In my family, it’s the first-aid laxative and everyone loves to use it.

5. Epsom Salt Regulates Blood Sugar Levels

The body becomes prone to many metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, when the magnesium levels drop below the optimum. In this context, scientific evidence implicates that the risk of diabetes reduces if the healthy magnesium levels are maintained. And yes, that brings us straight to the Epsom salt – the ultimate source of magnesium.

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Magnesium and Sulfur in the Epsom salt increase the body’s potential to produce and use insulin. It has been noticed that the regulated use of magnesium in the form of Epsom salt (in recommended doses) helps in regulating blood sugar levels and hence, lowers the risk of type-2 diabetes in men and women.

6. Healthy Skin And Hair With Epsom Salt

Apart from inducing internal health benefits, Epsom salt has popularly been used by several around the world as a part of their beauty regimen. While Epsom salt takes care of your gut and removes toxins from your body, it also gives you healthy, glowing, and radiant skin and hair. You can make Epsom salt bath bombs to relax your muscles, exfoliate your face and body, and even prepare a moisturizing magnesium lotion. Just a pack of this salt gives you the experience and multiplied benefits of a spa and salon.

For hair care, mixing equal proportions of Epsom salt and hair conditioner can soften the hair and increase the volume. It’s a million dollar spa hair treatment you’re ever going to experience. You can take my word for it! I’ve become a fan of Epsom salt for giving me the best skin and hair treatment I’ve had in years!

7. Keep Your Plants Healthy With Epsom Salt

You must’ve noticed that plant fertilizer contain some fundamental minerals, such as magnesium, sulfur, zinc, chloride and so on. As for Epsom salt, it contains the basic minerals that most plants require, especially the vegetables. Besides the plant growth, there are many other uses of Epsom salt in the garden, such as removing unwanted pests, preventing slugs, and greening up your lawn etc.

I am a gardening freak and it’s one of my favorite hobbies. I can’t just let my plants die of malnutrition! Apart from using organic products for gardening purposes, I keep a separate storage of Epsom salt for my plants as well.

Here’s my tip: Epsom salt is like a growth bazooka for tomato plants. If your tomatoes aren’t healthy, give them a dose of Epsom salt in recommended quantity. Make sure you keep other factors intact, so your plants can get the best environment to grow in.

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8. It Acts As An Active Detergent Remover

Not only does the Epsom salt does wonder for the human body, it also has a lot of benefits for your machines. Does it sound too good to be true? It must and it should. Since your body needs cleansing, your machines need it as well to function soundly.

If you have a washing machine, it usually remains running until your clothes are washed and clean. But the washing detergent may accumulate over time and leave residues in your machine. You can clean up this detergent build-up by simply using Epsom salt and vinegar. Once you run a cycle or two, you’re going to see miracles.

9. Got A Splinter? Try Epsom Salt

Of all the ancestral remedies passed down from one generation to another, this one has got to be a favorite one. Splinters are pricks that keep poking our skin with sharp ends and refuse to come out. But if you’ve got Epsom salt, there’s no problem at all!

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Though the removal of these splinters can be like a chaos for a few, a solution of Epsom salt and warm water can help reduce the inflammation, subside the pain, and ultimately, make the splinter easy to remove. And yes, it works every single time; well, at least for me, it does!

10. Epsom salt improves circulation

As mentioned before, Epsom salt helps suppress the marker for inflammation and reduces the overall inflammation process. As the process of inflammation reduces, the magnesium in the Epsom salt may help prevent cardiovascular disease and protect the arterial elasticity. Once it helps keep the arteries healthy, the chances for the formation of blood clots and plaque buildup reduces.

11. It Eases Gout

A gout is a painful form of arthritis, in which uric acid crystals form in the tissues surrounding the joints. The result? Painful joints, swelling, inflammation, and irritation in the affected area. Since Epsom salt is notable for drawing out toxins from the body, it helps ease gout by relaxing the joint and flushing out the uric acid crystals.

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Conclusion

No matter how much we depend on man-made products to restore our health and youth, Mother Nature is always reaching out to us in the numerous ways. One of these ways is Epsom salt. Other than the benefits mentioned in the above article, there are myriads of advantages this natural mineral salt has to offer.

However, it is recommended that you take the salt in suggested proportions and quantity. It doesn’t have much side effects, but if it irritates you or doesn’t relieve your situation, you can discontinue its use and refer to a doctor as soon as possible. Like myself, you may find it hard to follow at times, but if you’re determined to make your life healthy, then nothing’s going to hold you back.

Author Bio:

Stella Holt is a savvy blogger who has dedicated her exceptional skills solely to writing, reading and discovering everything new. Since her passion keeps peaking and touching new heights, Stella has narrowed her writing and blogging career towards writing for the healthcare industry, where she writes about patient care, related illnesses, medical ethics, the current healthcare system and so on. Currently, she pens projects for St. Michael’s Urgent Care Unit in Hattiesburg. When not blogging and writing, Stella can be found gardening in her backyard or playing with her cats, Rosy and Chika.

The post 11 Surprising Benefits Of Epsom Salt Everyone Should Know appeared first on Natural Revolution.

If you do any kind of shopping online at Amazon for any length of time you’ll know that a vast majority of the items sold on their website is from third-party sellers. And doing a search for hemp oil on Amazon returns over 7000 results, a majority of which are selling hemp seed oil, passing it off as hemp oil and fabricating false medical claims, making it appear as if the products they’re selling is CBD oil.

There’s so much confusion about CBD oil and where it comes from that sellers are taking advantage of this shameful opportunity to cash in on selling hemp seed oil by making medical claims that treat everything from anxiety, pain, sleep disorders and a host of other ailments. Of course, hemp seed oil is great for the skin and hair, and has many nutritious aspects for our health, but contains extremely low amounts of cannabidiol (CBD).

Buyer beware!

Amazon has placed a disclaimer at the bottom of the product page, like the one below, where these hemp seed oils are being sold that relinquish Amazon from any responsibility for false medical claims that are made, and in the process, are duping their customers by allowing the sellers on Amazon to sell a product using deceptive advertising practices.

Amazon does not allow sellers to sell hemp oil with CBD in it. Any seller making a medical claim that it helps/supports/reduces/relieves anxiety, sleep or any other ailment should be banned from Amazon as they’re making a medical claim that is completely false using deceptive advertising.

The fact that there is so much confusion around CBD oil and hemp oil, cannabis oil, there are fake reviews on Amazon stating that hemp oil is, in fact, CBD oil when in fact it is not.

And to add to the confusion, fake reviewers making these claims that hemp seed oil has helped their anxiety or sleep, or many other ailments, a potential customer reads these fake reviews, it makes it that much more difficult to discern what is real or not.

Amazon customers are buying essentially snake oil, and then to make it worse, the sellers offer a free bottle if the customer buys and leaves a positive review on Amazon, basically a kickback, which fools potential buyers into believing the reviews are legitimate when they are not.

To that, the hemp oil that they are selling doesn’t clearly state in the product description that it is made from hemp SEED oil, which is similar to olive oil; they’re basically selling cooking oil for up to $99.99 for one ounce!

The price isn’t the issue. Rather, it’s the medical claims and deceptive advertising practices that these sellers are duping customer into believing hemp oil has medicinal properties, when in fact, it does not.

Below are some of the many Amazon sellers making false medical claims of hemp seed oil.

The FDA would have a field day with these false medical claims and take these companies to court and or fine them if the claims were on the packaging of these hemp seed oil products themselves. But because these third-party sellers make the false medical claims on the Amazon website there is no regulatory body that has made it a point to discourage this kind of deceptive advertising.

Amazon has been reluctant thus far to stop these kinds of shady tactics because they make a fee from every seller that sells their products, and unless a company’s ethics and morals are more important than their bottom line, false medical claims such as these will be continued by sellers on Amazon, and their customers will be none the wiser.

To detail the policy that Amazon seller must accept prior to selling any product, this excerpt is straight from seller central on Amazon.

Examples of prohibited listings.

The following cannabidiol (CBD) and Hemp products:

– Rich Hemp Oil containing concentrated cannabidiol (CBD)
– All non-ingestible products that contain cannabidiol/cannabinoid (CBD)
– All ingestible products, including dietary supplements, that contain cannabidiol/cannabinoid (CBD)

In other words, CBD is not allowed to be sold on Amazon.

Source: https://sellercentral.amazon.com/gp/help/external/200164490?language=en-US&ref=mpbc_200277220_cont_200164490

Of course, sellers don’t state in the description of their product that they are in selling CBD oil because that would go against the policy of Amazon. But the loophole that they’re using by making false medical claims is perceived by the customer as if the hemp seed oil they’re selling is equivalent to CBD oil, which it is not.

Hemp, which is naturally abundant in CBD, is an ideal source for CBD oil supplements. However, hemp seeds lack any substantial levels of cannabinoids. Hemp seeds contain only trace amounts of CBD – typically less than 25 parts per million (ppm). Because of hemp seed oil’s marginal quantity of CBD per dry weight, it’s unfeasible as a CBD supplement.

When manufacturers look to make hemp oil that’s rich in CBD, they pull from hemp’s stalks, flowers, and leaves, which contain up to 150,000-ppm levels of CBD. Rather than cold pressing, a CO2 extraction process is used to directly pull the CBD-rich oil from the stalks, flowers, and leaves of the plant.

This hemp-derived CBD oil is a thicker and more viscous oil than hemp seed oil. Like hemp seed oil, CBD hemp oil contains the array of crucial nutrients that support a healthy diet. However, CBD hemp oil also contains higher levels of cannabinoids, including CBD.

If you are in the market for high-quality authentic CBD oil that has the medicinal properties that can, in fact, treat many conditions, it’s important to find reputable online sellers that sell CBD oil and has a certificate of analysis (COA) that shows the results of testing of heavy metals, and other toxic elements like pesticides, fungicide, herbicides, and mycotoxins.

It’s also important to make sure you read the reviews on credible websites that sell authentic CBD oil as well as contact the company should you have any other questions regarding the product, as well as reading information about the company that sells the CBD product so you can be as informed of where the hemp is sourced, extracted and knowing about the company that sells it.

It’s amazing that these companies that sell products on Amazon can get away with this for so long and nothing is done to stop them from selling bogus CBD oil to unsuspecting customers.

I hope this has shed some light on the business practices of Amazon and their third-party sellers and how deceptive they can be, and will clue you in as to what to look for if you buy CBD oil and not some knockoff that’s otherwise disguised as such.

The post How Amazon Allows Fake CBD Oil Sold to Their Customers appeared first on Natural Revolution.

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Yoga is gеnеrаllу understood as a рrосеѕѕ of unіfісаtіоn. Thіѕ unіfісаtіоn іѕ multіfасеtеd. In оnе dіmеnѕіоn, it іѕ a unіfісаtіоn оf thе various ѕуѕtеmѕ that еxіѕt within thе human being іnсludіng thе emotional, рhуѕісаl, mental, and ѕріrіtuаl systems.

Yoga focuses on fіvе dіffеrеnt systems within humаn life.^[1] Thеѕе are tурісаllу rеfеrrеd tо as the koshas whісh аrе thе physical, еnеrgеtіс, mеntаl, ѕubtlе, аnd bliss sheaths.

Yoga, as a ѕуѕtеm, hаѕ dеvеlореd іntо vаrіоuѕ brаnсhеѕ thrоugh whісh реорlе рurѕuе thе evolution аnd unіfісаtіоn of thе еlеmеntѕ wіthіn their bеіng. Eасh brаnсh rеtаіnѕ its оwn unіԛuе set оf ideas аnd philosophies which dеfіnеd thе process аnd eventual obtainment оf complete unіfісаtіоn.

Thеrе іѕ nо right or wrong system оf уоgа аѕ thе each possess their distinct characteristics that accommodate thе needs оf vаrіоuѕ сhаrасtеrіѕtісѕ and реrѕоnаlіtіеѕ thаt еxіѕt among humаn beings.

Each system іѕ dеѕіgnеd to ассоmmоdаtе a dіffеrеnt реrѕоnаlіtу tуре[2] and уоgа has developed іntо a broad-reaching ѕуѕtеm thаt саn be рrасtісеd by nеаrlу anyone who іѕ іntеrеѕtеd іn рurѕuіng a spiritual life.

“Yoga is about clearing away whatever is in us that prevents our living most fully and wholly. With yoga, we become aware of how and where we can — in body, mind, and heart — and how gradually to open and release these blockages. As these blockages are cleared, our energy is freed. We start to feel more harmonious, more at one with ourselves. Our lives begin to flow — or we begin to flow more into our lives.” –Cybele Tomlinson

A рrасtісе like Jnаnа yoga іѕ ideal fоr someone whо іѕ philosophically mіndеd whereas thе рrасtісе оf bhakti yoga іѕ good fоr ѕоmеоnе whо іѕ еmоtіоnаllу реrсерtіvе and іnсlіnеd tоwаrdѕ a sense оf dеvоtіоn.

Thе trаdіtіоnѕ оf уоgа are аѕ young аѕ 500 years and as оld as ѕеvеrаl thоuѕаnd. Whіlе thеrе аrе mаnу modern рrасtісеѕ of yoga which hаvе bееn dеfіnеd by vаrіоuѕ tеасhеrѕ, thе ѕуѕtеmѕ we will bе discussing are trаdіtіоnаl ѕуѕtеmѕ whісh hаvе bееn іn existence throughout mаnу gеnеrаtіоnѕ.

Thе рrасtісе оf Yоgа hаѕ bесоmе рорulаr nоw thаt реорlе аrе gеttіng іnfоrmеd about the possible bеnеfіtѕ that thеу саn obtain bу doing yoga. Aсtuаllу, іt dоеѕn’t оnlу provide рhуѕісаl bеnеfіtѕ, but it саn аlѕо рrоvіdе bеnеfіtѕ tо thе еmоtіоnаl, ѕріrіtuаl, and mеntаl aspect оf the body.

Wіth thе buѕу lіfеѕtуlе thаt wе have nоwаdауѕ, it саn bе vеrу dіffісult tо fіnd time fоr ourselves, whісh lеаdѕ tо nеglесt оf health. Aside from thаt, the buѕу lifestyle аlѕо gіvеѕ uѕ tоо much ѕtrеѕѕ. A оvеrѕtrеѕѕеd person may nоt funсtіоn very wеll at work and саn gеt sick immediately.

Because of thіѕ, it is essential to have аt least a hоbbу оr a рrасtісе thаt will hеlр іn еlіmіnаtіng stress while maintaining a hеаlthу bоdу. One gооd practice thаt wіll hеlр a person tо unwіnd frоm ѕtrеѕѕ, mаіntаіn a рhуѕісаllу fit bоdу, and еѕtаblіѕh a соnnесtіоn bеtwееn thе mind and thе body wоuld bе Yоgа.

Benefits of Yoga

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Thе numеrоuѕ bеnеfіtѕ of Yоgа are what making іt a рорulаr рrасtісе, and one of the best is improving memory. Thеrе аrе an lоt оf реорlе thаt аrе аlrеаdу іnсоrроrаtіng yоgа іntо their lіfеѕtуlе.

Thеrе are even ѕоmе реорlе whо hаvе bееn practicing уоgа for mаnу уеаrѕ who hаvе decided to еаrn a certification ѕо that thеу wіll bе аblе to tеасh yoga bу thеmѕеlvеѕ.

Acquiring thе certification to tеасh yoga іѕ nоt thаt dіffісult because уоu оnlу need еnrоll in аnу Yоgа сеntеr thаt is рrоvіdіng teaching соurѕеѕ. It will take ѕоmе tіmе bеfоrе уоu wіll bе able to tеасh this рrасtісе or establish уоur own сеntеr.

On the other hand, if you аrе new tо thіѕ рrасtісе аnd уоu enjoy іt and уоu fееl that уоu wаnt tо lеаrn mоrе about it, then уоu mіght wаnt to соnѕіdеr jоіnіng a уоgа rеtrеаt. Hоwеvеr, before jоіnіng оnе, thеrе аrе ѕоmе considerations to mаkе.

In gеnеrаl, yoga fосuѕеѕ оn slower mоvеmеntѕ that increase flexibility whіlе аlѕо іnсrеаѕіng ѕtrеngth. It can hеlр уоu сhаnnеl уоur energy and focus your mіnd ѕо that уоu саn асhіеvе mаxіmum bеnеfіt frоm уоur уоgа session.

This аnсіеnt fоrm оf exercise іѕ еѕресіаllу helpful for реорlе whо mау nоt bе аblе tо раrtісіраtе іn hіgh-іmрасt wоrkоutѕ such as runnіng. Additionally, уоgа’ѕ fосuѕ on stretching and strength hаѕ bееn linked tо hеаlіng back pain.

If уоu аrе іntеrеѕtеd іn trуіng уоgа, іt is vital to fіrѕt determine the bеѕt tуре for уоu. Primarily, you should choose your уоgа bаѕеd оn whether уоu аrе lооkіng fоr more of a рhуѕісаl challenge, a mеthоd оf rеlаxаtіоn, оr a health products^[3] tо your rеgulаr workout.

Cоmmоn tуреѕ оf yoga іnсludе:

Hatha – a ѕlоwеr, easier уоgа that hеlрѕ wіth rеlаxаtіоn

Bіkrаm – аlѕо саllеd “hоt yoga,” this іѕ реrfоrmеd in a hеаtеd rооm to еmрhаѕіzе рhуѕісаl wоrkоut аnd mеntаl challenge

Iуеngаr – a fоrm of еxеrсіѕе that uses еԛuірmеnt like blocks and ѕtrарѕ tо hеlр with flexibility аnd bаlаnсе

Kundаlіnі – focuses on drаwіng uр your еnеrgу and meditating

Vinyasa – a vеrу рhуѕісаl tуре оf уоgа that uѕеѕ a series оf flоwіng postures to kеер уоu соnѕtаntlу working

Thеrе are аlѕо specialized уоgа сlаѕѕеѕ that are gооd fоr рrеgnаnt wоmеn. Exресtіng mothers саn mаіntаіn strength аnd flеxіbіlіtу whіlе dеvеlоріng mеntаl focus, аll of whісh саn make thе lаbоr and dеlіvеrу рrосеѕѕ easier.

Additionally, еxеrсіѕе durіng pregnancy can hеlр your bоdу recover faster аftеr thе bіrth оf your рrесіоuѕ сhіld.

Actually, there аrе some сеntеrѕ that provide аn іndіvіduаl retreat while thеrе are some thаt offer grоuр rеtrеаts wіth ѕосіаl іntеrасtіоnѕ ѕhаring thе ѕаmе іntеrеѕt. Yоu саn сhооѕе whісh type уоu рrеfеr.

For thе grоuр rеtrеаt, you get to mіnglе with оthеrѕ whо аrе also interested in this рrасtісе. Thеrе are аlѕо ѕоmе activities thаt are done by thе grоuр while аlѕо mаіntаіnіng trаnԛuіlіtу and саlmnеѕѕ for those whо wоuld lіkе tо relax and unwіnd.

Choosing the Best Type of Yoga to Benefit Your Personality

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Yоgа dоеѕ offer various tуреѕ оf health bеnеfіtѕ frоm muѕсlеѕ tоnіng tо spiritual еnlіghtеnmеnt. There аrе dіffеrеnt fоrmѕ оf уоgа аnd еасh kind wіll fосuѕ mоrе оn one element оr аnоthеr although every type of уоgа is ѕtіll bаѕеd оn thе bаѕіс рrіnсірlе of improving thе wеllbеіng through physical, еmоtіоnаl, аnd spiritual exercise.

If уоu wаnt tо pick uр yoga, іt іѕ еѕѕеntіаl tо еvаluаtе уоur fitness gоаlѕ first tо dеtеrmіnе which tуре оf уоgа is thе rіght оnе fоr you. If a person wіѕhеѕ tо bе mоrе inclined towards rеlаxаtіоn аnd ѕріrіtuаllу aware, thеn уоu ѕhоuld рrасtісе a dіffеrеnt fоrm оf уоgа thаn a person whо wants to bесоmе рhуѕісаllу fіt аnd improve their muscle tone.

In short, аll thе tуреѕ оf уоgа wіll aid to rеduсе ѕtrеѕѕ and increase flеxіbіlіtу but there іѕ probably оnlу one type of уоgа that wіll ѕuіt уоu bеѕt bаѕеd оn уоur fitness gоаlѕ.

“If the human mind continues to evolve, enlarge, and expand, so that we are able to recognize our kinship with the creations around us, so that we are able to grasp our oneness with the cosmos, and so that we merge in yoga with the Divine, the long cosmic cycle will disclose its cryptic secret, and the long saga of billions of years of evolution will display its profound significance.” –Roy J. Mathew

If a реrѕоn wants tо become рhуѕісаllу fit, іnсrеаѕе flеxіbіlіtу, аnd improve уоur muscle tоnе, then Hаthа уоgа wіll bе thе bеѕt fоr you. Thіѕ tуре оf уоgа^[4] іѕ thе mоѕt uѕuаl form оf yoga whеrе it uѕеѕ thе tуреѕ оf tесhnіԛuеѕ and роѕіtіоnѕ thаt most реорlе аѕѕосіаtе with yoga.

Thе рrасtіtіоnеr wіll mainly fосuѕ on ѕtrеtсhіng and developing thе flexibility. Althоugh Hatha уоgа is nоt thе mоѕt strenuous fоrm оf уоgа it will dеfіnіtеlу wоrk wonders іn іmрrоvіng уоur flеxіbіlіtу аѕ wеll аѕ hеlр in treating brain injuries and memory loss.

Thеrе іѕ аlѕо another type оf уоgа for оnе whо іѕ lооkіng fоr a more strenuous workout but ѕtіll wаntѕ tо еxреrіеnсе the еmоtіоnаl аnd ѕріrіtuаl bеnеfіtѕ of yoga.

Thе mоѕt strenuous fоrm оf yoga іѕ known as the Aѕhtаngа уоgа. Thіѕ kіnd іѕ absolutely grеаt fоr people whо wаnt a more сhаllеngіng workout that wіll help tone their muѕсlеѕ and іmрrоvе thеіr рhуѕісаl health.

Aѕhtаngа уоgа uses thе mоѕt stimulating poses and mоvеmеntѕ to еnhаnсе уоur рhуѕісаl fіtnеѕѕ lеvеl.

Fоr one who is mоrе fосuѕed on the еmоtіоnаl аnd ѕріrіtuаl fitness aspects, thеrе is a fоrm оf yoga that will hеlр you reach уоur gоаlѕ аѕ well. Jnаnа уоgа fосuѕеѕ a lot on the spiritual аnd рhіlоѕорhісаl aspects оf уоgа.

Jnana yoga can help to reach dеереr іntо thе ѕріrіtuаl lеvеl and can assist in relieving ѕtrеѕѕ аѕ well.

Wіth any form of yoga that you may choose to incorporate within your life, іt will allow you tо lіvе a mоrе bаlаnсеd аnd fulfіllіng lіfеѕtуlе, physically, emotionally and spiritual as well.

References

1. https://www.healthyway.com/content/how-to-choose-the-right-yoga-for-your-personality/
2. https://www.bustle.com/articles/133521-the-best-yoga-style-for-your-personality
3. https://www.consumerhealthdigest.com/
4. https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/which-style-of-yoga-is-best-for-you

About the Author

Meighan Sembrano is a health enthusiast and a passionate writer. Her primary expertise is in Beauty and Skin Care, but she has also published articles on Health and Fitness. Her sincerity and thoughtfulness resonate with readers, and her enthusiasm is contagious. You can follow Meighan on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How To Choose The Right Yoga For Your Personality appeared first on Natural Revolution.

$1.7 Billion. That’s how much the federal government fined Columbia/HCA for Medicare and Medicaid fraud that took place under Rick Scott’s watch as CEO. That sum, which ultimately led to Scott’s ouster, set a record for the largest fine of its kind in history.

This is just one of many shady dealings Rick Scott, who is now running for U.S. Senator of Florida, has amassed throughout his private and political career.

Profiteering from drug tests of low-income families

Florida’s program was a tremendous success in the mind of Rick Scott. In actuality, it moved millions of public dollars into Rick Scott’s pocket. In 2011 he signed a law requiring that recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds undergo mandatory drug testing in order to receive benefits.

This was met with much ridicule, in that the supposed benefit of saving money not given to welfare recipients who tested positive for drug use was overshadowed by the cost of the tests—which were done by Solantic, a company that Scott started and transferred his ownership shares to his wife.

Never mind that 25% of welfare recipients are actually children. (Children of drug users do not need to eat. It is known.)

Scott made it a point to say these recipients of public money were required to be held accountable to the public. In a blatant display of hypocrisy, Scott refused to take a drug test as a recipient of public money when asked by The Daily Show.^[3]

So, when are we going to start checking for other crimes? It’s almost as if there’s some kind of stigma associated with welfare.

An about face on the Affordable Care Act

He’s opposed to Obamacare and came up with a thing called “Conservatives for Patients’ Rights”, managed by CRC Public Relations of Swiftboating fame, which uses scare tactics and deceit against universal health care.^[1]

Thus, pressured by the challenges of an aging constituency, Scott flip-flopped several times about expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. So far, the state House of Representatives has voted against expanding coverage. With no state-level exchange, ACA shoppers in Florida are directed to the federal exchange.

During the 2014 election, he came out in support of the ACA after his mother died without obtaining treatment. In 2015, after winning reelection, Scott promptly turned around and went back to opposing the ACA, because clearly, family is not as important as his career.

Baby killer

After it was discovered that two for-profit hospitals were in gross violation of the state health standards by having a death rate more than three times the national average on pediatric open-heart surgery, the state of Florida “fixed” the problem by repealing state standards. In what is assuredly a bout of amazing coincidence, Scott accepted a $100,000 donation from the company that owns the hospitals.^[4][5]

And what special sort of self-serving asshole do you need to be to accept a $100,000 “donation” from a hospital in the first place? Shouldn’t it be the politicians donating to the hospitals? Rick Scott’s net worth is estimated to be between $83 million and $220 million.^[6]

War on women

He signed into law an anti-abortion bill that cuts off women’s access and public funding to health services that provide abortion. It requires doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital – a type of formal affiliation that can be difficult to obtain. It requires annual inspection of clinics by health authorities and tightened rules on disposal of aborted fetal tissue. This in addition to slashing funding for cancer screenings, pap smears, and birth control. This runs the risk of having HIV and teen pregnancy rates skyrocket because of these regressive laws. ^[7]

Climate change

Despite living in the U.S. state most likely to be heavily impacted by anthropogenic global warming through hurricanes and rising ocean levels, Scott has verbally forbidden state employees from using the terms “climate change” or “global warming”.^[8][9] When asked to comment on what he thinks is responsible for the increase in hurricane activity over previous decades, Scott’s response was “I’m not a scientist.”^[10]

Denies critical healthcare to children and families living with HIV

“Given the increased number of those now living with HIV in Florida, it is deplorable that Governor Scott has continued to play with people’s lives while padding the pockets of a group of for-profit companies,” said Donna Stidham, Chief of Managed Care for AHF.

“Many of these patients, currently covered by PHC, have been seeing their doctor for years, even decades, and are thriving in care. These same patients will suffer disruption of treatment and can suffer substandard care if they are simply dumped into the general patient population, or if their care is jobbed out by huge, for-profit insurance companies for treatment by a family medicine doctor or general practitioner without HIV expertise.”

While Scott and his cronies continue to play “business as usual” politics, the 2,000 HIV patients currently covered by PHC have become vulnerable to maintaining the care they critically need to stay alive, as they will be forced to choose for-profit companies that don’t cover the doctors they have come to rely on and trust for over a decade of quality, life-saving care.^[11]

Denies access to smokable cannabis to thousands of patients

The Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, also known as Amendment 2, is a constitutional law which was approved by 71.3 percent of Florida voters in the November 8, 2016, general election in the State of Florida.

Florida Legislature passed, and Governor Rick Scott signed, a provision that defines “medical use” to exclude “possession, use or administration of marijuana in a form for smoking.” John Morgan, the Orlando trial lawyer who spearheaded and financed the successful campaign to make medical access to cannabis a constitutional right, filed a lawsuit in Leon County Circuit Court on July 6, 2017, asking the court to declare the law implementing the 2016 constitutional amendment unenforceable.

Circuit Judge Karen Gievers agreed with constitutional law expert Jon Mills who was a part of the case, that Amendment 2 included a definition of “all types of medical marijuana.”

The state, approved by Rick Scott, immediately filed an appeal, which effectively blocked the implementation of Gievers’ ruling denying thousands of medical cannabis patients the right, under the constitutional law, to use cannabis in smokable form.

Had Rick Scott not decided to appeal Gievers ruling, it would have allowed the 115,000 authorized medical cannabis users the opportunity to smoke their medicine on the orders of a physician. But the impact has been placed on a delay for the appellate review. On behalf of the Department of Health, lawyers from the office of Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a notice of appeal minutes after Gievers handed down her decision.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Scott’s opponent running for U.S. Senate, said he, unlike Rick Scott, supports letting patients with cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS and other conditions smoke medical marijuana in private.^[12]

Gievers said the state’s ban caused irreparable harm to patients who could not get the treatment recommended for them.^[13]

Hurricane Irma

An investigation by WFOR-TV found that after Hurricane Irma, Scott ignored existing debris removal contracts and instead issued emergency contracts for hurricane clean-up efforts. Florida state officials sent an email to several companies on September 11 inviting them to hand in bids for debris clean-up by the next day.

On September 13, state officials decided to use the services of MCM and Community Asphalt, two firms owned by individuals who are major contributors to the Republican Party and Scott’s campaigns. According to the television station, the emergency contracts cost $28 to $30 million more than the existing contracts. ^[14]

References

The post The Shady (and Criminal) Life and Times of Rick Scott appeared first on Natural Revolution.

Opioid addiction has taken its toll on millions of individuals around the world, with all sorts of treatments aiming to address the debilitating condition. One of the rising possibilities in treating opioid addiction is rehabilitation involving the use of medical marijuana, but this has created a string of debates on its advantages and risks. In this article, we will delve into the value of cannabis-based rehab programs as a way to address addiction to opioids.

The Truth About Opioid Addiction

Opioids are potent drugs usually prescribed to patients who have undergone a severe trauma and major surgery, as well as to cancer patients in order to reduce chronic pain.

RELATED: How to Find High-Quality CBD Oil and Weed Out The Fakes

In recent years, prescription painkillers such as opioids have become “gateway drugs” to heroin since it affects the same brain areas by altering the response to pain and pleasure. In just a matter of few minutes, opioid users can experience a sense of ecstasy, relaxation, and ease.

In a general perspective, individuals have come to depend on opioids to get a high, unaware of the risks that these substances pose to their health. Most opioid prescriptions are designed to be used for just a few days, but some people tend to extend the prescribed duration.

We need to understand that opioids are also narcotics and being such, it increases your chance of an overdose. That is why abusing this drug is always considered a medical emergency because it is extremely addictive and hard to stop.

Opioid abuse may lead to severe dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Other side effects include drowsiness, mental haze, vomiting, nausea, body pains, anxiety, diarrhea, overdose, and death.

It can also alter behavioral patterns and cognitive aptitude coupled with adverse physical symptoms that are difficult to manage. When the drug supply is depleted, users tend to seek alternatives.

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Addressing Opioid Addiction Through Marijuana

In the process of quitting drugs, individuals who are addicted to the substance oftentimes cannot stop outright. It is more helpful to start with reducing opioid dosage gradually.

Research shows that the use of medical marijuana is a promising option in countering opioid addiction. The medical society looks at opioid addiction as a form of illness that may be treated with cannabis.

RELATED: 5 Natural Remedies for Pain Relief

Medical marijuana is used in rehabilitation programs for opioid withdrawal symptoms. This method is often described as a harm reduction technique. The cannabis is used as a replacement for harsher drugs to reduce cravings and lessen the harmful or uncomfortable effects of withdrawal symptoms.

To put it simply, it is like replacing the opioid with another addictive drug but with less negative impact on the body.

Controversies Surrounding Medical Marijuana for Opioid Addiction Treatment

In 2014, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine highlighted a drop of 25% in opioid overdose death cases in U.S. states where medical marijuana is legalized.

Nevertheless, there are a lot of controversies surrounding this claim.

For starters, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved the use of medical marijuana for such cases. Stronger data are needed to support a large-scale study regarding its medical benefits. Momentarily, statistics may not be enough to prove it really works.

It is still illegal to get a prescription for medical marijuana since the drug is not yet federally approved, although some states have already legalized medical cannabis use.

In addition, legislators together with the medical societies have opposing opinions regarding the validity of a marijuana-based treatment. Others will agree that all drugs are the same. But for those experts whose argument is the efficiency of medical marijuana to combat opioid addiction, it is more important to reduce drug mortality and minimize the harmful effects since cannabis has no deadly dose.

In some states where marijuana is legalized, they can use this drug to treat a patient’s illness. Furthermore, a lot of doctors are looking at the great promise medical marijuana can contribute to the evolution of treating opioid addiction. As a matter of fact, some treatment centers are already doing further research on its effectivity.

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What is Cannabis-Based Rehabilitation?

This kind of treatment makes use of medical marijuana to treat or manage opioid addiction. Marijuana naturally contains cannabinoids, a mind-altering chemical that controls the reward system of the brain.

It is believed that medical marijuana is by far the best option to counter opioid addiction since it is much safer to use and is not lethal.

Contrary to what others may think, though, it doesn’t involve total replacement. Instead, marijuana will act as an adjunct to treatment, much like an exit drug. It is going to be used to detox the body from opioids by reducing – if not eliminating – the adverse cravings for other drugs.

Some studies indicate that during cannabis-based treatment, the patient feels more relaxed and no longer craves for opioids. In some cases where the patient experiences pain, taking medical marijuana relieves them of pain.

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Cannabis-Based Rehabilitation Program: Will It Work For You?

In truth, people who are addicted to opioids may not be able to quit even if they wanted to. Also, not all addicts can be treated through abstinence from the drug. Therefore, choosing the right treatment and rehabilitation program can be an ordeal.

If you’re considering a rehab program that makes use of medical marijuana, you need to consider the following factors:

• Cost. Some programs accept health insurance. But in cases where it is not applicable, treatment can be expensive. Try to find out if there are affordable schemes available, or if the insurance company allows medical marijuana treatment.
• Location. Especially for out-patients, accessibility is a must.
• Duration. A short-term treatment can last for 3 months while a long-term treatment will take at least 6 months.
• Living conditions. Most rehabs require you to share a room with another patient to promote a support system. However, some facilities allow you to occupy a room by yourself.
• Amenities. Some rehabs offer luxurious amenities in their package, but they may be quite expensive and may not be necessarily needed in your treatment.

In case you find an addiction treatment center that you’re interested in, ask the staff if they offer an option for cannabis-based rehabilitation. Make sure to ask for details about the program, the pros and cons of going through such a program, and expectations after the rehab process.

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About The Author

Nicola Yap is a content writer for Fight Addiction Now, an online support group offering resources, referrals, latest statistics, materials and other information pertaining to addiction and mental health issues.

The post How Treatment Centers Use Cannabis to Help Treat Opioid Addiction appeared first on Natural Revolution.

Taking dietary supplements have been shown to boost health and improve nutrition. As herbal supplements or botanicals are nothing new since plants have been associated with medical use for centuries, many believe botanicals are safe and effective to use.

But these benefits are just one side of the coin. Any herbal supplement that can produce a positive effect on your health will carry an inherent degree of risk.

Unlike other medications, herbal supplements aren’t as strictly regulated. In fact, herbal supplements do not require approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While good manufacturing practices are followed, herbal supplements are only investigated after problems have been reported.

It’s important to understand the potential benefits and side effects before taking them. If you’re leaning towards employing complementary medicine therapy to alleviate certain illnesses, exercise caution. Speak with your doctor before trying any new type of dietary medication.

Having professional guidance from a healthcare practitioner ensures you avoid any unexpected side effects.

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A brief history of herbal supplements

Despite being a growing medical field, herbal medication has a long tradition in the medical community. Fossil records indicate that herbal medicines, ginkgo biloba in particular, have been around since at least the Paleozoic period.

The ancient Egyptians were one of the first civilizations to document plant-based remedies. The Ebers Papyrus is acknowledged as one of the oldest known medical works regarding herbal medicines. It was compiled around 1550 BC and it contains 700 medical formulas and remedies meant to cure afflictions and illnesses.

Other ancient civilizations, from the Greeks to the Babylonians, were renowned herbalists. When colonists first reached the shores of the New World, Native Americans introduced medicinal plants and herbs indigenous to the Americas, such as Black Cohosh.

Since then, black cohosh has remained a popular medicinal aid, helping alleviate menopausal discomfort, among other uses.

Today, thanks to innovations in chemical analysis, medical science has contributed to the decline of herbal remedies. Regardless, herbal medicines have experienced a revival. Not only are many of today’s pharmaceutical drugs plant-based, but more and more physicians are revisiting traditional remedies to complement medical science.

The health benefits of herbal supplements

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 11% of the total 252 drugs on the essential medicine list is exclusively of plant origin. As the aim of herbal supplements is to treat underlying causes, they help to address nutritional deficiencies rather than mask or suppress symptoms.

Herbal supplements have long been documented for their ability to treat the underlying causes of diseases. Herbal supplements are most used to address persistent illnesses and major health concerns such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, digestive issues, and skin conditions.

Herbal medicines are also used as a preventative measure to promote general well-being and restore the body’s natural balance. Additional benefits of herbal supplements include:

• These are a cost-effective choice in treating diseases
• These are easier to obtain than pharmaceutical medications
• These have beneficial, healing properties
• These address more than one condition
• There are fewer side effects

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Understanding the risks

As previously mentioned, the FDA does not approve herbal medicines. In fact, herbal supplements are subjected to a different set of regulations. This means they cannot be designated as drugs or food, but rather as supplements.

If taken carelessly and without professional guidance, herbal supplements can have a devastating effect on your overall well-being. Taking several herbal supplements without the support of a healthcare practitioner can trigger complex chemical reactions in your body.

Herbal supplements will often come with many components that have several active reagents that could have dangerous side effects under the wrong conditions. Where herbs are harvested, processed, and packaged will also determine the chemical components of the supplement.

For example, a number of Asian herbal supplements have been found to have significant concentrations of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic. This can contribute to a substantial risk of heavy metal poisoning, among other complications.

Unwanted pharmaceutical and herbal interactions have also been noted. Possible adverse interactions are common when prescription medicines and herbal supplements are used together without medical supervision.

Even without being compounded by pharmaceutical medicine, certain herbal ingredients have been found to be harmful to the body.

Bitter orange, aristolochic acid, and kava are noted natural ingredients, yet carry adverse effects. Bitter orange is associated with causing high blood pressure. Aristolochic acid can cause renal failure and urothelial cancer. And kava has detrimental effects on the liver.

With a lack of strict monitoring or regulations available, consumers must remain educated on the products they buy. To certify the credibility and ingredients of natural supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor. They can confirm potential problems or risks, particularly if you are taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication.

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The essential supplements to take

With herbal medicines gaining popularity, many are turning to traditional dietary supplements to complement their health. If you’re looking for a dietary supplement to better manage your health, below is a list of the 10 most common herbal supplements with mild adverse side effects.

1. St. John’s Wort

A flowering shrub native to Europe, St. John’s wort is a flowering plant of the genus Hypericum.

A popular herbal therapy, St. John’s wort has long been associated with alleviating symptoms of depression. While it’s most known for its antidepressant activity, it is also linked with improving PMS and menopausal symptoms and relieving inflammation and skin irritation.

2. Echinacea

Originally found throughout the regions of North America, echinacea has become a popular herbal remedy for treating and preventing a variety of illnesses, most commonly the common cold and flu. Scientific research has indicated that echinacea has the potential to be used as a preventive medicine to treat respiratory infections and boost immune cell response.

3. Black Cohosh

Introduced to the colonists by the Native Americans, black cohosh is an effective natural remedy for treating several menopausal conditions. This shrub-like plant has been linked with effectively treating menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, menopausal discomfort, cramps, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

4. Ginseng

Known for its ability to improve mood and mental performance, ginseng has been used by Native American and Chinese herbalists for centuries. As a popular herbal medicine, ginseng has been used for centuries to treat a range of medical conditions. Scientifically, ginseng has been known to improve cognitive function, treat erectile dysfunction, and lower blood sugar.

5. Milk Thistle

A native plant in several regions, from southern Europe to South Australia, milk thistle has been historically used as a supplement to treat liver disorders such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, and gallbladder problems. The scientific community remains split on the use of milk thistle as a treatment option for liver diseases.

Commentary on milk thistle as a herbal supplement suggests more rigorous studies are needed.

6. Chamomile

Considered as one of the most ancient medicinal herbs, chamomile is commonly used to treat ailments such as insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, hay fever, and menstrual symptoms. In recent years, chamomile has been scientifically found to be a helpful supplement in positively treating diabetes and lowering blood sugar.

7. Green tea

A plant native to China and India, green tea possesses health benefits that have been well documented. Used as a medicinal herb for centuries, green tea is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants known to improve brain function, aid in fat loss, and lower the risk of certain types of cancer.

Green tea has also been known to improve dental health and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

8. Ginkgo Biloba

An ancient natural herb, ginkgo biloba has been found in fossil records dating back millions of years. As such, its effects on health have been well investigated. Numerous clinical studies have reported ginkgo biloba as an effective alternative medicine to treating impaired cerebral circulation, particularly in the elderly.

Ginkgo has also been used to treat other health disorders such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and depression. A word of caution, though: Ginkgo can enhance the risk of bleeding in patients on antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication.

9. Aloe vera

Often described as a “wonder plant,” aloe vera has been used for centuries for its numerous health properties. Today, aloe vera is widely used in cosmetics, food (approved as a flavoring by the FDA), and herbal remedies.

Rigorous scientific studies have found aloe vera to be beneficial in treating cavities, constipation, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and second-degree burns.

10. Ginger

Despite being known mainly as a culinary ingredient, ginger has been well established as an effective ingredient for medicinal purposes.

Scientific analysis has found ginger to treat many lifestyle-related health conditions. These conditions include, but are not limited to, nausea, inflammation, loss of appetite, and pain. As a dietary supplement, ginger has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties beneficial to our health.

A final word on supplements

By leveraging the power of nature with the logic of science, herbal dietary supplements can contribute to the betterment of your health. It’s important to remember though that dietary supplements are not miracle workers.

Herbal supplements should serve as complementary medicine due to their deregulatory nature and lack of strict monitoring. There are active ingredients in herbal supplements that are significantly potent. And while they are beneficial to your health, these can present adverse side effects.

Consulting with your doctor or a neuropathic health practitioner first will ensure you understand all the potential risks and benefits of taking herbal supplements.

AUTHOR BIO

Frank L. Jaksch Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of ChromaDex. He oversees research, strategy, and operations for the Company with a focus on scientific and novel products for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. Mr. Jaksch earned a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from Valparaiso University.

The post The Essential Guide to Herbal Dietary Supplements: What to Know Before You Buy appeared first on Natural Revolution.

If you're looking to purchase high-quality CBD oil online, there's such an assortment of retailers offering their products that it's hard to distinguish which CBD oil products are, in fact, the best CBD oils while not getting scammed in the process.

The difference between CBD oil from hemp and CBD oil from cannabis

CBD is CBD whether it's CBD oil from hemp, which is grown for industrial purposes, or CBD from cannabis which is grown for both CBD and THC. CBD is legal in all 50 states in the U.S., and this is because the THC content is below 0.3% which is allowable under the federal law. However, CBD oil from cannabis plants that contain quantities of THC above 0.3% makes it much more difficult to obtain high-quality CBD oil from reputable company's that truly care about the products they produce.

CBD hemp oil from the cold pressed seeds, which are great for food and is rich in nutritious such as omega 3's, vitamins, terpenes, chlorophyll, and phytocannabinoids, but keep in mind that hemp oil that is derived from its seeds do not have the medicinal properties that CBD from hemp or cannabis has from the leaves, flowers (buds) and stalks that are within the plant.

RELATED: Ultimate Guide to The Best Vaporizers for Cannabis

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a sub-species of cannabis typically found in the northern hemisphere, is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products.

CBD oil from hemp seed is used as food or are in hair and body products and don't get you high. CBD from hemp flowers, stems and stalks are used for medicinal purposes and don't get you high because of the very low content of THC. CBD from cannabis which is high in THC is also used medicinally and does get you high.

Third-party testing

It's extremely important when buying CBD oil from hemp or for CBD oil from cannabis that you reach out to the company where you're buying your CBD oil from to request a third-party testing results called a COA, or Certificate of Authenticity, which will reveal you the exact profile of all the constituents within the plant as well as the results from any contaminants.

The overall cost of this third-party testing could run into six figures in some cases. Clearly, only a company with high-grade CBD hemp oil will pay such a large sum to prove the validity of their sales pitch.

Organizations that pay for the tests will proudly display their Certificate of Verification on a page of their website. Obviously, do your research and make sure the third party lab is real and not some fictitious one made up to fool customers.

Third party labs test the cannabinoid profile of the oil along with potential contamination. Certificates will tell you the percentage of CBD found in the oil and whether there are any terpenes, pesticides, heavy metals or other microbiological contaminants.

If a company sells CBD oil and doesn't have a certificate of analysis either on their website that you can look at or one that you can request by phone or email, that's a glaring red flag telling you that this company is not one in which you should do business.

How to spot fake CBD oil from the real deal

Be on the lookout for companies that sell fake CBD oil when they make the claims that it treats a myriad of ailments and diseases. Indeed, CBD oil does treat many diseases and ailment, but companies who are on the up and up can't legally claim on the merchandise itself that it treats any disease.

Companies can, however, gather scientific information and place it in their website where they sell CBD oil to back up their claims, but only legitimate companies will have a disclaimer releasing them from any liability from making a medical claim.

The FDA has clear guidelines stating that no company that sells CBD oil can make any health claim about their product unless there is an FDA disclosure stating that their product does not treat, cure or prevent any disease. If they do, they are in violation of a law and are subject to criminal enforcement against them.

RELATED: PAX 3 - A True Dual-Use Vaporizer for Dry Herb and Extracts

The transparency of a company is necessary because the surest way to find out is to look for key features on their website that tell you whether they are fully FDA compliant, have real people working for the company and aren't just third party vendors and whether they have a real location as opposed to a virtual office, which many of the third party distributors of CBD oil use for their office, for the returns of the product and a call center.

The extraction process of CBD oils is also very important. Arguably the best extraction process is supercritical CO2 low-temperature high-pressure extraction. This has a very efficient way in which the manufacturer can gather the CBD oil in a liquid state with all the constituents from the plant.

Another way to spot a fake CBD oil is that some Distributors Market it as CBD hemp oil get don't disclose that the oil is from the seed. While the hemp seed oil is very nutritious and has minerals and vitamins in it when extracted, the amount of CBD (cannabidiol) is almost non-existent.

The best way to ensure that your CBD oil is being bought from a trusted source is to Simply send an email or make a phone call to the company and talk with a real live person who can answer any questions you may have.

It's also a good idea to read the reviews on the website and look for reviews that are substantial in numbers and have good reviews for the product. This is another way to weed out the real CBD oil from the fake.

The science behind CBD

The video below talks about the science of CBD from a doctor who's been studying it for decades, Asher Milgrom, PhD, from the American Medical Association of Regenerative Medicine.

There are three types of CBD oil

• Raw: This type of oil is black or dark green because once it has been extracted initially, no further processes are performed. Therefore, your oil will include terpenes and chlorophyll along with other elements of the plant.
• Decarboxylated: It is similar to raw CBD oil except it undergoes the ‘decarboxylation’ process. This is a heating process that improves the strength and effectiveness of the oil. It is unfiltered and often has the same dark green or black color as raw oil.
• Filtered: This is the CBD oil you should consume. This oil undergoes the decarboxylation and filtering processes and removes the parts of the plant left over from the initial extraction process.

Know where your CBD oil is sourced and how it's grown

You will notice that the vast majority of high-grade CBD hemp oil comes from Colorado or Denmark although there are other excellent locations to grow hemp. The most important factors include where the plant was grown, how it was grown and the species of cannabis; it could be indica, sativa, or ruderalis. The soil, climate and even the plants growing in the next farm all affect the quality of the product.

It is crucial to remember that cannabis is a ‘hyperaccumulator’, and this means that it absorbs contaminants from the soil. If you choose CBD taken from hemp grown for non-food conditions, you could be consuming toxic substances.

RELATED: THC vs CBD Infographic - Effects, Differences, and Similarities

Hemp that is grown in Denmark and Colorado source their herb from German-certified farms. Germany has one of the strictest regulatory systems in the world, and meeting its criteria is the gold standard of CBD oil growers

You should know that the vast majority of hemp that is grown is outside of the US and that all organic hemp grown in Europe adheres to European Union standards which are much more strict than in the United States.

Reasons for using CBD oil

Cannabis has been used for thousands of years treating an assortment of ailments and diseases, and it was in the Pharmacopeia Almanac with doctors prescribing it for decades until this miraculous herb was made illegal in the US. And, today it still rings true that cannabis/CBD oil helps ease many ills with scientific research backing these claims including:

• Depression
• Pain
• Anxiety
• Nauseousness
• Seizures
• Alzheimer's disease
• Charvet syndrome
• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Neurological disorders
• PTSD
• and many more

Tips for sourcing high-quality CBD oil

1. Because hemp pulls toxins from the ground you want to be sure that the supplier is growing hemp organically in low pollution environments.

2. ZERO heat extraction methods is crucial because heat kills nutrients and it's also an inexpensive way to extract CBD consequently many use this technique because it costs less money for them to produce. Look for a CO2 extraction method that maintains whole plant integrity. You want all the terpenes intact because the combination of all the nutrients in the plant work as intended - together! It's called the "entourage effect".

3. Avoid CBD isolates. Many products marketed are made from Isolates because it's cheaper to produce, and CBD isolates have been shown to be less effective and in some cases. You want a whole plant (full-spectrum) extract.

4. Be careful with companies who focus on the percentage of their CBD oil rather than actual CBD milligrams per dose or the total count of milligrams contained in the bottle. Because the quality of CBD is extremely important, a higher percentage of low-quality CBD will be less effective than a lower percentage of high-quality CBD. For example, a 10% extract that has been extracted with CO2 and processed without heat so it maintains a full cannabinoid and terpene profile is much better than a 50% extracted with butane and heated excessively so it has no more terpenes.

Although the FDA is cracking down on companies that sell low-quality oil, don't assume that a company with a professional looking website and a slick marketing campaign is the real deal. Instead, do your due diligence with information like we've outlined here, and make sure your CBD oil is filtered, grown in a pristine location, from a transparent company, tested by an independent third party verifiable with a COA, has exceptionally low levels of THC, and is full-spectrum.

We've searched through many online retailers selling full-spectrum, CO2 extracted CBD oil and we put together the top four that we highly recommend that give you everything you need when looking for high-quality CBD oil.

Verified CBD

Why we like Verified CBDRATING: 9.9 / 10 PROS: Manufactured in Florida, USACONS: No low-income assistance Dosage range: 500 mg - 1,500 mg 100% Organic No Fillers or Additives Certified Certificate of Analysis Full-Spectrum Environmental Health Compliant Supercritical CO2 Extraction Third-Party Lab Tested Price range: $43.95 - $129.95

Endoca

Why we like EndocaRATING: 9.6 / 10 PROS: Hardship Fund for Children CONS: No Discounts for Veterans Dosage range: 250 mg, - 3,000 mg Organic, GMO & Pesticide Free – ISO Certified GMP Certified Certified Certificate of Analysis Full Spectrum Third-Party Tested 100% organic MCT oil derived from coconuts Member of the National Hemp Association Price range: $31 - $249

The post How to Find High-Quality CBD Oil and Weed Out The Fakes appeared first on Natural Revolution.