One in four Americans aged 45 and older take statin drugs to lower cholesterol and supposedly "prevent heart disease."

That amounts to 32 million Americans or, as Peter Wehrwein pointed out in the Harvard Health Letter, the equivalent of the entire populations of Florida and Illinois combined.

If you're one of these millions, or if you're considering starting a statin prescription anytime soon, you should know that there are serious risks involved with taking these drugs, a fact that even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now acknowledging.

Evidence includes diaries, court records, medical books and literature, in which these two sleep cycles are referred to in such a way as to make it clear that it was common knowledge at the time. 

Following an internal meeting between the FDA's Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology and Office of New Drugs, the Agency announced it would be requiring additional warning labels for statin drugs. Among them are warnings that statins may increase the risk of:

• Liver damage
• Memory loss and confusion
• Type 2 diabetes
• Muscle weakness (for certain statins)

According to Dr. Amy Egan, the FDA's deputy director of safety in the division of metabolism drug products, the new warnings, particularly the one for memory loss, came as the result of anecdotal reports compiled over the past year. In short, with well over 30 million Americans now taking statin drugs, we're witnessing a massive ongoing 'live' experiment, and many are putting their health on the line for drugs that offer little in the way of heart protection. In fact, they may actually make your heart health worse.

Though the FDA has added new warnings to statin labels, they are continuing to sing their praises and still made sure to tell ABC News "We still think the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks." These warnings are long overdue, as the drugs are being prescribed to tens of millions of Americans who do not need them, and who are being kept largely in the dark about their potential risks. But they do not go far enough to adequately protect the public.

Ironically, while reducing your risk of cardiovascular events and heart disease is the primary motivation for prescribing statins, these drugs can actually increase your risk of heart disease because they deplete your body of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which can lead to heart failure. Statins lower your CoQ10 levels by blocking the pathway involved in cholesterol production -- the same pathway by which Q10 is produced. Statins also reduce the blood cholesterol that transports CoQ10 and other fat-soluble antioxidants.

The loss of CoQ10 leads to loss of cell energy and increased free radicals which, in turn, can further damage your mitochondrial DNA, effectively setting into motion a health-destroying circle of increasing free radicals and mitochondrial damage.

There are no official warnings in the United States regarding CoQ10 depletion from taking statin drugs, and many physicians fail to inform you about this problem as well. Labeling in Canada, however, clearly warns of CoQ10 depletion and even notes that this nutrient deficiency "could lead to impaired cardiac function in patients with borderline congestive heart failure."

As your body gets more and more depleted of CoQ10, you may suffer from fatigue, muscle weakness and soreness, and eventually heart failure, so it is imperative if you take statin drugs that you take CoQ10 or, if you are over the age of 40, or subject to excessive oxidative stress, the reduced version called ubiquinol. A simple warning as such could save countless numbers of people from this potentially deadly risk … but the FDA has stayed mum.

Statins appear to provoke serious risks of chronic disease, including diabetes, through a few different mechanisms. One primary mechanism is by increasing your insulin levels, which can be extremely harmful to your health. Chronically elevated insulin levels cause inflammation in your body, which is the hallmark of most chronic disease. In fact, elevated insulin levels lead to heart disease, which, ironically, is the primary reason for taking a statin drug in the first place!

It can also promote belly fat, high blood pressure, heart attacks, chronic fatigue, thyroid disruption, and diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

Statins also increase your diabetes risk by raising your blood sugar. When you eat a meal that contains starches and sugar, some of the excess sugar goes to your liver, which then stores it away as cholesterol and triglycerides. Statins work by preventing your liver from making cholesterol. As a result, your liver returns the sugar to your bloodstream, which raises your blood sugar levels.

These drugs also rob your body of certain valuable nutrients, which can also impact your blood sugar levels. Two nutrients in particular, vitamin D and CoQ10, are both needed to maintain ideal blood glucose levels.

A recent meta-analysis confirmed that statin drugs are indeed associated with increased risk of developing diabetes.

The researchers evaluated five different clinical trials that together examined more than 32,000 people. They found that the higher the dosage of statin drugs being taken, the greater the diabetes risk. The "number needed to harm" for intensive-dose statin therapy was 498 for new-onset diabetes -- that's the number of people who need to take the drug in order for one person to develop diabetes. In other words, one out of every 498 people who are on a high-dose statin regimen will develop diabetes. If you factor in all 32 million people taking statins, that's over 64,000 cases of diabetes!

The FDA's new warning labels may open some people's eyes to a couple of new statin risks … but what about all the rest of them? Consumer health groups like Natural Society have pointed out that hundreds of adverse health effects have been linked to the drugs, and patients are largely kept in the dark about these risks. As noted in a Natural Society press release:

"Fundamentally, the research indicates that statin drugs damage the muscles and nerves in the body. There are well over 100 studies demonstrating the myotoxic, or muscle-harming effects of these drugs, and over 80 demonstrating the nerve-damaging effects. Since the heart is such a vital muscle innervated by a complex network of nerves, many healthcare providers now seriously question whether the unintended, unwanted side effects of statins are worse than the purported "cardiovascular" benefits they provide. Therefore, these peer reviewed research studies may also explain why rates of heart failure may be increasing in the general population who are given these drugs.

While the discovery that statin drugs, instead of preventing heart disease likely contributes to it, might be surprising, it should not distract from the more disturbing discovery that they contribute to over 300 disease and/or adverse health effects."

That's right -- statin drugs have been directly linked to over 300 side effects, which include:

• Cognitive loss 
• Neuropathy
• Anemia 
• Acidosis
• Sexual dysfunction
• Immune system suppression
• Frequent fevers 
• An increase in cancer risk
• Muscle problems
• Polyneuropathy (nerve damage in the hands and feet), and rhabdomyolysis, a serious degenerative muscle tissue condition
• Cataracts
• Pancreatic dysfunction
• Hepatic dysfunction. (Due to the potential increase in liver enzymes, patients must be monitored for normal liver function)

The answer is, probably not. I've long stated that the odds are very high -- greater than 100 to 1 -- that if you're taking a statin, you may not even need it. To understand why you probably don't need a statin drug, you first need to realize that cholesterol is NOT the cause of heart disease. If your physician is urging you to check your total cholesterol, know that this test will tell you virtually nothing about your risk of heart disease, unless it is 330 or higher. HDL percentage is a far more potent indicator for heart disease risk.

Here are the two ratios you should pay attention to:

• HDL/Total Cholesterol Ratio: Should ideally be above 24 percent. If below 10 percent, you have a significantly elevated risk for heart disease.
• Triglyceride/HDL Ratio: Should be below 2.

Your body NEEDS cholesterol -- it is important in the production of cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help you to digest fat. Cholesterol also helps your brain form memories and is vital to your neurological function. For more information about cholesterol, and why conventional advice to reduce your cholesterol to ridiculously low levels is foolhardy, please listen to this interview with Dr. Stephanie Seneff.

Oftentimes statins do not have any immediate side effects, and they are quite effective, capable of lowering cholesterol levels by 50 points or more. This makes it appear as though they're benefiting your health, and health problems that develop later on are frequently misinterpreted as brand new, separate health problems.

But make no mistake about it, statin drugs are some of the most side-effect-ridden medications on the market, and they frequently cause more harm than good. If you are interested in optimizing your cholesterol levels (which doesn't necessarily mean lowering them), there are natural strategies available for doing so.

• Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, grains and sugars in your diet, replacing them with mostly whole, fresh vegetable carbs. Also try to consume a good portion of your food raw.
• Make sure you are getting enough high quality, animal-based omega 3 fats.
• Other heart-healthy foods include olive oil, coconut and coconut oil, organic raw dairy products and eggs, avocados, raw nuts and seeds, and organic grass-fed meats as appropriate for your nutritional type.
• Exercise daily, especially with Peak Fitness exercises.
• Avoid smoking or drinking alcohol excessively.
• Be sure to get plenty of good, restorative sleep.

www.mercola.com

Always consult your doctor before starting a new workout routine. This is a similar routine that I take my bootcamp classes through. Make sure you grab some great music to set behind you! Alternating upper body and lower body and cardio. Make sure to modify any exercise to your own abilities. 

Squats 1 Minute. 

Bicep Curls 1 Minute. 

Jumping Jacks 30 seconds. 

Push Ups 30 seconds. 

Lunges 1 minute right side, then 1 minute left side. 

Tricep Press 1 minute. 

Burpees 1 minute. 

At this point, you can take a break for 2 minutes, or go for it, and repeat Round One again. 

Jumping Jacks 30 Seconds. 

Scorpion Push Ups 30 Seconds. 

Jumping Jacks 30 Seconds. 

Dive Push Ups 30 Seconds. 

Jumping Jacks 30 Seconds 

Tricep Press Push Ups 30 Seconds. 

You can Take a 2 minute break, or start the next round. But, you should drink 3 to 6 ounces of water every 15 minutes during exercise. 

Wall Sits 30 Seconds to 1 Minute 

Planks 30 seconds to 1 Minute 

Handstand 30 seconds to 1 minute 

Jumping squats 1 minute 

Rest, and now, repeat the whole thing! Have a blast!

For more core workouts go to: http://www.coreworkoutroutines.com 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons chile powder, preferably New Mexico chile, or Hungarian paprika
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken

1. Combine chile powder (or paprika) and oil in a small bowl with lime zest and juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and cinnamon to form a wet paste.
2. Using kitchen shears, cut the chicken down one side of the backbone, through the ribs. Make an identical cut on the opposite side to remove the backbone completely; discard (or reserve it for stock). Place the chicken cut-side down and flatten with the heel of your hand. Generously smear the spice rub under and over the skin and on the interior of the bird. Place in a nonreactive baking dish (see Tip). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
3. Preheat half the grill to medium-high (or build a medium-high heat fire on one side of a charcoal grill); leave the other half unheated. Have a squirt bottle of water ready by the grill.
4. Leave all the spice rub on the chicken. Place the chicken skin-side down over the heat and grill until the skin begins to color and char marks form, about 5 minutes. (Extinguish any flare-ups with the squirt bottle.) Flip over and grill 5 minutes more. Move the chicken to the unheated side. Close the lid and cook, making sure the chicken is flat against the grate, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pounds bone-in pork shoulder 
• 2 cups diced white onion
• 4 poblano peppers, diced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 3 cups diced seeded tomatoes (fresh or canned)
• 1 cup tequila, preferably Reposado 
• 2 12-ounce bottles dark Mexican beer, such as Negro Modelo
• 20 corn tortillas, warmed (see Tip)

1. Trim enough fat from pork to yield about 1/3 cup diced (discard the rest). Cut pork into 1-inch cubes.
2. Heat a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat and add the pork fat. Cook, stirring, until there is a thin layer of fat covering the bottom and the bits left in the pot are brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add onion, poblanos, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the pork and cook, stirring frequently, until enough liquid has been released to almost cover the pork and vegetables, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to maintain a lively simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a thick paste, about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in tomatoes, return to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add tequila and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and a thick sauce coats the meat, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the beer and return to a lively simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated, scraping up any browned bits near the end of the cooking time, 30 to 45 minutes more. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the carnitas to a serving platter and let guests assemble their own tacos with warm tortillas and taco garnishes as desired.

Of all the foods capable of inflicting damage in your body, sugar is one of the most damaging of all.  Sugar, and the type of sugar known as fructose, in particular, is an extremely potent pro-inflammatory agent that creates advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and speeds up the aging process. 

Sugar also increases your insulin and leptin levels and decreases receptor sensitivity for both of these vital hormones, and this is another major factor of premature aging and age-related chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, as well as a leading cause of the climbing rates of overweight and obesity in developed countries.

That sugar is bad for your health is probably old news to you by now, but what may surprise you is just how much sugar is lurking in foods that are often passed off as "healthy."

Many supposedly "good for you" foods have more sugar than a Twinkie!

The Huffington Post recently outed several foods that are so high in sugar, you may as well be eating a candy bar. 

All of these also have more sugar than a Twinkie …

• Yogurt: Most commercial yogurt is loaded with sugar – as in, over 30 grams for 6 ounces! This, along with the fact that commercial yogurt is pasteurized (and some also contains artificial colors and flavors), is why you should walk right on by the yogurt section at your supermarket. Watch out, too, for "light" yogurt brands that boast less sugar due to toxic artificial sweeteners.

On the other hand, yogurt that is made from raw organic milk, and which you eat either plain or only minimally sweetened with some berries or liquid stevia, is a true health food. This is something you can easily do at home and use the healthiest raw ingredients, including organic grass-fed raw milk as the starter. 

• Tomato Sauce: A cup of tomato sauce can add up to over 20 grams of sugar, and considering that most people eat that tomato sauce on top of pasta, another carb source, this could send you into sugar overload. Watch out, specifically, for brands that contain added sweeteners. Tomato sauce is a far better choice than a candy bar, but, ideally, make your own sauce at home, and serve it over shredded spaghetti squash instead of noodles.
• Granola Bars: Sugar is often one of the top ingredients in granola bars, and, in fact, most are not much different than a candy bar, nutritionally speaking. Even the granola is simply another form of "hidden sugar" that most people eat far too much of. Remember, sugar and dietary carbohydrates (including grains like granola, which break down into sugar) lead to excess body fat, obesity and related health issues. No amount of exercise can compensate for this damage because if you eat a lot of sugar, it could be "reprogramming" your body to become fat.
• Fat-Free Salad Dressing: When manufacturers take the fat out of a food, sugar is often added back in as a replacement. Fat-free French or Thousand Island dressings can contain over 40 grams of sugar as a result, turning a would-be healthy salad into something more resembling a dessert. Don't be fooled by the "fat-free" label -- it's the carbs that are the culprit in weight gain and chronic disease.
• Muffins: The high amount of carbs in most muffins will profoundly interfere with your leptin and insulin levels, and that is true even if it's a "healthy" muffin, like a bran muffin. Of course, in order to make a bran muffin palatable, it probably contains quite a bit of added sugar, on top of the grains it's made with. Many muffins are also jumbo-sized, easily packing over 30 grams of sugar, or more.
• Canned Fruit: Fruit in and of itself can be problematic if eaten in excess, as it's a source of naturally occurring fructose. But many canned fruits are also packed in sugary syrup, loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Just one cup of canned peaches or pears can contain over 30 grams of sugar. You're far better off with a fresh piece of fruit instead, but use moderation. I recommend restricting your consumption of fructose to no more than 25 grams per day, with a maximum of 15 grams a day from fresh fruit. If you're already overweight, or have cancer, heart disease or diabetes (or are at high risk of them), then you're probably better off cutting that down to 10-15 grams per day -- fruit included.                                                                                  

www.mercola.com

Organic Vegetables
___celery
___carrots
___red leaf lettuce
___green leaf lettuce
___romaine lettuce
___organic salad mix
___tomatoes
___avocados
___garlic
___kale
___chard
___spinach
___beets
___leeks
___yellow/white onion
___red onion
___green onion
___red cabbage
___yams
___broccoli
___cauliflower
___cabbage (red or green)
___ginger
___zucchini
___squash

Organic Fruit
___bananas
___apples
___pears
___oranges
___lemon
___nectarine
___organic blueberries
___organic raspberries

___organic strawberries
___organic grapes
___pineapple
___peaches
___honeydew melon
___cantaloupe
___plums

Nut Milks
___almond milk
___hemp milk
___rice milk
___coconut milk
___coconut water

Canned or Carton Foods
___kidney/navy beans
___chickpeas
___tomato puree
___chopped tomatoes
___org. vegetable stock
___org. chicken stock 

Raw Nuts – not roasted or salted
___almonds
___sunflower seeds
___cashews
___walnuts
___pecans
___hazelnuts
___macadamia nuts

Dried Fruits (unsulphured)
___organic raisins
___dried organic figs
___dried organic prunes
___dried cranberry (w/o sugar or oil)
___dried organic cherry
___org. shredded coconut

Eggs 
___organic eggs

Dairy (optional)
___organic butter
___org. heavy cream
___raw cheddar cheese

Flours
___almond flour
___coconut flour

Meat, Poultry & Fish
___fresh fish
___frozen fish
___chicken legs/thighs
___whole chicken
___chicken breasts
___ground turkey
___organic grass fed ground beef
___organic grass fed stew beef
___organic grass fed chuck roast
___organic grass fed flank steak
___organic grass fed rib-eye
___organic grass fed filet mignon
___organic ground pork
___organic pork shoulder/butt
___imported lamb
___bison/buffalo
___venison
___shrimp
___sea scallops

Grains
___organic oats
___organic quinoa

Nut Butters & Honey
___raw almond butter
___Tahini

Oils
___virgin coconut oil
___virgin olive oil
___grapeseed oil

Sweeteners
___Stevia
___raw honey
___pure maple syrup

Sauces, & Condiments
___red wine vinegar
___Balsamic vinegar
___Tamari (gluten-free “soy” sauce)
___Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
___organic mayonnaise
___Dijon mustard
___chili sauce/salsa

Frozen Fruit
___organic blueberries
___organic mixed berries
___organic peaches
___pineapple tidbits

Herbs, Spices, Powders & Extract
___vanilla extract
___sea sat
___cayenne pepper
___red pepper flakes
___cracked pepper
___Italian spice
___cumin
___cinnamon
___vanilla extract
___curry powder
___marjoram
___parsley, dried
___thyme, dried
___dill, dried
___oregano, dried
___basil, dried
___bay leaf
___anise seed
___fennel seed

Miscellaneous
___unsweetened cocoa
___raw cacao powder
___raw cacao nibs

HEALTH TIP: Whenever walking into a whole food store, first stop at juice bar and order 1-2 oz. of wheatgrass juice and/or a “green” vegetable juice drink; drink (wheatgrass juice first) as you shop in the store.

THE EGG AND CHOLESTEROL MYTH:
Fresh organic free-range eggs are a great source of many valuable natural nutrients including protein, and cholesterol, which is an essential building block for the body.

Eating eggs does not elevate one’s cholesterol (not to mention that cholesterol does NOT cause atherosclerosis or clogging of the arteries – that is also a myth). Also, egg yolks contain biotin which the liver uses to metabolize cholesterol in the production of many critical hormones. Eat eggs, and eat them often.

NON-STICK COOKWARE IS TOXIC
Non-stick cookware leaches dangerous cancer-causing chemicals such as Teflon into your food – STOP USING NON-STICK! Use heavy duty stainless cookware. 

Shopping Tip: Looking for decent stainless steel cookware?  I’ve bought great skillets, sauce pans and stockpots at Marshall’s, TJ Maxx or Ross. You may not find a full set, but you can pick up a random piece of quality heavy stainless cookware for much less than at stores such as Macy’s or Williams Sonoma.

Use This Superfood to Help Remove Mercury From Your Tissues in Weeks  

Have you noticed that practically every day a new story comes out in the media about the toxic side effects of living in the modern world? 

Chemical and heavy metal dangers seem to be lurking everywhere you turn in the 21st century!

Pesticides coat much of our fresh food supply, chemical by-products from manufacturing are routinely dumped into our air and water, and mercury amalgam fillings in your teeth may be releasing mercury into your body with every bite of food you take!

The seafood in our oceans are laden with heavy metals and mercury and pass these poisons up the food chain until potentially massive doses of both wind up on your dinner plate disguised as a healthy meal.

Underground water supplies have been tainted by chemical and pesticide run off from farms, factories and high technology industries. 

In fact, acceptable levels of many poisons are allowed to come into your home through your drinking and bathing water, including fluoride, chlorine and low levels of many heavy metals.

It doesn't take much imagination to see that your body too is under attack from environmental pollution every single day. 

You can seek to protect yourself and combat this hazard by eating foods that are free of pesticides and chemicals, but you simply cannot entirely remove all sources of toxins from your environment. The damage to our world is just too widespread and pervasive. You have to take it upon yourself to take measures to protect yourself and your family from this toxic world, and one of the best natural sources for moving these toxic materials out of your body is a whole-food based, green algae called chlorella.

HOW CAN YOU FIGHT SYSTEMIC POLLUTION?

To address the harmful and unwanted chemicals your body picks up through the food you eat, the air you breathe, and the water you drink, it is wise to develop a proactive plan. One of the most powerful parts of this plan is detoxification of the toxins you may have already built up inside your body.

Your body is naturally able to remove many of the harmful pathogens, chemicals and poisons you may come into contact with in the environment. That's how we are all designed. 

But in the 21st century, we're seeing an explosion of accumulated toxin-related diseases like cancer, auto-immune dysfunction, brain disorders like autism, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, nerve disorders and more common ailments like depression, learning disabilities and fatigue. It can become relatively easy to overwhelm your body's ability to remove many of these toxins. Symptoms of toxic build-up due to chronic metal exposure include:

• Fatigue
• Digestive distress, and reduced ability to properly assimilate and utilize fats
• Aching joints
• Depression
• Impaired blood sugar regulation
• Female reproductive problems

Mercury is also a potent toxin in its own right that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys, and is especially dangerous for children, fetuses, pregnant and nursing women and people who have high levels of mercury bioburden. So it clearly pays dividends to detoxify your body of the accumulated toxins built up, to get yourself to a healthier state where your body can more effectively remove the toxins you're exposed to every day.

INFRARED SAUNA

There are ten to 100 times more toxins in your fat than in your blood, so one of the best ways to remove toxins is to decrease your body fat. That really is your first defense. Choosing the right foods and exercise are key here. After that, one of the most effective detoxification strategies I know of is the use of an infrared sauna. This can be done for about one hour daily for a month. Remember, it's important to hydrate well before and during the sauna treatment to avoid dehydration.

Additionally, you can exercise for 30-60 minutes immediately prior to help liberate some of the toxins from your fat.

Some clinicians have also found the use of NON timed release niacin useful, as it helps liberate toxins from the fat. However, relatively high doses of 5,000 mg are needed. These high doses need to be slowly worked up to as niacin will cause flushing. However, about one fourth of people are simply unable to tolerate the niacin flush. Please avoid timed release niacin as it can potentially lead to chemical hepatitis.

CHLORELLA AS A POWERFUL DETOXIFICATION TOOL

One of the most exciting nutritional resources available today to help your body naturally fight environmental pollution is a whole-food based supplement called chlorella. Chlorella is actually one of the most widely used supplements in Japan, where over 10 million people use it regularly. The Japanese use of chlorella is more widespread than the North American use of vitamin C, our most popular supplement.

Do the Japanese know something we don't?

One of the reasons the Japanese value chlorella so highly is its natural detoxification abilities. Chlorella is a "green food," a single-celled, micro-algae that is about two to ten microns in size. It's very small. It is this small size combined with its unique properties that make it such a useful detoxification tool. Its molecular structure, allows it to bond to metals, chemicals and some pesticides.

When chlorella is taken into your body, its natural action will bind it to lingering heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides found in your digestive tract, which is your body's pathway to your bloodstream where these harmful toxins are delivered and deposited into your body's cells.

So chlorella first and foremost will help your body eliminate unwanted metals and toxins. But it does more than that.

Chlorella is uniquely designed to not bind to the minerals your body naturally needs to function optimally. It does not bind to beneficial minerals like calcium, magnesium, or zinc. It's almost as if chlorella knows which metals belong in your body and which chemicals need to be removed. Supplementing with chlorella is like unleashing a tiny army inside your body to fight the battle of removing toxins from your tissues and ushering them back outside your body where they belong.

Studies in Japan have shown chlorella may help reduce body fat percentage and may be useful in fighting obesity and weight related diabetes. It may also help reduce both cholesterol and hypertension. Chlorella's cleansing action on your bowel and other elimination channels, as well as its protection of your liver, also helps promote clean blood. And clean blood helps assure metabolic waste get efficiently carried away from your tissues.

Chlorella is such a powerful detoxifier because it is rich in chlorophyll, which is known to:

• Aid you in processing more oxygen
• Cleanse key elimination systems like your bowel, liver, and blood
• Help purify your blood and clean away toxins
• Aid you in promoting optimal blood pressure
• Support elimination of molds in your body
• Help neutralize bad air you might breathe in
• Promote growth and repair of your tissues
• Chlorella is actually very useful even beyond detoxification, and its range of health benefits includes:
• Boosting your immune system
• Improving your digestion, especially if constipation is a problem
• Providing B vitamins from an animal source
• Enhancing your ability to focus and concentrate
• Increasing your energy levels
• Balancing your body's pH
• Normalizing your blood sugar and blood pressure
• Reducing your cancer risk
• Freshening your breath

A three-year double-blind metal detoxification study with over 350 people participating was undertaken at a Russian metal foundry, where more than 20 natural compounds were used in trials to remove heavy metals from people who had been exposed at very high levels to four main metals -- antimony, lead, cadmium and arsenic.

What were the results of testing chlorella as a heavy metal detoxification agent? The Russian trial using Broken Cell Wall chlorella combined with cilantro eliminated ALL heavy metals, including mercury! With no reported side-effects! In fact, the heavy metal binding power of chlorella was first discovered in the mining industry. Mixed with water, they pumped chlorella into mine shafts to collect the residual metals after bulk mining was completed.

TOO MUCH IRON?

One other thing to be aware of when using chlorella is that this green algae does contain large concentrations of iron. Iron levels in women should not be a problem due to the loss of iron related to the menstrual cycle, but for men, or postmenopausal women, excessive iron can become a problem.

So for men using chlorella, you want to have your blood iron levels checked regularly to ensure the iron in your blood is staying within healthy levels. The simple best screen is ferritin. Ideally it should be between 20 and 80 ng/ml. Levels over 150 or higher become problematic and should be treated by blood donations or therapeutic phlebotomies.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON CHLORELLA

Sometimes living in the modern world can feel like you're at war with the environment around you, and sources of pollution are often silent and unavoidable. You can do your best to avoid pollution and toxins, eat only the healthiest organic foods, drink only filtered water, avoid exposure to harsh man-made chemicals, and yet still find yourself exposed daily to massive amounts of harmful pollutants that are totally outside of your control.

Maintaining optimum wellness includes creating defensive mechanisms to fight back against these pervasive and unavoidable environmental assaults on your good health. 

By implementing a detoxification program now you can help your body naturally remove the unwanted and harmful heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides you may unknowingly taken into your body. And lessening your toxic burden has been shown to improve many common health ailments, from lack of energy and insomnia, to sluggish digestion, lack of immune response and mental fatigue. 

In fact, almost everything inside your body, including all of your organs, function better with reduced loads of systemic toxins.

And by removing the toxins now and not letting them accumulate to dangerous levels, you may be helping your body ward of such killers as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension, along with all of the now too common neurological disorders that may not manifest for decades to come.

Just remember to start slowly, perhaps using cilantro first, and gradually increase your intake of chlorella at a pace your body can tolerate. 

It took a long time for your body to accumulate these toxins and it will probably take you many weeks and even months to effectively remove them from your system. So if you experience any indigestion or discomfort from chlorella supplements, you're probably taking too much too fast.

It will be crucial to lower your body fat as low as possible as this will remove large amounts of toxins from your body that are stored there. You can also use the infrared sauna in conjunction with exercise and niacin as described above.

Be patient, stick with chlorella supplementation, and in a few weeks you'll most likely begin to notice an overall improvement in your health as you naturally start to remove these heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides from your body.