Beware of your cosmetics !

Do you use every day the same cosmetics and skin products like moisturizing cream, anti wrinkle cream, foundation, mascara, lipstick, sunscreen, tanning cream, shaving gel, hairstyling gel? If so, maybe it would worth a shot to take a look of what’s inside your bottles and search for these ingredients :

• PROPYLPARABEN
• METHYLPARABEN
• BUTYLPARABEN
• ETHYLPARABEN
• PROPYL P-HYDROXYBENZOATE
• BENZOIC ACID
• 4-HYDROXY- PROPYL ESTER
• SODIUM 4 – PROPOXYCARBONYLPHENOXIDE
• PARAHYDROXYBENZOATE

If you find any of these in your products, I strongly suggest you to start looking for a new cosmetic brand, because paraben has been shown to be harmful to your health.

What are these parabens?

They are chemicals used as preservatives in personal care products. You could even find some in your toothpaste ! The efficacy as preservatives combined with the cheap production cost makes them an ideal choice for cosmetics companies that don’t care much about your health.

Why should we be worried ?

Parabens can pass through your skin without alerting your body, therefore the hydrolase enzyme called esterase cannot seperate the molecule to excrete it. It has been shown that this toxin has estrogen properties. In fact, it acts like estrogen in your body and can attack your genes. (1) They also inhibit sulfotransferase enzymes that are essential for phase II detoxification in your liver. (1) They actually make you worse at detoxifying toxins like parabens ! It has also been shown that parabens reduce testosterone in males and can activate genes responsible for prostate cancer. (2) As for females, studies show that parabens activates breat cancer genes. (3)(4) A recent study has observed in breast cancer patients different tissue samples and they found one paraben ester in 99% of them and at least 5 parabens in 60% of the samples. (6) This study confirms potentially the genotoxic activity of these toxins.

We should ask us serious questions concerning companies that use parabens in their sunscreen products since studies show a strong synergy between UV waves and parabens leading to an accelerated skin aging, cells destruction, genetic damage and oxidative stress ! (5)

The solution ?

Some companies care for our health and therefore make organic products without any form of paraben.

Here’s a few of them :

• Eminence
• Organic Skin Care Online
• Lavera
• Miessence
• Kibio
• Weleda

Use these kind of companies if you want to improve your health. Good shopping !

References
1- Philippa D. Darbre, Philip W. Harvey. Paraben esters: review of recent studies of endocrine toxicity, absorption, esterase and human exposure, and discussion of potential human health risks. Journal of Applied Toxicology Volume 28, Issue 5, pages 561–578, July 2008.
2- S. Oishi. Effects of propyl paraben on the male reproductive system. Food and Chemical Toxicology Volume 40, Issue 12, December 2002, Pages 1807-1813.
3- Darbre PD: Environmental oestrogens, cosmetics and breast cancer. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006, 20:121-143
4- Govindaraj Shanmugam, Babu Rajendran Ramaswamy, et al. GC–MS method for the determination of paraben preservatives in the human breast cancerous tissue. Microchemical Journal Volume 96, Issue 2, November 2010, Pages 391-396.
5- Osamu Handa, Satoko Adachi, Tomohisa Takagi et al. (3 October 2006). “Methylparaben potentiates UV-induced damage of skin keratinocytes”. Toxicology 227 (1-2): 62–72.
6- Philippa D Darbre. Underarm antiperspirants/deodorants and breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research 2009, 11(Suppl 3)

Vincent Paradis
JFT International

10 good reasons why you should take vitamin D !

Plenty of studies have been recently done on vitamin D and we keep discovering new benefits of it every single year. This is not surprising since every human cell has a vitamin D receptor, which means that vitamin D may have an impact on every disease known to men. This is mainly the reason why experts consider it as one of the most important supplement to take. Best sources of vitamin D come from the sun and wild salmon.

Here are 10 reasons why you should take vitamin D :

1. Reduction of the mortality risk: A 2008 study found that a vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of death by 26% compared to people with optimal vitamin D levels ! (1) This may be due to the fact that vitamin D can induce apoptosis therefore reducing the potential for the malignant cells to survive. (4)

2. Reduction of osteroporosis and bone fracture: It has been shown that a vitamin D and calcium supplementation decreased the risk of hip fracture up to 43%. Risk for osteoporosis increases when there is a vitamin D deficiency as it causes mineral loss in the bones like calcium. Without vitamin D, you can only absorb up to 10 to 15% of calcium.(2-4)

3. Decreased cancer risk: Studies have shown that vitamin D levels (25-OH) under 20 ng/ml has been associated with an increase of colon, prostate and breast cancer by 30 to 50% and an increased mortality rate in these cases. Vitamin D controls over 400 genes responsible for apoptosis among other things (permits the auto-destruction of cancer cells). (4-5)

4. Helps the immune system: Vitamin D is an immune system messenger. When the vitamin D levels go under 20 ng/ml, the monocytes cannot elicit an immune response. This could be the reason why black americans, which are more proned to be vitamin D deficient because of skin color, might me more susceptible to contract a tuberculosis than white americans. (4)

5. Decreased Hypertension risk: It has been shown that living at high altitude increases the risk of developing hypertension and heart diseases. This is due to the fact that we produce less vitamin D at high altitude. In a study of patients with hypertension who were exposed to ultraviolet radiations three times a week for 3 months, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increased by approximately 180% and blood pressure became normal. (4-6)

6. Decreased asthma symptoms: Asthma is a chronic disease from which the primary cause is still unknown nowadays, but we know that it is a myriad of complex interactions involving many genes and environmental factors. It has been shown that vitamin D promotes the regulatory T cells which plays a major role in the immune response. They also permit the inhibition of T-helper-2 immune responses which are often responsible for many allergic diseases and asthma. (7-8)

7. Decreased multiple sclerosis risk: Studies show that among white men and women, for every 20 ng/ml of 25-(OH) D above 24 ng/ml, there is a 41% reduction of multiple sclerosis risk. (4)

8. Prevent muscle mass and strength loss: It has been demonstrated that low levels of vitamin D, which increases parathyroid hormone secretion would have a direct impact on raising the levels of cytokines IL-6. Studies have shown that elevated levels of cytokines IL-6 is linked to muscle mass and strength loss. That may be due to the fact that vitamin D prevents sarcopenia which is a degenerative loss of strength and skeletal muscle mass associated with aging. (10)

9. Prevents insulin resistance and diabete type 1: A vitamin D deficiency reduces the insulin production, causes an insulin resistance and is directly linked to diabete.  In a study with 10 366 children in Finland, it has been demonstrated that after taking 2 000 IU of vitamin D3 daily for their first year of life, there was a reduction of 80% in the development of diabete type 1. Another study showed that vitamin D supplementation combined with calcium in women have reduced the risk for diabete type 2 by 33%. (4-9)

10. The majority of the population in North America is vitamin D deficient: Studies shows that 90% of pigmented people (Blacks, Asians, Hispanics) and 75% of white people have insufficient levels of vitamin D in North America. (11) Insufficient levels means below 30 ng/ml. According to the world experts, around 98% of the population do not have optimal levels of vitamin D in their blood.

 

To get your vitamin D to optimal levels, I recommend you to take at least 5 000 IU daily of vitamin D3. I suggest you D3 Excellence by Charles Poliquin which is an excellent quality product that I use extensively. Come get your vitamin D3 supplement today at JFT International !

Don’t forget to go out this summer and get some sun !

References

1. Harald Dobnig, MD; Stefan Pilz, MD; et al. Independent Association of Low Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Levels With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(12):1340-1349.

2. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Dietrich T, Dawson-Hughes B. Estimation of optimal serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D for multiple health outcomes. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:18-28. [Erratum, Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:1253.]

4. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(3):266-81.

5. Garland CF, Garland FC, Gorham ED; et al. The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention. Am J Public Health. 2006;96(2):252-261.

6. Forman JP, Giovannucci E, Holmes MD; et al. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of incident hypertension. Hypertension. 2007;49(5):1063-1069.

7. Nancy E Lange, MD, MPH, Augusto Litonjua, MD, MPH; et al. Vitamin D, the immune system and asthma. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2009 November; 5(6): 693–702. [PubMed]

8. Hawrylowicz CM, O’Garra A. Potential role of interleukin-10-secreting regulatory T cells in allergy and asthma. Nat. Rev. Immunol. 2005;5(4):271–283. [PubMed]

9. Hypponen E, Laara E, Reunanen A, Jarvelin M-R, Virtanen SM. Intake of vitamin D and risk of type 1 diabetes: a birth- cohort study. Lancet 2001;358:1500-3

10. Marjolein Visser, Dorly J. H. Deeg, and Paul Lips. Low Vitamin D and High Parathyroid Hormone Levels as Determinants of Loss of Muscle Strength and Muscle Mass (Sarcopenia): The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism December 1, 2003 vol. 88 no. 12

11. Journal Clinical Endrocrinal metabolism 2010, 95(2), 471

Vincent Paradis
JFT International

The nervous system and its impact on your health !

Have you ever been told that when you had a health problem it was “nervous”? Most of the time it’s true. Our central nervous system can cause many health issues. All innervations of our body come from our spine. Between each vertebrae, there are nerve branches that divide themselves multiple times until they reach an organ or a specific structure. Every organ is innervated by several nerve bundles to make sure that the innervation is not completely gone in trauma cases. These nerve branches might suffer from mechanical or traumatic lesions like they would in a fall, a bad posture or an accident. We can also disturb the nerve integrity by psychological causes, an inadequate diet or taking excessive medication. The psychological aspect would include negative thoughts, elevated stress levels, anger and frustations. They must be controlled in order to minimize the negative impact on the nervous system.

The vertebrae and their correspondences

So as mentioned above, each vertebrae has its correspondences with many structures.

Here are a few examples :

Heart : from 4th cervical to the 6th thoracic

stomach : 4th cervical and 6th thoracic

Intestines : from 8th thoracic to the first lumbar

Brain : 4 first cervical vertebrae and second lumbar

Lungs : 4th cervical, first, second and third thoracic

Furthermore, if you have a blockage or vertebral compression that disturbs the functioning of one or some major organs, I would strongly advise you to do some very specific stretches for the spine called ELDOA or to get treated with osteopathic techniques to improve blood and nervous flow. You will often find that at the region it hurts, or where the innervation is blocked you will have more difficulty performing the exercise. This is often caused by a lack of mobility of the tissues in that region. It is even more important to make the tissues move by doing specific stretches and exercises to strengthen the para-vertebral muscles which are essential to an optimal functioning of your spine and your organs health.

Contact us now to let us build you a specific ELDOA program for your needs or to make an appointment for an osteopathic treatment !

Lisa-Marie Farley
JFT INTL
514-223-6060
info@jftintl.com

Exercise : The best stress relief remedy !

Exercise has a positive impact on your mood and your stress levels

Physical exercise is the best and the most natural stress relief remedy. Stress is definitively one of the biggest problem in our century that is caused by our lifestyle, social and professional pressure and the busy schedules as well. When we tell you that you should also find time and energy to go to the gym to exercise, you would find that quite abusive. However, what would you say if I tell you that exercising would be the solution to decrease your stress levels? When you feel tired, the last thing you want to do is big physical efforts. Nevertheless, we know now that, via different pathways, exercise gives us more energy rather than draining it!

Sport, by stimulating the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and endorphins provides you a wellness state and has an effect on your mood and your stress. These neurotransmitters secreted by the body in a physical activity are also efficient at overcoming fatigue. Obviously, these two factors contribute tremendously on your energy levels.  If you change some habits by moving more, you’ll be less tired and less anxious.

Furthermore, if you practice a sport properly, it may promote some muscle tensions release that often affects stressed people. Everyone experiencing any kind of stress or anxiety would benefit from doing a sport.  You’ll see results after only a few weeks on both your energy levels and your muscle tensions. To achieve good results, you must exercise regularly.

 

Exercise promotes better sleep

Sports regulate the internal ear, which will ensure you a restful sleep. By increasing your sleep quality, exercise will help you fight fatigue. Furthermore, the effect on the neurotransmitters, as mentioned above, will also have a positive impact on your sleep. Make sure to avoid any intense physical activity before going to bed!

Incorporating exercise into your lifestyle is the best move to give you efficiency, security, pleasure in life, to optimize your energy potential, decrease muscle tensions, improve breathing, improve blood flow, and help removing metabolic wastes that accumulate in the body.

 

For other ways to reduce stress through training, nutrition and supplements, call us now or send us an email to make an appointment with our specialists!P

Lisa-Marie Farley
JFT INTL
514-223-6060
info@jftintl.com

Do you have a good digestive system ?

Nowadays, people are more concerned by fat loss than achieving optimal health.  In my opinion, those who fail to lose weight are those who are too much obsessed about it. In fact, the primary goal should be to prevent chronic diseases, to have an energy level above the average for your age group, to wake up rested in the morning, to be able to exercise intensely for more than 45 minutes without being out of energy, so to be super healthy. Where to start? The best way to start is with the nutrition but it is necessary first to be able to absorb, digest and assimilate what you eat and then eliminating wastes from the body. The digestive system is the chief conductor of maintaining balance in the body.

Here are 3 things to check to know if your digestion is optimal :

1- Do you have any burps after your meal or while you are eating ?

If so, you probably ate too quickly or you do not chew your food enough. Also, burps are caused by several other factors from a lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, gastric reflux, food allergies, excessive consumption of high fat foods or refined sugars (fast-food) and many others. Pay attention to chewing at your next meal.

2- Do you have any fart after eating?

The farts are mainly caused by an insufficient production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. This deficiency is caused 90 percent of the time by a prolonged high stress period. Stress also decreases the production of pancreatic enzymes, which are essential to proteins, carbohydrates and fats absorption. The farts after eating can also be associated with a lack of pancreatic enzymes.

3- Do you have a bowel movement 2 to 3 times a day?

I meet everyday in my clinic people that consult me for the purpose to lose fat. My first reaction is to ask them questions about their digestion to see if they are able to eliminate wastes and toxins from their body. Most of them are surprised to know that they are not regular enough. Constipation is a major problem for anyone who wants to lose fat and get healthier. Imagine yourself taking the garbage out to your balcony but the waste collectors only pick them up every two weeks and are only two guys to do the job. I don’t think your balcony would smell very good.

Did you know that 70 to 90% of your neurotransmitters are produced in the intestines? Your gut health is directly connected to your mental health. The digestive system is a large subject that needs further explanations with a lot of details to make sure you understand it well. There are several ways to correct digestive problems outlined in this article. I decided to build a seminar on the digestive system and the sugar metabolism to give you practical tools and different ways to improve your health. I strongly advise you to attend to one of these seminars if you are serious about your health and preventing chronic diseases and cancers.

Contact us to subscribe to the upcoming seminar on digestive system and sugar metabolism at JFT INTL !

Jean-Francois Thibault
JFT INTL
514-223-6060
info@jftintl.com