Dr. Isabel Sharkar, NMD, is co-founder of Indigo Integrative Health Clinic in Washington, D.C., a thriving clinic that has been serving the local community in health restoration and body optimization for over a decade. Being in constant pursuit for truth and healing Dr. Isabel graduated in 2011 from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine.
In efforts to be healthy, here is one more thing to add to our things to AVOID list. Just recently, I have been exposed to the dangerous side effects of carrageenan and they are not pretty! I have read this name under the ingredients list in almost every organic product I consume. It’s appalling to find out that it may cause gastrointestinal inflammation, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, clog lymph nodes and cancer. It is also linked to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. We all want to know, “How is it possible that ingredients such as this are allowed to be used?” But the fact of the matter is that they are used and they are a threat to our health. So learn the facts and spread the word because knowledge and awareness are key. Make sure to read the article on Natural News, “The Six Reasons to Avoid Carrageenan in Your Alternative Milk Products and Food Purchases” by PF Louis.
Carrageenan is a common food additive extracted from red seaweed. For the past four decades, scientists have warned that the use of carrageenan in food is not safe. Animal studies have repeatedly shown that food-grade carrageenan causes gastrointestinal inflammation and higher rates of intestinal lesions, ulcerations, and even malignant tumors.
Also, watch this video below to learn more about why we should avoid carrageenan.
It’s a bit devastating to learn that my favorite alternative milk products contain this nasty ingredient. Although I am known to make my own nut milk, sometimes I buy Tempt, Pacific Foods or Blue Diamond (Almond Breeze) nut milk to save time. Back to purchasing and soaking organic almonds for homemade nut milk. I am starting to conclude that if you truly want to be healthy you have to do everything yourself from scratch. Pay now or pay later.
Visit the cornucopia.org site to learn more about the concerns of this ingredient and download their full report: Carrageenan-Report. Sign the FDA petition to remove it from the food supply. Protect yourself and your family with Cornucopia’s carrageenan buying guide. If you cut it out from your diet and experience significant improvements in your gastrointestinal health, fill out this Cornucopia questionnaire developed in collaboration with medical researchers.
This content is provided by Indigo Integrative Health Clinic for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and does not establish a provider-patient relationship. Individual health conditions vary — information presented here may not apply to your specific situation. Always consult a qualified, licensed healthcare provider before making decisions about your health, medications, supplements, or treatment plan.
Bartonella is a bacterial infection that often appears alongside Lyme. In the US there is no current evidence that ticks transmit it, and the question is still under investigation. The proven routes are cat scratches and bites, cat-flea feces, and body lice. It is hard to detect, which is why a thorough Lyme workup checks for it properly.
Babesia is a malaria-like parasite carried by the same tick that carries Lyme. Because it is a parasite and not a bacterium, the antibiotics typically used for Lyme have no effect on it. It is seldom tested for, so people can finish Lyme treatment, still feel sick, and not understand why.
The CDC classifies Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia as high-incidence areas for Lyme. Standard two-tier blood testing catches only 22 to 36 percent of early infections, so a negative result does not rule Lyme out when symptoms are present. Free state and county programs identify a tick's species but do not test it for disease, and broader co-infection testing is not routinely ordered.
