Here are articles and resources to improve the quality of your child and family's lives These have been reviewed by our associates, used by CNC staff, and suggested to our clients. CNC has found these to be the BEST RESOURCES. Your purchases through the CNC STORE will be used to help veterans and lower income clients. With that said, here is how we decide what we’re going to promote:

1. We think these products are vital to good health.
2. We would and do promote them without payment.
3. We use the products ourselves and/or recommend them regularly to clients.
 

All of these products meet the 3 criteria. Most also have written reviews about why the products are useful, what is great about the products, which populations they are intended for, and how they can help you as you pursue health and wellness. Also, if you love or hate a resource, please tell us by email on the Contact Us page. If a product has changed for the worse, we want to stop recommending it. Thank you in advance for your input and enjoy reading!

Himalayan Salt (Great for all ages). (information adapted from www.drmercola.com) Natural Himalayan crystal salt contains the 84 elements found in your body. The salt's unique structure stores vibrational energy and the crystal salt's inherent minerals and trace elements are available in colloidal form -- meaning they are so small your cells can readily absorb them, establishing fluid balance in the body. Benefits include: 1. Regulating the water content throughout the body 2. Promoting healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly brain cells 3. Promoting blood sugar health & reducing signs of aging 4. Assisting in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in the body 5. Absorption of food particles through your intestinal tract 6. Supporting respiratory health 7. Promoting sinus health 8. Prevention of muscle cramps 9. Promoting bone strength 10. Regulating sleep -- it naturally promotes sleep 11. Promoting vascular health 12. Regulating blood pressure (with the use of water) • What is wrong with my regular table salt? Generic table salt sold in the grocery store or put in processed foods has been "chemically cleaned" and what remains is sodium chloride -- an unnatural chemical form of salt that the body recognizes as something completely foreign. Typical table salt crystals are totally isolated from each other. In order for the body to metabolize table salt crystals, it must sacrifice energy and cellular water (23 times the amount of cellular water needed to neutralize Himalayan salt). When your body tries to isolate the excess salt, water molecules must surround the sodium chloride to break them up into sodium and chloride ions in order to help the body neutralize them. Inorganic sodium chloride can keep you from an ideal fluid balance and can overburden elimination systems and contribute to diseases. In addition, table salt contains potentially dangerous preservatives such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide. • Can I use sea salt instead? Sea salt is different today than before and also contains chemicals dumped into oceans (toxic poisons like mercury, PCBs and dioxin). • How is Himalayan salt better for me? Natural Himalayan crystal salt promotes a healthy fluid balance and does not contribute to high blood pressure like typical table salt. Promoting balanced electrolytes helps to keep your body in homeostasis -- the balance of chemicals that is conducive to the body's function. The renowned Frezenius Institute in Europe analyzed the Himalayan Crystal Salt and proved that it has an amazing array of important trace minerals and elements including potassium, calcium and magnesium that help promote a healthy balance by maintaining fluids and replenishing your supply of electrolytes whenever one sweats heavily. • Can you explain more? Looking into a microscope at sea salt (below left), one would see it has irregular and isolated crystalline structures disconnected from the natural elements surrounding them. The vital minerals it may contain cannot be absorbed by the body unless the body expends tremendous energy to vitalize them. Because the crystalline structure of crystal salt is balanced (below right), it is not isolated from the 84 inherent mineral elements, but is connected to them in a harmonious state. This means the energy content in the form of minerals can be easily metabolized by your body. When you use this salt, it has a vital energetic effect. The body gets an ample net gain with little energy loss. What else can Himalyan salt do? Himalayan salt can be fashioned into lamps which are proposed to purify the air from electropollutants.  Heat from the bulb in the lamp causes the salt to emit negative ions. These negative ions bond with the pollutants in the air (positive ions) and neutralize them. In addition, these negative ions combat electro-smog caused by electronic devices operating in the home (such as computers, ovens, etc.). Symptoms from asthma, allergies, and other illnesses can also subside from the effects of these lamps.

“FIVE TO THRIVE: GUT THRIVE 5 Program”  by Christa Orrechio (Great for all ages)

Gut Thrive 5 is an online paid program to help all ages restore health, immunity, mood and behavior issues where they have gone astray. The program provides the secrets to healing the gut and health.  It goes a step beyond the GAPS program. Here is an outline of the program in a nutshell.

What is Leaky Gut Anyway? Leaky gut or intestinal permeability causes allergens and other diseases and reduces nutritional absorption. Triggers can be poor quality foods such as wheat, over use of antibiotics, and exposure to stress. Problems with autoimmunity begin with problems in the gut biome (or organisms within the gut). Pathogenic (bad) organisms in the gut can “gang up” and create biofilms (protective layers) which are resistant to drugs & diet interventions.  

Pathogens (underlying causes of disease, may have one or a combination of these) to include:

• viruses – hepatitis, herpes/mono, cold sores, warts, small/chicken pox, measles, flu, SARS, AIDS, etc.
• bacteria – E. coli, strep throat, Lyme disease, anthrax, staph, stomach ulcers, UTI, pneumonia
•  fungi – ringworm, yeast, candidiasis 
•  protozoa – malaria, giardiasis
• parasites – ringworm, tapeworm
• proteins causing disease such as Mad Cow Disease, BSE, etc.
• heavy metals  

The gut also has “commensal” micro-organisms (neutral organisms that can go either way, depending on the amount of good vs. bad pathogens in system). A well-balanced system has the right amount of good (80-90%) vs. bad bugs (10-15%) with some neutral bugs which create a strong, healthy community in the gut.  The percentage of micro-organisms determines our “EpiGenetics” ("around the genes," the propensity for gene expression or disease). For example, gut changes have been seen in humans 6-7 years BEFORE disease expression. However, with proper diet and supplementation, one can reset the genetic code.

 What does one do about a Leaky Gut and/or first expression of disease? This is a 5 Step, 10 week plan to assist with healing the gut. To get started Gut Thrive 5 uses a 180 item questionnaire to identify problem areas.  

Step 1 – Diet Slashing Inflammation (starving the pathogens). Identify the inflammation set-point in the body and slash it immediately. There are Four Gut Thrive Plans (based on the problems indicated from 180 item questionnaire).

• Plan S – aggravation with carbohydrates, e.g., FODMAPS (carbohydrate metabolism disease) or SIBO 
• Plan H – problem in the upper GI, presence of H. pylori bacteria 
• Plan P – problem with protozoa or parasites
• Plan F – problem with fungal, candida, viruses, heavy metals  

  This step is designed to identify the organs & cells that are “tired” and give them a rest including the

• Pancreas – uses pancreatic enzymes,
• Liver – supports the liver,
• Gall bladder – uses enzymes to process bile,  
• Parietal cells–the cells in the stomach that secrete hydrochloric acid (HCL)

In the plans, one will

• Use enzymes (HCL, proteolytics) to digest better, break down amino acids and biofilms (protective shelters developed by disrupting pathogens), and clean up foreign substances in the body causing inflammation.        
• Customize the diet (10 weeks, sets stage for pathogen purge)  
• Use nutritious foods (organic, grass fed, colorful vegetables) 
• Avoid sugar, alcohol, caffeine, GMOs, sensitive foods. All are hard to digest and feed the pathogens, includes wheat, dairy, corn, soy, sometimes eggs.   
• Cleanse before knowing if
  •  fermented foods or fiber (prebiotics) will help
  • grains/legumes are ok for you
  •  which foods will calm, heal, soothe your GI tract and build immunity   
• Drink CCF tea (recipe at www.thewholejourney.com )   
• Cook with Basil (balance neurotransmitters, challenge pathogens), Oregano (challenge pathogens), & Dill (reduces excess levels of E. coli)
• Eat foods that support the liver, adrenals, and thyroid (desiccated liver, bone broth, 80% cooked veggies)
•  Heal the gut lining & promote adequate stomach acid  

Step 2 – Pathogen Purge. The Western way (antibiotics, antifungals, immune-suppressants) and the botanical way (large doses) attack pathogens and create die off which is hard on the system (damages the gut lining, causes leaky gut, damages the immune system). Communication is key (understanding that bacteria communicates through quorum sensing - equivalent to clipping the wires of the pathogens communication system rather than attacking them). Pathogens cannot share genetic code and replicate, instead Gut Thrive 5 creates a hostile environment and pathogens leave on their own, in a less damaging way.

Pathogen Purge: The right herbs are used in the right amounts with the use of fasting and cleansing herbs. ·        

• Golden seal - natural antibiotic, immune builder, resets the immune system
• Echinacea – both augustus and purpurea
• Black wild carrot (lamashum dissectum), antiviral, antibacterial, used for flu,
•  Oregano oil
• Schizandra - support adrenals
•  Clove, wintergreen, spearmint - gentler pathogenics
•  Dandelion root, milk thistle - for the liver
•  Aloe - calming, soothing, keeps constipation to minimum
•  Lion’s mane – medicinal mushroom, closes tight junctions in gut, helps with nerve repair/regeneration
•  Pau d’arco – for viruses, antifugal/antiviral, boosts immunity
•  Charcoal, clay, DE (diatomaceous earth, chelator that grabs heavy metals) and bio-film destroyers
•  Coffee enemas, salt flushes – only for certain cases  

Step 3 – The Reseeding & Healing of the Gut. This phase involves re-educating the immune system and cleaning up the microvilli in the gut. There are 150-500 strains of good bacteria specific to your genetic make-up. Will be building on existing good bacteria, add new ones, and nourish both while convert commensals to good bacteria (through steps 1 & 2). You will be adding back in 13 different strains of probiotics (based on profile) from Lactobacillus (help digest food better so can make your  own vitamins, helps the immune system to correctly identify pathogens), Bifidobacterium (builds the gut), and Bacillus.  

Step 4 – The HCL Evaluation & Terraforming.  Now the body can restore the parietal cells (to make HCL in the right amounts, helps body use B12 for healthy nervous system & brain). Terraforming is a process that transforms the terrain so it can support consistent and habitable life (add in non-starch prebiotics/fermented foods, extract all 150-500 beneficial bacteria specific to you, 3-4 month process).  

Step 5 – The 80/20 Maintenance.   Finally, Step 5 allows for adding in foods that were once restricted (full & varied diet) which requires eating in line with your diet plan 80% of the time and eating off the plan 20% of the time.

“Hormonally Intelligent Eating for Weight Loss" by Dr. Justin Marchegiani, DC (www.justinhealth.com; Great for those who can't get weight to budge).

Dr. Marchegiani delivers a message regarding weight loss that includes the body's hormones. Great for those who have tried other eating plans and weight is stalled. Here is an outline of his talk on the Ultimate Waistline Makeover by Jen Kennedy.

“Losing weight is the effect of good health” – if you eat healthy and correct your hormones, they will direct the body to burn fat excess rather than store it.  

You can choose foods for mitochondria to burn rather than fat cells to store.

 Hormones help to grow & repair, but also tell food whether to burn or store; e.g., too much sugar (carbs) burns up nutrients in food instead of using them.

 Myth – all calories are equal so just count them

Truth – if one limits calories, the body gets used to burning less and weight loss stalls  

We want the body to burn/over-burn calories,  happens in an environment that is friendly – if body thinks there is danger (no food because less available), it will store calories as fat & less likely to “waste” calories by burning fat, producing hair/nails/skin cells and improving mood & energy.

 Types of food to decrease weight (3/4 of plate should be vegetables; ¼ of plate fruit; starch included only according to activity level):  

Carbs (50 grams or less for weight loss; 100 grams for weight maintenance; more if active)

– most should come from veggies (low sugar & high nutrients)      

- low carb fruits like berries, lemons/limes, green apple; skip the high carb fruits like bananas, mango, papaya, pineapple

- load carbs at night causes greater weight loss (study of firefighters lost more weight) because less cortisol at night

Starch

– includes white & sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin

- decrease body inflammation

- increases insulin in the blood stream & tell carbs convert to fat

- repairs muscle because insulin draws amino acids into muscle

• leave starches out until weight loss completed
• use sparingly if weight loss complete but low activity level
•  use more if high activity level

Never eat carbs alone, need protein & fat (the logs of the fire) as well as carbs (kindling of the fire).  

Important organs for weight loss:

• Adrenals – responsible for energy, sex drive after 50 years, inflammation
• Thyroid – when off causes hair loss, cold hands/feet, mood dysregulation, increase weight/cholesterol; tested with TSH (high if thyroid feigning), T4 (free & total), T3 (free & total) shows the most active state of thyroid
• Mitochondria - ATP, energy producer in the body

If these are not working properly, the body creates antibodies to attack the body’s own cells (such as in food intolerances) & increase inflammation and disease.  

Consider leaky gut (see the GUT THRIVE 5 Program above) if inflammation is present as weight loss will not occur.