Most people don’t realize that our intimate relationships impact our health and quality of life more than anything else possibly could.

There are certain chemical reactions that take place in our bodies that are triggered by the love in our life.  These reactions are irreplaceable, and the distinct result of our interaction with our lover.  Secretions of things like oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins all play an amazing part in keeping us healthy, happy, and connected long-term.

For example, one study by UCLA scientists found that enhanced secretions of oxytocin were found to be protective against depression.  Oxytocin is a neuromodulator that’s secreted in response to general affection, childbirth, and sexual interaction.  Another study shows that dopamine (a reward-driven neurotransmitter) enhances blood flow, protects against renal failure, and helps fortify the circulatory system.

This leads me to the most important organ effected by love and affection, which is the human heart.  Your heart actually has a larger magnetic and electromagnetic field than your brain!  This means that you really do think and feel with your heart, and people who are closest to you will intrinsically impact your overall health the most. 

You can use this as an insight to be cognizant of the energy that you’re bringing to your partner AND to be more attentive about who you’re having in your heart’s energy field as well.

What I want you to do this year is to make a commitment to take it beyond Valentine’s Day and help your loved one release those feel-good hormones as often as possible throughout the year.

Because you two are chemically bonded, the more happy hormones they release, the more you’ll experience the benefits too.  It’s actually a beneficial circle that keeps on giving back to you over-and-over again as well.

Now, there’s a very BIG caveat with this that you need to know about.  And it’s the fact that women and men have very different conditions in which they secrete these hormones at their maximum level.

You can’t expect someone to be happy just because you want them to be.  As you grow in your relationship, you have to learn what drives your partner’s soul and sense of purpose.  And (of course) you have to go into action and help make it happen for them.

Nothing will help you to grow and love more, and nothing will give you more health and happiness when you’re partner is giving the same to you.

For this level of growth and relationship success, you need to make it a mandate to continue to learn and work in your relationship.  The biggest key is to realize that we (as individuals) don’t have all of the answers, and to seek outside expertise to give us insights to help make the magic happen on a continuous basis.

Take the time to read, listen to programs, and take courses together to help you grow your love long-term.  This will help you to AVOID becoming “puzzled” with each other and wondering what went wrong many years down the road.

Your partner wants love too, it’s just that we all give and receive love differently.  It’s truly learning and speaking your partner’s “love language” that will change the quality of your relationship forever.

For this, I’m going to hand it over to the experts (because it would literally take years to figure all of this stuff out own our own!).

Do yourself, and your lover a favor this year, and pick up The 5 Love Languages and keep the magic going long after this Valentine’s Day.  You can grab it on audio right here now: The 5 Love Languages  Or get the paperback version right here: The 5 Love Languages (paperback)

Pick it up, go through it together, and watch the quality of your life change forever.  If I could have one wish for everyone’s relationship to last with happiness and success, I’d have them go through a program like this with passion and focus.  I’m that blown away by it, and I use these principals now every day of my life!

Be proactive because no one is going to “make” you happy, but you can create the environment for each other to allow the love that’s within you to grow and prosper.

I’m wishing you the very best on this Valentine’s Day and beyond.

Leave a comment below and share with everyone what YOU do to keep the love and harmony going in your relationship.  You never know, you could change someone’s life today with your insights

It’s not often that a snack food comes along that meets my standards.  We know now that the conventional snack foods of today (containing things like hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup) have all been linked to cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

Most people get caught up in the so-called “Nutritional Labels” on food and don’t look closely at the actual ingredients of the products they’re putting in their body.  This is one of the BIGGEST dangers, because all calories are not created equal… and just because a snack food has just 10 calories DOES NOT mean that those calories won’t harm you.

That’s why I’m so excited about this product.  It’s made with intelligence and intention to help people fuel their day using real, natural, whole food ingredients.  And most importantly, it tastes AMAZING!

The old fat-producing snack foods are about to be retired once you get this into your hands.  Find out all the info about it in this exclusive interview with the product creator right here:

Get your fat-burning Paleo Granola right here now:

Just to let you know, my favorite flavor is Apple Crisp (although the Cacao Nut was a close 2nd).  Once you try it out and find your favorite, make sure to let me know in the comments section below.

Here’s the Vanilla Ice Cream recipe that I mentioned in the interview for you too

Vanilla Ice Cream

*1 cup cashews, soaked 1 to 2 hours

*1/2 cup young coconut meat

*1/2 – 1/4 cup maple syrup (depends on how sweet you want it)

*1-1/4 cups water

*1 tsp of vanilla extract

*1/2 vanilla bean

*1/2 cup coconut oil

*Pinch sea salt

Blend all ingredients  into a high-speed blender like a Vita-Mix until very smooth. Pour into Ice Cream Maker and follow manufacturer instructions. Yield 1 quart.

Gout is a very nasty disease to deal with.  Once you think it’s gone and you’ve got it handled, it can show up unexpectedly and put you right back into agony.

Gout is such a tricky condition to get rid of because it has a self-perpetuating mechanism that keeps reproducing itself over-and-over again.  The key to eliminating gout is understanding this feedback loop and breaking the cycle at its core.

Gout has been historically known as the “rich man’s disease” and “the disease of kings”.  This was because of the lifestyle factors that were traditionally associated with the wealthy: heavily processed food (and lots of it), lack of movement (because they had others to do the work for them), and lack of true rest (because they were often out-of-sync with nature and could stay up late enjoying the spoils of the privileged life). 

Now today, any and everyone with a few dollars can eat like a king… burgers, fries, pizza, milk shakes, fried chicken, soda, cakes, cookies, ice cream… as much as you want, any time you want.  Not to say that everyone with gout eats like this all the time, but it’s a triggering mechanism that sets the stage for gout, and once it gets a hold of you, it’s hard for it to let go.

According to research, dietary causes account for about 12% of gout issues, but there’s a much bigger story going on behind the scenes.

Gout has a violent symptom that features deposits of monosodium urate crystals being wedged in your tissues.  These crystals are a result of longstanding high levels of uric acid in the blood.  The crystalized byproducts are literally jamming themselves into your tissues, and because there is damage being done to your body, your white blood cells are called in to attack.

Your white blood cells do their job very well, essentially “popping” the crystals, releasing their contents back into your system.  These nefarious substances trigger the action of MORE white blood cells causing increased inflammation and almost unbearable pain.

So just to recap, you’ve now got damage from monosodium urate crystals, inflammation caused by the work of the white blood cells, and the same contents of the crystals being released back into your system causing MORE inflammation and white cell attacks.

And to make it even worse, this sets the stage for more crystals to form because of the lowered pH and metabolic derangement resulting from the recirculated waste products.

As you can see, this is a vicious feedback loop that continuously builds upon itself.  The key here is breaking the pattern, and addressing the underlying CAUSE of the monosodium urate crystals.

Urate is essentially the salts of uric acid resulting from it’s metabolism.  Gout is actually referred to as metabolic arthritis, because it’s the result of an accumulation of uric acid throughout the body, which is a metabolic waste product.

So hyperuricemia is the underlying cause of gout.  And it’s understood that 90% of all gout cases are due to the underexcretion of uric acid, while just 10% of cases are due to the overproduction of uric acid.  This is CRITICAL to understand.  It’s not that your body is making too much, it’s that the eliminatory channels are not performing properly.

This brings us to the solution or “cure” for the condition itself.

There are two main channels of elimination that you need to address.  One is commonly known (but misunderstood), and the other is not commonly known (and even more misunderstood).

Channel number one, that’s typically looked to when a problem shows up, are the kidneys.  To make it simple, the kidneys are a state-of-the-art filtration system in your body, and removal of approximately 70% of uric acid is going to be done here.

The problem here is that in our modern society, our kidneys are usually TAXED and processing several hundred pounds of chemicals and substances that have never existed before in in human history.  The EPA has confirmed that 3.93 billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released into our environment every year, and everything effects us because we are a part of the biosphere (whether we understand that or not).

Essentially, you’ve got to take extra measures to care for your kidneys.  This includes utilizing time-tested super nutrients found in things like camu camu berries, cordyceps mushrooms, and turmeric.  And most importantly of all is to SUPER-hydrate your system which will keep your kidneys clean and prevent uric acid from becoming too concentrated.

Channel number two is the one that’s looked over with negligence, but it can be the one that you use to finally end the battle with gout.

It’s known that around 70% of the uric acid in your body is removed via the kidneys, but not many people realize that as much as 30% of the remaining uric acid is dissolved by bacteria in your gut!

This is where the real difference is going to be made.  Most people in our modern society have a gut that’s overrun with unfriendly bacteria.  One of the main culprits here are candida albicans.

Because the symbiotic bacteria that would be holding up shop in your gut are not dominating, you’re left incapable of eliminating the excess uric acid, let alone digest your food properly.  It’s not “You are what you eat”, it’s “You are what you assimilate, and don’t eliminate”.

It’s CRITICAL to proactively ensure the proper gut environment.  This would include avoiding things that decrease uric acid metabolism like alcohol, oxidized fats, and processed carbohydrates (particularly all form of grains).  All of these create slow, long-term damage to the gut.

Another important aspect that can be beneficial is doing a structured candida cleanse AND repopulating your gut with beneficial probiotics (by the way, pro – means “for” and biotic means “life”).

Here are a few other things that you can add to your arsenal in reversing gout for good.  They are all time-tested and effective, but following the recommendations above is key to making it all work.

Noni – this polynesian superfruit is boasting over 150 biologically active enzymes that aid in metabolism.  A specific study on noni’s effectiveness against gout showed its ability to block the inflammatory effects of Xanthine oxidase enzymes.  Look for unpasteurized noni beverages or cold-processed noni extracts and powders.

Apple Cider Vinegar – it appears to positively alter the body’s pH to alleviate high uric acid levels.  Apple cider vinegar has countless anecdotal stories of its effectiveness against gout.  However, not enough clinical studies have been done to put this at the top of the charts where it belongs.

Cherries – clinical research suggests that eating about 20 cherries a day can literally cut the risk of recurrent gout attacks in half.  It appears that the compounds found in cherries known as anthocyanins are responsible for their success against inflammation and damaged cells associated with gout.

Proactively Sweat – a small amount of uric acid is eliminated via your skin, and that small amount can make all of the difference in the world to you.  Sweating via exercise needs to be done in balance, and not OVER-doing it, creating an overflow of even more acidic compounds.  You want to sweat, you want to exercise, but do it intelligently.  And take advantage of the sauna too!

Understand, these things are simply bonus in breaking the feedback loop of urate crystal formation, but they are NOT a replacement for actually enhancing your channels of elimination that were discussed earlier:  1. Ensuring proper kidney function and 2.  Vigorously ensuring the proper gut environment.

Take these keys and use them to your advantage, and be sure to leave any questions or comments you have in the section below.

What if you found out that the pots and pans you’ve been cooking your family’s food on has been linked to major disease and even death?  Well, that’s precisely what’s been discovered in linking numerous major sources of cookware to preventable illness.

Shortly after World War II the Du Pont company unveiled the brand new Teflon non-stick cookware to the world (much to the joy of the general public).  Now house moms and self-proclaimed chefs could cook their meals quicker, easier, and with less work than ever before.  Because the surfaces were non-stick, you could use less oil (or even no oil at all), which was key as people were beginning to fear the perceived dangers of fat.

Not only have we found out that the lipid hypothesis is utterly false (and dietary fats are critical for your health), but we’ve also discovered that Teflon gives off numerous chemicals that are devastating to the human body.  One of those substances is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

In as little as 3 to 5 minutes cooking on Teflon, it begins to release at least 6 different toxic gases, including PFOA which is a known carcinogen.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported early on that vapors from cooking on Teflon pans at high heat caused instant death to pet birds.  In fact, there were so many reports of injury to humans and pets that this prompted several long-term studies into the potentially hazardous effects of Teflon coating.

A study of 69,000 people in West Virginia and Ohio near the Du Pont manufacturing plant yielded some shocking results.  Researchers at West Virginia University revealed the following information about the exposed residents in their findings:

• Higher incidence of liver damage, with decreased levels of liver proteins that protect against infection 
• Higher rates of thyroid disease 
• Decreased immune system function 
• Higher cholesterol in children, predisposing them to heart disease

It’s important to note that PFOA is also associated with lowered sperm count and altered development of mammary tissue.  With all of this data coming in on the dangers of this product line, you’d think that there would have been a rush to pull it from the market… but it simply hasn’t been the case.

With little option in the way for something quick, easy, and inexpensive to prepare our food with, the industry has yet to make much progress.  In addition to the problems with Teflon, we are now aware that plastics (often used in microwaving our food) are loaded with hormone-altering substances like Bisphenol A (BPA).  Aluminum and aluminum-blended cookware is now known to contribute to brain degeneration, leading to conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The solution is a simple one once you get access to information like this.  You’ve got to THROW OUT your old Teflon non-stick pans, stop using plastic in your microwave, and upgrade the cookware that you’re preparing your families food with.

Glass cookware has been time-tested, and is excellent for baking needs.  For stovetop grilling, frying, boiling, sauteing and more, well-made ceramic is a natural choice.  Ceramic has been used for a long time, and is noted to be significantly non-toxic and excellent to cook on when you get a well designed source.  I use the one here to cook for my family ->  Healthy Legend – Cookware

It has a non-metallic pure ceramic cooking surface that protects food from easily burning.  It’s fun to cook with, and has a wonderful German Weilburger design coating that’s been shown to be 10 times stronger than conventional non-stick coating.  This means it lasts and last.  I’m very happy with it, and I’m 100% more confident in the safety of the food that I’m preparing for my family.

Bottom line is, if you’re going to cook, make sure that you’re not selling yourself short and using cookware that’s going to cause damage to your body and the people you care about.  Upgrade your cookware, and upgrade your family’s health.

Leave a comment below and share if this article was helpful to you or if there’s anything else that you’d like to add to the conversation.

How STRESS is Preventing You From Achieving Optimum Health

On the site, you can listen to the show by simply clicking the “Play” button or download the entire show. When you click “Play” on the page it may take a few seconds to upload, so be patient and you’ll get the info! Go to the page, check out the awesome interview, and make sure to leave your comment below the podcast if you support the message that Shawn is delivering!

In this interview you’ll learn:

*The “health food” that’s causing obesity and the development of diabetes

*The SHOCKING percentage of physician visits due to stress-related illnesses

*An unorthodox, overlooked key to reducing your stress load 

*The literal NUMBER ONE key to transforming your body and your health

*A secret underlying cause of back pain (and how to reverse it!)

*And so much more!

Click here to listen to the interview now:

How STRESS is Preventing You From Achieving Optimum Health

Please leave your questions and comments below.