In our Winter 2020/21 issue, we spoke to Naturopath and author, John Byrne ND, BHSc, about the health-protecting potential of Live Blood Analysis. Read it below.
Blood
We are all becoming more aware to the importance of being health conscious, and feel the effects of our modern day lifestyles which include convenience foods and little or no exercise.
The media are making us more aware of the importance of eating a balanced diet, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, and how we should try to avoid foods high in sugar, fat and salt. Smoking is completely out of the question, and drinking alcohol should only be done in moderation. If we follow these guidelines we will be more likely to live longer healthier lives.
However, we could still fall prey to certain diseases. A good indicator of which is a substance called Homocysteine. The Homocysteine test from YORKTEST Laboratories helps identify if you have a raised level of Homocysteine in your blood.
THE FACTS ABOUT HOMOCYSTEINE
Homocysteine is a naturally occurring sulphur containing amino acid. It is involved in essential chemical pathways in the body and an increasing number of medical experts are saying that raised levels in the blood may be as, or more important than, raised levels of cholesterol.
Many factors are thought to raise levels of Homocysteine. Among them are poor diet – leading to low levels of vitamins B6 and B12, poor lifestyle, especially smoking and high alcohol intake, some prescription drugs, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and poor thyroid function. Normal levels increase with age and higher levels are more common in men than women. As with cholesterol, family history and genetic make up can play a part in causing raised levels as can obesity and lack of exercise.
WHAT EFFECT DOES HOMOCYSTEINE HAVE ON YOUR BODY
High levels of Homocysteine cause damage to the wall of the arteries. This increases the risk of coronary heart disease and strokes.
People at high risk include people with a poor diet, lack of regular exercise, are overweight, suffer from diabetes, smokers and those that consume excess amounts of coffee or alcohol. Even people with an active, healthy lifestyle may still be at risk, if there is a family history of high levels of Homocysteine or disease.
Levels of Homocysteine can increase with age, oestrogen deficiency and with some long term medications, including corticosteroids and some cancer treatment drugs. Strict vegetarians and vegans may also be at risk and people that suffer from stress can suffer too.
Whatever the state of your health a Homocysteine test can help you to assess what your risk might be – allowing you to take action to reduce that risk and give you peace of mind for the future.
There are always people who are at high risk and low risk, but the only way to find out definitively is to have a Homocysteine test.
HOW DO YOU TAKE THE TEST?
The YORKTEST Homocysteine Test is a simple finger prick blood test that can be taken from the comfort of your own home for as little as €99.
Taking the test is simple; firstly, it is a fasting sample and needs to be done first thing on a Monday morning. To start, wash your hands in warm to hot water to encourage good blood circulation, then prick your finger using the lancet provided and put a couple of drops of blood onto the Plasma Separator; about 4 or 5 drops. This card has been specially designed to separate the plasma from the blood. Following the instructions enclosed in the kit complete the test as directed. You then post your sample back to our laboratory for testing using a pre-paid envelope enclosed. Your results will then be sent out to you within 15 working days. We do advise that you monitor your Homocysteine levels after taking vitamin supplements and we advise to retest after three months. The Homocysteine Test can then be taken as part of your annual health check.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS ARE HIGH?
It is possible to reduce high levels of Homocysteine in less than 3 months if you are careful and eat the correct nutrients.
For more information or to order a Homocysteine test kit simply contact YORKTEST on 01 2022701 or order online at www.yorktest.ie
John Carey, a man who lives and breathes his nutritional cherry juice product, CherryActive, believes it literally cured him of his crippling gout.
John had always enjoyed a healthy, fit lifestyle and, like many young people, took his health very much for granted. But ten years ago, aged only 28, he woke one day with an excruciating pain in his right toe, which was horribly swollen.
The GP confirmed that John was displaying the classic symptoms of gout. He was forced to shelve his training as a competitive black belt at judo and as a marathon runner, and for the next few years continued to suffer a series of bouts of gout.
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by a build up of uric acid in the blood stream. It is characterised by excruciating, sudden, unexpected burning pain, as well as swelling, redness, warmth and stiffness in the affected joint. It occurs more commonly in men in their toes, but can appear in other parts of the body.
John was given prescriptive medicines that he was told to take for the rest of his life. Conscious that these medicines would have long-term side-effects, especially depression, John relentlessly searched for a more natural solution to manage his condition.
On a business trip to America, John had another attack that left him unable to walk. A colleague told him about the health properties of Montmorency cherries, only grown in northern US states. Willing to try anything, John ordered several bottles of the Montmorency cherry juice. After drinking the juice for a week, the pain in his toes had distinctly receded. John has continued drinking it ever since and, apart from a few ‘twinges’ in his toes, he has not experienced any more gout attacks.
So delighted was John with his new-found cure, he was anxious to let other fellow sufferers know about it and so changed his career path as a finance and leasing specialist to concentrate on marketing the cherry product from his home in the UK.
Utilising the resources of the farmer in the US whom he has partnered with, John set up CherryActive in January 2006 to spread the word about this amazing fruit. Made purely from 100% Montmorency cherries, CherryActive is sold as a Concentrate and Capsules.
On-going scientific research studies from the world’s most highly respected research centres is unveiling the powerful, health-promoting qualities of Montmorency cherry compounds, which have a rich source of potent, natural antioxidants that are highly effective in killing the harmful free radicals which occur in the body through the process of oxidation. Results from these studies suggest that regular consumption of CherryActive may help to maintain:
Healthy joints
Normal uric acid levels
A healthy cardiovascular system
Regular sleep patters
Muscle strength recovery
A recent ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) study measured the antioxidant levels in food and revealed that CherryActive has an amazing ORAC score of 8,260 per 30ml (compared with a ‘normal’ level of 1,790 for fruit and vegetables), equivalent to having 23 portions of fruit and veg a day!
As well as its health-giving properties, the power of the red CherryActive juice drink and capsules is also being recognised as the secret natural ingredient and major contributor to muscle recovery in the sports world, which is a fundamental key to achieving sports competitive success.
For more information visit : www.cherryactive.co.uk