Jennifer Lawson, aka Mother Jai
Mother Jai has been blending and personally using aromatherapy products since 2012 and herbal remedies since 2003. The knowledge and experience she obtained over the years provides you with a well rounded, educated, and informed platform to base your own health and wellness on.
Sea salt is mostly composed of sodium chloride, a compound that helps regulate fluid balance and blood pressure in the body. Since it is minimally processed, it contains some minerals, including potassium, iron, and calcium. This is one reason why it is often considered nutritionally superior to table salt, which is heavily ground and has had most of its nutrients removed.
Still, most people do not realize this distinction and consider sea salt to be healthier than table salt, as excessive sodium consumption has been linked to high blood pressure levels and an increased risk of heart disease. However, if the amount of sodium you consume exceeds the recommended limit or your personal tolerance, using sea salt in place of regular salt makes no difference.
Benefits of Consuming Sea Salt
In general, salt can help you maintain adequate hydration and blood pressure levels. Since sodium plays a vital role in fluid balance, not getting enough of it can lead to dehydration, especially during high-intensity exercise.
Having proper fluid balance in the body is also important for maintaining healthy blood pressure levels. Therefore, consuming either too little or too much sodium can lead to changes in blood pressure in those who are sensitive to dietary salt.
Chloride is necessary to produce stomach acid, and sodium chloride (salt) facilitates the absorption and transportation of nutrients in the intestines after they have been broken down during digestion. Therefore, consuming enough salt promotes optimal digestive health.
The minimal processing of unrefined sea salt enables it to retain much of its natural mineral content. Sea salt contains many of the major electrolytes, like sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium, that are essential to good health.
Electrolytes have so many important functions — from regulating your heartbeat to allowing your muscles to contract so that you can move. Sea salt in moderation can help in avoiding an electrolyte imbalance, which can cause all kinds of serious negative symptoms, including some that are potentially deadly.
As a good source of sodium, sea salt is essential for proper brain, muscle and nervous system function. Not only does sodium play a role in regulating your body’s fluid balance, but it is also required for the transmission of electrical signals in the body. Without the proper transmission of electrical signals in the body, so many things can get thrown off.
Without this communication system working as it should, the brain, muscles and nervous systems are especially inclined to suffer. Both too much and too little sodium cause cellular malfunction. So as much as you hear about making sure you do not get too much salt in your diet, it is also just as important to make sure you get enough.
Benefits of Using Sea Salt
Taking a sea salt bath is thought to decrease skin dryness and inflammation. In fact, the National Eczema Foundation recommends adding 1 cup of sea salt to bathwater to help relieve irritation from eczema, a condition marked by red, itchy skin.
Dead Sea salt baths also help in improving the skin barrier function and eliminating the roughness and inflammation on the skin’s surface.
Soaking your tired feet in a warm sea salt solution helps relax the muscles, and relieve the soreness and pain in your aching feet.
Sea salt contains fluoride, which is beneficial for promoting dental health. Fluoride aids in protecting the teeth from acidic damage and prevents the development of caries and cavities. Regular rinsing and gargling with tepid sea saltwater help alleviate mouth sores, bleeding gums, ulcers, and the pain of sore throats. While fluoride is now added to the water in many countries around the world, sea salt was particularly important in the early 20th century, when many some countries did not have access to it this way.
Dead Sea salts have been proven to be effective in providing therapeutic relief to patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. One study showed that participants in baths containing these salts demonstrated significant improvements in such ailments as compared to normal sodium chloride baths. These results are promising for an effective, natural method for providing relief in this population.
Sea salt finds another use in the cosmetic industry in the manufacturing of scrubs and other skin care products like antiperspirants and deodorants. Exfoliation with sea salts helps remove dead skin particles, tone up the skin tissues, encourage peripheral blood circulation, and promote skin renewal. Unlike table salt, the granular texture of sea salt works very well in providing clean and smooth skin.
Research studies have proven that the Dead Sea salt solution is also effective in providing relief from rhinosinusitis. The study also concluded that nasal irrigation and sprays done with sea salt showed better symptomatic relief as compared to those made of hypertonic saline solution. The anti-inflammatory effects of Dead Sea salts make them a natural and healthy alternative for relieving nasal allergies and other respiratory disorders; other remedies, such as nasal steroids have side effects like inflammation that can lead to mucus secretion. The mineral content present in Dead Sea salt may help alleviate swelling and congestion, as well.
Why Iodized Sea Salt?
Getting too little iodine — called iodine deficiency — is a serious issue. Iodine is an essential mineral used by the body to produce thyroid hormones. Too little iodine in a pregnant women’s diet can affect the development of the fetus’ brain and can cause cretinism, an irreversible form of physical and intellectual disability. Iodine deficiency during infancy can also result in abnormal brain development and impaired intellectual development.
Until nearly five years ago, Americans who got dairy, bread, and meat in their diets got plenty of iodine. Machines used in production were cleaned with an iodine disinfecting solution, so some iodine ended up in dairy, bread, meat products. That ended when companies quit using iodine disinfectant. Iodized salt is rarely found in canned, frozen, or boxed food. French fries and other snack foods mostly contain regular salt — not iodized salt. In fact, Americans now get one-third less iodine than they once did.
Both newborns and toddlers are affected by iodine deficiency. A recent study showed lower IQ scores among children with mild iodine deficiency — proof that the problem exists in developed countries.
The normal requirement for iodine, according to World Health Organization standards: Adults need 150 micrograms a day. Women trying to get pregnant should increase their intake to 200 to 300 micrograms a day.
Side Effects of Too Little Salt
Too little salt — iodized salt, that is — is dangerous, too. It is the iodine in iodized salt that helps the body make thyroid hormone, which is critical to an infant’s brain development. A little salt is essential to good health. Healthy adults should consume salt and water to replace the amount lost daily through sweat and to achieve a diet that provides enough other essential nutrients. The American Heart Association and NIH advise adults to get no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium daily. That is about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Side Effects of Too Much Salt
Consuming too much salt of any kind, including sea salt, can result in excessive sodium intake, which has been linked to high blood pressure and other health issues. The typical American diet contains a large amount of high-sodium processed foods, and most people in the United States consume more than the recommended amount of sodium. Overconsumption of sodium is associated with high blood pressure, osteoporosis, kidney stones, and other health issues. Therefore, even if you prefer sea salt over other types of salt, it does not offer any specific benefits and should be used in moderation like all other salts. Furthermore, people with kidney disease, high blood pressure, and heart failure may need to be particularly careful about their intake of sea salt and other salts.
Acacia senegal (L.), a tree in the Leguminosae (Fabaceae) plant family, is most used to make gum arabic products. Vachellia (Acacia) is another species that produces a dried gum from its trunk and branches. These trees grow most abundantly in Sudan, where about 50 percent of the world’s gum arabic is now produced, but are also found in other parts of Africa, such as Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal.
Providing a source of prebiotics and soluble fiber.
Feeding healthy bacteria (probiotics) in the gut.
Helping enhance fullness and satiety.
Helping with weight loss and potentially prevention of obesity.
Treating IBS symptoms and constipation.
Helping regulate cholesterol levels.
Fighting insulin resistance, including in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Reducing dental plaque on the gums and teeth, plus fighting gingivitis.
Having anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, thanks to its tannins, flavonoids and resins.
Helping reduce skin inflammation and redness, when used externally.
Acacia is a source of dietary fiber. It tends to make people feel full, so they might stop eating earlier than they otherwise would. This might lead to weight loss and reduced cholesterol levels. It is natural, edible and generally safe for human consumption. Research suggests that it is non-toxic, especially when used in normal/moderate amounts, and tolerated by people with sensitivities to gluten.
Gum arabic has many uses in traditional systems of medicine, including helping treat ailments like constipation and dysentery, diarrhea, diabetics, prolonged bleeding, scurvy, tuberculosis, ulcers, and smallpox. In Ayurveda, acacia is said to be cooling, pungent, dry, heavy to digest and helpful for balancing Kapha dosha. Acacia gum is considered a natural antiseptic and expectorant.
The root and leaves of the plant are crushed and sometimes applied to the skin to treat inflammation, infection, wounds, parasites and other diseases. Small amounts of the root can also be sucked on or applied to the mouth to help treat bleeding, gum diseases and pain from loose teeth. Other traditional uses of acacia include gargling it for sore throats, washing the skin with it for eczema and wounds, using it in eyewashes for conjunctivitis, and adding it to enemas for hemorrhoids.
Side Effects of Acacia Gum
It may cause digestive issues for some people, particularly when used in large amounts. Potential acacia gum side effects can include flatulence/gas, bloating, unfavorable viscous sensation in the mouth, early morning nausea, mild diarrhea and other types of indigestion. To limit side effects, keep your intake well below the max daily dose of about 30 grams per day, which is easy to do considering most recipes call for just one to 10 grams.
Red clover is a low growing perennial, native to northwest Africa, Asia, and Europe. It has since been naturalized and cultivated in many parts of the world, including North America. The flower heads are collected in full bloom, during the summer months.
Druids believed that it could ward off evil spells and witches, while Medieval Christians believed that the three lobbed leaves were associated with the trinity and the four lobbed leaves as a symbol of the cross.
Trifolium pratense is used in traditional medicine of India as Deobstruent, Alterative, Antipsoriatic, Antiscrophulatic, Antispasmodic, Aperient, Cancer, Detergent, Diuretic, Expectorant, Sedative, Skin Tonic, Expectorant, Anti-inflammatory and Antidermatosis agent.
Edible parts: Although leaves can be tossed into a salad or used in a tea, the preferable part of this wild edible is the flower. Red clovers are the tastiest of all clovers although it is recommended not to eat too many of these as some people experience bloating.
Red clover is a source of many nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C. Red clover is a rich source of isoflavones (chemicals that act like estrogens and are found in many plants).
RED CLOVER USES & EFFECTIVENESS
It is widely grown as a fodder crop, valued for its nitrogen fixation, which increases soil fertility. For these reasons, it is used as a green manure crop. Several cultivar groups have been selected for agricultural use, mostly derived from T. pratense var. sativum. It has become naturalized in many temperate areas, including the Americas and Australasia as an escape from cultivation.
Red clover is commonly used to make a sweet-tasting herbal tea. It is an ingredient in some recipes for essiac tea.
In alternative medicine, red clover is promoted as a treatment for a variety of human maladies, including symptoms of menopause, coughs, disorders of the lymphatic system and a variety of cancers. Several systemic reviews and meta-analyses concluded that red clover extract reduces the frequency of menopause hot flashes.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF RED CLOVER
Reduces Hypertension: The unique properties of red clover include its ability to reduce inflammation throughout the body, particularly in the cardiovascular system. Studies have linked the use of its tea to a significant reduction in the tension of arteries and blood vessels, therefore reducing blood pressure. This can help to prevent coronary heart diseases and a variety of other cardiovascular conditions.
Boosts Immune System: If you consume the greens of red clover, you are much more likely to get a high dose of vitamin C than if you consume the tea. Vitamin C is a powerful immune system booster and can help to stimulate the production of white blood cells.
Prevents Infections: If you consume the leaves in the form of tea, you can get a healthy dose of antioxidants. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals, which cause degenerative diseases and cell mutation. The overall immune boost of red clover includes preventing infections, both viral and bacterial.
Eases Menstruation & Menopause: The hormonal impacts of red clover are significant, particularly in women. The isoflavones found in red clover mimic estrogen, so for women who may struggle to maintain estrogen levels, red clover can help to balance their hormonal shifts and prevent mood swings, as well as reduce breast pain. This applies to women undergoing PMS as well as menopause, as both of these times can cause dangerous or unpredictable fluctuations in hormone levels.
Prevents Cancer: Red clover is not only useful for women, however, and in terms of cancer prevention, it is extremely important for men. Prostate cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer in men, and some of the compounds found in it can block certain enzymes that could cause prostate growth. Although some forms of prostate enlargement are benign, a reduction in prostate size is always a good thing for long-term male health.
Cholesterol-lowering Properties: If you struggle to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, you significantly increase your chances of heart attacks and strokes as a result of atherosclerosis. Therefore, anything that can lower cholesterol levels is valuable, and research has shown that LDL cholesterol levels can be reduced by adding red clover.
Blood Circulation: Furthermore, coumarins found in red clover have been shown to keep blood flowing smoothly and stimulating healthy circulation, further preventing high blood pressure and cardiovascular distress.
Detoxify the Body: If you want to find a quick way to detoxify your body and clear your system of excess toxins and salts, nothing works better than a diuretic. Red clover has been connected to increased urination, thereby helping to release excess water, toxins, and even fat from the body.
TREATMENTS WITH RED CLOVER
Cardiovascular health: Researchers theorize that red clover might help protect against heart disease, but studies in humans have not found strong evidence. Red clover isoflavones have been associated with an increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol in pre and postmenopausal women, but other studies show conflicting results. One study found that menopausal women taking red clover supplements had stronger, more flexible arteries (called arterial compliance), which can help prevent heart disease. Red clover may also have blood-thinning properties, which keeps blood clots from forming. It appears to improve blood flow.
Menopause: Researchers think that isoflavones, like those found in red clover, might help reduce symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats, because of their estrogen-like effects. So far studies have been mixed. Several studies of a proprietary extract of red clover isoflavones suggest that it may significantly reduce hot flashes in menopausal women. However, the largest study showed no effect.
Osteoporosis: As estrogen levels drop during menopause, a woman’s risk for developing osteoporosis (significant bone loss) goes up. A few studies suggest that a proprietary extract of red clover isoflavones may slow bone loss and even boost bone mineral density in pre- and perimenopausal women. But the evidence is preliminary, and more research is needed.
Cancer: Based on its traditional use for cancer, researchers have begun to study the role of isoflavones from red clover in cancer prevention and treatment. Preliminary evidence suggests these isoflavones may stop cancer cells from growing or kill cancer cells in test tubes. Researchers theorize that red clover may help prevent some forms of cancer, such as prostate and endometrial cancer. However, because of the herb’s estrogen-like effects, it might also contribute to the growth of some cancers, just as estrogen does. Until further research is done, doctors cannot recommend red clover to prevent cancer. Women with a history of breast cancer should not take red clover.
Other uses: Traditionally, red clover ointments have been applied to the skin to treat psoriasis, eczema, and other rashes. Red clover has also been used as a cough remedy for children. More recently, studies have shown that women using red clover may experience psychological benefits.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Red clover is available in a variety of preparations, including teas, tinctures, tablets, capsules, liquid extract, and extracts standardized to specific isoflavone contents. It can also be prepared as an ointment for topical (skin) application. Due to lack of long-term studies, self treatment should not exceed 3 to 6 months without the supervision of a health care professional.
Pediatric: Red clover has been used traditionally as a short-term cough remedy for children. Products containing isolated red clover isoflavones are very different than the whole herb, however, and are not recommended for children. DO NOT give a child red clover without talking to your pediatrician first.
Adult: Dose may vary from person to person, but general guidelines are as follows:
Dried herb (used for tea): 1 to 2 tsp dried flowers or flowering tops steeped in 8 oz. hot water for 1/2 hour; drink 2 to 3 cups daily
Powdered herb (available in capsules): 40 to 160 mg per day, or 28 to 85 mg of red clover isoflavones
Tincture (1:5, 30% alcohol): 60 to 100 drops (3 to 5 mL), 3 times per day; may add to hot water as a tea
Fluid Extract (1:1): 1 mL, 3 times per day; may add to hot water as a tea
Standardized red clover isoflavone extracts: follow directions on product labels carefully
Topical treatment (such as for psoriasis or eczema): an infusion, liquid extract, or ointment containing 10 to 15% flower heads; apply as needed unless irritation develops. DO NOT apply to an open wound without a doctor’s supervision.
RED CLOVER SIDE EFFECTS & SAFETY
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Red clover is LIKELY SAFE when taken by mouth in amounts commonly found in food. However, it is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. Red clover acts like estrogen and might disturb important hormone balances during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Don’t use it. Not enough is known about the safety of red clover when applied to the skin during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and don’t use it.
Bleeding disorders: Red clover might increase the chance of bleeding. Avoid large amounts and use with caution.
Hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Red clover might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use red clover.
Protein S deficiency: People with protein S deficiency have an increased risk of forming blood clots. There is some concern that red clover might increase the risk of clot formation in these people because it has some of the effects of estrogen. Don’t use red clover if you have protein S deficiency.
Surgery: Red clover might slow blood clotting. It might increase the chance of extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop taking red clover at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
RED CLOVER INTERACTIONS
Birth control pills (Contraceptive drugs) interacts with RED CLOVER: Some birth control pills contain estrogen. Red clover might have some of the same effects as estrogen. But red clover isn’t as strong as the estrogen in birth control pills. Taking red clover along with birth control pills might decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. If you take birth control pills along with red clover, use an additional form of birth control such as a condom. Some birth control pills include ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel (Triphasil), ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Ortho-Novum 1/35, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7), and others.
Estrogens interacts with RED CLOVER: Large amounts of red clover might have some of the same effects as estrogen. But red clover isn’t as strong as estrogen pills. Taking red clover along with estrogen pills might decrease the effects of estrogen pills. Some estrogen pills include conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin), ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, and others.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates) interacts with RED CLOVER. Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Red clover might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking red clover along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking red clover, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver. Some medications that are changed by the liver include amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur, others), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, others), and others.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) substrates) interacts with RED CLOVER. Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Red clover might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking red clover along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking red clover, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver. Some medications that are changed by the liver include omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and pantoprazole (Protonix); diazepam (Valium); carisoprodol (Soma); nelfinavir (Viracept); and others.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) substrates) interacts with RED CLOVER. Red clover might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking red clover along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking red clover, talk to your healthcare provider if you take any medications that are changed by the liver. Some medications that are changed by the liver include diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), ibuprofen (Motrin), meloxicam (Mobic), and piroxicam (Feldene); celecoxib (Celebrex); amitriptyline (Elavil); warfarin (Coumadin); glipizide (Glucotrol); losartan (Cozaar); and others.
Medications changed by the liver (Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) substrates) interacts with RED CLOVER. Some medications are changed and broken down by the liver. Red clover might decrease how quickly the liver breaks down some medications. Taking red clover along with some medications that are broken down by the liver can increase the effects and side effects of some medications. Before taking red clover, talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking any medications that are changed by the liver. Some medications changed by the liver include lovastatin (Mevacor), ketoconazole (Nizoral), itraconazole (Sporanox), fexofenadine (Allegra), triazolam (Halcion), and many others.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with RED CLOVER. Large amounts of red clover might slow blood clotting. Taking red clover along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding. Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) interacts with RED CLOVER. Some types of cancer are affected by hormones in the body. Estrogen-sensitive cancers are cancers that are affected by estrogen levels in the body. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) is used to help treat and prevent these types of cancer. Red clover seems to also affect estrogen levels in the body. By affecting estrogen in the body, red clover might decrease the effectiveness of tamoxifen (Nolvadex). Do not take red clover if you are taking tamoxifen (Nolvadex).
Recipes for Red Clover
Clover Syrup
Ingredients:
4 cups red (and white) clover flowers
2 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
Instructions:
Boil the flowers for about 10 minutes or until the color comes out of the flowers. Strain and measure 2 1/4 cups liquid (add water if needed).
Return to pot. Add lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil then reduce heat. Simmer until liquid becomes syrupy.
Pour into a bottle or jar and store in the fridge up to 6 months.
Start your morning on the wild side with these tasty red clover biscuits served with homemade jam or jelly.
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour + extra for rolling
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/3 cup butter at room temperature
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dried or fresh red clover flowers (broken down)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl combine flour, almond flour, and baking powder. Add butter and knead until fully blended.
In a separate bowl, mix eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Add in red clover flowers and blend well. Gradually add to the dough until it is completely blended.
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of almost 1/2″. Use a cookie cutter about 1½” in diameter and cut.
Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve (preferably) warm with jam or jelly.
Red Clover Ice Tea
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes Yield: Makes 8 one cup servings.
Harvest and store red clover flowers so that you can enjoy this tasty, healthy ice tea any time of the year.
Ingredients:
12 red clover flowers (with leaves is fine)
8 cups water
3/4 cup organic can sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
one half lemon, squeezed
Instructions:
Boil water in a saucepan, then remove from stove and allow to cool 10 minutes. Place red clover flowers in water; let infuse minimum 1/2 hour. (For a stronger flavor and more nutrients allow to sit 1-2 hours.)
Strain, add sweetener of your choice and the fresh squeezed lemon juice. (The amount of sweetener can be reduced or increased based on your taste buds.) Place in ridge to chill then enjoy!
Before the invention of the refrigerator, it was common practice to drop a silver coin into a container of milk as a preservative because silver was known to prevent the growth of algae, bacteria and other undesirable organisms. Dating back to ancient times, silver was also a popular remedy to stop the spread of diseases. Its use as a natural antibiotic continued all the way until the 1940s, when modern antibiotics arrived. Today, obviously, people don’t need to drop silver coins into their water to experience colloidal silver benefits! All you need to do is carefully take a few drops from a bottle that you buy at the store, which is:
“A solution of water containing nanometer sized particles of suspended silver. The total silver content is expressed as milligrams of silver per liter (mg/L) of water which is numerically the same as parts per million (ppm). The total silver content is divided into two forms of silver: ionic silver and silver particles.”
Colloidal silver is a product that is sold as a liquid supplement, nasal spray and ointment, and it is marketed for the treatment of a variety of disorders. It is made with silver colloids, ionic silver and silver proteins; and colloidal is the term used to describe the particles of silver that do not dissolve, but instead remain suspended in the liquid. Colloidal silver is generally considered safe and beneficial as a topical analgesic, but consult your doctor before taking it internally.
There are basically three types of products that are marketed as “colloidal silver” and these can be categorized as:
Ionic silver – Ionic silver solutions are products whose silver content primarily consists of silver ions. Although ionic silver is often marketed as colloidal silver, it’s not true colloidal silver. Because it’s the least expensive to produce, ionic silver is the most popular product in this category. The problem? It simply won’t produce the same benefits that true colloidal silver can.
Silver Protein – In order to keep large silver particles suspended, silver protein-based products add gelatin. Silver protein is the second-most popular type of colloidal silver product on the market and can easily be made by adding water to silver protein powder. Again, it’s also often marketed and labeled as colloidal silver, but should not be confused for the real thing. Silver protein is less effective for human use, and you won’t experience the true colloidal silver benefits.
True Colloidal Silver – true silver colloids don’t contain any protein or other additives, as the vast majority of the silver content consists of nanometer-sized silver particles. Colloidal silver is a liquid solution created using electrolysis to suspend pure, metallic elemental silver (in groups of particles 15 atoms or fewer, each with a positive electric charge) attached to simple protein molecules, in distilled water. Colloids of silver should stay suspended, rather than sinking to the bottom, as the electric charge is stronger than gravity. Good quality colloidal silver should therefore not require shaking before use, or be dark in color. Clear or pale yellow colloidal silver is the best as the particle size affects the color of the solution and the larger particles produce a darker colored liquid, and aren’t easily absorbed by the body.
More Information About Ionic Silver Products
all products called ionic silver, colloidal silver, nano silver, hydrosol, or mild silver protein, are in fact just various forms of “ionic silver” products, because all of them function by providing a delivery mechanism to release silver ions in the body. Otherwise, they would be useless.
when it comes to PPM or “parts per million,” there is no such things as a “safer” level of PPM, and there is no such thing as a “more effective” level of PPM, simply because PPM is literally nothing more than a measure of how much water you’re getting along with the silver in the product.
particle size is in no way an indicator of safety or of effectiveness and, in fact, can be very misleading, partly because the results are sometimes the opposite of what you might expect and partly because there is an enormous proliferation of so-called “photos” that are being used in marketing that claim to be images of various products taken under a microscope when in fact they are, more often than not, images generated the the “back room” of the company that’s using them for marketing and not by reputable independent labs (which of course would be the only basis under which you should ever give credence to such images).
representing that a given dosage of a given silver product is safe because that much silver “matches” the EPA RfD limit is simply a false representation of the facts, since it fails to allow for the silver that’s in your daily water and food intake, which is using up a good part of the RfD daily limit.
A silver ion is a silver atom that’s missing an electron. Atomic silver is entirely inert and has no bioactivity whatsoever. Ionic silver is highly bioactive. However, silver ions are also very unstable and will bind up with chlorides and proteins in the mouth if not stabilized by a carrier agent. Various carrier agents exist in various silver supplements. These carrier agents may be citrate, oxides, proteins, or other substances.
Colloidal silver is simply providing one form of those various carrier agents. It primarily utilizes oxides, in the form of “silver oxide,” as the carrier agent. Since so many colloidal silver products exist, they are called by different terms depending on the marketing strategy of the manufacturer: they may be called colloidal, ionic, true colloid, hydrosol, silver solution, and so forth. All of those products have essentially the same substance in the bottle, colloidal silver.
IS MORE PPM REALLY BETTER?
PPM of colloidal silver needs to be understood in its entirety. PPM means parts per million. By definition 1 PPM is 1 milligram of silver deposited in 1 liter of water (1,000 ml) (1,000,000 mg). If one were to ingest that 1 mg. piece of silver, it would not do much good. If you were to divide that 1 mg. into 1,000,000 particles of silver, it would then have much more efficacy because it takes one particle of silver to disable 1 pathogen. The silver is now 1,000,000 times better than 1 piece of silver even though by definition it is still only 1 PPM. If one were to further divide the 1 mg piece of silver into 100,000,000 particles, it would be very beneficial indeed. And so as the silver is more finely divided the PPM by definition remains the same.
So, what really counts is not how many PPM the silver is but how many particles the silver has been divided into. That is why it isn’t necessary to have high PPM but it IS important to divide the silver as finely as possible. To see how small the silver can be divided by our colloidal silver generators, please look at the electron microscope photos. It is not better to try to take high PPM colloidal silver but to take CS that is properly made. If you think more silver is necessary, just take more of better made low PPM colloidal silver and you will be further ahead than if you took poorly made, high PPM colloidal silver.
Another factor is the form silver is in. 90-95% of the silver made with the SG6 Auto is ionic and up to 98% of the SG7 Pro silver water is ionic. Ionic silver is like sugar or salt dissolved into the water. It is invisible and can only be sensed with a test meter such as the PWT we sell. Ionic silver is conductive whereas colloidal silver is not. Colloids are like small ball bearings floating around in the water and separated from each other by what is called Brownian Motion. They carry no electrical charge. The ions are silver atoms missing one electron in the outer shell and therefore are positive in charge. The ionic portion is evenly dispersed like dissolved sugar or salt. The generator determines the shutoff point by measuring the ionic water conductivity.
If the colloidal silver is properly made it will be crystal clear. This is because the particles are too small to reflect any light. If it shows any color, the particles are too large. The first color seen is yellow. As the particle size increases other colors such as red, green, blue, brown or black may be seen. Any color seen will indicate CS that is not very good.
How Colloidal Silver Works
With ionic silver products, the two factors that determine effectiveness are the delivery agent and the total quantity (mcg) of silver you consume. The one key factor that determines safety is the total quantity (mcg) of silver you consume. The EPA RfD safety guidelines for safe total daily intake of silver are expressed strictly in terms of mcg of silver per day. PPM never comes into the picture! This is because mcg measures the actual silver consumed. PPM alone can’t tell you anything about how much silver you’re actually consuming. The size of the particles in colloidal silver makes zero difference on effectiveness or safety. What matters for effectiveness is the carrier agent to stabilize and release silver ions in the body, and what matters for safety is the total mcg of silver you consume. Neither of those factors is at all related to particle size. According to a report written by Richard Davies and Samuel Etris of The Silver Institute in a 1996, there are three primary ways that colloidal silver can help heal the body:
Catalytic Oxidation: Silver naturally holds onto oxygen molecules, which readily react with the sulfhydral (H) groups that surround bacterial and viruses. In turn, this helps block the life-preserving cellular process known as cellular respiration, which is defined as “the set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and then release waste products.”
Reaction with Bacterial Cell Membranes: Silver ions can attach to bacteria cell membranes directly and produce the same respiration-blocking effect. Colloidal silver is thought to suffocate single celled organisms by disabling the oxygen metabolism enzyme. This allows the body’s own immune system to become more effective at removing these residue pathogens, and thereby become more effective at fending off disease.
Binding with DNA: Shown to literally enter bacteria DNA, up to 12% of silver has been detected in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to one source, “While it remains unclear exactly how the silver binds to the DNA without destroying the hydrogen bonds holding the lattice together, it nevertheless prevents the DNA from unwinding, an essential step for cellular replication to occur.”
Uses of Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is used to treat infections due to yeast; bacteria (tuberculosis, Lyme disease, bubonic plague, pneumonia, leprosy, gonorrhea, syphilis, scarlet fever, stomach ulcers, cholera); parasites (ringworm, malaria); and viruses (HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, herpes, shingles, warts). Colloidal silver is also used for lung conditions including emphysema and bronchitis; skin conditions including rosacea, cradle cap (atopic dermatitis), eczema, impetigo, and psoriasis; and inflammation (sometimes due to infection) of the bladder (cystitis), prostate (prostatitis), colon (colitis), nose (rhinitis), stomach (gastritis), tonsils (tonsillitis), appendix (appendicitis), and sinuses (sinusitis).
Other uses include treatment of cancer, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, leukemia, hay fever and other allergies, trench foot, and gum disease.
Colloidal silver is also used to prevent flu, H1N1 (swine) flu, and the common cold.
Colloidal silver is applied directly to the skin for acne, burns, eye infections, fungal infections, throat infections, skin infections, and Staphylococcus infections.
Eye infections. Some research shows that using colloidal silver eye drops in both eyes shortly after birth does not help prevent certain eye infections in newborns. Other research shows that applying a colloidal silver solution to the eye surface of people undergoing eye surgery does not prevent infections as well as applying povidone-iodine solution.
Top 8 Proven Colloidal Silver Benefits – DrAxe.com
Antibacterial – First, colloidal silver’s ability to control antibiotic-resistant superbugs is astonishing. While employed at UCLA Medical School in the 1980s, Larry C. Ford, MD, documented over 650 different disease-causing pathogens that were destroyed in minutes when exposed to small amounts of silver. Colloidal silver, unlike its modern prescription antibiotic counterpart, simply doesn’t create resistance or immunity in the organisms that are killed by it. This point cannot be emphasized enough, especially in light of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reporting that more than 2 million people in the U.S. suffer illness every year as a result of antibiotic-resistant infections and 23,000 die from these infections.
Wound Care/Skin Health – Robert O. Becker, MD, says that colloidal silver stimulates healing in the skin and other soft tissues. In a research article produced by Pharmacognosy Communications in 2012, it was specifically recommended that certain colloidal silver preparations should be considered for topical use to treat burns, thrush, periodontitis and other conditions. For instance, you can treat ringworm (Tinea capitis) at home with colloidal silver because it’s a potent anti-fungal. Caused by a fungus that lives on the top layer of the skin, ringworm presents as round, scaly patches. It’s contagious and spread by skin contact and by contaminated materials, such as clothing. Colloidal silver benefits many skins conditions such as psoriasis and eczema as well. It’s soothing to scrapes and even repairs tissue damage from burns.
Pink Eye/Ear Infections – Pink eye is an inflamed mucous membrane that covers the eyeball and eyelid lining, and it’s primarily caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Colloidal silver can be used for prompt action against this irritating and highly infectious virus and bacteria. When applied on the infected eye, the tiny silver colloids pick up the infected cells by attracting them electromagnetically and sending them into the bloodstream to be eliminated. Our modern prescription antibiotic drugs are designed to work against specific classes of bacteria, but ear infections may be caused by multiple classes of bacteria or can even be fungal. In this case, the prescription antibiotic will be useless, whereas colloidal silver is effective regardless of what may be causing your infection.
Antiviral – Colloidal silver benefits can be experienced as an anti-viral for HIV/AIDS, pneumonia, herpes, shingles and warts. Dr. Martin Hum, from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, lists colloidal silver as one of the natural remedies to stop viruses fast. Colloidal silver suffocates the virus and can even reduce the activity of the HIV virus in AIDS patients. There are also numerous anecdotal accounts of colloidal silver’s efficacy against the hepatitis C virus.
Anti-Inflammatory – Colloidal silver is also a fantastic anti-inflammatory remedy. Case in point: Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) studied the effects of inflammation after being treated by colloidal silver; they found that the inflamed skin of pigs treated with silver experienced near-normal skin after 72 hours, while other treatment groups not treated with silver remained inflamed. Research is beginning to reflect what many people have already known anecdotally for years — that colloidal silver can reduce swelling, speed healing, and boosts cell recovery!
Sinusitis – Widely used to control sinus infections, colloidal silver can benefit people as a nasal spray, according to a study published in the International Forum for Allergy and Rhinology last year. Specifically shown to kill Staph aureus, you can add a few drops of silver in a “neti pot” or by applying directly into your nasal cavity and letting it drain down your throat by tilting your head back. Also, it’s important to point out that recent research indicates that hidden infections by pathogens could be a cause of respiratory inflammation associated with common allergies and asthma. Colloidal silver destroys Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, which may be the reason why airborne allergy sufferers often find such dramatic relief from colloidal silver.
Cold/Flu – Some claim that colloidal silver helps prevent all types of flu, including swine flu, as well as the common cold. Few studies have been done to test this clinically, but in 2011 the NIH took 100 children under the age of 12 suffering from the common cold and nasal congestion and assigned them into two groups; the first group was treated with a solution of colloidal silver and beta glucan, and the second group with saline solution. Even though both groups benefited from the treatment, 90% of the people in the colloidal silver group completely recovered!
Pneumonia – Our modern drugs have become limited in their efficacy when it comes to fighting bronchitis or pneumonia. Typically, antibiotics are administered as the first line of defense, but when the pneumonia is viral, antibiotics won’t help in the least. The nice thing about colloidal silver is that it can help regardless of the pathogen. Colloidal silver is a remarkable product to help fight against bronchitis and pneumonia when ingested internally, but an even more effective way to utilize it? Simply breathe it into your lungs. This way, the silver directly contacts the germs residing in the lungs, which are causing bronchitis or pneumonia. It’s basically the same thing as using respiratory support, and it works speedily, clearing it up within a couple of days. Now, the most effective method to get the colloidal silver into the lungs is to use a nebulizer. Generally, use one teaspoon approximately three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes.
COLLOIDAL SILVER DOSING
Colloidal silver needs to be applied differently for each condition. To experience colloidal silver benefits, it may be taken as follows, always keeping in mind to never use it for more than 14 days in a row.
2-5 drops applied directly to the skin
1 eyedropper taken orally for immune support
1-2 drops into eyes for pink eye
1-2 drops can help disinfect any wound or sore by applying onto a Band-Aid
If prepared properly, it can be injected into a muscle, a cancerous tumor, or into the bloodstream
5 drops added into a neti pot or directly sprayed into the nose
5-10 drops can be applied vaginally or anally
WebMD Disclaimer – The appropriate dose of colloidal silver depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for colloidal silver. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Colloidal Silver is Generally Safe in Suggested Doses
Colloidal silver, used as a supplement, has very few, if any, negative side effects. It is generally safe to take 1 to 2 tbsp. of 5 parts per million (ppm) colloidal silver once or twice per day. This is true even for first-time users of colloidal silver.
Colloidal silver is not known to have a cumulative effect. Colloidal silver particles are excreted by the body in a short period of time.
Even in larger does, colloidal silver, if properly manufactured to produce a very small particle size and using only pure, distilled water and 0.999 sterling silver, should result in no side effects in the majority of regular users.
There is simply no such thing as a silver supplement that is not capable of discoloring the skin if sufficiently excessive quantities are consumed, and no molecular structures are known to be more or less prone to contributing towards the total it would take to cause potential problems. It is the silver ion that is bioactive, both in terms of providing any potential benefits and, likewise, in terms of being able to bind up with substances in the body and deposit in the skin. Therefore, if the silver product can provide any benefits, then it can also discolor the skin with excessive intake because it’s releasing silver ions in the body. The bottom line is that one should not ignore such claims but also be very wary of any manufacturer that would make such claims.
Colloidal Silver, if used sensibly, is completely non-toxic and will not harm the immune system in any way. Critics of colloidal silver will often warn that regular consumption of colloidal silver might lead to Argyria, a bluish/ gray discoloration of the skin. Dr. Bob Beck debunks this statement as a scare tactic by pro pharmaceutical interests. Dr Beck has indicated that Argyria is caused by silver compounds, such as silver nitrate, silver sulfate, silver sulfadiazine, etc., and not micro particles of pure elemental silver. Apparently, silver colloids are mostly absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, since colloidal silver does not seem to adversely affect friendly bacteria in the lower intestines. Silver can be toxic to nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, but is normally prevented from entering those areas by the blood-brain barrier. Silver has not demonstrated any evidence of carcinogenic activity.
The body eliminates excess silver via the metallothiones. These ubiquitous proteins, first characterized in 1957, have the property of binding with heavy metals, such as silver, into metal-thiolate-cluster structures which aid in transportation, storage, and elimination of nonessential trace metals which enter the body.
Colloidal Silver Side Effects – DrAxe.com
Although the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health reports that colloidal silver may cause poor absorption of some drugs, there is limited research proving that side effects to colloidal silver use even exist. Nonetheless, you may come across many warnings about it causing an irreversible condition called argyria (when people turn blue). However, this is caused by misuse not of true colloidal silver, but through other cheaper products marketed as colloidal silver, such as ionic silver or silver protein. One point to consider is that, because colloidal silver is such a potent antibacterial agent, you should be sure to supplement with probiotics during use to be sure that you maintain a proper balance of microflora.
The Herxheimer Effect
The most often cited negative side effect among colloidal silver users, although it is rare and the manifestation of the symptoms are generally mild. The scientific name for this phenomenon is Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. The main caution with colloidal silver is to new users whose bodies may be excessively toxic. For the first week or two of usage, new users should be careful to take only the minimum suggested dosage. With any natural supplement or antibiotic that works by eliminating pathogens from the body, there can be such a rapid detoxification that the body cannot assimilate the changes. This can result in some discomfort that may include chills, fever, headaches, weakness and flu-like symptoms as the cells in the body release harmful bacteria.
Colloidal Silver Can Destroy Beneficial Bacteria
Excessive use of colloidal silver has the reported side effect of intestinal discomfort and constipation. This side effect is generally mild. It is the result of colloidal silver attacking beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. In affected individuals, it is suggested that the amount of colloidal consumption be reduced to suggested dosages until the problem subsides. The natural flora of the intestinal tract will be restored over time. But, it can be expedited by supplementation with enzymes such as lactobacillus acidophilus and bifodophilus. These probiotics can be purchased in capsules and are naturally found in yogurt and kefir that contains live cultures and are available at most health food stores.
The Argyria Controversy
Because of the efforts of the popular media, colloidal silver is wrongly associated with the medical condition known as argyria. Properly made colloidal silver does not cause argyria. Most modern cases of argyria are found in people who work in some aspect of the silver industry and are the result of tiny silver particles that become embedded in the skin. In the past, argyria was iatrogenically induced by the use of silver nitrate (a silver compound that should not be confused with pure silver) in the form of drops applied to mucous membranes or injected into patients. There are a few modern cases of argyria that have been induced by the consumption of silver compounds, most commonly, silver chloride, which is a compound of silver and sodium. This compound is not the same substance as colloidal silver.
COLLOIDAL SILVER SIDE EFFECTS & SAFETY – WebMD.com
Colloidal silver is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth, applied to the skin, or injected intravenously (by IV). The silver in colloidal silver products gets deposited in vital organs such as the skin, liver, spleen, kidney, muscle, and brain. This can lead to an irreversible bluish skin discoloration that first appears in the gums. It can also stimulate melanin production in skin, and areas exposed to the sun will become increasingly discolored.
Special Precautions & Warnings: Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Colloidal silver is LIKELY UNSAFE when taken by mouth, applied to the skin or injected intravenously (by IV). Increased silver levels in pregnant women have been linked to abnormal development of the ear, face, and neck in their babies. Colloidal silver supplements can also lead to silver accumulation in the body, which can lead to an irreversible bluish skin discoloration known as argyria. Silver can also be deposited in vital organs, where it does serious damage.
What the Science Says About the Safety and Side Effects of Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver can cause serious side effects. The most common is argyria, a bluish-gray discoloration of the skin, which is usually permanent.
Colloidal silver can also cause poor absorption of some drugs, such as certain antibiotics and thyroxine (used to treat thyroid deficiency).
The FDA also warned in 1999 that colloidal silver isn’t safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.
The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission have taken action against a number of companies for making misleading claims about colloidal silver products.
Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combination
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics) interacts with COLLOIDAL SILVER – Colloidal silver might decrease how much antibiotic the body absorbs. Taking colloidal silver along with antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics. Some antibiotics that might interact with colloidal silver include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).
Antibiotics (Tetracycline antibiotics) interacts with COLLOIDAL SILVER – Colloidal silver might decrease how much tetracycline antibiotics the body can absorb. Taking colloidal silver with tetracycline antibiotics might decrease the effectiveness of tetracycline antibiotics. To avoid this interaction, take colloidal silver two hours before or four hours after taking tetracyclines. Some tetracyclines include demeclocycline (Declomycin), minocycline (Minocin), and tetracycline (Achromycin).
Levothyroxine interacts with COLLOIDAL SILVER – Colloidal silver might decrease how much levothyroxine the body absorbs. Taking levothyroxine along with colloidal silver might decrease the effectiveness of thyroxine.
Penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen) interacts with COLLOIDAL SILVER – Penicillamine is used for Wilson’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Colloidal silver might decrease how much penicillamine your body absorbs and decrease the effectiveness of penicillamine.
Medications that can harm the liver (Hepatotoxic drugs) – Interaction Rating: Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Colloidal silver might harm the liver. Taking colloidal silver along with medications that might also harm the liver can increase the risk of liver damage. Do not take colloidal silver if you are taking a medication that can harm the liver. Some medications that can harm the liver include acetaminophen (Tylenol and others), amiodarone (Cordarone), carbamazepine (Tegretol), isoniazid (INH), methotrexate (Rheumatrex), methyldopa (Aldomet), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), erythromycin (Erythrocin, Ilosone, others), phenytoin (Dilantin), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), simvastatin (Zocor), and many others.
In the last Article “Making Excuses”, we discussed the reasoning behind our excuse making. Now we’ll discuss how to stop making excuses and get on with our changes, obligations, goals, and dreams. Because what many of us neglect to see is that our excuses have very serious and lasting consequences. Not only will excuses prevent you from reaching your full potential, but they will also hold you back from recognizing opportunities, talents and skills you might have, to help you overcome your problems.
If you don’t challenge yourself to reach new heights, you will never really know what you’re capable of. New opportunities lie hidden around every corner however you will never find them if you riddle your mind with constantly finding reasons to make excuses. Making excuses can also lead to the following consequences:
Lack of responsibility and growth
Self-limiting beliefs
Massive regrets
Persistent pessimistic outlook on life
Bad judgments
Paranoia
Imaginary walls constricting comfort zone
Mental blocks stifling proactive action and creativity
These consequences certainly don’t lead to a fulfilling lifestyle. In fact, they paralyze us and prevent forward movement in all areas of our lives. To overcome your excuses, you must first admit that you are making them. This can be very difficult, but if you want to make your change and achieve your goals you must eliminate the excuses and their consequences.
To help with this process you should ask yourself some questions:
What excuses do I tend to make? (write them down, add to it as you recognize more of them)
What am I settling for? (write it down, add to it as you recognize more)
Why am I making these excuses? (write down your reasons, add to it as you recognize more)
How do these excuses prevent me from moving forward? (write it down and review your reasons often)
How do my excuses cripple my ability to get what I want? (write it down and remind yourself when you find yourself asking this question again)
Common statements we think to ourselves that stop us from acting.
By Katherine Hurst (www.thelawofattraction.com)
“It’s too scary to take the risk”. Stop and ask yourself – What’s the worst that can happen? And, how would you deal with the worst that can happen?
“I don’t deserve the thing I want”. Of all the limiting beliefs that inhibit successful Law of Attraction work, this is one of the deepest and most insidious. These are often negative words that have been internalized earlier in life. If you’re held back by low self-esteem, one thing that can help is writing down your negative beliefs and pairing them with positive statements (which you can then turn into affirmations).
“What’s meant to be will be.” It’s great to have the confidence and faith that things will work themselves out if you’ve done all that you can on your end to set yourself up for success. But it’s when you decide to just sit back and wait for your “destined” achievement that the problem arises—when you stop taking the necessary action toward a major goal. Stop saying, “What will be will be,” and start saying, “I’ll make it happen.”
“I’ll never know enough”. This is a defeatist excuse for not pursuing the life you want. In truth, great things never happen overnight. There is a wealth of information at your fingertips online, there are classes you can take, and there are always people you can reach out to for help. To get rid of this excuse once and for all, properly familiarize yourself with some success stories from the rich and famous. You’ll find that many of them began with nothing.
“There just aren’t opportunities for me to succeed”. When you catch yourself thinking this way, remind yourself that you are just not seeing the opportunities. If you believe in them and look for them, they are everywhere. Train yourself to actively look for signs from the Universe and tune into your intuition. If you get the sense that something might be an opportunity, grab it with both hands. Plus, you have the ability to create opportunities, which is really the more success-oriented way of thinking about opportunity.
“I don’t really have time to do this”. This is by far one of the most common excuses, partly because it places the blame squarely away from yourself. However, the happiest and most successful people make time for the things that really matter, so challenge yourself to do the same if your goal truly matters to you. A good place to start is by considering ways you waste your time doing mindless activities or thinking unproductively. If you can free up even an extra hour a day, you can use that to accomplish great things. We all have the same 24 hours, the same seven days. Whether you use that time to work toward your biggest goals or waste it, using the justification that “you don’t have the time” is your choice. The only things you should “not have the time for” are negative people and excuses. If it’s important to you, you have to find the time—you have to make the time.
“What I want is unattainable”. As you’ll know from reading about the Law of Attraction, thinking in this way is thoroughly self-defeating. If you think your goals are unattainable, you vibrate on a frequency of lack and the things you want never come your way. If you feel like your dream is scarily large, try to break it down into more digestible mini-goals, and work out a timeframe for each of these (while still holding the ultimate destination in mind).
“It’s not worth the backlash from other people”. It’s natural to care about what other think of you, but don’t let this get out of control. Only the opinions of those closest to you should really matter, and even those people don’t have the right (or the wisdom) to decide what’s best for you. Don’t let fear of judgement stop you from being authentic. No matter how you choose to live your life or what goals you set, there will always be someone who is critical or allows their own hang-ups to get in the way of being pleased for you. Consequently, it’s in your best interests to develop self-esteem that comes exclusively from within (whether that’s through therapy, affirmations, journal work or some other method).
“I’d rather be happy than wealthy.” Why is it that we often treat wealth and happiness as mutually exclusive entities? Think back on your history with money as a child. Did your parents engrave in your brain their hardships with money, telling you that it doesn’t come easy, that it’s the root of all evil—that it’s in control? Your relationship with money doesn’t have to be one of regret or difficulty, and it certainly doesn’t turn you into an evil villain. Sure, some people use their money for horrible things, and yes, wealth might change some people for the worse. But it can also be used for good, and it can change you for the better, improving your comfort, security and influence. Change your mindset around money right now by believing in the deepest part of your core that you deserve it and will use it wisely.
“I just need to learn to appreciate where I am”. This final excuse is a tricky one, because there is some truth to it. Law of Attraction teachers often emphasize the importance of learning to enjoy life moment by moment, even while you’re in the process of manifesting your goal. The important thing is not to confuse this advice with the idea that you should just settle for less than you really want. If your current life doesn’t fulfill you, push to make it better. You won’t regret it.
Here are some ways to stop making excuses:
Understand locus of control. The first step to stopping making excuses is to examine how much you view life as being in your control. Excuses are often made to shift blame away to circumstances beyond our control.
Internal locus of control is the extent to which you assume responsibility for your actions and believe you can control your life. Having an internal locus of control better focuses you for future success.
External locus of control protects your self-image by blaming fate or others and escaping ownership of your mistakes or failures.
Understand self-efficacy. Your belief in your ability to complete a task greatly influences the actual accomplishment of that task, whether it is a work, fitness, or personal goal. Self-efficacy is based on your past experiences with a task, seeing how others have experienced the same task, how people treat you related to performing that task, and your emotional cues related to the task.
Increase your sense of self-efficacy. There are many things you can do to start building up your confidence in yourself. Small changes allow you to quickly meet goals and start increasing your self-efficacy.
Try making small changes to start. Instead of revamping your entire diet, start by increasing your water intake for a week, then move on to decreasing sugary treats the week after that.
Reflect on past successes. Remembering how you have previously accomplished goals will give you the support you need to accomplish the next one.
Visualize your success. See yourself in that smaller dress size.
Choose a role model. If you are trying to get fit, find a friend who has recently gone through that adjustment herself and look to her for inspiration and advice.
Allow some self-doubt. Don’t expect to be perfect because setbacks and pauses will occur in your journey – setting yourself up to be perfect will only lead to disappointment. Expect to have self-doubt and you can easier adjust and move forward.
Examine your own excuses. Make a list of the excuses you make, consider why you make them, and decide which ones you want to work on stopping first.
Review the excuses you are making about your performance at work. If you find you complain about deadlines, for example, maybe you need to re-examine your workflow process.
Consider what excuses you make about getting healthy. One of the most common is that you don’t have enough time to exercise.
Think about the excuses you make about achieving your life goals.
Develop your problem-solving abilities. Write out what is bothering you, brainstorm how many different ways you can approach the problem, assess the pros and cons of each approach, implement an approach, and evaluate the outcome.
Make a list of your fears. Do you let your fears run the show? Do they keep you in a cycle of excuse after excuse? Write them all down today. Create a list. Look at the fears and read them aloud to yourself. Seeing them on paper diminishes their value.
Write down what you’re doing in response to these fears. After writing down each of your fears, write down what you are doing in response to each of these fears. Know that you cannot fail; by showing up and being the best version of yourself, you have not failed. The mind can play tricks on you, making you live in response to your fears.
Examine your goals. In order to understand how you can better achieve your goals, you need to take a good hard look at them, determine if they are realistic and within your control and your ability, determine what scares you about them, and realize what underlying assumptions you might unconsciously have about them.
Decide on five concrete goals. Put these five goals on paper. Look at them. Start to manifest them. Start to believe you can make them become a part of your life.
Define your goals the SMART way. Make sure your goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable and Achievable, Relevant and Realistic, and Timely. Once you set SMART goals, you are more likely to achieve them.
Specific goals have a very focused target. Don’t just say you want to improve at work, say you want to gain 5 new clients this month. Thinking of the who, what, where, when, and why will help ensure your goal is specific.
Measurable goals make it easier to see your progress. Instead of saying you want to lose weight, specify that you want to lose 3 pounds this month.
Achievable goals ensure you do not suffer defeat at the hands of unrealistic expectations. You might want to earn more money but a goal of an extra $1000 in sales might be more achievable than $10,000.
Relevant goals make sure that you aren’t wasting time doing something that might not actually help. If you want to be a more flexible dancer, sign up for a gymnastics class instead of joining a chess league this season.
Time bound goals give you a target date. Some people need the push of a deadline. Say you want to have 10,000 words written for your novel – by the end of the month.
For each goal, come up with three action steps to help make them a reality. Create an action plan for yourself. This is what it all comes down to: ACTION. You can understand something intellectually, but it’s a matter of bringing that down into the heart and taking the steps to make these goals and results your reality.
Start taking personal responsibility by shifting to an internal locus of control. Once you assume ownership for making your workplace more efficient, for example, you can be a more effective contributor. Managers and employees who are more confident, initiate action, take steps, and influence others are seen as more respected and feel more successful at work.
Taking responsibility also means owning up to mistakes without making excuses for them. Everyone makes mistakes, but being honest and accountable makes both learning from mistakes and getting over mistakes easier.
Remind yourself that you have the power to influence your situation and environment. You can change if you make the choice to do so.
Create a one-day plan. Start small. Think about what you can do today to make the results you want part of your reality. Maybe it’s talking with a friend about what it is you truly want. Maybe it’s journaling about what inspires you, lights the fire inside, and brings about a sense of purpose and passion.
Be resourceful. Resourcefulness is one of the key factors to overcoming any challenge. Being resourceful includes asking for help so don’t be afraid to turn to your family, friends, or colleagues for assistance.
Tell someone about your plan. Accountability is everything. Knowing that you’re not alone and that someone else is there on the journey with you is empowering. Tell a friend or family member about this plan. Start working with a professional to bring your ideas and visions to life. Remember, you can’t do it all alone and the more love you let in, the more love you let out, and thus the more results you’ll see.
Become a high-self monitor. Self-monitoring is the ability to assess yourself in order to more easily adjust to a situation. Being able to accurately assess your skills, style, and goals in a particular situation affords you the ability to better adapt, and successful adaptation leads to success in goal achievement.
Self-evaluate. Whether it be how many sales you close at work or how often you cook dinner at home instead of ordering take-out, tracking and evaluating your activities is the best way to witness progress, see what’s working, and fix what’s not helpful. Once you can track and accomplish your goals, you can self-evaluate. Be your own critic. Be objective and realistic when you self-evaluate, and remember, “if it is to be, it’s up to me.”
Truly embrace compassion. These changes all start with this one word: compassion. Without compassion, you’re stuck in a cycle of fear and excuses. Compassion allows the love to flow through. It allows you to show up, be authentic, and create the life you want for yourself. You can be your own worst enemy and critic. Talk to yourself like you would talk to a loving friend or family member. Take in the fact that you have a choice each and every moment. Align this choice with the results you want for yourself.
Revise your language. If you find yourself engaging in self-doubt, telling yourself you “can’t do it” or “if only…”, you are buying into an external locus of control and may feel stuck in your present situation. Instead, tell yourself, “I think I can.”
Repeat positive mantras such as “I can do this” or “I’m getting better at this.”
Examine your “if only” statements and reword them positively. For example, “if only I had more time” can change to “I can find 10 minutes a day to do yoga.” Believing in yourself is half the battle.
15 Motivational Quotes to Stop Making Excuses: ‘He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.’ Lydia Sweatt March 23, 2017
“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” —George Washington
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” —Benjamin Franklin
“Never make excuses. Your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.” ―John Wooden
“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” ―George Washington Carver
“We have forty million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse.” ―Rudyard Kipling
“Every vice has its excuse ready.” ―Publilius Syrus
“If you really want to do it, you do it. There are no excuses.” —Bruce Nauman
“A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.” —John Burroughs
“We have more ability than willpower, and it is often an excuse to ourselves that we imagine that things are impossible.” ―François de la Rochefoucauld
“The trouble with excuses is that they become inevitably difficult to believe after they’ve been used a couple of times.” ―Scott Spencer
“Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.” ―Edward R. Murrow
“It is wise to direct your anger towards problems—not people, to focus your energies on answers—not excuses.” ―William Arthur Ward
“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself.” ―Henry Ward Beecher
“People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses.” ―Laura Schlessinger
“It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.” ―Mahatma Gandhi
To make an allowance for; to grant pardon to; to overlook or forgive.
To apologize for an act that could cause offense.
To explain in the hope of being forgiven or understood; to justify.
To free, as from obligation or duty; be exempt.
To give permission to leave; release from obligation.
An explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness.
A reason or grounds for excusing.
A note explaining an absence.
Used to acknowledge and ask forgiveness for an action that could cause offense.
Used to request that something be repeated.
Excuses are rationalizations we make to ourselves about people, events and circumstances. They are invented reasons we create to defend our behavior, to neglect taking a particular kind of action, or simply as a means of negating responsibility. Excuses are in essence a means of placing blame OF an internal problem ON an external condition.
So, in other words we use excuses to help ourselves feel better about not doing something that really should be done, or we feel needs to be done. Or to help ourselves feel ‘okay’ about our reactions to situations or people. It is our way of procrastinating; our way of putting difficult tasks off until we feel comfortable doing them, or until we’re shamed in to doing them. Procrastination is the main thing that will stop you from getting organized and achieving your goals. It is the excuses we develop and use to help us avoid doing something and it comes in many forms.
Everyone at some point or another has put something off or has found themselves with an obligation that they may not want to fulfill. Whether it was forced upon them or it was a choice that they made. If we really don’t want to do something we will find a way to get out of it and we’ll talk ourselves into feeling comfortable with not doing it. Our excuses are our reasoning of WHY we don’t want to do it.
Stop and think about the time you decided you needed to make a change in your life like losing weight or exercising more. It was important to you, at least for a moment, until you started thinking about what you will have to do to accomplish your goal or complete the obligation. Then what did you do? Did you find reasons to avoid taking steps or did you find ways to get started?
Most of the time, excuses are voiced over and over in your head until you believe them and feel they are the truth. Then your reality becomes exactly everything your avoiding. The lies or excuses build on top of each other and eventually you’re struggling to maintain the façade.
If you could understand the WHY of your excuses, maybe you could eliminate them and achieve your desires, accomplish your goals, and be successful in your life. That is the purpose behind this article, to help us all stop making excuses and live to our fullest potential. To dig deeper into our excuses that stop our progress and hinder our happiness. To turn the excuses for why you can’t do it into reasons for why it’s already done.
According to Susan Whitbourne PhD, there are four basic reasons why we make excuses or lie to ourselves and others to avoid doing what we don’t want to do. Or to avoid the consequences of not doing what we’re supposed to do. These include reinforcement, memory distortion, protection of a positive sense of identity, and the self-serving bias.
The first reason for making excuses is reinforcement. This is the process of getting away with a lie or excuse we make to ourselves or others and feeling that it is okay to do it again since you were never caught. The more often you get away with lying, cheating, and making excuses the more comfortable you will feel with doing it again.
The second reason for making excuses is memory distortion. This occurs when the lies and excuses have built upon each other and have become a form of reality for you. You have lied and backed up your lies for so long they become a part of your personal history.
The third reason for making excuses is the protection of a positive sense of identity. This is where we convince ourselves and others that the lies and excuses we have repeated over and over are legitimate reality. We do this to avoid admitting that we were dishonest, to keep ourselves looking good.
Finally, the fourth reason for making excuses is our self-serving bias. This is the way we see ourselves and our situations. We see a situation, event, or person as wrong or the cause of our action or reaction. We don’t see that it is wrong to lie so that we can feel okay about being dishonest. This is called the ‘fundamental attribution error’ in which you may demoralize someone else that lies while making excuses for your own lies.
As you can see there are ‘complex and interlocking’ reasons for lying, cheating, and fabricated excuse-making. People are constantly dodging, lying, and trying to remember their lies and excuses. They’re shortchanging themselves because these behaviors prevent them from achieving their full potential and feeling maximum fulfillment.
Anything that you find difficult in life tends to be procrastinated over – it’s human nature. If you can determine your reasons for procrastination, then you are already past the main hurdle in getting over it. These are some common reasons used for not doing something.
Reason #1: Time Issues
We’ve all said, at least once – I have no free time. There’s something else that has to be done. I’ll start tomorrow. I will make it my New Year’s resolution.
So instead let’s say – I will have more time to get more done if I get organized. If my schedule, work, and home are organized I will have more time to do what I want. I am starting now so that I can to what I love.
Reason #2: Fear Issues
We’ve all said, at least once – What if it goes wrong? What will others say? What if I get organized and then can’t keep up? What if I fail?
So instead let’s say – What’s the worst that can happen? Why does it matter what others think? I will plan how to achieve my goals. I know that if I fail I can always start over again. I will rid myself of the physical and emotional baggage that I do not need.
Reason #3: Perfectionist Issues
We’ve all said, at least once – I don’t want to start something unless I can complete it 100%. I need a full week off to get everything done. I won’t start until I have everything I need to get organized. This just isn’t right, I feel it should be better.
So instead let’s say – It doesn’t have to be 100% complete. Nothing is ever perfect. I will work on one thing each day to get it all done. Change is inevitable, and I can keep up with it. I am so well organized I can accomplish everything I need to.
Reason #4: Lack of Energy
We’ve all said, at least once – it’s boring. Why should I bother? I don’t have enough energy to start. It’s too much hassle. Isn’t it easier to stay just as I am?
So instead let’s say – I’ll get it done then do something I like to do. I’ll tell my friend, so he or she can provide moral support. I want to do this, and I am going to start now. I would feel so much better doing this instead of putting it off. I want to change.
Other Reasons for Excuses
There are many reasons why people make excuses. In fact everyone has different reasons for making them. However, when it boils down to it, we only make excuses for the following main reasons:
Fear of Failure
Fear of Embarrassment
Fear of Success
Fear of Change
Fear of Uncertainty
Fear of Responsibility
Fear of Making Mistakes
Perceived lack of confidence or resources
To eliminate excuses from our lives we must first look at eliminating all traces of fear. Fear traps and locks us away within our comfort zone. Yet fear often develops as a result of a lack of understanding, information, resources, experience or perspective. If you lack all these things, you will naturally lack confidence, and as a result you will fail to take the action necessary to achieve your goals and objectives. Consequently, you will tend to make excuses about your life and circumstances in order to help boost your self-esteem. However, all you’re doing is creating the illusion of security. You’re simply masking the pain by taking a pain killer. The pain is still there, and will continue to persist until you finally overcome your fears.
These all give us an idea of the unconscious choices we often make to avoid being uncomfortable. So now we know what we can avoid or alter to improve our situations. In the next article “Stop Making Excuses” we’ll discuss ways to become more organized and learn how to stop making excuses.
