Hey, another great article on diabetes - please read!
Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes Now Strikes One in Four Americans
The number of Americans with diabetes has grown to about 24 million people, or roughly 8 percent of the U.S. population.
A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on data from 2007, indicates an increase of about 3 million cases since over just two years. The CDC estimates another 57 million people have a condition called pre-diabetes, which puts people at increased risk for the disease. Diabetes results from defects in insulin production that cause sugar to build up in the body. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.
Sources:
Physorg.com June 25, 2008
Were You Aware… 80% of Your Immune System is Located in Your Digestive System?
So, to effectively promote your immune system health, you need to look no further than your intestinal tract. Probiotics (Greek “for life’) can be a great way to start promoting your digestive health and overall health as well.
Find Out More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I have been interested in diabetes for many years and actually did three months of an endocrinology rotation at Cook County Hospital during my residency, 25 years ago. I was even going to specialize in it after I completed my residency, but decided to pursue general family medicine instead.
Interestingly, most of my paternal relatives (my dad included), have, or have died from, diabetes. In the late 90s I made the mistake of believing in Dr. Dadamo’s work in Eat Right for Your Blood Type. I since realized that it is a flawed theory based on incorrect presumptions. However, at the time I thought it made sense, so I tried it on myself.
I am blood type A, so I switched to a high grain diet and changed my high intensity aerobic type exercises to walking like he suggested. Well, in a few short weeks my fasting blood sugar rose to nearly 130. This told me two things. The first was that I had diabetes, and the second was that Eat Right for Your Blood Type is a flawed theory that helps some, but can really harm and damage others.
Once I understood insulin physiology better and changed my diet and exercise, nearly ten years ago now; my fasting blood sugar is almost always around 90 or lower. This is far below the 125 required for a diagnosis of diabetes.
My personal experience with diabetes and review of the literature made it VERY clear to me that virtually every case of type 2 diabetes is 100 percent reversible.
And let me guarantee you, the cure for type 2 diabetes has NOTHING to do with giving insulin. Giving someone insulin with type 2 diabetes is one of the WORST things that can be done. Any physician doing this is suffering from profound ignorance of insulin physiology.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of physicians are still seriously confused about this issue, which is why most doctors cause diabetics to D. I. E.
Diabetes Epidemic Continues to Worsen
The latest statistics on diabetes in the U.S. are sad indeed, and in my opinion, they are a very clear sign that conventional medicine has it all wrong, and their standard recommendations – both in terms of medication and nutrition -- are incorrect.
At best, they simply do not work. At worst, they’re aggravating your problem and speeding up the deteriorating disease process.
By some estimates, diabetes has increased more than 700 percent in the last 50 years. What does this tell you about the advice you’ve been given and the direction you’ve been led in by conventional medicine?
There’s no doubt in my mind that if government agencies and the medical community would do the right thing; i.e. stop catering to the greedy demands of the industries of sugar, grain and pharmaceuticals, and start issuing recommendations that actually promote health rather than deteriorating it further, this modern epidemic would be curbed in fairly short order.
The 2007 Stats on Diabetes
The latest statistics on diabetes indicate that the U.S. now has as many as 24 million people with diabetes, or 8 percent of our total population.
Juvenile-onset (type 1) diabetes accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes, with adult-onset (type 2) accounting for the remaining 90 to 95 percent.
However, a closer look shows that the situation is more bizarre than that, because the average of 8 percent includes all age groups, including children under the age of 10, where the disease rate is still very low.
When you look at the numbers of adults aged 20 and over, the incidence rate is almost 11 percent. And when you look at seniors aged 60 and up, the prevalence is over 23 percent! That’s pretty incredible.
(Add to that the fact that the average senior (65+) is on 28 pharmaceutical drugs and it’s no wonder so few people live more than a decade past their retirement…)
The statistics are even more grim when it comes to the prevalence of pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glucose).
Almost 26 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 are pre-diabetics, and more than 35 percent of seniors, 60 and older. In total, that’s 57 million Americans walking around with pre-diabetes, in addition to the 24 million that have already crossed the line.
According to the population clock on the U.S. Census Bureau’s web site, the U.S. currently has just over 304,554,800 people. So, by my calculations we’re looking at a total of just over 26.5 percent of the entire U.S. population having either pre-diabetes, or some form of diabetes.
Wow.
Folks, this is no accident. These kinds of statistics clearly show that we’re actively being led astray.
You must understand and accept that aside from the juvenile-onset variety (which is relatively rare), type 2 diabetes is 100 percent preventable AND reversible by some fairly simple lifestyle changes, all of which are outlined and discussed in detail in my Total Health Program.
Many of the conventional recommendations for treating diabetes are simply wrong, and I discussed the reasons why in this previous article. If you missed it, or need a refresher, please review it again.
Why is Diabetes Such a Dangerous Disease?
Diabetes has become so common that many don’t even bat an eyelash anymore. It’s almost as if diabetes has become “ok.” Just take your meds and you’ll be fine.
Not so!
Aside from the potentially deadly side effects of diabetes drugs, which I’ve covered in previous articles, the additional health complications that diabetes fosters are multiple, and quite serious, including:
Heart disease and stroke – Death from heart disease and risk for stroke is two to four times higher among people with diabetes
High blood pressure – 75 percent of diabetics have high blood pressure (130/180 mm Hg or higher)
Blindness -- Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20 to 74 years
Kidney disease – Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure. In 2005, more than 45,700 people began treatment for end-stage kidney disease in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and another 178,700 were living on chronic dialysis
Nervous system disease -- About 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage such as: impaired sensation or pain in hands or feet, poor digestion, carpal tunnel syndrome and erectile dysfunction
Amputations – In 2004, 71,000 lower limb amputations due to diabetes were performed in the U.S.
Dental disease -- Almost one-third of people with diabetes have severe periodontal disease
Pregnancy complications -- Poorly controlled diabetes before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy among women with type 1 diabetes can cause major birth defects in 5 to 10 percent of pregnancies, and spontaneous abortions in 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies
Putting a Price Tag on Diabetes
There’s yet another updated study that warrants mentioning here: the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) study on Economic Cost of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2007.
The total estimated cost of diabetes in the U.S. in 2007 tallies up to $174 billion. This includes $ 116 billion in excess (read: unnecessary) medical expenditures, and $58 billion in reduced national productivity.
Having diabetes not only plunders your health, but your pocketbook too. People with diagnosed diabetes incur an average medical expense of $11,744 per year, almost 2.5 times higher than those who do not have diabetes.
Follow the Bread Crumbs
The concept that diabetes is NOT a blood sugar disease is one that I keep striving to make well-known. As you can see by the numbers above, understanding the TRUE underlying cause of diabetes has the potential to save hundreds of thousands, even millions, of lives.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease caused by insulin resistance and faulty leptin signaling, both of which are regulated through your diet.
Until that concept becomes well-known in both the medical community and by the public at large, the misconception about what diabetes is and the appropriate way to treat it will continue to be promoted.
Conventional treatment that is focused on fixing the symptom of elevated blood sugar, rather than addressing the underlying disease, is doomed to fail in most cases. Treatments that concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication. It just trades one evil for another.
Since most treatments for type 2 diabetes utilize drugs that either raise insulin or lower blood sugar, the tragic result is that the typical, conventional medical treatment for diabetes contributes to the additional diseases and the shortened lifespan that diabetics experience.
For the last 50 years or so, Americans have followed the dietary recommendations of a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet.
As an example, WebMD; one of the most visited medical information sites on the web, states that people with diabetes, who also have abnormal cholesterol levels, would be well advised to follow a diet that calls for 50 to 60 percent of your daily total calories to be in the form of carbohydrates.
That’s absurd.
They also state that table sugar is okay, as long as you readjust your medications to compensate appropriately (i.e. take more drugs to increase your fat cell storage capacity). Using toxic artificial sweeteners in lieu of sugar also gets the green light.
Folks, many of these recommendations are not based on what’s nutritionally healthy. They’re based on industry lobbying – just like the USDA’s Food Pyramid, which is fraught with industry conflicts of interest.
The proof is in the pudding as they say, and concomitant with the standard nutritional recommendations the incidence of diabetes and obesity has skyrocketed, and has become one of the worst epidemics the world has ever seen.
Eating a high "complex" carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet for health and longevity has been shown to be wrong. Minimal common sense would say to try something else.
How to Avoid Becoming a Statistic
Getting appropriate and regular amounts of exercise, and adopting an eating plan that emphasizes good fats, and reduced non-fiber carbohydrates and starches as outlined in my Total Health Program, can place you on the right path. Doing so will greatly improve and even reverse type 2 "insulin resistant" diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, many other chronic diseases of aging, all without the use of potentially dangerous drugs.
Related Articles:
How to Finally Make Type 2 Diabetes Disappear Nutritional Typing Prevents and Cures Diabetes The Diabetes Conundrum: What Physicians are Teaching You may be Killing You
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
What's In the Milk You Drink?
Hey There - good afternoon - check out this article!! I posted the website so you could see the U Tube videos.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/12/did-you-know-all-the-drugs-in-your-milk.aspx?source=nl
Dairy products from cows treated with Monsanto's genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) could sharply increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, especially in children. The chemicals are already banned in most industrialized nations, and it was approved in the United States on the backs of fired whistleblowers, manipulated research, and a corporate takeover at the FDA. This film (split into two parts above) includes footage prepared for a Fox TV segment that was canceled after a letter from Monsanto's attorney threatened "dire consequences."
Discover the Amazing Health Promoting Benefits of Pure Virgin Coconut Oil
I recommend using Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil instead of other cooking oils when you want to go from flab to fab, help stimulate your metabolism, decrease cravings, or help restore more youthful-looking skin. It’s made from fresh-picked coconuts, and contains no chemical additives or trans-fats.
Find Out More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
When it comes to defacing your food supply, you can count on Monsanto to be there front and center. In my estimation they are easily one of the world’s most evil companies, and I do not say that lightly.Monsanto has a long history of fraud and deception. From covering up the toxicity of PCBs and Agent Orange to now producing and patenting GM seeds in an effort to control the world’s food supply, this company is lacking in even the tiniest shred of integrity.So it should come as no surprise that earlier this year The American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, or Afact, came out defending their right to use rBGH. This so-called grass-roots organization even went so far as to try and stop milk labels from being allowed to say they contain “no artificial growth hormone.”Why is this not surprising? Because Afact was organized, marketed and promoted by none other than Monsanto. Why Might You be Concerned About rBGH in Your Milk?Samuel Epstein, MD, a scientist at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, is one of the top experts on cancer prevention. He is frequently called upon to advise Congress about things in our environment that may cause cancer, and he has written eight books, including one of the best books on the topic, Got (Genetically Engineered) Milk? So when Dr. Epstein began speaking out against rBGH in milk, the so-called “crack for cows,” I listened. For starters, Dr. Epstein points out that rBGH milk is “supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), excess levels of which have been incriminated as major causes of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.” But that’s not all. "This milk is qualitatively and quantitatively different from natural milk," states Dr. Epstein. "In addition to the issue of increased IGF-1 levels, these differences include:
Contamination of milk by the GM hormone rBGH
Contamination by pus and antibiotics resulting from the high incidence of mastitis in rBGH-injected cows
Contamination with illegal antibiotics and drugs used to treat mastitis and other rBGH-induced disease
Increased concentration of the thyroid hormone enzyme thyroxin-5'-monodeiodinase
Increased concentration of long-chain and decreased concentration of short-chain fatty acids
A reduction in levels of the milk protein casein." Are You Drinking rBGH Milk?You very well may be, as no labels are required. This is despite the fact that nearly every American wants it labeled, but the government, as usual, bowed to industry lobbyists and, amazingly, does not require this on the label.However, as increasing numbers of people and dairies choose to avoid rBGH, you can find labels that say “rBGH-free” or a similar variation. Organic milk is also rBGH-free.This is certainly preferable to milk that contains this dangerous hormone … but I still don’t recommend drinking any milk, organic or otherwise, that is pasteurized.You can avoid both the risks of rBGH and pasteurization by only drinking raw milk that comes from a small farmer you know and trust. This is the only way to drink milk if you’re interested in protecting your health.Looking at the bigger picture, though, this issue is really about much more than milk. It’s about protecting your food supply from all sorts of manipulation -- from rBGH and pasteurization to genetically modified crops as a whole. A key way you can begin to do this is by avoiding GM products that come from companies like Monsanto -- and there are many of them. To gain some insight into how best to protect your health from manipulated foods, I recommend exploring the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT). Jeffrey Smith, leading spokesperson on the dangers of GM foods (who was featured in the videos above), founded the IRT in 2003 to warn the American public about this menace. Discover the hidden hazards of GM foods for yourself, and find a non-GMO shopping guide, at Jeffrey's Web site: ResponsibleTechnology.org.
Related Articles:
More Dairies Eliminating Monsanto's Dangerous Hormones BGH: Monsanto and the Dairy Industry's Dirty Little Secret Could Wal-Mart Cause the End of Growth Hormones in Milk?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/12/did-you-know-all-the-drugs-in-your-milk.aspx?source=nl
Dairy products from cows treated with Monsanto's genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST) could sharply increase the risk of cancer and other diseases, especially in children. The chemicals are already banned in most industrialized nations, and it was approved in the United States on the backs of fired whistleblowers, manipulated research, and a corporate takeover at the FDA. This film (split into two parts above) includes footage prepared for a Fox TV segment that was canceled after a letter from Monsanto's attorney threatened "dire consequences."
Discover the Amazing Health Promoting Benefits of Pure Virgin Coconut Oil
I recommend using Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil instead of other cooking oils when you want to go from flab to fab, help stimulate your metabolism, decrease cravings, or help restore more youthful-looking skin. It’s made from fresh-picked coconuts, and contains no chemical additives or trans-fats.
Find Out More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
When it comes to defacing your food supply, you can count on Monsanto to be there front and center. In my estimation they are easily one of the world’s most evil companies, and I do not say that lightly.Monsanto has a long history of fraud and deception. From covering up the toxicity of PCBs and Agent Orange to now producing and patenting GM seeds in an effort to control the world’s food supply, this company is lacking in even the tiniest shred of integrity.So it should come as no surprise that earlier this year The American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, or Afact, came out defending their right to use rBGH. This so-called grass-roots organization even went so far as to try and stop milk labels from being allowed to say they contain “no artificial growth hormone.”Why is this not surprising? Because Afact was organized, marketed and promoted by none other than Monsanto. Why Might You be Concerned About rBGH in Your Milk?Samuel Epstein, MD, a scientist at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, is one of the top experts on cancer prevention. He is frequently called upon to advise Congress about things in our environment that may cause cancer, and he has written eight books, including one of the best books on the topic, Got (Genetically Engineered) Milk? So when Dr. Epstein began speaking out against rBGH in milk, the so-called “crack for cows,” I listened. For starters, Dr. Epstein points out that rBGH milk is “supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), excess levels of which have been incriminated as major causes of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.” But that’s not all. "This milk is qualitatively and quantitatively different from natural milk," states Dr. Epstein. "In addition to the issue of increased IGF-1 levels, these differences include:
Contamination of milk by the GM hormone rBGH
Contamination by pus and antibiotics resulting from the high incidence of mastitis in rBGH-injected cows
Contamination with illegal antibiotics and drugs used to treat mastitis and other rBGH-induced disease
Increased concentration of the thyroid hormone enzyme thyroxin-5'-monodeiodinase
Increased concentration of long-chain and decreased concentration of short-chain fatty acids
A reduction in levels of the milk protein casein." Are You Drinking rBGH Milk?You very well may be, as no labels are required. This is despite the fact that nearly every American wants it labeled, but the government, as usual, bowed to industry lobbyists and, amazingly, does not require this on the label.However, as increasing numbers of people and dairies choose to avoid rBGH, you can find labels that say “rBGH-free” or a similar variation. Organic milk is also rBGH-free.This is certainly preferable to milk that contains this dangerous hormone … but I still don’t recommend drinking any milk, organic or otherwise, that is pasteurized.You can avoid both the risks of rBGH and pasteurization by only drinking raw milk that comes from a small farmer you know and trust. This is the only way to drink milk if you’re interested in protecting your health.Looking at the bigger picture, though, this issue is really about much more than milk. It’s about protecting your food supply from all sorts of manipulation -- from rBGH and pasteurization to genetically modified crops as a whole. A key way you can begin to do this is by avoiding GM products that come from companies like Monsanto -- and there are many of them. To gain some insight into how best to protect your health from manipulated foods, I recommend exploring the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT). Jeffrey Smith, leading spokesperson on the dangers of GM foods (who was featured in the videos above), founded the IRT in 2003 to warn the American public about this menace. Discover the hidden hazards of GM foods for yourself, and find a non-GMO shopping guide, at Jeffrey's Web site: ResponsibleTechnology.org.
Related Articles:
More Dairies Eliminating Monsanto's Dangerous Hormones BGH: Monsanto and the Dairy Industry's Dirty Little Secret Could Wal-Mart Cause the End of Growth Hormones in Milk?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
12 Food Additives to Avoid!
Hello All,
Often I am asked about food additives. The biggest thing I am strict on with my nutritional programs is to ensure my clients understand that they need to be looking out for themselves. Don't assume that what ever you are buying from the commercial industry is healthy and that THEY have your health in their best interest! I will tell ya NOW that the food industry does not care the least about whether or not you are losing weight or are disease free! they care about how much money they will generate from you buying their product via how effective their commerical was on TV or magazine ad. SO please don't be ignorant to the facts and remember just because it's not listed on the box doesn't mean it's not hidden in your food. I am also an advocate of MAKING your own food and buying WHOLE FOOD. Whole food is what mother nature produces and offers us! Veggies, nuts, meat, fruit, seeds etc............I could go on. Okay, take care and keep healthy!
12 Food Additives to Avoid
Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.
3. Propyl Gallate
Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.
4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.
5. Trans Fats
Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.
6. Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.
7. Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.
8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.
9. Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.
10. Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.
11. White Sugar
Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.
12. Sodium Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
Sources:
MSN Health and Fitness
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Americans spend about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, which contain a staggering number of artificial food additives, preservatives, colors and flavor enhancers. That your health suffers as a consequence of this assault should come as no surprise.
To review each of the mere dozen mentioned here could fill several books, and would still only be the tip of the iceberg. As you may already know, I wrote an entire book just on artificial sweeteners, called Sweet Deception. The book is currently out of print as we sold out of the last edition, but we hope to have it back in print by the fall.
However, when it comes to food additives, perhaps one of the most important aspects is the health ramifications they have on your children.
New Study Confirms What Astute Parents Have Known for Years
The issue of whether or not food additives such as artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. Fortunately, this may soon change.
A carefully designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal The Lancet last year may have finally shifted the tide (for a free PDF of the full study see this link).
It concluded that a variety of common food dyes, and the preservative sodium benzoate – found in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings – do cause some children to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible.
The seven ingredients tested in the study included:
Sodium benzoate (E211)
Sunset yellow (E110)
Quinoline yellow (E104)
Carmoisine (E122)
Tartrazine (E102)
Ponceau 4R (E124)
Allura red AC (E129)
The results of this study have already prompted the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) to issue an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children's intake of additives if they notice an effect on behavior.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the U.S. has not issued any similar warnings.
The worst behavioral responses from the additives were seen in the three-year-olds, compared to the older children in the study. But even within each age group, some children responded very strongly, and others not at all, indicating there are individual differences in how well your body can tolerate the assault of artificial additives. One theory is that the additives may trigger a release of histamines in certain sensitive kids.
Still, I believe that food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners and colorings should be avoided as much as possible, regardless of whether they have a marked effect or not as they clearly have no redeeming nutritional value, and can carry major long-term health risks.
Food Colors May be as Damaging as Lead in Gasoline on Children’s Brains
Another recent article, published in the British magazine The Independent on April 5 2008, reported that artificial food colors (but not the preservative sodium benzoate) are now set to be removed from hundreds of products in the UK because the results of the study mentioned above also indicate that the E-numbers do as much damage to children's brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ.
The lead author, Professor Stevenson, and his three colleagues have stated:
"The position in relation to AFCs [Artificial Food Colors] is analogous to the state of knowledge about lead and IQ that was being evaluated in the early 1980s ... Needleman [a researcher] found the difference in IQ between high and low lead groups was 5.5 IQ points ... This is very close to the sizes obtained in our study of food additives."
Officials at the British FSA are advising the food industry to voluntarily remove the six food dyes named in the study by the end of 2009, and replace them with natural alternatives if possible.
True to form, the food industry claims the additives are used in a mere “handful” of products, but the website ActionOnAdditives.com has already identified more than 1,000 food products that contain them – most of which are targeted at children.
BEWARE -- Already Banned Food Additives Still Found in Children’s Medicines
Another thing you need to be aware of, as a parent, is that when an ingredient is banned for use in food, it is not automatically banned for use in other areas such as medicine.
According to an expose’ by the British Food Commission last year, food additives that have already been banned for use in food and beverages are still used in a majority of pediatric over-the-counter medicines.
Their survey found that ALL BUT ONE medicine out of 41 contained an additive that had been banned.
The additives found in these drugs included:
Synthetic azo dyes
Maltitol and sorbitol
Benzoate and sulphite preservatives
Chloroform
The justification for using these toxic compounds is what you'd typically expect from an over-the-counter pharmaceutical trade group: Unlike foods, additives in medicines are used in small quantities and are only taken for a short time.
Does that make you feel any better?
This is just one more reason why it’s so important to question what your doctor or any other health professional may prescribe or recommend for your child, no matter what side of the counter it comes from, as many pediatric drugs can certainly be harmful, if not downright toxic to your child’s health.
Sugar and Salt
White sugar is named in the list above but I would have to disagree and identify high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as far more problematic than white cane sugar. HFCS is the number one source of calories in the U.S. and causes far more damage than white sugar.
Salt is another challenge, as it can and is a health food for many, but it needs to be the right type of salt. Nearly all commercial salt is highly processed and heated to very high temperatures and has many additives added, which are also potentially toxic. So it would be wise to avoid processed foods with conventional salt added.
However, unprocessed salts, like unrefined sea salts and Himalayan salt can be an important part of a healthy diet. Personally, it is uncommon for a day to go by in which I don’t use Himalayan salt. I am a protein nutritional type and tend to do better with high quality salt.
For more information about the hazards of other food additives mentioned in the article above, please see my list of Related Articles.
Related Articles:
Should Salt No Longer Be Generally Recognized as Safe? One Woman's Astonishing Experiment With Aspartame The Shocking Dangers of MSG You Don’t Know
Often I am asked about food additives. The biggest thing I am strict on with my nutritional programs is to ensure my clients understand that they need to be looking out for themselves. Don't assume that what ever you are buying from the commercial industry is healthy and that THEY have your health in their best interest! I will tell ya NOW that the food industry does not care the least about whether or not you are losing weight or are disease free! they care about how much money they will generate from you buying their product via how effective their commerical was on TV or magazine ad. SO please don't be ignorant to the facts and remember just because it's not listed on the box doesn't mean it's not hidden in your food. I am also an advocate of MAKING your own food and buying WHOLE FOOD. Whole food is what mother nature produces and offers us! Veggies, nuts, meat, fruit, seeds etc............I could go on. Okay, take care and keep healthy!
Lisa
12 Food Additives to Avoid
Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.
3. Propyl Gallate
Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.
4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.
5. Trans Fats
Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.
6. Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.
7. Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.
8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.
9. Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.
10. Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.
11. White Sugar
Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.
12. Sodium Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
Sources:
MSN Health and Fitness
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Americans spend about 90 percent of their food budget on processed foods, which contain a staggering number of artificial food additives, preservatives, colors and flavor enhancers. That your health suffers as a consequence of this assault should come as no surprise.
To review each of the mere dozen mentioned here could fill several books, and would still only be the tip of the iceberg. As you may already know, I wrote an entire book just on artificial sweeteners, called Sweet Deception. The book is currently out of print as we sold out of the last edition, but we hope to have it back in print by the fall.
However, when it comes to food additives, perhaps one of the most important aspects is the health ramifications they have on your children.
New Study Confirms What Astute Parents Have Known for Years
The issue of whether or not food additives such as artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. Fortunately, this may soon change.
A carefully designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal The Lancet last year may have finally shifted the tide (for a free PDF of the full study see this link).
It concluded that a variety of common food dyes, and the preservative sodium benzoate – found in many soft drinks, fruit juices and salad dressings – do cause some children to become measurably more hyperactive and distractible.
The seven ingredients tested in the study included:
Sodium benzoate (E211)
Sunset yellow (E110)
Quinoline yellow (E104)
Carmoisine (E122)
Tartrazine (E102)
Ponceau 4R (E124)
Allura red AC (E129)
The results of this study have already prompted the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) to issue an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children's intake of additives if they notice an effect on behavior.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the U.S. has not issued any similar warnings.
The worst behavioral responses from the additives were seen in the three-year-olds, compared to the older children in the study. But even within each age group, some children responded very strongly, and others not at all, indicating there are individual differences in how well your body can tolerate the assault of artificial additives. One theory is that the additives may trigger a release of histamines in certain sensitive kids.
Still, I believe that food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners and colorings should be avoided as much as possible, regardless of whether they have a marked effect or not as they clearly have no redeeming nutritional value, and can carry major long-term health risks.
Food Colors May be as Damaging as Lead in Gasoline on Children’s Brains
Another recent article, published in the British magazine The Independent on April 5 2008, reported that artificial food colors (but not the preservative sodium benzoate) are now set to be removed from hundreds of products in the UK because the results of the study mentioned above also indicate that the E-numbers do as much damage to children's brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ.
The lead author, Professor Stevenson, and his three colleagues have stated:
"The position in relation to AFCs [Artificial Food Colors] is analogous to the state of knowledge about lead and IQ that was being evaluated in the early 1980s ... Needleman [a researcher] found the difference in IQ between high and low lead groups was 5.5 IQ points ... This is very close to the sizes obtained in our study of food additives."
Officials at the British FSA are advising the food industry to voluntarily remove the six food dyes named in the study by the end of 2009, and replace them with natural alternatives if possible.
True to form, the food industry claims the additives are used in a mere “handful” of products, but the website ActionOnAdditives.com has already identified more than 1,000 food products that contain them – most of which are targeted at children.
BEWARE -- Already Banned Food Additives Still Found in Children’s Medicines
Another thing you need to be aware of, as a parent, is that when an ingredient is banned for use in food, it is not automatically banned for use in other areas such as medicine.
According to an expose’ by the British Food Commission last year, food additives that have already been banned for use in food and beverages are still used in a majority of pediatric over-the-counter medicines.
Their survey found that ALL BUT ONE medicine out of 41 contained an additive that had been banned.
The additives found in these drugs included:
Synthetic azo dyes
Maltitol and sorbitol
Benzoate and sulphite preservatives
Chloroform
The justification for using these toxic compounds is what you'd typically expect from an over-the-counter pharmaceutical trade group: Unlike foods, additives in medicines are used in small quantities and are only taken for a short time.
Does that make you feel any better?
This is just one more reason why it’s so important to question what your doctor or any other health professional may prescribe or recommend for your child, no matter what side of the counter it comes from, as many pediatric drugs can certainly be harmful, if not downright toxic to your child’s health.
Sugar and Salt
White sugar is named in the list above but I would have to disagree and identify high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as far more problematic than white cane sugar. HFCS is the number one source of calories in the U.S. and causes far more damage than white sugar.
Salt is another challenge, as it can and is a health food for many, but it needs to be the right type of salt. Nearly all commercial salt is highly processed and heated to very high temperatures and has many additives added, which are also potentially toxic. So it would be wise to avoid processed foods with conventional salt added.
However, unprocessed salts, like unrefined sea salts and Himalayan salt can be an important part of a healthy diet. Personally, it is uncommon for a day to go by in which I don’t use Himalayan salt. I am a protein nutritional type and tend to do better with high quality salt.
For more information about the hazards of other food additives mentioned in the article above, please see my list of Related Articles.
Related Articles:
Should Salt No Longer Be Generally Recognized as Safe? One Woman's Astonishing Experiment With Aspartame The Shocking Dangers of MSG You Don’t Know
Monday, May 19, 2008
Hey Guy's - sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Here are some wicked stories about false advertising in the food industry! GREAT news - I will be posting more contacts for fresh organic veggies/fruits and meat contacts. I also receive free range meat from a Bison farmer in Peterborough. My husband and I have been ordering from him for over a year now. I will pass along more info such as prices, choices and maybe we can set it up so when he delivers my order he can also deliver your order to my place. Stay tune!!
In the mean time please read this article. There are also some great links attached.
Is Tyson's Antibiotic-Free Chicken Really Antibiotic-Free?
A federal judge has ordered Tyson Foods to withdraw advertisements claiming its chickens are “raised without antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans.”Two competitors said the ads were untrue because Tyson injects it eggs with antibiotics and used antibiotic molecules in its feed.Tyson maintained that its claim was truthful, and intends to appeal the decision.“The claim we’re making is ‘raised without.’ And our consumer research would say that ‘raised without’ in the consumer’s mind, is from hatchery to when they buy the chicken in the store,” said Dave Hogberg, senior vice president for consumer products at Tyson.
Sources:
The New York Times April 23, 2008
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted from a Cooking OilBefore you cook with oil again, consider making Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil part of your regular diet. With its numerous health-supportive benefits and delicious taste, you’ll wonder why you ever used any other oil.
Learn More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Tyson’s claim may be technically true -- which makes it just about the worst kind of deceptive advertising there can be without simply lying.
When they say that their eggs come from chickens that are “raised without antibiotics”, they are clearly trying to give the impression that the eggs are antibiotics-free. In fact, this is not the case at all; even if their chickens are “raised” without antibiotics (although that also may be a deceptive claim anyway, since there seems to be some evidence that there are antibiotics in their feed), the eggs still have antibiotics injected into them before they reach the stores.
Tyson’s attempt to weasel around that fact is nothing more than semantics.
Sad to say, this is nothing but typical behavior when it comes to big business. Whenever a packaged food or a large retailer makes a health claim, your first reaction should be suspicion.
The Truth About Splenda Isn’t Sweet
Another example of this kind of deception is the marketing campaign of the artificial sweetener Splenda. They would dearly like you to believe that their product is natural because it is “made from sugar”. Well this simply is another “half truth” meant to convince you of a falsehood, and the Sugar Association has sued them for this marketing strategy.
Although the process for developing Splenda starts with a sugar molecule, chlorine molecules are added to it. Splenda shares many similar characteristics to pesticides like DDT that can accumulate in your body fat and tissues. It is impossible to predict the long-term consequences of ingesting this substance over many years.
Splenda is in fact not natural at all, and it has been linked to a number of toxic side effects including shrunken thymus glands (up to 40 percent shrinkage), enlarged liver and kidneys, reduced growth rate, aborted pregnancy and diarrhea.
I encourage you to review my extensive Splenda testimonials pages, which are filled with heartbreaking stories about the toxic effects this artificial sweetener may inflict. Nearly every month, we receive a report from someone who has had an adverse reaction to Splenda, and after reading just a few of the submitted testimonials it's likely you won't ever want to look at it again!
7-Up Isn’t Picked Fresh Off a Tree
Meanwhile, 7-Up manufacturer Cadbury Schwepps has begun an ad campaign that promotes the soda as "100 percent natural" and pictures cans of 7-Up being picked from fruit trees. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has threatened to sue Cadbury Schwepps if the all-natural claim is not dropped, calling it a misleading untruth.
One thing many people don’t know is that for many foods, there isn’t any strict legal definition of what counts as "natural." Foods including potato chips, ice cream and cookies can be labeled as natural without it meaning anything at all.
When it comes to 7-up, CSPI has argued high fructose corn syrup is not natural. You couldn't make it in your own kitchen unless you happen to own centrifuges, hydroclones, ion-exchange columns, and buckets of enzymes. And as far as the cans being picked off the tree goes, there isn’t even any fruit juice in 7-Up.
Make Sure Your Food Really is Natural
Folks, I could go on and on without end, giving examples of this sort of behavior by big business. Farm-raised fish put into overcrowded pens where disease and parasites like sea lice flourish, fed synthetic diets that wild fish would never eat, are called “organic”. Pepsi, like 7-Up, is also making ridiculous health claims for its unhealthy products.
If you really want to be sure your food is healthy, organic, and safe, you might want to try avoiding grocery stores altogether. More and more people are buying food fresh off the farm from producers they personally know and trust, through CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), farmers’ markets, or other local food movements. When you can actually go visit the farm itself, you can see that it’s natural, fresh, and exactly as advertised. If you want to get started on this, there are plenty of organizations around to help you out.
Related Articles:
Beware of More Deceptive Splenda Propaganda More Confusing, Deceptive Milk Marketing Egg Producers Deceive You With Bogus Omega-3 Claims
In the mean time please read this article. There are also some great links attached.
Is Tyson's Antibiotic-Free Chicken Really Antibiotic-Free?
A federal judge has ordered Tyson Foods to withdraw advertisements claiming its chickens are “raised without antibiotics that impact antibiotic resistance in humans.”Two competitors said the ads were untrue because Tyson injects it eggs with antibiotics and used antibiotic molecules in its feed.Tyson maintained that its claim was truthful, and intends to appeal the decision.“The claim we’re making is ‘raised without.’ And our consumer research would say that ‘raised without’ in the consumer’s mind, is from hatchery to when they buy the chicken in the store,” said Dave Hogberg, senior vice president for consumer products at Tyson.
Sources:
The New York Times April 23, 2008
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted from a Cooking OilBefore you cook with oil again, consider making Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil part of your regular diet. With its numerous health-supportive benefits and delicious taste, you’ll wonder why you ever used any other oil.
Learn More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Tyson’s claim may be technically true -- which makes it just about the worst kind of deceptive advertising there can be without simply lying.
When they say that their eggs come from chickens that are “raised without antibiotics”, they are clearly trying to give the impression that the eggs are antibiotics-free. In fact, this is not the case at all; even if their chickens are “raised” without antibiotics (although that also may be a deceptive claim anyway, since there seems to be some evidence that there are antibiotics in their feed), the eggs still have antibiotics injected into them before they reach the stores.
Tyson’s attempt to weasel around that fact is nothing more than semantics.
Sad to say, this is nothing but typical behavior when it comes to big business. Whenever a packaged food or a large retailer makes a health claim, your first reaction should be suspicion.
The Truth About Splenda Isn’t Sweet
Another example of this kind of deception is the marketing campaign of the artificial sweetener Splenda. They would dearly like you to believe that their product is natural because it is “made from sugar”. Well this simply is another “half truth” meant to convince you of a falsehood, and the Sugar Association has sued them for this marketing strategy.
Although the process for developing Splenda starts with a sugar molecule, chlorine molecules are added to it. Splenda shares many similar characteristics to pesticides like DDT that can accumulate in your body fat and tissues. It is impossible to predict the long-term consequences of ingesting this substance over many years.
Splenda is in fact not natural at all, and it has been linked to a number of toxic side effects including shrunken thymus glands (up to 40 percent shrinkage), enlarged liver and kidneys, reduced growth rate, aborted pregnancy and diarrhea.
I encourage you to review my extensive Splenda testimonials pages, which are filled with heartbreaking stories about the toxic effects this artificial sweetener may inflict. Nearly every month, we receive a report from someone who has had an adverse reaction to Splenda, and after reading just a few of the submitted testimonials it's likely you won't ever want to look at it again!
7-Up Isn’t Picked Fresh Off a Tree
Meanwhile, 7-Up manufacturer Cadbury Schwepps has begun an ad campaign that promotes the soda as "100 percent natural" and pictures cans of 7-Up being picked from fruit trees. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has threatened to sue Cadbury Schwepps if the all-natural claim is not dropped, calling it a misleading untruth.
One thing many people don’t know is that for many foods, there isn’t any strict legal definition of what counts as "natural." Foods including potato chips, ice cream and cookies can be labeled as natural without it meaning anything at all.
When it comes to 7-up, CSPI has argued high fructose corn syrup is not natural. You couldn't make it in your own kitchen unless you happen to own centrifuges, hydroclones, ion-exchange columns, and buckets of enzymes. And as far as the cans being picked off the tree goes, there isn’t even any fruit juice in 7-Up.
Make Sure Your Food Really is Natural
Folks, I could go on and on without end, giving examples of this sort of behavior by big business. Farm-raised fish put into overcrowded pens where disease and parasites like sea lice flourish, fed synthetic diets that wild fish would never eat, are called “organic”. Pepsi, like 7-Up, is also making ridiculous health claims for its unhealthy products.
If you really want to be sure your food is healthy, organic, and safe, you might want to try avoiding grocery stores altogether. More and more people are buying food fresh off the farm from producers they personally know and trust, through CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture), farmers’ markets, or other local food movements. When you can actually go visit the farm itself, you can see that it’s natural, fresh, and exactly as advertised. If you want to get started on this, there are plenty of organizations around to help you out.
Related Articles:
Beware of More Deceptive Splenda Propaganda More Confusing, Deceptive Milk Marketing Egg Producers Deceive You With Bogus Omega-3 Claims
Saturday, March 29, 2008
My meat contact
Hi Everyone - Here is my meat contact
everything from whole chickens, turkeys, lamb, beef and pork
The meat is free range and organic standards are followed. my contact is very knowledgeable and willing to answer your questions with regards to how the animals are treated, fed and exercised. Scott does not certify himself as organic but is a long standing member of the Canadian Organic Growers. He keeps his costs low by not certifying.
Natural Meat
By Lee Farms
Scott Lee
905-983-5370
by appointment only!
3937 Con Rd Orono, ON L0B 1M0
Ontario
Tim Belch
Buffalo Meat
705-742-3185
www.buffalobill.ca
Peterborough Ontario
email: buffalobill@on.aibn.com
GREAT contact for buffalo meat!!! Excellent service and very knowledgable.
Acres of Blessings Meat Store
121 Brock Street N L1N 4H3
905-665-3092
GREAT selection - fair prices. Check it out!!
everything from whole chickens, turkeys, lamb, beef and pork
The meat is free range and organic standards are followed. my contact is very knowledgeable and willing to answer your questions with regards to how the animals are treated, fed and exercised. Scott does not certify himself as organic but is a long standing member of the Canadian Organic Growers. He keeps his costs low by not certifying.
Natural Meat
By Lee Farms
Scott Lee
905-983-5370
by appointment only!
3937 Con Rd Orono, ON L0B 1M0
Ontario
Tim Belch
Buffalo Meat
705-742-3185
www.buffalobill.ca
Peterborough Ontario
email: buffalobill@on.aibn.com
GREAT contact for buffalo meat!!! Excellent service and very knowledgable.
Acres of Blessings Meat Store
121 Brock Street N L1N 4H3
905-665-3092
GREAT selection - fair prices. Check it out!!
Organics - They Truly Are better
Hello All,
I am back with some more info! today I pulled an article on Organics. So many of my clients are switching to Organics and choosing to live a much healthier, virus and disease free lifestyle. Please take the time to read this article - it's well worth making you understand why Organics are better. Please don't be fooled by companies who have destroyed the true meaning of organics. For my carb type people (those who have tested as carb types with me) your choice of lots of veggies over grains are so much healthier and yes you will lose weight. Enjoy!
Lisa
Organic farms have historically been small, family-run businesses producing for local markets. But as conventional agribusiness and the supermarkets move in, organic shops are expanding, being bought up, and increasingly resembling their non-organic counterparts.
Under pressure by Wal-Mart, many multinational food corporations have developed organic versions of their best-selling brands, including Heinz, General Mills, Kellogg's, Groupe Danone, Nestle, Unilever Bestfoods, RHM, Mars/Masterfoods, Kraft, Premier Foods, Northern Foods and Pepsi-Co.
You can now get “organic” ketchup, rice crispies, and ready meals -- what started out as a method of producing healthy and nutritious food is now turning out highly industrialized multi-ingredient products.
These industrial organic foods are being marketed along with vitamin-enriched products and functional foods; in the eyes of General Mills, “organic is not a revolution so much as a market niche.”
Sources:
Organic Consumers Organization February 2008
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted from a Cooking OilBefore you cook with oil again, consider making Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil part of your regular diet. With its numerous health-supportive benefits and delicious taste, you’ll wonder why you ever used any other oil.
Learn More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I’m not at all surprised at this development; it was bound to happen. How could any self-respecting, profit-driven, integrity-challenged food company ever let a swelling “market niche” go untapped?
That doesn’t mean you have to buy into their watered-down, kinda-sorta-organic-even-though-mass-processed versions of what could be real food, however.
You still have the power to circumvent these con-jobs and demand the real deal.
It’s mainly a matter of knowing where to find locally harvested organic foods, buying from sources you want to see thrive, and reading packaged food labels like they’re the hottest thing from Oprah’s book club.
The fact of the matter is; true organic IS better. Both for you and for the environment.
What is Organic?
To be labeled “certified organic” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the food must be free of most:
Pesticides
Synthetic fertilizers
Hormones
Antibiotics
Genetic modification
Irradiation
But many argue that true organic food also entails respect for locally produced food, respect for livestock and employees, and environmentally sustainable practices -- something that is rarely a goal of large-scale food manufacturers.
Now there is also "organic" food being imported from countries such as China, Sierra Leone and Brazil, where standards, wages, and growing conditions are difficult, if not impossible, to monitor and enforce.
This is one of the reasons why buying locally farmed organic produce is your best bet when making your shopping decisions.
Organic -- More Nutrients, Less Toxins
Back in 1998, Regina Hildwine of the National Food Processors Association told the press during the debate over organic standards, "Organic does not mean safer. Organic does not mean healthier."
Well, those famous last words were NOT the last word on this issue. Studies have demonstrated, again and again, that organic foods are FAR more nutritious than their conventionally grown counterparts.
One four-year long, $25-million study into organic food -- the largest of its kind to date -- found that:
Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants
They even found that eating organic foods can help increase the nutrient uptake in people who don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day!
And, that doesn’t even take into account the health benefits of simply reducing your chemical intake, hence reducing your overall toxic load.
The 2007 report “Hazardous Pesticides in the European Parliament” reveals the disturbing truth that conventionally grown fruits are far more toxic than you might think.
Eight fruit samples, randomly selected at the GB express supermarket in the EU Parliament building in Brussels, were found to be contaminated with no less than 28 different pesticide residues, averaging almost five residues per fruit.
These chemicals included:
10 known carcinogens
3 neurotoxins
3 reproductive and developmental toxins
8 endocrine disruptors
Two of the chemicals are classified as “Highly Hazardous” by the World Health Organization (WHO), and three of the samples contained such high levels of residue that they were, officially, illegal.
That said, do keep in mind that even though organic vegetables (just like fruits) are better, don’t use this as an excuse to avoid non-organic vegetables. If for whatever reason you can’t obtain organic vegetables, non-organic veggies are a much healthier option than none at all.
Remember also, if you’re a Carb Type, most of your carbohydrates should actually be in the form of vegetable carbs, not grain carbs. Loading up on grains instead of vegetables because it’s difficult to find organic veggies will likely lead to a health disaster.
Organic Farming Protects Your Environment and Your Health
Organic farming differs from conventional farming in the methods used to grow crops, which has a major impact on your environment.
For example:
Where conventional farmers apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops, organic farmers feed and build soil with natural fertilizer, which is far less likely to cause any long-term environmental complications.
Conventional farmers use insecticides to get rid of insects and disease, while organic farmers use natural methods such as insect predators and barriers for this purpose.
Conventional farmers control weed growth by applying synthetic herbicides, but organic farmers use crop rotation, tillage, hand weeding, cover crops and mulches to control weeds. While herbicides are not nearly as dangerous as insecticides, they still are synthetic chemicals introduced into the environment and clearly are not something that will improve your health.
The article “Better Beef,” written by California rancher Dave Evans and published in the March 2008 issue of Best Life magazine, gives a great in-depth view of the many benefits of grass-fed beef, from environmental sustainability to the sheer difference in taste and nutrient content of the beef.
Evans also offers this list of grass-fed beef ranchers in the United States, where you can find good-quality meats:
I am back with some more info! today I pulled an article on Organics. So many of my clients are switching to Organics and choosing to live a much healthier, virus and disease free lifestyle. Please take the time to read this article - it's well worth making you understand why Organics are better. Please don't be fooled by companies who have destroyed the true meaning of organics. For my carb type people (those who have tested as carb types with me) your choice of lots of veggies over grains are so much healthier and yes you will lose weight. Enjoy!
Lisa
Organic farms have historically been small, family-run businesses producing for local markets. But as conventional agribusiness and the supermarkets move in, organic shops are expanding, being bought up, and increasingly resembling their non-organic counterparts.
Under pressure by Wal-Mart, many multinational food corporations have developed organic versions of their best-selling brands, including Heinz, General Mills, Kellogg's, Groupe Danone, Nestle, Unilever Bestfoods, RHM, Mars/Masterfoods, Kraft, Premier Foods, Northern Foods and Pepsi-Co.
You can now get “organic” ketchup, rice crispies, and ready meals -- what started out as a method of producing healthy and nutritious food is now turning out highly industrialized multi-ingredient products.
These industrial organic foods are being marketed along with vitamin-enriched products and functional foods; in the eyes of General Mills, “organic is not a revolution so much as a market niche.”
Sources:
Organic Consumers Organization February 2008
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted from a Cooking OilBefore you cook with oil again, consider making Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil part of your regular diet. With its numerous health-supportive benefits and delicious taste, you’ll wonder why you ever used any other oil.
Learn More
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I’m not at all surprised at this development; it was bound to happen. How could any self-respecting, profit-driven, integrity-challenged food company ever let a swelling “market niche” go untapped?
That doesn’t mean you have to buy into their watered-down, kinda-sorta-organic-even-though-mass-processed versions of what could be real food, however.
You still have the power to circumvent these con-jobs and demand the real deal.
It’s mainly a matter of knowing where to find locally harvested organic foods, buying from sources you want to see thrive, and reading packaged food labels like they’re the hottest thing from Oprah’s book club.
The fact of the matter is; true organic IS better. Both for you and for the environment.
What is Organic?
To be labeled “certified organic” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the food must be free of most:
Pesticides
Synthetic fertilizers
Hormones
Antibiotics
Genetic modification
Irradiation
But many argue that true organic food also entails respect for locally produced food, respect for livestock and employees, and environmentally sustainable practices -- something that is rarely a goal of large-scale food manufacturers.
Now there is also "organic" food being imported from countries such as China, Sierra Leone and Brazil, where standards, wages, and growing conditions are difficult, if not impossible, to monitor and enforce.
This is one of the reasons why buying locally farmed organic produce is your best bet when making your shopping decisions.
Organic -- More Nutrients, Less Toxins
Back in 1998, Regina Hildwine of the National Food Processors Association told the press during the debate over organic standards, "Organic does not mean safer. Organic does not mean healthier."
Well, those famous last words were NOT the last word on this issue. Studies have demonstrated, again and again, that organic foods are FAR more nutritious than their conventionally grown counterparts.
One four-year long, $25-million study into organic food -- the largest of its kind to date -- found that:
Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants
They even found that eating organic foods can help increase the nutrient uptake in people who don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day!
And, that doesn’t even take into account the health benefits of simply reducing your chemical intake, hence reducing your overall toxic load.
The 2007 report “Hazardous Pesticides in the European Parliament” reveals the disturbing truth that conventionally grown fruits are far more toxic than you might think.
Eight fruit samples, randomly selected at the GB express supermarket in the EU Parliament building in Brussels, were found to be contaminated with no less than 28 different pesticide residues, averaging almost five residues per fruit.
These chemicals included:
10 known carcinogens
3 neurotoxins
3 reproductive and developmental toxins
8 endocrine disruptors
Two of the chemicals are classified as “Highly Hazardous” by the World Health Organization (WHO), and three of the samples contained such high levels of residue that they were, officially, illegal.
That said, do keep in mind that even though organic vegetables (just like fruits) are better, don’t use this as an excuse to avoid non-organic vegetables. If for whatever reason you can’t obtain organic vegetables, non-organic veggies are a much healthier option than none at all.
Remember also, if you’re a Carb Type, most of your carbohydrates should actually be in the form of vegetable carbs, not grain carbs. Loading up on grains instead of vegetables because it’s difficult to find organic veggies will likely lead to a health disaster.
Organic Farming Protects Your Environment and Your Health
Organic farming differs from conventional farming in the methods used to grow crops, which has a major impact on your environment.
For example:
Where conventional farmers apply chemical fertilizers to the soil to grow their crops, organic farmers feed and build soil with natural fertilizer, which is far less likely to cause any long-term environmental complications.
Conventional farmers use insecticides to get rid of insects and disease, while organic farmers use natural methods such as insect predators and barriers for this purpose.
Conventional farmers control weed growth by applying synthetic herbicides, but organic farmers use crop rotation, tillage, hand weeding, cover crops and mulches to control weeds. While herbicides are not nearly as dangerous as insecticides, they still are synthetic chemicals introduced into the environment and clearly are not something that will improve your health.
The article “Better Beef,” written by California rancher Dave Evans and published in the March 2008 issue of Best Life magazine, gives a great in-depth view of the many benefits of grass-fed beef, from environmental sustainability to the sheer difference in taste and nutrient content of the beef.
Evans also offers this list of grass-fed beef ranchers in the United States, where you can find good-quality meats:
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Stop Skipping Breakfast!!
HI All, Great Article! see my response in read!
For most of you that have worked with me on Metabolic Type Dieting, here is a great article on things you should stay away from and things you may want to consider. Often I am asked "What do you eat for breakfast?". I eat to my metabolic type - which is protein type. For breakfast I have a variety of things on different days. Here are some examples:
1) 1 whole avocado sprinkled with seeds (pumpkin or sunflower) w/ some olive oil and lime, Organic/Free Range Sausage such as turkey, pork or beef. (my favorite breakfast out of the week)
2) 2 whole eggs with organic or free range pea meal bacon (maybe 1 or two depending on the size) and a piece of fruit (depends on how I feel - could be an organic pear or apple) handful of almonds or walnuts.
3) Piece of organic chicken breast with olives, fruit (either one pear or apple) and a handful of nuts.
People always say to me "you eat meat for breakfast!" (usually with a very funny look on their face - implying that I am strange) Well, I have been doing this since the day I picked up weights. I decided to make sure my body was going to be in the best shape ever even when I am 50 or 65 years old. I am 31 now and hold absolutely no regret on not ever skipping meals especially breakfast! Breakfast starts my day and reflects on how my blood sugar will be regulated through the day.
Obesity has become a major concern for American children. In the last two decades, the prevalence of overweight adolescents has nearly tripled, and current statistics show 16 percent of children are overweight or obese.
Overweight and obese children not only face a heightened risk of health problems -- heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few -- but they are also likely to suffer from low self-esteem and depression as a result of their weight. Being overweight or obese can take a big emotional toll on a young child or teen.
The idea that skipping breakfast can lead to weight gain is not new. Studies have shown that eating breakfast can have beneficial effects on:
Appetite
Insulin resistance
Energy metabolism
One study found that obesity and insulin resistance syndrome rates were 35 percent to 50 percent lower among people who ate breakfast every day, compared to those who frequently skipped it.
Unfortunately, it has been my experience that the breakfast offerings in nearly all conventional American restaurants range from terrible to awful when it comes to their impact on your health.
There is no question in my mind that the breakfast menu is the worst as it typically consists of highly oxidized eggs, carbs like waffles, oatmeal, muffins, cereal, fruit juice, doughnuts, bagels, toast, and pancakes, or fried foods like bacon.
What Do You Eat for Breakfast?
But there’s more to it than simply not skipping the meal. Many children eat sugary cereals and breads for breakfast, chased down with a can of soda or sugary fruit juice. These kinds of eating habits may cause even more harm than not eating breakfast at all.
Nearly all of us feel better when we start the day with a good meal. The challenge that most face is being pressed for time in the morning, and this is equally true for children and teens as their over-worked parents.
The simple solution for this is to go to sleep a bit earlier, and rise a bit earlier to give yourself enough time to eat without rushing.
When you plan breakfast meals for yourself and your family, vow to avoid any of these common, typically non-healthy breakfast items:
Doughnuts
Cereals
Fruit juice
Waffles and pancakes
Bagels and toast (even whole grain organic types)
ALL cereals (even whole grain organic types)
Many people are confused about why whole grain breads and cereals are not recommended. They’re such common staples that most can’t imagine them not being good for you.
Carb types can actually do well with grains, but remember; only about 15 percent of the population are carb types, at best. So for the majority of you, grains and cereals should be avoided as much as possible.
Why?
Because grains rapidly break down to sugar in your body, stimulating insulin production. So, if you:
Are overweight
Have high cholesterol
Have high blood pressure
Have diabetes
... then you are best served avoiding these foods.
If your nutritional type is carbohydrate oriented and you don’t have any of the above problems, then grains are a possible option for you. But, rest assured; if you indulge in grains to excess you are heading for one of the above diseases.
What is My Breakfast?
Many are curious about what food I choose for my breakfast so I thought I would share that now. Prior to understanding Nutritional Typing I used to juice vegetables, but now my breakfast has far more fat.
I typically make porridge with several ounces of fresh raw coconut cream, which I obtain locally as it is not available commercially. Then I mix 2-3 raw organic free-range eggs into it, and stir in some rice bran and some raw organic nuts. That typically keeps me going strong till lunch.
So, What are Some Other Good Breakfast Options?
My primary recommendation for Carb and Mixed nutritional types is to prepare and consume fresh vegetable juice, making sure you also eat the pulp. It’s loaded with so many valuable phytonutrients, it would be unwise to discard it.
Juicing may not be the best option for Protein types (like me), however, because you would want to limit yourself to 10 ounces or less of raw juice each day, and restrict the vegetables to lower potassium varieties such as spinach and celery.
If you don’t juice you can always have left-over dinner for breakfast. While this is not the ideal option, it is far better than nearly all traditional breakfasts and certainly better for most than not eating anything.
Why Should I Juice Vegetables Rather Than Eat Them?
Good question. There are three main reasons why juicing your vegetables for breakfast is a good idea:
Most of us have relatively compromised intestines as a result of less than optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you so you will receive most of the nutrition rather than having it go straight through you.
Vegetable juicing allows you to eat more vegetables than you would normally. By incorporating the juice into your eating plan you will easily be able to reach the one pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight that you should eat every day (unless you’re a Protein type, in which case you may only need about ½ pound per 50 pounds of body weight per day).
If you eat the vegetables like a salad, you will be having far too many salads during the week. This will violate the rotation principle and increase your likelihood of developing an allergy to some of the vegetables.
For most of you that have worked with me on Metabolic Type Dieting, here is a great article on things you should stay away from and things you may want to consider. Often I am asked "What do you eat for breakfast?". I eat to my metabolic type - which is protein type. For breakfast I have a variety of things on different days. Here are some examples:
1) 1 whole avocado sprinkled with seeds (pumpkin or sunflower) w/ some olive oil and lime, Organic/Free Range Sausage such as turkey, pork or beef. (my favorite breakfast out of the week)
2) 2 whole eggs with organic or free range pea meal bacon (maybe 1 or two depending on the size) and a piece of fruit (depends on how I feel - could be an organic pear or apple) handful of almonds or walnuts.
3) Piece of organic chicken breast with olives, fruit (either one pear or apple) and a handful of nuts.
People always say to me "you eat meat for breakfast!" (usually with a very funny look on their face - implying that I am strange) Well, I have been doing this since the day I picked up weights. I decided to make sure my body was going to be in the best shape ever even when I am 50 or 65 years old. I am 31 now and hold absolutely no regret on not ever skipping meals especially breakfast! Breakfast starts my day and reflects on how my blood sugar will be regulated through the day.
Obesity has become a major concern for American children. In the last two decades, the prevalence of overweight adolescents has nearly tripled, and current statistics show 16 percent of children are overweight or obese.
Overweight and obese children not only face a heightened risk of health problems -- heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal problems, and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few -- but they are also likely to suffer from low self-esteem and depression as a result of their weight. Being overweight or obese can take a big emotional toll on a young child or teen.
The idea that skipping breakfast can lead to weight gain is not new. Studies have shown that eating breakfast can have beneficial effects on:
Appetite
Insulin resistance
Energy metabolism
One study found that obesity and insulin resistance syndrome rates were 35 percent to 50 percent lower among people who ate breakfast every day, compared to those who frequently skipped it.
Unfortunately, it has been my experience that the breakfast offerings in nearly all conventional American restaurants range from terrible to awful when it comes to their impact on your health.
There is no question in my mind that the breakfast menu is the worst as it typically consists of highly oxidized eggs, carbs like waffles, oatmeal, muffins, cereal, fruit juice, doughnuts, bagels, toast, and pancakes, or fried foods like bacon.
What Do You Eat for Breakfast?
But there’s more to it than simply not skipping the meal. Many children eat sugary cereals and breads for breakfast, chased down with a can of soda or sugary fruit juice. These kinds of eating habits may cause even more harm than not eating breakfast at all.
Nearly all of us feel better when we start the day with a good meal. The challenge that most face is being pressed for time in the morning, and this is equally true for children and teens as their over-worked parents.
The simple solution for this is to go to sleep a bit earlier, and rise a bit earlier to give yourself enough time to eat without rushing.
When you plan breakfast meals for yourself and your family, vow to avoid any of these common, typically non-healthy breakfast items:
Doughnuts
Cereals
Fruit juice
Waffles and pancakes
Bagels and toast (even whole grain organic types)
ALL cereals (even whole grain organic types)
Many people are confused about why whole grain breads and cereals are not recommended. They’re such common staples that most can’t imagine them not being good for you.
Carb types can actually do well with grains, but remember; only about 15 percent of the population are carb types, at best. So for the majority of you, grains and cereals should be avoided as much as possible.
Why?
Because grains rapidly break down to sugar in your body, stimulating insulin production. So, if you:
Are overweight
Have high cholesterol
Have high blood pressure
Have diabetes
... then you are best served avoiding these foods.
If your nutritional type is carbohydrate oriented and you don’t have any of the above problems, then grains are a possible option for you. But, rest assured; if you indulge in grains to excess you are heading for one of the above diseases.
What is My Breakfast?
Many are curious about what food I choose for my breakfast so I thought I would share that now. Prior to understanding Nutritional Typing I used to juice vegetables, but now my breakfast has far more fat.
I typically make porridge with several ounces of fresh raw coconut cream, which I obtain locally as it is not available commercially. Then I mix 2-3 raw organic free-range eggs into it, and stir in some rice bran and some raw organic nuts. That typically keeps me going strong till lunch.
So, What are Some Other Good Breakfast Options?
My primary recommendation for Carb and Mixed nutritional types is to prepare and consume fresh vegetable juice, making sure you also eat the pulp. It’s loaded with so many valuable phytonutrients, it would be unwise to discard it.
Juicing may not be the best option for Protein types (like me), however, because you would want to limit yourself to 10 ounces or less of raw juice each day, and restrict the vegetables to lower potassium varieties such as spinach and celery.
If you don’t juice you can always have left-over dinner for breakfast. While this is not the ideal option, it is far better than nearly all traditional breakfasts and certainly better for most than not eating anything.
Why Should I Juice Vegetables Rather Than Eat Them?
Good question. There are three main reasons why juicing your vegetables for breakfast is a good idea:
Most of us have relatively compromised intestines as a result of less than optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you so you will receive most of the nutrition rather than having it go straight through you.
Vegetable juicing allows you to eat more vegetables than you would normally. By incorporating the juice into your eating plan you will easily be able to reach the one pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight that you should eat every day (unless you’re a Protein type, in which case you may only need about ½ pound per 50 pounds of body weight per day).
If you eat the vegetables like a salad, you will be having far too many salads during the week. This will violate the rotation principle and increase your likelihood of developing an allergy to some of the vegetables.
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