Current Health News and Studies Concerning Nutrition & Exercise

March 13, 2010: A research doctor discovered quite by accident that adolescents who were diagnosed with high blood pressure also had elevated levels of uric acid 90 percent of the time. Further, he found that by reducing the uric acid levels of these obese, hypertensive adolescents, he was able to normalize blood pressure in 87 percent of the cases.

It is common knowledge that purine rich foods raise uric acid. But this doctor discovered that fructose is one of the most potent ways by which levels of uric acid are increased.

Uric acid is a normal waste product found in your blood. Excessive levels of uric acid have normally been associated with gout. It also has been long known that people who are overweight, have high blood pressure or kidney disease have high uric acid levels.

Dr. Richard Johnson, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado who I mentioned earlier, is finding out through his research that uric acid may be more than just a symptom of being obese, hypertensive, or having kidney disease. It may play a major role in the development of these diseases when levels reach 5.5 mg/dL or more. At this level, uric acid is associated with an increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease

However, normal levels of uric acid act as both an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant once inside your cells. If levels are too low, you lose uric acid's antioxidant benefits. Too high, and it becomes an oxidizer.

Dr. Johnson believes that the ideal range for uric acid is between 3 to 5.5 mg/dL.

Concerning the fructose/uric acid connection, Dr. Johnson says:

"If you give animals fructose, they develop diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and fatty liver. And in most of these conditions, if we lower uric acid, we can prevent many of these conditions, [although] not completely. So lowering uric acid seems to benefit some of the mechanisms by which fructose causes disease. So a very important point is that if you take two animals and you feed one fructose and feed the other one the exact same number of calories but give it as dextrose or glucose, its only the fructose-fed animal that will develop obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver, and high triglycerides, signs of inflammation, vascular disease, and high blood pressure."

Studies show similar results in humans. There has been a dramatic increase over the past 20 years in fatty liver disease globally. Studies conducted by Dr. Johnson and a group of researchers from Duke University showed that people who developed fatty liver disease drink a lot more soft drinks, and ingest far more fructose than the average person.

March 15, 2010: Fat burners are products, natural and synthetic, which accelerate fat loss by either speeding up your body's metabolism, regulating thyroid function, or curbing your appetite. The jury is out concerning the general effectiveness of a lot of the products on the market.

One type of fat burner you may remember contained the natural substance ephedra. But since 1994, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) had received hundreds of reports of adverse reactions. These reactions included insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heart beat, nervousness, heart attacks, and seizures. Products with this ingredient were subsequently banned.

There are a couple of natural ingredients which do seem to work, and which have no known side effects. In both, the fat burning effect was discovered by accident.

One such ingredient is fucoxanthin, pronounced foo-coh-zan-thin, a seaweed extract. It's fat burning ability was discovered accidentally by Japanese researchers.

The marine biologist researchers were feeding their study animals this seaweed. They noticed that a microscopic protein known as UCP1 suddenly became active. UCP1 tells your cells to use fat for energy. Amazingly, it sends the message while you are at rest!

Excited by the results they got with marine animals, the researchers tested fucoxanthin on mice. One group were given their regular diet supplemented with fucoxanthin. The control group received only their regular meal. The results were as impressive on the mice as they were on the marine animals.

Not only did the mice lose a considerable amount of fat, but fucoxanthin prevented potential fat cells from maturing and becoming 'full-fledged' fat cells.

Human trials showed the same impressive results. One test group who supplemented with fucoxanthin lost an average of 15 pounds in 16 weeks. The control group lost only an average of 3 pounds.

Another natural fat burner was discovered quite incidentally. A professor was doing population studies in the jungles of West Africa. He noticed that the natives were not fat.

It turns out that the natives used a paste made from the seed of a bush mango to thicken their soup. In one study, participants lost an average of 28 pounds in one week. And this was done without any change in diet or activity level whatsoever. The herb is known as Irvingia Gabonesis.

Fat burners are to be used in conjunction with diet and exercise. They are not magic pills to be used in place of diet and exercise.

March 16, 2010: According to Dr. David Ayoub who is a cardiologist, physician, and a specialist in the additives and preservatives used in vaccines, there is a metal even more dangerous than mercury in vaccines. It is aluminum. As you may remember, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Mercury (thimerosal) exposure has declined drastically ever since it was removed from single-dose vials of most childhood vaccines. But autism which has been linked to thimerosal continues to rise.

Aluminum is used as an adjuvant and is added to boost a host's immune response to antigen (what your body responds to and makes antibodies against.) An adjuvant itself is a pharmacological or immunological agent that modify the effect of other agents (e.g., drugs, vaccines) while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves.

Although aluminum is found abundantly in nature, it has no biological value in your body. As a matter of fact, it is a poison.

Children today are getting 17 shots that contain aluminum. Compare that to the 1970s to mid-1980s when they received only 4 shots.

Aluminum impairs the body's ability to excrete mercury and synthesize glutathione. Glutathione is essential for the normal functioning of your immune system. Aluminum also magnifies the toxicity of mercury in the body.

Dr. Ayoub has been concerned about the mercury in vaccines for a number of years. After attending a number of conferences concerning autism, he became interested in the doctors' who were highlighting the dangers of mercury.

Dr. Ayoub then had encounters with parents who told him that their autistic children had heavy metal toxicity profiles which showed high amounts of aluminum in their bodies. The parents wanted to know the effects of that amount of aluminum.

Also, a well respected nutritionist who deals with industrial aluminum toxicity showed Dr. Ayoub toxicity profiles of middle school children who had ADHD. In his estimate, 90 percent of the children in one particular school had developed ADHD during the course of a single year, and their toxicity profiles showed massive amounts of aluminum.

Dr. Ayoub did a pilot study with another doctor who treats autism with biomedicine. When he evaluated the aluminum burden of these autistic children, he found that high percentage of them also had very high aluminum burdens.

These events sparked Dr. Ayoub's curiousity. He then decided to dig deeper into the dangers of aluminum in vaccines.

March 16, 2010: The British Medical Journal has reported on a study which says that vitamin A, even in relatively low amounts, can thwart vitamin D's association with reduced rates of colon cancer. Currently, this is the largest study showing that vitamin A interferes with vitamin D's disease fighting capability.

Although vitamin A is essential for your immune system and a precursor to active hormones that regulate the expression of your genes, its ratio with vitamin D is crucial.

The crux of the vitamin A problem lies in supplementation. The production of vitamin A is controlled by your body. The natural source of vitamin A is from carotenoids from vegetables. Carotenoids are converted to the right amount of retinol (vitamin A) in your intestine. This system is by-passed when retinol is received directly from supplements or cod liver oil. The ratio of vitamin A to vitamin D cannot be properly maintained.

Vitamin D expert Dr. Cannell writes:

"Dr. Mazda Jenab and his 45 colleagues from the International Agency for Research on Cancer confirmed that low vitamin D levels are a risk for colon cancer in a dose response manner; those with the highest levels were about twice as less likely to develop colon cancer compared to those with the highest levels.

This is the largest study to date showing vitamin A blocks vitamin D's effect and explains some of the anomalies in other papers on vitamin D and cancer" (http://thenaturaladvocate.blogspot.com/2010/02/ remarkable-paper-in-british-medical.html.)

Scientists do not know what the optimal balance of vitamin A to vitamin D is. But it seems to be evident that most cod liver oils do not supply it.

Only the retinoic form of vitamin A is problematic, not beta carotene. Your body will not convert beta carotene into excessive leves of vitamin A. Therefore it is safe to supplement with it.

The only way to get safe levels of vitamin A is through your diet. Eat plenty of colorful vegetables. And as for vitamin D, get plenty of natural sunshine.

March 17, 2010: First Lady Michelle Obama spoke before the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) telling them they need to work faster reformulating and repackaging their products for the sake of healthier kids.

Mrs. Obama said in part:

"But I'm here today to urge all of you to move faster and to go farther because the truth is we don't have a moment to waste -- because a baby born today could be less than a decade away from showing the first signs of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, if he or she is obese as a child..."

Mrs. Obama also praised the GMA for reducing calories and salt in food. This all a part of her husband's administration initiative to get the nation's children back on the path to good health.

In response to Mrs. Obama's call for urgency, GMA Chairman Richard Wolford, who is also chairman, president and chief executive officer of Del Monte Foods Company, said:

"In recent years, our companies have reduced calories, sugar, fat and sodium in more than 10,000 products," he said in a statement. "They have also enhanced the nutritional profile of many products with the addition of whole grains, fiber or other nutrients and created the informative and convenient 100-calorie pack.

"Food and beverage companies have changed the way they advertise and market their products -- children under 12 now see significantly fewer food, beverage and restaurant ads on television. And at the same time, they are seeing more ads for soup, juice, fruit and vegetables."

Mrs. Obama also said that the food companies need to do more. They need to do more than just tweak around the edges. Products need to be re-thought. This includes the information provided about those products, and the marketing campaign.
Source: Reuters.

March 17, 2010: Diabetes Risk Self-Assessment Test

(1) What is your age?

• a. under 40: 0 points
• b. 40 thru 49: 1 point
• c. 50 thru 59: 2 points
• d. 60 or over: 3 points

(2) Are you male or female?

• male: 1 point
• female: 0 points

(3) Does any family member have diabetes? (Parent or sibling)

• no: 0 points
• yes: 1 point

(4) Do you have high blood pressure, or are on medication for it?

• No: 0 points
• Yes: 1 point

(5) What is your weight classification? (See table below) Find your BMI here.

• Normal weight: 0 points
• overweight: 1 point
• obese: 2 points
• extremely obese: 3 points

(6) Are you physically active?

• no: 0 points
• yes: subtract 1 point from your total points

Total your points. If your total points are:

• less than or equal to 4: high risk for undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes
• less than or equal to 5: high risk for undiagnosed diabetes

See your doctor for a blood test to check your glucose level for either point total.
Source: USNews.com

March 18, 2010: In 1831, Professor Touery of the French Academy of Medicine shocked his colleagues by drinking a fatal dose of strychnine. And, to their utter amazement, the good professor survived. Unknown to his colleagues, Professor Touery had combined the strychnine with activated charcoal.

The properties of activated charcoal were known long before Professor Touery made that dramatic demonstration. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians knew about the poisonous nature of activated charcoal, and the fact that it was a disease antidote.

Activated charcol has the ability to attract substances to its surface and hold them there. The capacity to absorb in the gastrointestinal tract is due to its extreme porosity. It is estimated to reduce up to 60% of poisonous substances being absorbed.

Activated charcoal results from the carbonization of organic matter such as hardwood, coconut, bamboo, peat moss, olive pits, coconut shells, sawdust etc. It is therefore 100 percent natural.

When this organic matter is reduced to charcoal, it is 'activated' by oxidizing gases like steam or air at high temperatures.

The large system of microscopic pores traps toxic chemicals and hastens their elimination from your digestive system. The toxic substances attach to the surface of the charcoal and, because charcoal is not "digested," it stays inside the gastro-intestinal tract and the toxins are eliminated during bowel movement.

Activated charcoal is used in colon cleansing products. Other uses include:

• Overall body detoxification
• Intestinal disorders such as flatulence & gas, colic, indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux
• Anti-poison first aid remedy as it neutralizes a wide array of poisons, chemicals as well as drugs and other intoxicants
• Eliminates bad breath and body odour
• Purifies the blood

The best way to take activated charcoal is to purchase it in powder form, and mix it yourself in water. About 20 grams of powdered charcoal a day are recommended for general detoxification. You may want to divide this into 2 or 3 doses per day.

Activated charcoal will cause your stool to turn black so don't panic. There may also be a few side effects. Some common effects are constipation, and less frequently, diarrhea. Do not use it if you are pregnant or suffer from allergies to this group of medicines.

Activated charcoal can often prevent medicated substances from being absorbed, so consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking charcoal if you are on a medical treatment, or take tablets regularly.
Source: PureInsideout.com

March 18, 2010: Despite what has been practiced for generations, and strongly endorsed by the American Dental Association, brushing your teeth with toothpaste is counterproductive and destructive.

Besides containing the deadly poison fluoride, most commercial toothpastes have glycerin. And glycerin is the predominate ingredient. Glycerin is sticky and viscous, and very difficult to remove.

According to Gerald F. Judd, Ph.D, a chemist and fluoride researcher, "...Toothpastes, all of them, with 60% glycerin in them require over 20 washes to remove it, thus leaving the teeth with a coating at all times. Soap takes only two rinses and it is off..."

A coating of glycerin prevents your teeth from reenamelization. This is the process where the nutrients calcium and phosphate feed tooth enamel. Cavities result when this process is blocked.

In addition to fluoride, glycerin, sweeteners, and artificial and unnatural ingredients, commercial toothpaste have silica. This is nothing less than sand--the sand that is on your favorite beach. Silica gradully wears away the enamel on your teeth.

The healthful and completely natural way to clean your teeth is by using the same principle you use to clean your body--soap. There is such a product on the market. It is called, appropriately enough, tooth soap.

You won't find glycerin, flouride, silica, or any other harmful or unnatural ingredient in tooth soap. Again Dr. Judd comments:

"...Teeth which are cleaned and rinsed by bar soap are far cleaner than those cleaned with toothpaste which includes sugar, acid, chalk, silicates (sand), soap, fluoride, dyes, stabilizers, mixing agents and other contaminating materials. These badly contaminate the teeth and prevent good enamelization..."

And just what are the ingredients in Tooth Soap, the brand that I recommend?

• Specially formulated soap made from saponified coconut, palm, extra virgin olive oils
• Pure essential oil

Brush your teeth with sea salt.

March 19, 2010: Aerobics or cardiovascular (cardio for short) training has long been a mainstay for people looking to lose weight, or those just looking to get or remain fit. But science is showing that cardio is not the best form of training many thought it was.

Studies show that cardiovascular training will not prevent your heart and lungs from shrinking with age, or reduce your risk of heart attack. A thirty year long endurance study shows that this type of training leads to a common heart problem.

In 1976, researchers enlisted Norwegian cross-country marathon skiers in a study. The researchers wanted to know if these athletes would develop heart disease over the course of time.

What they discovered was astounding. Endurance athletes are at an exceptionally high risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF.) This heart problem can lead to strokes.

Atrial fibrillation is when the two upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating properly. Blood isn't pumped completely out, so it pools and clots. If a clot breaks loose, it can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

Generally speaking, only 0.5 percent of the population has AF. But for the marathon skiers it was 12.8 percent!

What surprised the researchers even more was that the youngest age group among the skiers were at the highest risk. In the 18 to 26 year-old group, 18.2 percent developed AF.

Symptoms of AF include:

• Heart palpitations
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Fatigue

Your body was not designed to perform extreme endurance type activities such as marathons. Your heart, lungs, as well as your muscles will grow strong and develop through interval training. Interval training, also known as high intensity interval training, are quick or all out bursts of activity followed by rest. Weight lifting fits this exercise pattern.

But interval training can be performed with any exercise routine. Walking, jogging, biking, swimming are just a few of the activities which can be performed 'interval' style.

March 20, 2010: An early study shows that vitamin B3 or niacin may help to improve neurological function in a person after suffering a stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and a leading cause of disability. The most common type of stroke is ischemic which occurs in 87 percent of all cases.

Niacin is already well-known for its ability to increase levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Niacin is water- soluble and meat is one of its best sources. Your body can produce its own niacin from the amino acid tryptophan.

Food sources of tryptophan include:

• Organically-raised turkey
• Free-range, organic chicken
• Nuts
• Organic, free-range eggs
• Raw milk cheese
• Legumes

Caution show be exercised if you decide to supplement your diet with niacin. Research has shown that it could negatively affect glucose intolerance--especially in diabetics.

As with any other nutrient, it is best to get niacin from whole food. And as for a stroke, a health program will prevent it from happening in the first place. Eighty percent of strokes are preventable.

A healthy lifestyle will drastically reduce your risk of not only of a stroke, but high blood pressure, obesity, and heart disease too. Make exercise, stress management, and eating whole, natural food a part of your daily life.

March 21, 2010: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert stating that the highest available dosage of Zocor can cause muscle damage as well as severe and potentially fatal kidney damage. Zocor is a component of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

It is known that statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) cause muscle damage in some patients. But the risk is elevated when they take the highest FDA-approved dosage which is 80 milligrams.

The side effects include rhabdomyolysis, a form of muscle damage that can lead to kidney damage or failure, and death.

Zocor is the brand name for the drug used by Merck and Company of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey. Its chemical name is simvastatin.

Simvastatin is a part of Merck's cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin and Abbott Laboratories' drug Simcor. Simvastatin is sold by 11 other generic drug manufacturers including Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and Novartis' Sandoz division.

March 23, 2010: Researchers from the University of Aukland say kids who ate margarine every day had significantly lower IQ scores by the age of 3-1/2 than those who did not. They also discovered that children who were underweight at birth had IQ scores that were even lower by the time they were 7 years old.

According to another study, as margarine consumption increased so did heart attack rates. But as butter consumption increased, heart attack rates went down.

The heart attack study was backed up by the famed Framington Heart Study; it tracked participants for 20 years and recorded the number of heart attacks suffered. During the second decade of the study, the group eating the most margarine endured 77 percent more heart attacks than the non-margarine eating group.

Avoid margarine at all costs. Be certain the butter you do eat comes from organic, grass-fed cows. Butter is composed of short- and medium-chain fatty acids which are easily converted into energy. This means they are less likely stored as fat. Butter too has more vitamin A than carrots.

March 23, 2010: Fast food is very popular not only in the United States, but in nations across the globe. Its appeal, other than low cost compared to upscale restaurant food, is its taste.

The excessive salt, fat, and sugar in fast food is no accident. Food manufacturers know that our brains and taste buds are hot-wired to love the taste provided by these health-wrecking substances.

But have you ever considered what may be in these items? I agree that the products you purchase at outlets like KFC, McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Taco Bell, and on and on, are fast as far as preparation is concerned. But I take exception to calling them food.

Food--real food--is prepared in kitchens. But a lot of the ingredients in fast foods is actually concocted in labratories. Let's examine a Chicken McNugget from fast food giant McDonald's. It turns out that the chicken is more than simply 'chicken.'

The chicken, and I am not including the breading, is made up of water, wheat starch, dextrose, safflower oil, and sodium phosphates. Egaaddddssss!!! The so-called chicken is also composed of autolyzed yeast extract. This last ingredient is nothing other than monosodium glutamate, a substance to be avoided at all costs. The breading itself is made up of another 20 chemicals! Is there any trace of a real chicken at all in a McNugget?

If you think McNuggets are bad, wait until I tell you about Wendy's and Buger Kings chicken equivalents. Wendy's Chicken Nuggets have 30 ingredients while Burger King's Chicken Fries have a whopping 35 lab concocted chemicals!

What's in the Genoa salami that you can buy at Subway's? Do you really want to know? Most of the salami is made of slaugterhouse leftovers. This is produced by a process known as 'advanced meat recovery.' It strips every remaining shred of meat left on the bone so that nothing is wasted.

The recovered meat is then given a lactic acid bath. The acid is produced by bacteria in the meat itself. This gives the salami its characteristic 'tangy' taste. Add salt and spices and you have a total of 15 chemicals which make up Genoa salami.

I'm afraid this is the rule rather than the exception. Fast food isn't fit for your pet, let alone for human consumption. It hasn't a shred of redeeming nutritional or health value.

When I was growing up, milk shakes had two primary ingredients: milk and ice cream. Nowadays however you have to be a chemistry major to understand the chemicals that are in them. Take Wendy's Frosty for instance. It takes 14 ingredients to make it.

The majority of the ingredients in Wendy's Frosty are thickening agents such as guar gum, cellulose gum, and carrageenan. And there is the Coffee Toffee Twisted Frosty. Although the two major substances are coffee syrup and coffee toffee pieces, they themselves are composed of 25 chemicals. These chemicals include seven different sugars and three oils.

Seven sugars!

No wonder America's children are exploding at the waistline, and developing diseases once only seen in adults.

The coffeee syrup itself contains water, propylene glycol, and high fructose corn syrup. Propylene glycol is a laxative chemical that's used as an emulsifier in food and a filler in electronic cigarettes.
Source: Men's Health

March 24, 2010: One of the hottest items in 21st century technology is most certainly nanotechnology. 'Nano' comes from the Greek word for dwarf. Twenty five million nanoparticles can fit on a one inch line. The center of nanotechnology is deconstructing and reassembling atoms into previously unknown material.

Nano-titanium dioxide is the most common nanomaterial that is used in consumer products today. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) estimates that almost 10,000 over-the-counter products use it in one form or another. Other health specialists say that number is a lot higher.

Professor Robert Schiestl, a genetic toxicologist at UCLA's School of Public Health states:

"...[nano-titanium dioxide] is in everything from medicine capsules and nutritional supplements, to food icing and additives, to skin creams, oils and toothpaste..."

Prof. Schiestl adds that at minimum, 2 million pounds of nanosized particles of titanium dioxide are produced and used in the United States every year.

Although I am a staunch supporter of technological advancement, I also favor proceeding with caution--especially when animal studies reveal devastating consequences.

Molecular biologist Benedicte Trouiller of UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) conducted laboratory studies of nano-titanium dioxide on mice. Midway through her research Benedicte discovered that the nanoparticles were damaging or destroying the animals' DNA and chromosomes.

Professor Schiestl says that the degree of DNA damage and genetic instability that Benedicte observed and documented can be associated with all the big killers of mankind--namely cancer, heart disease, neurological disease, and aging.

Nano-titanium dioxide isn't the only nanoparticle that laboratory studies have shown to be potentially health threatening to humans. A number of nanomaterials have been shown in published, peer-reviewed studies to be problematic with respect to humans. There were over 170 studies from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health alone.

One example of potential human harm is posed by carbon nanotubes which are widely used in industrial applications. These nanotubes are able to penetrate the lungs more deeply than asbestos and seems to cause asbestos-like damage more quickly.

There are other nanomaterials--especially metal-chemical combinations--which can cause cancer and birth defects, lead to harmful buildups in your circulatory system, and damage the heart, liver, and other organs of laboratory animals.

As is par for the course, federal authorities are doing little more than sitting on their hands concerning the potential harm nanomaterials pose to the American public. This is despite the overwhelming lab evidence and solid studies which are beyond refutation. It is up to the manufacturers' descretion whether they label that their products contain nanomaterials.

Nanotechnology is a double-edged sword. It holds the potential to be a beneficial breakthrough for humanity while simultaneously adding yet another fatal blow to abundant health. Many manufacturers are like horses wearing blinders--they only see straight ahead. They see only the benefits--and the profit potential.

Nanoparticles can kill as well as heal. Virtually no pathway into the body can pose a barrier to them. They can be inhaled, absorbed, and ingested through the skin and eyes. Nanoparticles can invade the brain via the olfactory nerves in the nose too.

The toxicity of a nanoparticle is dependent, in part, on their shape and chemical composition. Many are shaped similar to a soccer ball with multiple panels that can increase reactivity which magnifies their potential danger.

The only thing small about nanotechnology is the size of the material. Everything else--financial investment and the number of manufacturers involved--is huge. According to federal authorities and financial analysts, over 1,300 U.S. businesses and universities are involved in nanotechonolgy development and research. The National Science Foundation says that $60 to $70 billion worth of nanoproducts are sold in this country annually. The majority of it is geared towards the energy and electronic industries.

Even though we are in a recession, nanotechnology is plowing full speed ahead and showing no signs of slowing down. The global nanotech market was $254 billion in 2005, and is projected to explode to $2.5 trillion over the next 4 years! Senior nanotech adviser of the National Science Foundation Mihail Roco says that the nanotech industry will create at least 1 million jobs globally by 2015.

Government agencies such as the FDA, like they are with so many other health threats, are like the three monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. Again the American public is being used without its consent as guinea pigs.

As it is not mandatory that food manufacturers include genetically modified ingredients on their product labels, the same holds true for nanoparticles. So even a food detective is left in the dark.

The only way to protect yourself and your family is to buy only organic food. And the only one who is concerned about your health and welfare is you.

Note(s): 1. The FDA has given titanium dioxide the status of GRAS (generally recognized as safe.) GRAS means that the FDA considers titanium dioxide to be safe for human consumption.
Nanotechnology in pictures.
Source: AOL News

March 25, 2010: The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) after much debate has finally narrowed the definition of organic meat and milk. The old definition stated only that animals had to have acess to pasture.

As you can see, the old definition for organic animals is as open-ended as can be. The word 'access' can be interpreted to mean anywhere from a few weeks or even a few days. The new definition states that:

• animals must have access to pasture for grazing at least one-third of the year (4 months.)
• 30 percent of animal feed must come from grazing

The new USDA ruling solidifies what the term organic means. The new law takes effect this June and farmers have one year to comply with it.

The USDA Organic seal is the highest standard to which food must comply. Growers and manufacturers of organic foods and products meet the highest and strictest standards of any agency when they have this seal. Look for it when you shop.

However, there is one qualification which supercedes even the USDA Organic seal. That is grass-fed animal meat. Here is the USDA's standard for grass-fed:

"Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning.

If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal’s well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided."

Unfortunately though, the grass-fed standards are strictly voluntary. So to ensure that the standards are truly being met, look for a 'USDA Process Verfified' label in addition to the 'grass-fed' label.

March 27, 2010: I have written about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup. It is a highly processed form of fructose which wrecks havoc on your body's digestive system. Would you believe that there is a substance which is even worse? Agave syrup or nectar is that substance.

Agave literally means 'noble.' The blue plant grows in the rich volcanic soil of Mexico. Fermented, agave becomes tequila.

Like many other natural plants and grains such as sugar and wheat, agave grows full of healthy nutrients. It is the subsequent processing, and ingestation in huge quantities which damages your health.

Because the message of the health dangers of consuming high fructose corn syrup and articial sweeteners is being heard by health enthusiasts, an alternative has been sought. Enter agave syrup or nectar. The marketing campaign has convinced many that it is a healthy alternative.

Contrary to manufacturers' claims, agave syrup or nectar is made from the plant's starch from its pinepple- like root bulb, not from its sap. The root bulb is primarily composed of starch and inulin, a complex carbohydrate.

The processing the starch and inulin that the agave plant undergoes is similar to the processing of cornstarch into high fructose corn syrup. The agave starch is converted into fructose-rich syrup using genetically modified enzymes and a chemically intensive process involving caustic acids, clarifiers, and filtration chemicals.

While agave syrup has a low glycemic index which doesn't cause your blood sugar to spike, it has other dangers that its processors don't want you to know about. Agave syrup has the highest fructose concentration of any commercially produced sweetener.

The fructose percentage concentration of processed agave syrup ranges from 70 to 97 percent. In comparison, high fructose corn syrup averages 55 percent.

I would like to categorically state that fructose--natural fructose found in fruit--is not bad. Fruit contains healthy fiber and other nutrients in addition to the fructose. But with cheap, processed fructose, it is a different story. It is in a free form and is added to almost every processed food imaginable.

Herein lies the problem. The average person consumes far too much of it.

Commercially produced agave syrup raises your insulin resistance. This is dangerous. Insulin resistance makes it very difficult for the insulin produced by your pancreas to make your body's cells receptive to glucose. They become resistant to it. This forces your pancreas to inject even more insulin into your bloodstream. This process can lead to high triglyceride levels and liver damage.

There is reference among some websites that raw natural agave is being produced in Mexico. This agave is made from its sap. Availibility is limited though because it is expensive. This raw agave is not the commercially-produced agave syrup promoted throughout the media. The overwhelming majority is unfortunately processed.

The marketing of agave syrup is leading to ever-increasing visibility and sales. Look at the statistics:

• New agave products more than tripled in number between 2003 and 2007, from 56 to 176. Agave syrup is now appearing in products such as energy bars, cereals and organic ice creams.
• Revenues for the category "other liquid sweeteners," which includes agave, rose to more than $10.3 million in 2007, which was a 50 percent jump from 2006.
• McCormick & Co., a major food manufacturer, placed agave syrup in its "top 10 flavors" list for 2009.
• Two of Mexico's largest agave syrup manufacturers, Iidea and Nekutli, are sending increasingly large shipments of agave syrup to Germany, Japan and New Zealand due to growing global popularity.

Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, says of agave syrup:

"Agave is almost all fructose, a highly processed sugar with great marketing."

Agave syrup contains 16 calories per teaspoon. This is identical to sucrose (table sugar.)

Nearly all of the agave syrup used in the United States is produced in Mexico. There quality control is very poor. Industry insiders are voicing concern that producers are using toxic forms of agave due to the shortage of blue agave. The FDA is turning away shipments from Mexico due to high pesticide levels.

Agave is known to contain large amounts of saponins. Saponins are toxic steroid derivatives, capable of disrupting red blood cells and producing diarrhea and vomiting. There is also a possible link between saponins and miscarriage by stimulating blood flow to the uterus, so if you’re pregnant, you should definitely avoid agave products.

Some agave syrups contain a contaminant called hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF, also called 5-hydroxymethyl furfural), an organic heat-formed compound that arises in the processing of fructose -- in both agave syrup and HFCS. HMF has potential toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. HMF is EXTREMELY toxic to honey bees, which is a problem since commercial beekeepers feed HFCS to the bees to stimulate honey production when field-gathered nectar sources are scarce.

I recommend the following alternatives to agave syrup/nectar; it should be avoided like a plague:

• glucose (dextrose) which costs about $1 per pound; it is 70 percent as sweet as table sugar so you may have to add a little more.
• Lo Han; this is an excellent natural herbal sweetener.
• regular stevia; avoid stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia or PureVia.

Even with these natural sweeteners, moderation is key. They should not be a license to go overboard.

March 29, 2010: If laboratory rats are any indication, certain foods may be as addictive as cocaine or heroine. When scientists constantly fed rats a high calorie, high fat diet, it became as compulsive a habit as cocaine to a drug addict.

This may be the reason why high fat foods such as bacon and cheesecake are so irresistable to the point of over indulgence.

Paul J. Kenny, Ph.D., an associate professor of molecular therapeutics at the Scripps Research Institute, in Jupiter, Florida states that eating fattening foods and doing drugs both gradually overload your brain's pleasure centers. The neurotransmitter known as dopamine controls the brain's pleasure or reward center. And, according to Dr. Kenny, it plays a role in reenforcing behavior.

Dr. Kenny and another researcher used three groups of rats for their high fat/high calorie study. This study lasted 40 days.

One group was fed their normal diet and another group was fed bacon, sausage, frosting, and other fattening foods for one hour each day; the last group was fed a diet identical to the group who received high fat foods--but were allowed to eat it for up to 23 hours a day.

Not only did the latter group become obese as they compulsively gourged themselves, but their brain patterns were changed in the process. By means of electrodes implanted in the rats' brains, the researchers discovered that the last group developed a tolerance to high fat foods. They had to eat geater amounts in order to continually experience the same level of pleasure--or put another way--to achieve a high.

The compulsion the third group experienced was so intense--so overwhelming--that even pain did not deter them from consuming the food. The researchers placed an electrical charge in the path of the food. Groups number one and two were sufficiently persuaded to turn away from their food. However, group three endured electrical shock to get to their food.

Dr. Kenny noted that in previous studies, rats given cocaine and heroine tolerated pain in order to get their 'fix.' They showed identical brain pattern changes as did the rats who were given high fat/high calories food to eat.

According to Dr. Kenny, overeating caused dopamine levels in the brains of the obese rats to drop. He says that low levels of these receptors have been associated with drug addiction and obesity in humans.

Scientists caution that not everyone with low dopamine receptor levels is on the path to drug addiction or obesity. Other factors such as the environment are involved--not just genes.

These researchers are also quick to point out that the results from the rat study may not translate directly into human equivalents.

The study though is food for thought (no pun intended.) Researchers know that will power alone is insufficient to control the impulse to overeat high fat foods.