Current Health News

The Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) undertook a study of the food preferences of men and women. Over 14,000 Americans were used. Basically, the study shows that men prefer meat while women prefer vegetables.

Interestingly, several smaller global studies show that the pattern holds true across different cultures and through generations.

Overall, men preferred:

• veal
• shellfish
• runny eggs
• Brussels sprouts
• frozen hamburgers

Overall, women preferred:

• carrots
• blueberries
• almonds & walnuts
• yogurt
• alfalfa sprouts

Although the study didn't delve into the reasons why the genders had their specific preferences, the food choices themselves point in a certain direction. Men chose foods that produce testosterone while women chose foods high in phytoestrogens.

Brussels sprouts contain a phytochemical known as indole-3-carbinol which changes "bad" estrogens into testosterone-stimulating "good" estrogens. Meat is high in fat and the mineral zinc. Both are known to raise testosterone levels.

There is a caveat to eating meat though. Conventionally raised meats that are sold in your typical supermarket are loaded with estrogenic hormones (See factory farms.) Make certain to eat only green-fed, organically-raised meat.
Source: Daily Health Tips Newsletter. September 28, 2011. Baseline of Health Foundation.

September 29, 2011: You might be surprised how many celebrities are health freedoms' advocates. One I wasn't aware of and who has voiced his concern is Chuck Norris. He was the star of the former television series Walker, Texas Ranger.

Mr. Norris expressed his concern in a commentary published in WorldNetDaily.com entitled "The U.S., U.N., and Genetic Engineering."

He began his commentary by asking the question, "Would you know if you are eating genetically engineered foods?"

Most Americans wouldn't know because the FDA doesn't require food manufacturers to label their products as such. And only a very few people are aware that approximately 93 percent of all American soy is genetically-modified, along with 86 percent of all corn and 93 percent of canola seeds. Genetically modified ingredients are used in about 70 percent of ALL processed food.

Norris then referred to a New York Times article which stated: "... the Pew Center, Consumers Union and Harris Interactive polls over the last decade have shown that the overwhelming majority of Americans would like to see genetically modified foods better regulated and labeled ..."

He then stated what many of us in the alternative health movement know all too well:

"The added difficulty with genetic tampering and labels is that we know big business and lobbying often control the decisions in Washington. Recently that was made evident again by the actions of the USDA. Despite that tests prove genetically engineered organisms become a part of the bacteria in our digestive tracts, the ANH (Alliance for Natural Health) reported how the USDA now wants to eliminate any controls from genetically altered corn and cotton!"

According to Norris, 14 states have introduced legislation on GMO labeling, but most face government red tape. He then pleads with concerned Americans to contact their state representatives as well as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture.) Let them know that GMOs must be so labeled.

Chuck Norris' timely commentary ends with this statement:

"The only real solution to prevent global food governance and our body's consumption of genetically altered foods is to mandate the proper labeling of all foods, and to buy local and buy organic. By diminishing the supply and demand of imported and genetically engineered foods, we can diminish its tyranny at the borders of our bodies."
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; posted September 25, 2011.

October 3, 2011: The beginning of the end of GMOs in America's food supply may have been given its first step to becoming a reality. There is an effort in California to require mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered foods.

Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) among others is at the forefront of gathering the necessary signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. The number of signatures required is 700,000.

This is possible because California and a few other states west of the Mississippi River have what is known as citizen ballots. This system allows citizens to place new legislation on the ballot.

Lawyers representing OCA, Dr. Bonner's Magic Soap, Center for Food Safety, Mercola.com, Nature's Path, NaturalNews.com, LabelGMOs.org, Food Democracy Now, and the Institure for Responsible Technology filed papers with the California attorney general's office to place the initiative on the ballot in November, 2011.

GMO labeling is facing a losing battle in Washington, DC. The Biotech and food industries have virtually been running roughshod over the Clinton, Bush, and Obama administrations. Therefore a decision has been made to take the fight to the state level.

California was chosen because it is the heartland of organic food and farming, and opposition to GMOs. And according to recent polls, 80 to 85 percent of the body politic support GMO labeling.

Yesterday a rally was held by GMO opponents on the steps of the capitol building in Austin, Texas. Its purpose was to spread awareness of the dangers of GMOs and to call for public unity in requiring the labeling of all GMO products.

Did you know that:

• Most consumers will not purchase genetically engineered ingredients once they know they are in their foods?
• GMOs are prevalent today because consumers have been prevented from knowing their presence in their foods?
• 90 - 95 percent of Americans want to know which foods have genetically modified ingredients?
• 75 percent of all non-organic processed foods in grocery stores today have genetically engineered ingredients?

"If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it." - Norman Braksick, president of Asgrow Seed Co., a subsidiary of Monsanto, quoted in the Kansas City Star, March 7, 1994
Chuck Norris opposes GMOs

October 5, 2011: The significance of this seal is that it assures the consumer that the product bearing it has been produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance, including testing of risk ingredients. Testing of all ingredients is required (everything being grown in GMO form in North America). The exception is that every single finished product doesn't have to be tested.

The Non-GMO Project is the only organization offering independent verification of testing and GMO controls for products in the United States and Canada.

The non-GMO seal is not to be confused with the USDA certified organic seal (National Organic Program [NOP].) Although the NOP specifies that GMO seeds are not supposed to be planted, and GMO ingredients are not supposed to be used, no testing is required.

The rules established when NOP was inaugurated were formulated at a time when GMOs were in limited production and accidental contamination was not a significant risk. This is no longer true.

You can find retailers who participate in the voluntary program, along with their specific products, here at Non-GMO Program.

October 5, 2011: A study has found that stopping cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing diabetes. Researchers from John Hopkins University School of Medicine did the study.

This study followed 11,000 middle-aged, non-diabetic men and women over a period of nine years. Forty-five percent of these participants smoked.

After three years, study participants who smoked had a 31 percent greater risk of diabetes than their non-smoking counterparts. Smokers who quit had a 73 percent greater chance of developing diabetes than non-smokers.

Diabetes risk grew to almost 90 percent in the following months.

The reason for these astounding results is food. Smoking suppresses the appetite. Most people turn to food. Participants who quit smoking gained an average of 8.4 pounds and 1.25 inches in the waist.

October 12, 2011: Visceral fat is far deadlier than subcutaneous fat (the fat that lies just underneath the skin.) It's hidden in the abdominal cavity, under the abdominal muscle and surrounding your vital internal organs.

A new study suggests that leaky gut syndrome may encourage the buildup of visceral fat. Leaky gut occurs when there are gaps between the membrance lining your intestinal wall. These gaps allow toxic substances which should be confined to your digestive tract to escape into your bloodstream.

The toxic particles can originate from Candida yeast overgrowth, undigested foods, or even waste products. They irritate the intestinal wall and cause your body to have an inflammatory response.

More often than not, leaky gut syndrome is associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's, celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis.

The new study which shows an association between visceral fat and leaky gut sundrome was carried out in Sweden. The amazing thing about this study was that it involved healthy women - not women with a health issue that would suggest leaky gut.

This has implications for you as a woman. It signifies that you too could have leaky gut which prediposes you to carry higher levels of visceral fat which itself can put you at a greater risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Your body has about 100 trillion bacteria - about 10 times the number of cells you have. It's now quite clear that the type and quantity of micro-organisms in your gut interact with your body in ways that can either prevent or encourage the development of many diseases.

Almost anything that will throw your bacteria out of balance can harm your intestinal lining leading to leaky gut. The system is very fragile and gut bacteria are especially vulnerable to lifestyle and environmental factors.

These factors include sugar/fructose, refined grains, processed foods, antibiotics, fluoridated and chlorinated water, antibacterial soaps, agricultural chemicals and pesticides, and pollution.

Symptoms of unhealthy bacteria overpowering your healthy bacteria include gas/bloating, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, sugar cravings, and cravings for refined carb foods.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you need to add probiotics to your health regimen. This can either be in the form of foods or capsules.

High probiotic foods include Lassi (an Indian yogurt drink), pickled fermentations of cabbage, sauerkraut, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash, and carrots, Natto (fermented soy), Tempeh, Kim Chee. Also fermented raw milk like kefir and yogurt. Just avoid the many commercial products which typically don't have live cultures, and are teeming with sugars which pathogenic bacteria thrive on.

Adopt a whole food/organic diet. Ween yourselve off sugar-laden processed and junk foods, and begin eating healthy fats such as those from green-fed meat and raw milk.

October 18, 2011: In the world of academia, you have people who are called registered dietitians. According to eatright.org, a registered dietitian is a food and nutrition expert who has met academic and professional requirements including:

• Earned a bachelor's degree with course work approved by ADA's (American Dietetic Association) Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education
• Completed an accredited, supervised practice program at a health-care facility, community agency or foodservice corporation
• Passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration
• Completes continuing professional educational requirements to maintain registration

What is the difference between a "nutritionist" and a registered dietitian? Although registered dietitians are nutrionists, not all nutritionists are registered dietitians.

The ADA's annual conference is often called "the world's largest meeting of food and nutrition experts." In the ADA's own words:

The conference brings together "more than 10,000 registered dietitians, nutrition science researchers, policy makers, health-care providers and industry leaders to address key issues affecting the health of America."

You might be surprised of the ADA's sponsors and partners. According to the ADA's 2010 annual report, corporate sponsors read like a who's who of the processed food industry.

These sponsors include Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg, Mar's Inc, ConAgra, General Mills, and Unilever (which owns such brands as Slim-Fast, Country Crock, Hellmann's Wishbone and many other food products.)

Based on these corporate sponsors, no one should be surprised at any of the presentations. One such presentation was called "A Fresh Look At Processed Foods."

The speakers actually gave the message that processed foods are an important part of the American diet to be consumed along with fresh produce.

Naturally one shouldn't be surprised that many registered dietitians (RDs) may be - many times unknowingly - biased.

Dietitians receive the following counselling:

"Fluoride, sugar, artificial colors and nonnutritive sweeteners are food ingredients that have been carefully examined for their effects on children's health, growth and development. Yet, parents' perceptions of their safety and effectiveness are often at odds with recommendations regarding their use."

October 25, 2011: more and more Americans are becoming "health saavy", and using their hard-earned money to buy healthier foods. Conventional food producers realize this and are using deceptive means to market their products as "natural."

Unlike the USDA Organic label, the term "natural" is not backed by any government agency or third party certification.

The average consumer believes that the term "natural" on a food product means it is free of pesticides and GMOs. In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth.

Many natural products, including cereals, are made from conventionally grown ingredients where pesticide use is standard and GMOs are prevalent. The term "natural" on any food product is therefore meaningless and does NOT mean what you would normally expect it to mean.

And to add insult to injury, many cereal products labeled "natural" are priced higher than their genuine organic counterparts.

The Cornucopia Institute has undertaken a project in which they have investigated cereal manufacturers' claims. As you may suspect, many claims are bogus.

The institute have come up with a list of geniune organic cereals which you can trust. I heartily recommend that you buy only from this list and stop buying all conventional brands that line your supermarket's shelves.

The truly natural cereals all have the USDA Organic seal. You are therefore assured that they are GMO and pesticide-free.

The Cornucopia Institute has devised an organic cereal scorecard. Seven categories were used to test the cereal, and the corporate owner's commitment to excellence. These categories are:

• organic status
• organic commitment
• GMO policy by cereal brand
• GMO policy by corporate owner
• use of hexane
• agrichemical use by brand
• agrichemical use by corporate owner

The following manufacturers scored 100 percent in all categories, and are certified "USDA Organic." Their brands are trustworthy and committed to organics. The company markets exclusively organic products. They are produced without GMOs, pesticides, petrochemical solvents, and all other things that are stricty prohibited in organics.

Grandy Oats
Ambrosial
Farm to Table
Country Choice
Go Raw
Great River Organic Milling
Kaia
Laughing Giraffe
Lydia's Organics
Nature's Path
Tierra Farm
Two Moms in the Raw

These outstanding cereals will not be found in your typical supermarket. You should, however, be able to find them in Whole Foods, Trader Joes or your local health food store.

November 7, 2011: 300,000 Americans fracture their hip every year; of that number, 20 to 30 percent will die within twelve months. These statistics are according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA.)

One of the most effective and simplest ways to prevent hip fractures is to build up your muscles. A daily exercise program consisting of weight lifting is recommended.

You also need a nutritional approach. Make certain that you get enough vitamin D for bone strength and density.

According to a recent study, people who eat less than 46 grams of protein per day suffer 50 percent more hip fractures than people who eat more protein.

November 15, 2011: A study which was posted in the Canada edition of the Huffington Post predicts that as many as 522 million could have diabetes by the year 2030. This number includes both type 1 and type 2.

The study, undertaken by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), does not include the impact of obesity on accelerating diabetes rates. The IDF says that its figure is conservative.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that presently approximately 346 million people globally are afflicted with diabetes. And over 80 percent of the deaths from diabetes complications occur in developing countries.

November 16, 2011: The American government has failed its people; instead of working in behalf of those who it is supposed to represent, it has its own agenda.

A case in point is that of raw milk. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has raged a totally unjustified was against raw milk. It claims that this product is dangerous, and should not be consumed.

And in order to justify this claim, the CDC cites that there have been two confirmed deaths from raw milk between 1998 and 2008.

Mark McAfee, the owner of Organic Pastures Dairy Company, challenged the CDC on their stand on raw milk. In his request for more information on the two deaths alledgedly from raw milk, no response was forthcoming.

Dr. Janell Routh, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Parasitic Diseases, stated:

"From 1998-2008, more outbreaks associated with unpasteurized dairy in California than in any other state (13). There was 1 death reported in that time, from Salmonella Typhimurium. "

Dr. Routh refused to provide McAfee with further information when requested. But when McAfee threatened to take legal action by filing a Freedom of Information Act request, the following response from an unnamed source followed:

"The death mentioned in an earlier email was from an unpasteurized dairy product, queso fresco, made from raw milk."

In reality, the CDC doesn't oppose raw milk based on unbiased scientific evidence, but from a narrow-minded agenda to protect the pasteurized milk industry.

Now this new admitted evidence calls into question the other death; this death probably originated from the same cause - the queso fresco dairy product MADE from raw milk.

Queso Fresco is a soft cheese is illegal under FDA regulations; in addition, it requires a sixty day aging period.

With this new evidence made public, the CDC has lost a powerful argument against consuming raw milk.
Source: www.thecompletepatient.com.

December 24, 2011: on November 20, 2011 the online version of CBS News ran an article entitled "Singing the Praises of Fat." It was written by journalist Rita Braver. Surprisingly, the overall tenor of her report was positive.

Rita interviewed chef Jennifer McLagen, who calls herself the "fat lady," in Toronto, Canada.

"That's what I call myself, and it always gets a laugh. But I wanna point out that by eating fat you're not going to get fat. I'm an example of that," says Chef McLagen.

Fat, especially saturated fat from animal meat, lard, and butter has been mainstream medicine's "whipping boy" since the late 1970s. George McGovern was chairman of a committee in 1977 that published a document called Dietary Goals for the United States.

This report suggested that Americans remove a large part of fat from their diet. Saturated fat has been targeted as the enemy of a healthy lifestyle ever since.

However, the notion that saturated fat was the basis for heart disease directly stems from Ancel Keys' seriously flawed study in the 1950s of coronary heart disease. The study followed the dietary lifestyle of 22 countries. But Keys drew his conclusion from only 6 of those countries!

If his study had been based on all 22 countries, the results would have contradicted his preconceived theory that saturated fat led to heart disease. Unfortunately, many health authorities went along with Keys' conclusion.

Unbiased studies along with what actually occurs in the real world show that saturated fat is necessary for not only a healthy heart, but healthy weight too.

This honest report by CBS News shows that the truth is infiltrating the mainstream media who are in turn reporting it to the American people. (Read these articles for further information on saturated fat saturated fats, low fat diet.
Source: CBS News

February 21, 2012: word is abuzz on the internet that Walmart is planning to sell genetically modified (GM) ears of corn (corn on the cob) in the near future. It could be as soon as the summer of this year.

Despite what the FDA says, genetically modified organisms is an unproven technology. As a matter of fact, many animal studies show that it could lead to pre-cancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, smaller brains, liver, and testicles.

And worst of all, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), a government agency which is supposed to be a watchdog agency for consumer safety, refuses to require food producers to label their products which are GM organism derived, as such!

I congratulate Whole Foods and Trader Joe's supermarkets for refusing to carry this potentially dangerous corn.

Just because it is the largest retail chain in the United States, Walmart thinks that they can sell anything to the American public with impunity. This stance shows that they do not have the consumer's welfare at heart.

But, you the public have a say in this matter. You can make your dissatisfaction known. Go to the Food and Water Watch website and sign the petition.