Why “Diet” Soda Makes You Fat

Many people see diet soda is an innocuous, harmless beverage that can't possibly cause any harm to their waistline since it doesn't have any calories. Think again.

Research published this summer in the medical journal Circulation shows that people who drink more than one soda a day — whether it's regular or diet — have an almost 50 percent increased risk for metabolic syndrome, which doubles their risk for heart disease and diabetes. Read the rest of this entry »

Superfoods To Overcome Coffee Addiction And Improve Brain Functioning And Mood

 

 

Lenette: I have a question about coffee. Coffee is so popular and so important for so many people to keep them on and alert. What superfoods, and I know cacao is always an option, but what other superfoods can give people the same effect or same reward as coffee?

 

David: Marine phytoplankton is very interesting in that regard because it provides energy without stimulation. It’s not a stimulant. The actual methodology or mechanism of how that works I learned from a very interesting scientist by the name of Dr. George Merkle who I had the pleasure of meeting about eight or nine years ago. He actually invited me over to his house and I sat with him for a number of hours one day and described to me what his scientific discoveries were. His scientific discoveries were so massive that he was basically targeted by the ‘World Medical Mafia’ or whatever you want to call it. They had to get rid of him because what he was bringing to the table was so powerful that it kind of deletes the whole idea of pharmaceuticals. In fact, in a lot of ways, it deletes the whole idea of food. Here’s what he discovered: he discovered that the ancient organisms of the planet, plankton, those organisms produce ATP, or nucleotides. ATP, ADP, all these different types of nucleotides. Now this is actually the energy currency of our cell. Our cell doesn’t run on protein, carbohydrates and fat or burn forms of those things. It actually runs on ATP. So all the food we eat is in the wrong currency. It has to be converted over to ATP, ADP, GTP, GDP, all the nucleotides. Then the nucleotides are packets of energy that our body can use. If we had a food that we could go to that would just be a concentrate of nucleotides, then it would actually completely nourish us, totally energize us, make us alert with a high level of concentration with no stimulation. And that’s exactly what marine phytoplankton is and that’s exactly where Dr. Merkle found that all of those nucleotides could more naturally be concentrated in the environment and could be concentrated even more. You get that, because if you do a dropperful or two droppers full of marine phytoplankton, there’s a tremendous stimulation that’s there, but there’s no crash afterwards because it’s not a stimulant. It’s actually just pure nucleotides.

 

Lenette: What superfoods can enhance our brain functioning in this book?

 

David: Goji berries enhance our brain functioning. Cacao, in the right people. Maca. Maca is a very powerful brain food also. It’s actually quite oily. It’s an oily vegetable, a very interesting vegetable in its ability to interface with our neurological functioning. It just goes right into the brain and right into our nervous system. Another one that is right in there is blue-green algae because of the Omega-3, and it has long-chain Omega-3. One of the things about blue-green algae and marine phytoplankton is that they actually contain the same oil, namely DHA, that’s in fish oil. That’s an Omega-3 fatty acid that’s different from what’s in hemp seed or flax seed or chia seed. That’s more of what we need actually. We kind of call them ‘hyperoils’. They’re Omega-3 fatty acids, but they’re longer chain than what’s found in hemp seed, flax seed and chia seed. And that’s appropriate for our brain and eyes.

 

Lenette: I just feel like, me personally, I’m always looking for more memory, quicker brain functioning, clearer focus and I would assume that a lot of people are looking for that too, if they’re already pretty healthy and energetic.

 

David: I think you’re right. The number one complaint out there, like in America, is low energy. The number two complaint is actually foggy thinking. Foggy brain, lack of memory. We know that all that is related to the holistic picture of what we’re about. For example there’s a diet and nutrition and detoxification relationship that the more toxic we are, the more cloudy our thinking, the more that we have Candida and critters growing inside of us, foggier thinking. As we clean that stuff out and as we step out of that, then we can kind of dial it in a little bit tighter with superfoods, things like Camu Camu berry, Reishi mushroom, blue-green algae, marine phytoplankton, Maca, Goji berry. If we just are on that high-end fuel and have gotten all the excess out of our body, we’ve detoxified, we’ve gotten the critters out of our body, etc. then we can start to tweak and perturb our brain and memory capacity in a way that…I think we haven’t been there yet. As a population we don’t understand how incredible our brains really are when they’re functioning properly and they’re cleaned out.


Lenette: I have a question about gold to ask you. Gold has been widely used and has been highly valued by civilizations for thousands of years. Even today as the economy struggles, the value of gold steadily rises. What makes gold so unique and special and what do you see in the future for gold?

 

David: I approach gold from a more alchemical perspective. I grew up mostly with a scientific background with the periodic table of elements and learning that gold is one of many metals on the Earth, I think a little bit devaluing what gold really is. The reason that gold is so interesting, and has been since the beginning of time is because it doesn’t oxidize. When you have gold in a river or sitting on the side of a creek or in your house, it doesn’t oxidize. It never changes color. It’s always pure. It has been understood by the alchemists as being the most pure download of sun or solar energy of any substance that exists in our biosphere. The sun and gold are related to each other. For example, let’s say you’re trying to melt gold and then form it into a tooth, but on that day there’s a solar eclipse. If there’s anything weird going on with the sun, then gold is affected by it. This understanding, more the alchemical understanding of what gold is, is what I got into later, because I realized that the conventional understanding of what gold is doesn’t really add up. It doesn’t explain why there is a problem with crystallizing gold when there is a solar event going on. How could they be related? But they are. And here’s where we’ve come to our understanding of what gold is. Gold is on the same octave, it’s like middle ‘C’ on a keyboard of a piano, and if you go to the next ‘C’ on the right, there you have the sun. If you go to the next ‘C’ on the right, you have the heart. If you go to the next ‘C’ on the right, then you have serotonin. You go to the next ‘C’ on the right and there you have the king on the chessboard. These are all octaves of each other. They’re like metaphors of each other, but they are all related. For example, if there are sunspots going on on the sun, the amount of heart attacks that occur can double on that given day or week. Sunspots on the sun affect deeply what’s going on inside our hearts. So our heart and the sun are connected. Serotonin and the sun and gold are all connected to each other. They’re all in that same octave. Does that make sense?

 

Lenette: Yes. It’s fascinating.

 

David: When you take gold, like colloidal gold, you are allowing your body to have access to a frequency that helps you replicate serotonin and what that actually does…like colloidal silver, for example, kills all "parasites"; fungus, yeast, mold, viruses, Candida. Colloidal silver kills all of that. But colloidal gold kind of kills all metaphysical parasites. Another way of saying that is, it increases your stress defense shield.

 

Lenette: Yeah, I’ve really found that. I’ve been taking that for the past 6 months or so. I feel much happier.

 

David: Do you find that you’re happier really? Has that been an effect that you’ve noticed? Because that should be an effect.

 

Lenette: I definitely do. I love my life. I try to do other things, too, to improve my mood; the way I talk or doing a little 10-minute visualization or meditation. There are a lot of other things that I also incorporate. I’m never really sure if it’s the colloidal gold or the combination of everything together. It’s probably that.

 

David: I’m sure it is. When you get to the point of being into superfoods at the level you’re in, raw foods, and just kind of on the high end, if you take it realistically, you’re in a completely different reality from where everybody else is at. Realistically.

 

Lenette: It’s just nice to know that I’m doing everything possible. I’m treating myself like a queen drinking gold in the morning.

 

David Isn’t that great? Ultimately I believe that people who are attracted to these things, to superfoods, to raw foods, to colloidal gold and things of that nature are people who have a high self-esteem about themselves, because they come to a place where they realize, "I’m worth it and I’m now going to give my body the best. I’ve done the other thing and it doesn’t work. Now I’m gonna do it this way." People are motivated; they’re psyched about it. It’s amazing.

 

Lenette: I love the affirmation, "I eat the best foods on the planet." I think I heard that from you. "I eat the best food ever. I drink the best drinks ever," and I think that’s kind of the culture of the Elements for Life crowd, at least, and a lot of people out there that eat raw foods and superfoods, it’s a great attitude they have.

 

David: Totally. Thomas Jefferson said this: "One who has a bad attitude cannot be helped no matter what and the brakes will always go against them. And one who has a positive attitude will be carried by the wind." And it’s like "Whoa, okay." Just attitude. It all really comes down to attitude, because attitude is the eternal spring from which all abundance arises. So if somebody has a poor attitude, there is no way they can create abundance [robed elements] into their life, because it’s like they’re constantly pouring sewage water into their reality. If somebody has a positive mental attitude and is actually in a state of abundance and is taking on their life’s challenges with a positive attitude, then they are constantly pouring spring water onto their life’s reality. It is really a radical difference. It eventually is what I believe the future of humanity is going to come down to. What is our attitude about this, that and the other thing? It’s really all about that.

 

 

By: Lenette Nakauchi

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

 

Lenette Nakauchi is a raw foodist living in Chicago who loves teaching, coaching and demonstrating to others how to go and stay raw a fun, healthy, sustainable way. Listen to the entire audio interview and learn more about the superfoods by visiting Go Raw, Have Fun! and www.eatsuperfoods.com.

Discover Nature’s Most Potent Anti-Inflammatory: Krill Oil

 

sea lifeIn the ocean surrounding the continent of Antarctica there are millions of tons of a natural resource known for healing a host of ailments and serious health conditions. It’s called krill oil, and it’s derived from a tiny shrimp-like crustacean species called krill.

After years of research and clinical studies, there is now scientific proof to support the evidence of this amazing nutrient’s effectiveness in treating high cholesterol… blood pressure problems… aching joints… PMS symptoms… and more.

Not only is krill oil safe and natural, but it’s also renewable, since, at best count, up to 600 million tons can be found in the chilly waters off Antarctica.

Why Krill Oil?
The reason krill oil is more effective than other marine oils is because it’s full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, phospholipids and extremely potent antioxidants.1 It’s the unique combination of these essential ingredients that provides the greatest health benefits.

Harvested only two months out of the year under responsible fishing regulations, the krill are flash-frozen to maintain the potency of their therapeutic oil.

Benefits of Omega Fatty Acids
Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for your diet since your body doesn’t produce them on its own.

Krill oil contains a healthy balance of omega-3 fatty acid and omega-6 fatty acid — which helps fight infection. These two fatty acids need each other and work together to prevent other inflammation-related ailments like heart disease, arthritis and diabetes.  A healthy balance of these fatty acids helps to prevent blood clotting, lower blood pressure and relieve inflammation.

The Power of Phospholipids
Phospholipids are fats that help keep your cells functioning by providing a protective membrane around each cell to block out toxins and disease-forming free radicals.

The fats found in krill oil most closely resemble the phospholipids found in your brain that are responsible for maintaining the brain chemical that controls your memory, muscle function, mood, sleep patterns and organs like your heart.

The Protection of Antioxidants
Results from laboratory tests show that krill oil contains a powerful cocktail of antioxidants, which are not only beneficial for your continued health, but also sustain the shelf life of the oil.

Krill oil provides you with an ample supply of vitamins A, E and D, plus minerals such as potassium, sodium and zinc. And it also contains large amounts of the B-complex nutrient, choline.

However, the most powerful antioxidant in krill oil is astaxanthin. This nutrient is responsible for fighting free radicals within the body and protecting the blood-brain barrier — which means it protects the eye, brain and central nervous system from free radical damage.

Krill Oil for Your Aching Joints
If you suffer from creaking, cracking joints… stiff hands and fingers… lingering back pain… or sore swollen legs due to recurrent inflammation, then krill oil may be the miracle you have been searching for!

In a double-blind study,1 45 patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis were administered 300 mg of krill oil. After only seven days, inflammation was reduced by 19 percent, pain was reduced 24 percent, stiffness was reduced by 21 percent and immobility was reduced by 16 percent!

How does this all-natural pain reliever work so well? It’s the combination of the trio of anti-inflammatory ingredients — omega fatty acids, phospholipids and numerous powerful antioxidants.

Ease Your Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
As many as 97 percent of women of reproductive age experience the recurring symptoms of PMS including cramps, water retention, bloating, weight gain and emotional mood swings.1 But krill oil has been proven to relieve your worst symptoms!

In a randomized, double-blind study, researchers in Montreal studied the effects of krill oil on PMS, and patients reported a significant improvement in all 10 physical and mental symptoms examined and measured. The findings show that krill oil can:1

Ease abdominal pain and uterine cramps.
Relive nausea, bloating and fatigue.
Alleviate headaches as well as joint and body aches.
Lessen PMS-related breast tenderness.
Improve erratic mood swings and food cravings.
Help prevent menstrual-related feelings of anxiety, depression and stress.
In fact, the women who consumed krill oil during the study period reported that they took fewer dangerous over-the-counter pain relievers to help with their PMS symptoms.

Reduce Your Chances of Heart Disease
High total cholesterol and high "bad" LDL cholesterol can be major risk factors for heart disease or a fatal heart disaster.

In a clinical study conducted by Canadian researchers from the University of Montreal,1 the findings show that krill oil significantly reduced several risk factors for high cholesterol.

In fact, the results showed a:

Reduction in total cholesterol by 13 percent.
Decrease in "bad" LDL cholesterol by 32 percent.
Reduction in triglycerides by 11 percent.
Increase in "good" HDL cholesterol by 44 percent.
More Effective Than Standard Fish Oil Supplements
Krill oil has been shown to outperform fish oil supplements when it comes to lowering your bad LDL cholesterol levels. Patients who took 1 to 1.5 grams of krill oil a day — compared to three times the dose of standard fish oil — showed a significantly greater decrease in bad cholesterol than the fish oil patients.

In an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) test,1 krill oil was shown to contain 300 times the amount of vitamin A and E, plus 48 times the antioxidant power of standard omega-3 fish oils.

It’s no wonder that the manufacturers of fish oil don’t want you to hear about this magnificent natural resource — they would be out of business with results like these!

For much-needed relief from joint pain and PMS symptoms, plus reduced LDL cholesterol levels, I recommend nature’s amazing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant remedy — krill oil. Once you see and feel the results you may never want to take standard fish oil supplements again!

Reference

The Healing Power of Neptune Krill Oil. Tina Sampalis, M.D., Ph.D., 2005.

By Michael Cutler, MD
[Ed. Note: Michael Cutler, M.D. is a board-certified family physician with more than 17 years of clinical experience. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Tulane Medical School. Dr. Cutler's practice focuses on integrative solutions to health problems, and behavioral and nutritional medicine. For more information, visit www.truehealth.com.]

Beware the Drugs That Rob Your Health and Strength

Recently I came across this great article. It should cause all of us to be more proactive in taking care of our health naturally. Enjoy!

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alernative healthPopular prescription drugs can rob your body of many essential nutrients, doing you more harm than good.

Scores of popularly prescribed drugs for all kinds of health problems have been proven to leach important vitamins, minerals, and key enzymes out of your body or prevent it from being able to absorb them. They can also affect metabolism and even make it impossible for your body to use certain nutrients.

Look for These Common Thieves in Your Medicine Cabinet

Some of the most commonly used drugs in America today can cause any one of the problems on this list.

Aspirin

You may be surprised to learn that aspirin makes it harder for your body to absorb vitamin C.1 It can also decrease levels of iron and folic acid, leading to anemia, susceptibility to cold and flu, and a host of additional ailments.2

Oral Contraceptives

Oral contraceptives have been shown to drain your body of vitamin B6, B12, zinc, and blood magnesium levels. This can set a cascade of unwanted side effects in motion, including sleeplessness, mood swings, diarrhea, poor immune resistance, insomnia, depression — even anorexia.3

Acid Blockers

If you’re taking drugs to relieve heartburn or acid reflux, chances are you’re shortchanging your body of zinc and iron.4-5 You need zinc in abundance for its power to help your body recover from wounds and injury and fight off infectious diseases.

It’s also one of the keys to prostate health, virility, and sexual performance. In fact, for men, the prostate gland is where most of the body’s zinc is concentrated.

Acid blockers’ also effect iron levels — particularly in women. We all need iron to enable our blood to deliver oxygen to every cell in our bodies. Without enough of it, a host of problems set in, including anemia, fatigue, and greater vulnerability to illness.

Corticosteroids

Prednisone and hydrocortisone are some of the top drugs used to treat lupus, Crohn’s disease, and other autoimmune or inflammatory conditions. Unfortunately, they also leach calcium from your body and increase its elimination, putting you at greater risk of bone fracture and osteoporosis.

Some studies have shown these drugs can also lower levels of key trace elements, including magnesium, selenium, zinc, copper, and potassium. You should be taking supplements to offset the loss of so many important nutrients.

Hormone Replacement Drugs

The term “hormone replacement” is totally misleading: the drugs doctors are prescribing to millions every year to offset declining hormone levels aren’t “replacing” anything. That’s because drug makers derive them from animal hormones that are utterly foreign to your body.

Studies show that these drugs deplete a long list of critical nutrients, including:

  • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
  • Folic acid
  • Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
  • Vitamin C
  • Zinc
  • Magnesium

Anti-Diabetic Drugs

Metformin, one of the most widely used medications to treat the symptoms of diabetes, robs your body of vitamin B12 and folic acid. It can attack heart health over time, partly because it also lowers CoQ10 levels. Every cell in your body needs it for metabolism, and it’s especially crucial for the proper function of your vital organs, including the brain, heart, and liver. As you age, your body makes less and less of it.

Statin Drugs

Lipitor, Zocor, Mevacor, and the like are great at driving your LDL cholesterol levels through the floor; unfortunately, they do the same thing to CoQ10 levels. Here are just a few of the risks you face if you’re taking statins:

  • Inability to concentrate
  • Depression
  • Confusion
  • Impotence
  • Amnesia
  • Lowered sex drive
  • Disorientation
  • Weakened immune system
  • Shortness of breath
  • Liver damage
  • Fatigue
  • Kidney failure
  • Nerve pain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Rhabdomyolysis (painful bursting of muscle cells)
  • Death

Blood Pressure Drugs

Sixty-five million Americans have high blood pressure according to the American Heart Association. If all of them were to take some of the most common drugs to treat hypertension, they’d also be deficient in vitamin B6 and CoQ10.

Diuretics

There are two kinds of diuretics: thiazides and loop diuretics. They’re great at lowering blood pressure. Doctors also prescribe them for diseases of the kidney and liver, as well as for heart health.

While they help to fight these health conditions, they can also cause serious health problems. Hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, Hydrodiuril) lowers levels of zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Loop diuretics like furosemide (Delone, Detue, Lasix), and bumetanide (Bumex) also deplete calcium, and vitamins B6 and C.

Halt These Health Problems in Their Tracks . . . Now

Here’s a list I’ve put together of signs to watch out for. They may mean you’re missing an important nutrient:

Medical Malnourishment: Nutrients and Signs to Watch For
B1 (Thiamin) Depression, memory loss, weight loss, fatigue, numbness
B2 Dermatitis, lesions at the corners of the mouth, swollen tongue, vision loss
B3 (Niacin) Skin lesions, insomnia, depression, aggression, swelling, diarrhea, weakness, “brain fog,” balding
B5 (Pantothenic Acid Fatigue, numbness, foot pain
B6 (Pyridoxine) Depression, fatigue, dermatitis, anemia, glucose intolerance
B7 (Biotin) Balding, depression, dermatitis, nausea, anorexia
B9 (Folate) Anemia, fatigue, cervical dysplasia, diarrhea, gingivitis, depression, irritability, insomnia
B12 (Cobalamin) Anemia, fatigue, poor nerve function, diarrhea, loss of memory
Vitamin C Liver spots, bleeding at the gums, fatigue
Calcium Weakened bones and fractures, muscle spasms
Magnesium Fatigue, irritability, weakness, muscle cramps, insomnia, anorexia
Potassium Fatigue, irregular heartbeat, irritability, confusion, reduced nerve function
Iron Anemia, weakness, fatigue, poor immune function
Zinc Slow recovery from wounds, decreased immunity, loss of taste and smell, balding, skin disorders, sexual dysfunction
Selenium Poor immune function, heart disease
CoQ10 Hypertension, fatigue, cardiovascular disease
Carnitine Muscle weakness, inability to digest fat, stunted growth in children, poor athletic performance

If you’re not taking supplements and wonder if you should, here are the basics that I recommend to most of my patients.

Vitamin C: 1,500 mg to 4,000 mg per day

B Complex: B6 – 150 mg; Folic Acid – 1600 mcg; B12 – 800 mg per day

CoQ10: 200 mg (or 50 mg of my Accel) per day

Cod Liver Oil: 1 to 2 tablespoons a day

References

  1. Das et al. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 1992. 17(6):343-6.
  2. Lawrence et al. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine. 1984. 103(6):944-8.
  3. Bielenberg J. Medizinische Monatsschrift für Pharmazeuten. 1991. 14(8):244-7.
  4. Sturniolo et al. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 1991. 10(4):372-5.
  5. Aymard et al. Medical Toxicology and Adverse Drug Experience. 1988. 3(6):430-48.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, Chairman of the Board of Total Health Breakthroughs, has written over 500 articles and seven books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation. To find out the one supplement he takes every day click here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.

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In line with article we need to be active in protecting their health. I feel Marine Phytoplankton is one of the greatest resources in being proactive. Maybe you should check it out!

Artificial Sweeteners: The Controversy Rages On

 

“In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the aspartame in the diet soda. . . and literally dying a slow, and miserable death .”1

Comments, case reports and claims like this are sprouting up all over — especially on the web. The above quote comments on aspartame, but other artificial sweeteners come under fire as well.

Just how scary are artificial sweeteners? Are these compounds actually toxins? Have the guardians of our food supply been bought out by big business?

I hope to add a little clarity to the situation as well as tell you ways to safeguard your own well-being.

First, what chemicals are we talking about and why are people eating them?

The main artificial sweeteners used in the US today are saccharin, aspartame and sucralose. They’re sold under the brand names Sweet N’ Low, NutraSweet, and Splenda, respectively. You’re undoubtedly familiar with the competing pink, blue, and yellow packets.

All of these are artificially produced chemicals. Saccharin is derived from coal tar, aspartame from amino acids, and sucralose from substituting chlorine for oxygen on the sucrose molecule.

If you look around on the web, you’ll find horror stories about all these sweeteners.

Commonly, people report physical symptoms they experienced — restless legs, ringing in the ears, nausea, and hives — that went away when they eliminated the sweeteners from their diet. Others claim that these sweeteners cause severe chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis or systemic lupus.

Still others comment on toxic “chemical cousins” of the sweeteners, implying that the same toxicity may apply to the sweetener. For example, sucralose is chemically related to organochlorines, many of which are, in fact, extremely toxic (think dioxin).

On the other hand, the balance of the available science fails to document definite health risks. A well-respected mainstream journal recently published a major review of all available scientific data concerning aspartame and gave it a pass.2

This review concluded: “In summary, there has been extensive investigation of the possibility of neurotoxic effects due to consumption of aspartame. The data from these studies, in general, do not support the hypothesis that aspartame in the human diet will affect neuronal function, learning or behavior.”

Yet critics continue to claim aspartame causes neurotoxicity.

This review also looked for evidence of other possible toxicities for aspartame. Their bottom line for all of it was:

“Controlled and thorough scientific studies confirm aspartame’s safety and find no credible link between consumption of aspartame at levels found in the human diet and conditions related to the nervous system and behavior, nor any other symptom or illness.”

Similarly, other studies haven’t clearly proved any ill effects from saccharin or sucralose.

What to make of it all?

One thing I know is that medicine and scientific research aren’t perfect. I made recommendations to people 25 years ago that I cringe thinking about now.

I had every good intention — and I certainly hadn’t been bought out. I was giving advice based on the best knowledge available to me then. It was reasonable advice at the time, only it was wrong. Remembering this keeps me from being too dogmatic.

If someone tells me something made him or her sick, I believe them. However, that doesn’t mean the same thing will make everyone sick. Nor does it necessarily mean we should ban the substance.

Every year, people die of an allergic reaction to peanuts. Many others have horrible non-fatal reactions. Despite this fact, no one is calling for a ban on the cultivation or sale of peanuts.

Here’s my take on artificial sweeteners: I recommend avoiding them, or at least minimizing their use. They are man-made chemicals. There’s no need for any of these in our diet. They’re called non-nutritive sweeteners for a reason.

The science hasn’t (as yet) shown any detrimental effect. But who knows if it’s just a matter of time before a problem shows up?

I find the current research somewhat reassuring, but I’m not completely convinced there’s no need for concern. The best we can hope for is that we won’t react badly and that toxicity won’t show up down the road.

Another downside is that by consuming sweetened foods of any sort we develop taste preferences that influence our food choices.

As a country, we definitely eat too much sugar. We have the obesity and the diabetes to prove it. Average annual consumption has gone from 15 lbs in the early 1800’s to over 160 lbs (!) today.

Using artificial sweeteners is just another way to try to feed our sweet tooth. It would be best to retrain our taste buds not to prefer sweet.

This is especially important in children. The foods they eat determine their preferences as an adult. They don’t need artificial sweeteners. They also don’t need all the sugar they’re getting. They do need to develop habits that will serve them well as they grow.

Avoid artificial sweeteners. Also avoid foods that have sugar or high fructose corn syrup among the top ingredients.

Diet sodas are a major source of artificial sweeteners. Switch to unsweetened drinks. Why not water? Unsweetened tea or seltzer, maybe with a squeeze of lemon, are other good choices.

If you must have a sweetener, consider the herb stevia. This South American plant has been used as a sweetener for centuries without reported adverse effects.

There’s no need to panic about artificial sweeteners, but there’s no need to use them either.

References

  1. http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgibin/forum.cgi?read=121777
  2. Burdock, G A et al. Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels, Regulations, and Toxicological and Epidemiological Studies. Critical Reviews in Toxicology; September , 2007.

[Ed. Note: Joseph F. McCaffrey, MD, FACS is a board-certified surgeon with extensive experience in alternative medicine, including certification as a HeartMath Trainer. His areas of expertise include mind-body interaction and cognitive restructuring. Dr. McCaffrey strives to help people attain their optimum level of vitality through attention to all aspects of wellness. For more information, click here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.

Poisons in Our Food?

 

Society has a love-hate relationship with plastic. We sure use a lot of it, but even before an actor whispered “Plastics…” as a word of advice in the movie The Graduate, plastic often meant shoddy, imitation, and uncool.

 

Ardent environmentalists tend to hate plastic. You know the issues there.

 

Now there are other concerns about plastics — namely, that they are poisoning our food supply. These concerns stem from the fact that unsavory chemicals in some plastics can leach into food. Canada highlighted the issue by proposing a ban of plastics containing bisphenol-A, a compound with significant toxicity.

 

Recently, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed even more startling findings about bisphenol-A.1 In a large population study of individuals between the ages of 18 and 74, it was found that people with higher levels of bisphenol-A in their urine also had higher rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

 

This is especially worrisome because bisphenol-A is found in a plastic called polycarbonate used to make baby bottles. While the study authors were clear that this does not necessarily show a cause and effect relationship, it is well worth noting the risk.

 

The question of safety regarding polycarbonates raises a larger question — just how safe are all the plastics that we come into regular contact with? Or phrased differently, what are the risks of packaging and serving food and beverages in plastic?

 

First, we have to realize that not all plastics are the same. Their chemical composition varies, so naturally their risks vary.

 

Fortunately, a number stamped on the bottom of most plastic containers tells us which plastic the container is made of. That code is your key to evaluating the risk.

 

Here’s a quick run-down.

 

Number 1: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE).

This is the lightweight, clear plastic commonly used in soda and water bottles. Many consider it a safe choice because it is not prone to leaching chemicals. However, an Italian study has shown some leaching into water that was stored in a PET bottle for over nine months.2

 

Another problem with PET is that it doesn’t clean well. For this reason, never reuse PET bottles.

 

Number 2: High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

Milk jugs are usually HDPE. This translucent plastic is also used for shopping bags and the bottles that contain many household products such as cleaning supplies and shampoos. It has a low risk of leaching.

 

Number 3: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC).

PVC is used to make packaging materials, including some food containers. It is also used for plastic wraps. Softeners added to PVC tend to migrate into food and raise safety concerns.

 

Number 4: Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE).

This plastic is found in bread bags and squeezable bottles. Fortunately, studies to date have not shown any chemicals leaching from LDPE into food.

 

Number 5: Polypropylene (PP).

This is the stuff of fishing lines and surgical sutures, as well as syrup bottles and yogurt tubs. It appears to be toxin-free.

 

Number 6: Polystyrene (PS).

You’ll recognize this as Styrofoam, so widely used in coffee cups and fast food containers. Unfortunately, it can leach styrene compounds into foods. Please don’t reheat your coffee in a microwave if it’s in Styrofoam. Better yet, find an alternative to the Styrofoam cup.

 

Number 7: Polycarbonate.

This is the clear, rigid, shatterproof plastic used for safety glasses (good) as well as backpacking water bottles and baby bottles (not so good). It contains bisphenol-A, a compound that can interfere with normal hormones and may be related to heart disease and diabetes

 

So that’s the summary.

Once again, we have a situation where health advocates raise reasonable sounding concerns while the manufacturers claim their products are safe. Canada bans plastics with bisphenol-A while the FDA assures us the available evidence doesn’t support a ban.

 

What’s a reasonable person to do?

 

First, let’s acknowledge that plastics are extremely useful compounds. We wouldn’t want to be without them. However, their overuse raises concern for both environmental and health reasons.

 

While the FDA reports that some chemicals do leach into food from plastics under some conditions, they claim the levels are very low and that current research shows no adverse effects at these levels.

 

I’m not particularly interested in ingesting these chemicals even if no adverse effect has yet been proven.

 

I think a reasonable approach is to use plastic selectively. For example, I’m not about to go back to glass shampoo bottles. The combination of a glass bottle, wet, soapy hands, a tile floor, and bare feet just isn’t good. But I do prefer my tomato juice bottled in glass.

 

Reduce plastic usage overall. Be especially selective about using plastic to hold food or drinks. The chemical levels may be low, but why would you want any if you had a choice?

 

Evaluate the situations where you use plastic and see if another material might be a better choice.

 

References

  1. http://pubs.ama-assn.org/media/2008jer/0916.dtl#1.
  2. http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/98/bottle.

[Ed. Note: Joseph F. McCaffrey, MD, FACS is a board-certified surgeon with extensive experience in alternative medicine, including certification as a HeartMath Trainer. His areas of expertise include mind-body interaction and cognitive restructuring. Dr. McCaffrey strives to help people attain their optimum level of vitality through attention to all aspects of wellness. For more information, click here.]

 

This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.

Is Your Brain Starving?

 

brain needs waterDo you find yourself forgetting where you left your car keys… or just feel like your brain is in a fog sometimes?

Contrary to popular belief, forgetfulness is not just a normal part of growing older. As you age, your brain loses critical nutrients that it needs to fire on all cylinders.

If your mental spark plugs aren’t firing like they used to, don’t worry. I’ll show you how to get your brain’s engine back to running as smooth as a Rolls Royce. You just need to know what’s missing and how to get it.

Your Brain is Begging for Nutrients

Your brain uses chemicals called neurotransmitters to transmit messages in the brain. There are millions of these messages happening every second. Neurotransmitters are conductors of these messages, allowing them to fire from one part of your brain to another.

One important neurotransmitter is acetylcholine (ACh). Your body uses ACh to help regulate your heart, breathing, and sleep. Your body even uses it to control your muscles and keep you fired up for the bedroom.

Here’s the thing… your brain needs you to supply certain nutrients to make neurotransmitters.

But there’s a key nutrient it uses to make ACh that is probably missing from your diet. It’s called choline, and if you don’t get enough, you’re headed for trouble.  Choline is a necessary nutrient for overall brain health and functioning and it is important to avoid nutritional deficiencies to keep your brain sharp and healthy.1

When you don’t give the body enough choline, the brain is forced to get it from other parts of your brain. It starts eating itself alive to get what it needs for vital functions like heart and lung regulation.

I’ll show you ways to get the choline your brain needs in a second, but first let me introduce you to choline’s partner — DMAE.

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) works with choline to create ACh. In fact, it does such a good job, the FDA almost approved it as a drug. The only reason it didn’t happen is that the manufacturer didn’t want to pay the expenses to get it classified as one.

But it is the main ingredient in a commonly prescribed drug in Europe. Called Centrophenoxine, it has been shown to boost cognitive functions.2

Unlike Ritalin® and other brain-stimulating substances, proper doses of DMAE are a safe and side-effect-free solution to support brain health and reduce age-related mental decline and mood/behavioral problems.3

Get These Critical Brain Saving Nutrients Now

To get the nutrition your brain needs to stay sharp and clear, you may need to combine food and supplementation. Here’s how to get your ACh cranking:

Choline – You need at least 425 mg a day as a woman, 550 mg if you’re a man. The richest food sources of choline are (in mg per 100 g of food):

  • Whole cooked eggs – 272. Make sure you get free-range eggs without antibiotics or hormones. They’ll help fuel your muscles as well as give you much-needed choline.
  • Raw egg yolks – 682. Go ahead and crack open a couple eggs into your protein shake. It’s only an urban legend that there’s danger in eating them raw.
  • Chicken liver – 290. Though some people get turned off by organ meats, they’re a potent source of high-powered nutrition. And it’s an old wives tale that they store toxins – they don’t.
  • Turkey liver – 220. Another great source of nutrition. Just like any liver, it also provides vitamin A, CoQ10 and iron.
  • Pork – 130. Just like beef, you want to eat only organic, grass-fed animals for the proper balance of fats and zero hormones and antibiotics.

If you’re older, you may need more choline — as much as 1500 mg a day. That may require supplementation. If you take a supplement, be sure it’s in the form of choline citrate.

DMAE – You need at least 35 mg of DMAE a day. Fish is a good food source, especially sardines and anchovies.

So stop starving your brain of these critical nutrients. They’re easy to replace and will help to promote a healthy mind into your golden years.

References

  1. Ferris SH, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1977; 25:241-4.
  2. Mosharrof, A.H., et al., Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg, 1986. 12(3): p. 7-14.
  3. Caille E.-J, Psychol Med.1986;18:2069-2086.

[Ed. Note: Learn how you can rev up your mind and steer clear of those brain catastrophes that strike as you get older. Go here NOW.  Dr. Sears is Chairman of the Board of Total Health Breakthroughs. He has written over 500 articles and 7 books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation.]

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