Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Alternative/natural solution-based discussions of topics like health, medicine, science, food, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

I subscribe to info from Dr. Mercola. Every few days, he provides very useful views regarding alternative-health-success (IMHO). He is a medical doctor, but recommends what I'd call "holistic health" rather than pharmaceuticals.
Let's start with his report on the biggest killer in the USA -- not heart disease or cancer, but rather... injury and death from doctor-prescribed drugs!
By Dr. Mercola

The latest data on the leading causes of deathi in the United States has been released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report, which is based on 2010 data, lists the 10 leading causes of death as follows:

1. Diseases of the heart
2. Cancer
3. Chronic lower respiratory diseases
4. Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke)
5. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
6. Alzheimer's disease
7. Diabetes mellitus
8. Nephritis, nephritic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease)
9. Influenza and pneumonia
10. Intentional self-harm (suicide)

In an analysis, 24/7 Wall St. determined that the costs to the economy for these top 10 causes, including not only direct medical care but also the indirect loss of productivity, amounts to a whopping $1.1 trillion!

However, there is one leading cause of death that was left off of this list, and when that is factored in the costs to the economy, and the death toll itself, is actually even higher.

The CDC Left Conventional Medical Care Off of Their Death List -- It Should be #1

Over a decade ago, Professor Bruce Pomerance of the University of Toronto concluded that properly prescribed and correctly taken pharmaceutical drugs were the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. More recently, an article authored in two parts by Gary Null, PhD, Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, Martin Feldman, MD, Debora Rasio, MD, and Dorothy Smith, PhD, describes in excruciating detail how the modern conventional American medical system has bumbled its way into becoming the leading cause of death and injury in the United States.

From medical errors to adverse drug reactions to unnecessary procedures, heart disease, cancer deaths and infant mortality, the authors took statistics straight from the most respected medical and scientific journals and investigative reports by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM), and showed that on the whole, American medicine caused more harm than good.

In 2010 (the same year from which the CDC data came), years after the original article was written, an analysis in the New England Journal of Medicineii piqued my interest – as the researchers found that, despite efforts to improve patient safety in the past few years, the health care system hasn't changed much at all.

Instead, 18 percent of patients were harmed by medical care (some repeatedly) and over 63 percent of the injuries could have been prevented. In nearly 2.5 percent of these cases, the problems caused or contributed to a person's death. In another 3 percent, patients suffered from permanent injury, while over 8 percent experienced life-threatening issues, such as severe bleeding during surgery.

In all there were over 25 injuries per 100 admissions! In my update to the original Death by Medicine article, you can get an idea of just how deadly the conventional medical care system actually is:

* In a June 2010 report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, study authors said that in looking over recordsiii that spanned from 1976 to 2006 (the most recent year available) they found that, of 62 million death certificates, almost a quarter-million deaths were coded as having occurred in a hospital setting due to medication errors.
* An estimated 450,000 preventable medication-related adverse events occur in the U.S. every year.
* The costs of adverse drug reactionsiv to society are more than $136 billion annually -- greater than the total cost of cardiovascular or diabetic care.
* Adverse drug reactions cause injuries or death in 1 of 5 hospital patients.
* The reason there are so many adverse drug eventsv in the U.S. is because so many drugs are used and prescribed – and many patients receive multiple prescriptions at varying strengths, some of which may counteract each other or cause more severe reactions when combined.

How Many Deaths by Medicine are Disguised as Other Causes?

Another issue is just how many "accidents" or "suicides" are actually the result of accidental drug overdoses. Prescription drugs are now killing far more people than illegal drugs, and while most major causes of preventable deaths are declining, those from prescription drug use are increasing -- and this is according to the CDC's own datavi.

In 2009, there were nearly 4.6 million drug-related visitsvii to U.S. emergency rooms nationwide, with more than half due to adverse reactions to prescription medications – most of which were being taken exactly as prescribedviii.

Further, between 2001 and 2008, there was a 36 percent increase in hospital admissionsix, and a 28 percent increase in emergency room visits, among children 5 and younger who had accidentally ingested medication. ER visits for ingestion of prescription opioid painkillers, such as Oxycodone, increased 101 percent! So it is unclear how many deaths from accidental drug overdose are classified as accidents or suicides.....

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Dr Mercola's web site/articles: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/current.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note: I have followed much of his advice. I exercise essentially daily, getting my heart beat up to 120-130 bpm (I have a heart rate monitor) -- I shoot for 2-3 times a day doing this. I limit my intake of meat somewhat -- but I do eat some meat and eggs. More veggie-fruit smoothies lately, loving it!


I have been to a medical doctor twice in the past FIVE years, to the best of my memory. Both times for an "annual" check-up.
I have not been admitted IN a hospital since my boyhood, when my folks had my tonsils removed... A friend of mine died in a hospital from a germ he acquired WHILE IN the hospital...

User avatar
moonwhim
captain of 1,000
Posts: 4251

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by moonwhim »

Dr Mercola does a great job in alerting us to problems of the establishment health system and solutions to health problems from the alternative health advocates.

ktg
captain of 100
Posts: 840

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by ktg »

I usually skim his news letters, picking out what seems important to me, then trying those things to see how they effect me. I don't think everyone reacts the same way, so I try to find what works for me. Lately, I've been pondering his diet recommendation to eliminate grains and I'm trying to reconcile that with the word of wisdom. I think the key may be in the meaning of "the staff of life." I get info from him that I wouldn't otherwise see.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

ktg wrote:I usually skim his news letters, picking out what seems important to me...
Share some of those things with us, would you? I'd appreciate it. This from Dr Mercola's email yesterday:
[snip] High intensity interval training on the other hand, has consistently risen to the top as the most effective and efficient form of exercise.

While the fitness industry divides exercise into categories such as anaerobic-, aerobic- and cardiovascular training, fitness experts like Dr. McGuff and Phil Campbell point out that in order to actually access your cardiovascular system, you have to perform mechanical work with your muscle—and can do that on an elliptical machine, on weight training equipment, or using free-weights. So truly, weight training isn't just strength training, it's a cardiovascular workout.

To better understand this, you need to know that your heart has two different metabolic processes:

1. The aerobic, which require oxygen for fuel, and
2. The anaerobic, which do not require any oxygen

Traditional strength training and cardio exercises work primarily the aerobic process. High-intensity interval training, such as Peak Fitness, on the other hand, work your aerobic AND your anaerobic processes, which is what you need for optimal cardiovascular benefit. You're actually getting MORE benefits from high-intensity training than you do from aerobic/cardio, in a fraction of the time—all because you're utilizing your body as it was designed to be used. You can literally be done in about 20 minutes, compared to spending an hour running on the treadmill.

Even more astounding, according to Dr. McGuff you only need 12 minutes of Super-Slow type strength training once a week to achieve the same growth hormone production as you would with Peak Fitness!

So truly, if you've struggled finding time for an effective exercise routine, this could be the solution you've been looking for. The key to make it work is intensity. The intensity needs to be high enough that you reach muscle fatigue. If you've selected the appropriate weight for your strength and fitness level, that would be somewhere in the neighborhood of just seven or eight repetitions.

Furthermore, when the intensity is high, you can also decrease the frequency of your exercise. In fact, in order to continue to be productive, the higher your fitness level, the more you can decrease the frequency without losing benefits. This is because, as a weak beginner, you can exercise three times a week and not put much stress on your system. But once your strength and endurance improves, each exercise session is placing an increasingly greater amount of stress on your body (as long as you keep pushing yourself to the max). At that point, you'll want to reduce the frequency of your sessions to give your body enough time to recover in between.

The Importance of Recovery

The importance of recovery is something I've just recently started to fully appreciate. I have known the importance of "Listening to Your Body," and always advocate this when it comes to selecting foods. But this also applies to exercise and recovery. The epiphany I had with Dr. McGuff was that I wasn't applying the 'listen to your body' principle with respect to my exercise program. According to Dr. McGuff, you know you're recovered from your exercise when you start getting a build-up of restless energy and spontaneously feel the urge to engage in some form of physical activity again.

That had not happened to me for some time, and I believe I was pushing myself too hard during my thrice weekly, "all-out" Peak Fitness exercise sessions. Granted, lack of recovery is probably not a problem for most people, as many aren't pushing themselves hard enough, but when you go to extremes like in Peak Fitness, this is a concern you do need to pay careful attention to.

As a result of his feedback, I'm now in a new experimentation phase, and I'm having fun playing around with my exercise program.

I will report on my results as I refine my program so you can learn from it. The lesson for me, over the past several years, is that life is an exciting journey. So just learn as much as you can from your mistakes and continue to seek new information from different mentors, and learn to listen to your body so it can guide you into a path that will provide you with the most efficient and effective benefits.

However, please realize I have been exercising for 40 years and am in the advanced fine tuning stage. If you are just starting, I would strongly recommend two to three times a week for Peak Fitness at full intensity. Once you become fit you can start to experiment with your program and fine tune it. But you will likely reap the most benefits by using Peak Fitness three times a week.....
" High intensity interval training on the other hand, has consistently risen to the top as the most effective and efficient form of exercise."

What I do is to pick up a 25-lb dumbbell in each hand, and run around with these for a while to warm up -- after stretching also to warm up. Then I do curls and tricep pushes (upward) -- along with knee-bends for the thighs. I try to lift up on by toes at the same time. This is followed by running around without the 50-pounds, then another set or two of the curls and pushes.

this is currently my routine for interval training. And the muscles are growing and my belt tightening naturally...

ktg
captain of 100
Posts: 840

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by ktg »

DrJones wrote: Share some of those things with us, would you? I'd appreciate it.
Sure, I just glanced through a bunch of his emails & compiled this list:

Things that are bad for you.
Sugar, flouride, vaccines and flu shots, aspartame, grains, GMO foods, commercially grown meat, pasteurized milk, amalgam fillings, soy, trans-fat, cooking with non-stick cookware with too high of temperature

Things not as good as you might think:
Endurance exercise, fruit

Things not as bad as you might think:
Saturated fats

Things that are good for you:
High intensity exercise & weight training, vegetables, very limited amounts of fruit, more good fats in diet, grass fed organic beef, raw milk, sun or moderate usage of tanning bed, Vitamins D3 & K, Astaxanthin (found in Krill oil)

Last year I started a training program very similar to the one Dr. Mercola recommends. In fact he has written about it in his letters. It can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... alwellness" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in high intensity training. My conditioning really improved but my weight wasn't changing much. Then I got a herniated/ruptured disc in my neck. It was 5 months before I would work out again and I just haven't gotten back into it like I did before.

I took a nutrition class several years ago which taught us to eat, among things, a fruit, a serving of bread and a cup of milk with each meal, and the diet worked well. That had become somewhat of a habit but I have cut my fruit to 1/2 serving per meal. The milk and bread are harder to stop. I want to experiment with removing grains from my diet, but I haven't yet.

I used to drink a lot of pepsi and coke, then switched to the diet varieties, which in retrospect was probably worse for me than the regular. I haven't had either for many years. I drink a soda maybe once every two weeks and usually pick Sierra Mist or root beer.

I've been experimenting with adding coconut oil to my lunch & dinner. Still undecided on that.

I take 4400 units of Vitamin D, krill oil, phosphotidal serene, Vitamin K, and other stuff each day.

Last time my wife was pregnant, I had her taking 4400 units of Vitamin D a day. One of the blood tests they did was for Vitamin D. Her level was right at 30, which is right on the lower limit of acceptable. Optimal is between 50 & 80 if I remember correctly. We bumped her to 8400 units a day and her reading went up to 55.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some things, but that's a start.

dauser
captain of 100
Posts: 983

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by dauser »

Doctorcraft...doing more harm than good...

The same could be said for lawyercraft and priestcraft...

If they were not protected and forced on us by government... they would dry up and blow away.

They could not survive in a free market dependent on results.

User avatar
Fairminded
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1956

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by Fairminded »

dauser wrote:Doctorcraft...doing more harm than good...

The same could be said for lawyercraft and priestcraft...

If they were not protected and forced on us by government... they would dry up and blow away.

They could not survive in a free market dependent on results.
And they know it.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Thanks for the excellent summary, ktg. !!!

For weight loss, try cutting down on the carbs. And I need some of my own advice here! But I've lost about 10 pounds so far (in a couple of months). And I've added muscle.

Dr Mercola today, on brown fat and COLD temps:
Cold Temps Boost Brown Fat Activation

Swedish research published in 2009 also found that cold temperatures increased the activity in the subjects' brown fat regions, measured using positron-emission tomography (PET).2 In fact, cold-induced glucose uptake was increased by a factor of 15! While the Swedish researchers dipped the subject's foot into an ice bath while in the scanner, another similar study by researchers in the Netherlands chilled their subjects in a 16 degrees Celsius/61 degrees Fahrenheit room for two hours. They too found an uptick in brown fat activity.

Based on animal models, researchers estimate that just 50g of brown fat (which is less than what most study volunteers have been found to have) could burn about 20 percent of your daily caloric intake—and more if 'encouraged.'

According to a previous article on WebMD3:

"Kirsi A. Virtanen, MD, PhD, of the University of Turku, Finland, and colleagues analyzed brown fat in five young men. One of the men had about 2.2 ounces of brown fat. "If the brown [fat] in this example were fully activated, it would burn an amount of energy equivalent to approximately 4.1 kilograms [9 pounds]" of fat over the course of a year, the researchers calculate. And that's a low estimate, as this assumes only 50 percent activation of the brown fat."

Activating Your Brown Fat Might Help to Reduce Your Love Handles

No wonder people are anxious to tap into the fat burning capabilities of brown fat! Interestingly, brown fat actually behaves more like muscle than fat, and as you will soon see, there's good reason for that.

One of the researchers in this area is Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, with Harvard University's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Over the past five years, his research team has published at least five studies4 on the topic of brown fat, and in one, they identified a sort of master switch that promotes the production of brown fat. In 2008, they showed that the molecular switch, known as PRDM16, regulates whether immature cells will turn into brown fat or into muscle cells. In an interview with WebMD, Spiegelman said5:

"We showed that brown fat and white fat have completely different origins. Brown fat is derived from muscle. That was a huge surprise."

Another set of researchers from Harvard's Joslin Diabetes Center found another trigger for brown fat—a protein called BMP-7, which also promotes bone growth6. The researchers discovered that this protein acts as a growth factor for brown fat. Mice treated with BMP-7 protein grew up to have more brown fat than untreated mice, and the treated mice also used up more energy.

Needless to say, researchers are excited about the potential for a medical intervention that can help people develop more brown fat. But I would be cautious of any solution in a pill form. Instead, I'd suggest trying out some of the non-invasive methods that have been found to promote brown fat production and its activation. For example, in one mouse study, the animals converted white fat into brown fat simply by exercising.

According to Time Magazine7:

"During exercise, the animals' muscles released a newly discovered enzyme called irisin, which triggered the conversion. It's not clear whether the same phenomenon is true in people, though humans do have the same protein. However, the brown fat that is easily observed in humans tends not to be the kind that is derived from white fat."

Ice Therapy: a Viable Strategy?

Tim Ferriss, author of The Four-Hour Work Week, also published a book called The Four-Hour Body8, which includes the concept of activating your brown fat to boost fat burning by exposing yourself to frigid temperatures. He claims you can increase your fat burning potential by as much as 300 percent simply by adding ice therapy to your dieting strategy. A LiveStrong article backs up Ferriss' claim stating9:

"A NASA scientist told ABC News that's no hyperbole. In studying the effects of temperature on astronauts, he saw people's metabolism boost by 20 percent in environments as mild as 60 degrees. A Joslin researcher told National Public Radio that 3 oz. of brown fat could burn 400 to 500 calories daily."

So, how does Ferriss' Ice Therapy work? Well, by cooling your body down with ice, you're essentially forcing it to burn much more calories by activating your brown fat as the studies above can attest to. His suggestions, from easy to 'hard core,' include the following. Do advance slowly! It may be inadvisable to go straight to the ice bath if you're not used to it!:

* Place an ice pack on your upper back and upper chest for 30 minutes per day (you can do this while relaxing in front of the TV for example)
* Drinking about 500 ml of ice water each morning
* Cold showers
* Immersing yourself in ice water up to your waist for 10 minutes, three times per week. (Simply fill your tub with cold water and ice cubes)

Four More Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Everyone's metabolism is different, but you can generally speed it up or slow it down within a reasonably short amount of time by making changes to your diet and lifestyle. Aside from resorting to ice therapy, the following common-sense strategies will also help boost your metabolism to encourage weight loss:

1. Avoid sugar (particularly fructose) and grains as they are the leading cause of insulin- and leptin-resistance, which directly affect your hunger levels, your fat-burning potential, and consequently your weight
2. Listen to your hunger, and eat a healthy meal or snack when hunger calls
3. Implement a well-rounded exercise regimen that includes:



1. strength training to build muscle (for every pound of muscle that you gain, your body burns 50-70 calories more per day), and
2. high-intensity interval training,
which has been demonstrated to significantly increase fat loss by boosting human growth hormone production
4. Use healthy outlets for stress and negative emotions. Tools like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) are your friend and ally when it comes to losing weight. Meditation, prayer, journaling and even exercise can also provide positive outlets for stress.

Remember, the idea is not to deprive your body or starve yourself into a size 2. The goal is to establish a healthy relationship with food, one that will keep you satisfied, nourished and slim, all at the same time.

REFERENCES:

* 1 Journal of Clinical Investigation 2012 Feb 1;122(2):486-9
* 2 New England Journal of Medicine 2009 Apr 9;360(15):1518-25

User avatar
7cylon7
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1137

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by 7cylon7 »

I played some basketball recently and my knees and ankles where killing me. I saw this and remembered that I could ICE them down. I took a 10 min ICE bath. WOW!!! is that CRAZY COLD. Today my knees and ankles feel much better.

ktg
captain of 100
Posts: 840

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by ktg »

7cylon7 wrote:I played some basketball recently and my knees and ankles where killing me. I saw this and remembered that I could ICE them down. I took a 10 min ICE bath. WOW!!! is that CRAZY COLD. Today my knees and ankles feel much better.
Ice is fantastic. I had tried everything I could imagine and ice is what finally got my back feeling better when I had my herniated disc. Ice for 15 minutes every hour possible for 2 weeks and the pain was 95% gone.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Today's note from Dr. Mercola: Root Canal dangers --
Story at-a-glance

* During a root canal, there is no way to sterilize your tooth; after the root canal, dangerous bacteria hide out in the tooth and are unreachable with antibiotics
* Root-canaled and filled teeth harbor bacteria that morph into very toxic forms, which then can migrate to other tissues in your body and cause serious medical conditions, including diseases of your heart, kidneys, bones, and brain
* There is no other medical practice that permits leaving a dead body part inside your body, because it triggers your immune system to attack
* If you have a diseased tooth, or if you’ve already had a root canal, I highly recommend consulting a biological dentist about having it extracted
More than 25 million root canals are performed every year in this country

Root-canaled teeth are essentially "dead" teeth that can become silent incubators for highly toxic anaerobic bacteria that can, under certain conditions, make their way into your bloodstream to cause a number of serious medical conditions—many not appearing until decades later.

Most of these toxic teeth feel and look fine for many years, which make their role in systemic disease even harder to trace back.

Sadly, the vast majority of dentists are oblivious to the serious potential health risks they are exposing their patients to, risks that persist for the rest of their patients' lives.The American Dental Association claims root canals have been proven safe, but they have NO published data or actual research to substantiate this claim.

Fortunately, I had some early mentors like Dr. Tom Stone and Dr. Douglas Cook, who educated me on this issue nearly 20 years ago. Were it not for a brilliant pioneering dentist who, more than a century ago, made the connection between root-canaled teeth and disease, this underlying cause of disease may have remained hidden to this day. The dentist's name was Weston Price—regarded by many as the greatest dentist of all time.

Weston A. Price: World's Greatest Dentist

Most dentists would be doing an enormous service to public health if they familiarized themselves with the work of Dr. Weston Price. Unfortunately, his work continues to be discounted and suppressed by medical and dental professionals alike.

Dr. Price was a dentist and researcher who traveled the world to study the teeth, bones, and diets of native populations living without the "benefit" of modern food. Around the year 1900, Price had been treating persistent root canal infections and became suspicious that root-canaled teeth always remained infected, in spite of treatments. Then one day, he recommended to a woman, wheelchair bound for six years, to have her root canal tooth extracted, even though it appeared to be fine.

She agreed, so he extracted her tooth and then implanted it under the skin of a rabbit. The rabbit amazingly developed the same crippling arthritis as the woman and died from the infection 10 days later. But the woman, now free of the toxic tooth, immediately recovered from her arthritis and could now walk without even the assistance of a cane.

Price discovered that it's mechanically impossible to sterilize a root-canaled (e.g. root-filled) tooth.

He then went on to show that many chronic degenerative diseases originate from root-filled teeth—the most frequent being heart and circulatory diseases. He actually found 16 different causative bacterial agents for these conditions. But there were also strong correlations between root-filled teeth and diseases of the joints, brain and nervous system. Dr. Price went on to write two groundbreaking books in 1922 detailing his research into the link between dental pathology and chronic illness. Unfortunately, his work was deliberately buried for 70 years, until finally one endodontist named George Meinig recognized the importance of Price's work and sought to expose the truth.

More: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... artTest_B3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hmmm.... How many of us have had root canals??

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Today Dr. Mercola addresses SUICIDE. A serious and sad problem... I think to include the entire article:
By Dr. Mercola

Thoughts of suicide are disturbingly common among Americans, which is detailed in the report, the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), newly released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

While one in five Americans experienced some sort of mental illness in the past year (rising to nearly 30 percent among 18-25-year olds), 8.7 million contemplated suicide.

Approximately 2.5 million people took their suicidal thoughts a step further and made plans to carry out the suicide, whereas 1.1 million actually attempted it.

Suicide is a Leading Cause of Death

It's estimated that a person commits suicide every 15 minutes in the United States, and each day just over 100 people take their own lives.

For each of these suicide deaths, an estimated 8-25 people made suicide attempts.1

Taken together, the latest preliminary 2010 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists intentional self-harm, or suicide, as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.

In all, nearly 37,800 suicide deaths were reported in 2010, a number the CDC notes is likely underestimated.2

Suicide deaths can occur at any age, but young people, especially those between the ages of 18 and 25 are most likely to have suicidal thoughts, according to the NSDUH report. If you have watched or read any news lately, it is likely you have heard some of the tragic stories about young people committing suicide.

Lately, media focus has been drawn to children killing themselves as a result of being bullied, which has sparked numerous debates and new anti-bullying legislation in a number of states. But bullying is only one factor...

This is also a primary age range of military personnel, another subset of the population that has alarmingly high rates of suicide. Since the start of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, more than 1,100 soldiers have taken their lives,
including a record 301 in 2010 alone. In July 2011, the Army reported 32 soldiers had committed suicide, which is the highest monthly suicide toll yet reported. In the case of soldiers, many have clearly suffered emotional trauma from the experience of battle, but other youth are struggling with their own feelings of desperation and despair.

It is truly disheartening that so many of our youth feel hopeless enough to take their own lives. It makes it doubly tragic that so many parents must endure the mental anguish of losing a child—especially losing a child to suicide. So what is behind this tragic epidemic?

More Than 90 Percent of People Who Commit Suicide Suffer From This…

If you have a family history of suicide, have been exposed to suicidal behavior (such as from other family members or friends) or have suffered/witnessed physical or sexual abuse or domestic violence, your risk of suicidal behavior increases.

However, the primary risk factor is the existence of another mental condition, such as depression, often in combination with substance abuse. It's estimated that more than 90 percent of those who end up taking their own lives fit into this category.3 Depression can indeed progress to suicide if left unaddressed, but the knee-jerk conventional treatment for the condition is almost exclusively prescription antidepressants.


Every year, more than 253 million prescriptions for antidepressants are filled in the United States, making them the second most prescribed drug class in the United States (second only to cholesterol-lowering drugs).4 This includes use among children, where in the U.S. kids are getting three times more prescriptions for antidepressants and stimulants, and up to double the amount of antipsychotic drugs than kids from Germany and the Netherlands.

But how effective are antidepressants in alleviating the symptoms of depression?

Antidepressants are Often Ineffective and May Increase Your Suicidal Tendencies

Studies continue to show antidepressant drugs are no more effective than a placebo, and in some case less effective. A study published in the January 2010 issue of JAMA concluded there is little evidence that SSRIs (a popular group of antidepressants that includes Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft) have any benefit to people with mild to moderate depression.5 Researchers stated:

"The magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medication compared with placebo... may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms."

SSRIs were found to be 33 percent effective, just like a sugar pill—but with far more adverse effects, including violence and suicidal thoughts and actions. There is much evidence that antidepressants intensify violent thoughts and behaviors, both suicidal and homicidal, especially among children. And, since the late 1980s, there have been frequent reports of increased violent behavior, including homicides and suicides, among individuals taking antidepressant drugs.

A newly published study provides a plausible theory about how a genetic mutation in the CYP450 gene family can cause a metabolic disturbance resulting in uncontrollable violent impulses and behaviors, including suicide, in some individuals taking these drugs.6

So if you or your child are taking an antidepressant drug, it's important to be aware that suicidal thoughts may be a side effect. But they are not the only drugs to watch out for. Other medications also linked to increased suicide risks include:

* The stop-smoking drug Chantix
* Accutane, an acne drug
* Singulair, an allergy drug
* Certain epilepsy drugs
* Tamiflu, a flu drug
* Cholesterol-lowering drugs

Emotional Factors to be on the Lookout For

While the role of medications (particularly antidepressants) in suicide cannot be ignored, neither can the emotional component. Mental and emotional problems exact an extreme toll on family units and in some cases extended circles of friends. I've personally been a witness to the struggles of two people near and dear to me who suffered from deep chronic depression for a number of years that actually resulted in multiple suicide attempts.

Interpersonal conflicts are often a core problem behind suicidal behaviors and depression (which is the number one contributing factor to suicide if left untreated).

For instance, it is a fact that suicide rates rise as the economy worsens, and in the elderly social isolation is a factor (especially among elderly men who have recently lost their spouse). Situational stress, such as bullying or gender identity issues, is a major risk factor among youth (for instance, LGBT teens (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) are far more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers). And one review of 37 studies from around the world, which explored bullying and suicide risk, concluded that children who are victims, perpetrators, or even witnesses to bullying have an increased risk for suicidal thoughts.7

Below are listed other examples of extremely stressful life situations that may increase the risk of suicide (this is certainly not a comprehensive list):

* Loss of a significant relationship or death of a loved one
* Diagnosis of a terminal illness
* Loss of financial security or livelihood
* Loss of home or employment
* Abuse, rape or other serious emotional trauma

If someone close to you has recently endured a hardship, or you have noticed a change in their behavior, how can you tell when ordinary stress or sadness has progressed to a potentially suicidal level? Besides straightforward or "sideways" comments about not wanting to live any longer, some of the red flags that a person has a high risk for self-harm include:

Acquiring a weapon Hoarding medication No plan for the future
Putting affairs in order Making or changing a will Giving away personal belongings
Mending grievances Checking on insurance policies Withdrawing from people


If you think someone is suicidal, do not leave him or her alone. Most suicide attempts are expressions of extreme distress, not harmless bids for attention. A person who appears suicidal needs immediate professional help. Help the person to seek immediate assistance from their doctor or the nearest hospital emergency room, or call 911. Eliminate access to firearms or other potential suicide aids, including unsupervised access to medications.

Long-Term Strategies for Improving Your Mental Health

If you are feeling desperate or have any thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a toll-free number 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or call 911, or simply go to your nearest Hospital Emergency Department. You can't make long-term plans for lifestyle changes when you are in a crisis!

First let someone help you through the crisis—then you can deal with your depression later, when you're feeling more resourceful. Before I delve into the lifestyle strategies that can support optimal mental and emotional health, please understand that I am not seeking to diminish the impact of mental illness, nor belittle those of you who feel you have been helped by antidepressant drugs.

My intention is to increase your awareness of the risks of these drugs, as well as highlight the fact that they are not usually the best solution. My clinical experience leads me to believe that the only appropriate use of antidepressant drugs is as a last ditch effort when the patient is at a serious risk to themselves or others. The drugs should be continued until the condition is under control and the person is out of harm's way.

This is a very similar strategy to going to the ER and orthopedic surgeon for a cast when you are in an accident and fracture a major bone. You don't use that cast for the rest of your life. You use it until your bone is healed.

The REAL tragedy is that most of the drug companies do NOT view antidepressants this way. There are enormous marketing efforts underway to classify normal behavior as aberrant or diseased, which then requires lifelong therapy with their drug "solution."

That said, my top tips to support positive mental health are as follows:

* Energy psychology is one of the most powerful tools for resolving emotional issues—specifically a technique called EFT. The effectiveness of any energy psychology technique will be significantly improved if you combine it with the tips that follow.
* Dramatically decrease your consumption of sugar (particularly fructose), grains, and processed foods. (In addition to being high in sugar and grains, processed foods also contain a variety of additives that can affect your brain function and mental state, especially artificial sweeteners.)
* Adequate vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency can contribute to depression and affects one in four people.
* Optimize your vitamin D levels, ideally through regular sun exposure. Vitamin D is very important for your mood. One study found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who had normal levels.

The best way to get vitamin D is through exposure to SUNSHINE, not swallowing a tablet. Remember, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a type of depression that we know is related to sunshine deficiency, so it would make sense that the perfect way to optimize your vitamin D is through sun exposure, or a safe tanning bed if you don't have regular access to the sun.

* Plenty of animal-based omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are crucial for optimal brain function and mental health, and most people don't get enough from diet alone. So make sure you take a high-quality omega-3 fat, such as krill oil.
* Evaluate your salt intake. Sodium deficiency actually creates symptoms that are very much like those of depression. Make sure you do NOT use processed salt (regular table salt), however. You'll want to use an all natural, unprocessed salt like Himalayan salt, which contains more than 80 different micronutrients.

* Adequate daily exercise. Exercise is one of the best-kept secrets to preventing depressio
n.

* I have been educating the public about the underreported, adverse effects associated with lowering cholesterol through drugs like statins for many years, but what many still do not know is that low cholesterol is linked to dramatically increased rates of suicide and parasuicide, as well as aggression towards others.

This increased expression of violence towards self and others may be due to the fact that low membrane cholesterol decreases the number of serotonin receptors in the brain (which is approximately 30% cholesterol by weight). Lower serum cholesterol concentrations therefore may contribute to decreasing brain serotonin, which not only contributes to suicidal-associated depression, but prevents the suppression of aggressive behavior and violence towards self and others.8

For Those Currently Struggling With Depression or Suicidal Behaviors (Personally or a Loved One)

I know firsthand that depression and suicide is devastating. It takes a toll on the healthiest of families and can destroy lifelong friendships. Few things are harder in life than losing someone you love, especially to suicide.

It's impossible to impart the will to live to somebody who no longer possesses it. No amount of logic, reasoning, or reminders about all they have to live for will put a smile back on the face of a loved one who is seriously contemplating suicide.

If you are currently the one struggling in a dark place, realize that oftentimes you cannot change your circumstances. You can, however, change your response to them. I encourage you to be balanced in your life. Don't ignore your body's warning signs that something needs to change. Sometimes people are so busy taking care of everybody else that they lose sight of taking care of themselves. There are times when a prescription drug may help restore balance to your body. But it's unclear whether it is the drug providing benefits, or the unbelievable power of your mind that is convinced it is going to work.

Again, if you are feeling desperate or have any thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a toll-free number 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or call 911, immediately.

For those of you who have been personally affected by suicide, my heart goes out to you.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

17 Feb 2012. Today Dr Mercola writes about fitness and dieting...
By Dr. Mercola

In today's world it's more difficult than ever to keep your weight under control, as evidenced by the fact that over 2/3 of all American adults are now overweight or obesei, as are one in three children.

Part of the blame rests with the processed food corporations that spend billions of dollars marketing unhealthy foods as "healthy choices."

So what do "naturally thin" people know that the rest don't?

David Zinczenco, editor in chief of Men's Health magazine, and Matt Goulding address this question in a recent article featured on Yahoo Healthiii, stating that most thin people tend to live by a series of "laws" that keep them from gaining excess weight.

These seven rules are simple enough that most can follow them:

1. Avoid "Dieting": By dieting, you're setting yourself up to gain more weight than ever.
2. Avoid "Fat-Free": Fat doesn't make you fat; you need fat in your diet to help you process certain nutrients.
3. Sit Down to Eat: Eating more slowly and savoring your meal boosts levels of two hormones that make you feel fuller.
4. Plan Your Meals and Snacks: Planning your responses to hunger helps you shed pounds faster.
5. Eat Protein: Those who eat moderately high levels of protein (including organic animal protein) are twice as likely to lose weight and keep it off as those who don't eat much protein.
6. Move Around: "Fit people stay fit by having fun."
7. Watch Less TV: Nearly 30 percent of people who watch more than four hours of TV a day have a BMI of 30 or higher.


(To read more about these rules, please see the original article.) I do believe Americans in particular have traded convenience for health, and that is partly visible in the list above.

Staying lean includes skipping conveniences like fast food and driving everywhere you need to go... It's important to understand that poor dietary and lifestyle choices are at the very root of skyrocketing obesity- and disease rates. But, while the seven "laws of thin people" compiled by Zinczenco and Goulding are good ones, from my experience these rules are still coming up a short. So, below I will review several more that I believe are CRUCIAL factors for successful long-term weight management and optimal health.

Rule #1: Severely Limit Fructose in Your Diet

It is important to understand that your diet is THREE times more important for controlling your weight than your exercise. It's very easy to sabotage any benefit you'd receive from exercise by consuming fructose-laden foods and beverages, including sports drinks, sodas, and fruit juices. If you consume any processed foods or sweetened beverages at all, reading the labels is a necessity. You may be shocked to realize just how much sugar is in the products you consume on a regular basis.

Why is limiting fructose so important for weight management and optimal health?

The reasons are numerous, but if I could make you memorize just one thing that can truly help you improve your health, it would be that eating fat does not make you fat; eating excessive fructose does! If you were to view soda with the same disdain most people give to a chunk of lard, you'd be on the right track... Ironically though, the lard would actually be more healthful for you than the soda!

Fructose simultaneously prevents weight loss and promotes fat storage, by:

* Diminishing your satiety (feelings of fullness) as it does not stimulate a rise in leptin, one of the most powerful hunger and fat storage regulators in your body. And, of course, when you're feeling hungry you tend to eat more.

Leptin resistance, just like insulin resistance, is also one of the most significant factors underlying a vast array of diseases. For example, it plays a significant if not primary role in the development of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, reproductive disorders, and perhaps the rate of aging itself.
* Not suppressing ghrelin (also known as "the hunger hormone"). Glucose, on the other hand, does suppress ghrelin, making you feel satiated
* Slowly, if consumed chronically, causing insulin resistance, which hampers weight loss efforts
* Converting directly to fat more readily than any other sugar. It is also known to raise triglycerides significantly
* Robbing your body of micronutrients while assimilating itself for use (in the case of foods containing high fructose corn syrup. Whole fruits on the other hand does not have this particular problem as the fruit contains all these extra nutrients along with the fructose)

With all these simultaneous factors coming into play every time you consume fructose, it's easy to see why a high-fructose diet can propel you into a vicious cycle of over-eating while also being malnourished.

My recommendation is to keep your total fructose intake below 25 grams of fructose per day, if you're in good health. Most people will also benefit from limiting your fructose from fruit to 15 grams a day, and, if you need to lose weight, you likely will need to limit your total fructose consumption to 15 grams a day total, including that from fruit.

Rule # 2: Reduce Your Grain Carb Consumption

Excess weight Depression Bloating High blood pressure
Fatigue and frequent sleepiness Brain fogginess Low blood sugar High triglycerides

If you experience any of the following symptoms, chances are very good that the excess carbohydrates in your diet are, in part or whole, to blame: the primary reason for cutting out as many grain carbs as possible is because grains convert into sugar in your body, spiking your insulin levels. Eventually, your body becomes insulin resistant, and that's when the majority of the problems really set in. Obesity is just the beginning. Insulin resistance is in fact one of the hallmarks of nearly every chronic disease known to man, from diabetes, to heart disease, to cancer.

If you want to be optimally healthy and normalize your weight, reducing your carb consumption is essential. This includes:

* Breads and baked goods (ALL grains, including organic ones)
* Rice
* Pasta
* Potatoes

We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, of course, but, through our addiction to grains, corn, sweets and other starchy and sugary foods, we are consuming far too many. Your body's storage capacity for carbohydrates is quite limited, so here's what happens to all the excess: they are converted, via insulin, into fat and stored in the adipose (fatty) tissue.

Rule # 3: Increase Your Healthy Fat Consumption

Carbs (sugars) provide your body with energy, but it's fast burning and doesn't satisfy very long. Once you decrease carbs in the form of sugar/fructose and grains, you need to replace them with increased amounts of vegetable carbs and healthy saturated fats. Fats will not only make you feel satiated longer than carbs, but will also provide you with high quality fuel your body needs. And, while eating grains and sugars will raise your insulin levels and promote insulin resistance, eating fat does not. However, the quality of the fats is very important. Loading up on margarine and vegetable oils is asking for trouble as these types of trans fats have been linked to:

Cancer: They interfere with enzymes your body uses to fight cancer Decreased immune function: They reduce your immune response Obesity
Diabetes: They interfere with the insulin receptors in your cell membranes Problems with reproduction: They interfere with enzymes needed to produce sex hormones Heart disease: Trans fats can cause major clogging of your arteries

At the other end of the spectrum you have saturated fats, which are:

Preferred fuel for your heart


Useful antiviral agents (caprylic acid)


Useful for lowering cholesterol levels (palmitic and stearic acids)

Carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and required for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes


Effective as an anticaries, antiplaque and anti fungal agents (lauric acid)


Modulators of genetic regulation and prevent cancer (butyric acid)

Sources of healthy fats that you'll want to add to your diet include:

Olives and Olive oil (for cold dishes) Coconuts, and coconut oil (for all types of cooking and baking) Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
Raw Nuts, such as, almonds or pecans Organic pastured egg yolks Avocados
Grass fed meats Palm oil Unheated organic nut oils

Another healthful fat you want to be mindful of is animal-based omega-3. Deficiency in this essential fat can cause or contribute to very serious health problems, both mental and physical, and may be a significant underlying factor of up to 96,000 premature deaths each year. For more information about omega-3's and the best sources of this fat, please review this previous article.

Rule # 4: Avoid All "Diet" Foods, Especially Diet Sodas

Soda, in my opinion, is one of the primary health threats. A single can of Coke contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar. However, the alternative may be even worse. Diet sodas, which typically contain either aspartame or sucralose (Splenda), or a combination of both, can wreak havoc on your health in just as many ways as fructose, but since they are manmade chemicals, the toxic ramifications and side effects can be magnified.

Billions of dollars worth of advertising tells you that diet soda gives you all the pleasure of a sweet beverage or snack without any of the worries associated with excess calories. Too bad it really is too good to be true.

In fact, artificial sweeteners have actually been positively linked to weight gain—not weight loss! More recent research has demonstrated that your brain can tell the difference between real and artificial sugar, and not only are artificial sugars less satisfying to your brain at a cellular level, they also increase your craving for the real thing. So artificially sweetened foods and snacks, and diet soda in particular, must be avoided if you don't want to fuel sugar cravings.

Rule # 5: Be Sure to Eat PLENTY of Organic Vegetables


One of the best ways to improve your health is to make sure you're eating plenty of fresh, minimally processed high quality vegetables, ideally locally-grown and organic, with a majority of them consumed raw. One simple way to boost your vegetable intake is to juice them. I highly recommend it to anyone working to restore or improve their health. You can review my comprehensive approach to how to juice on my vegetable juicing page.

And for every vegetable you pack onto your plate or into your glass, you'll have less room for all those other simple carbohydrates that can expand your waistline.

Rule # 6: Optimize Your Exercise Program

A healthy diet and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to creating and maintaining optimal health. If you are struggling with your weight, exercise is clearly one of the key factors that can synergize the effects of healthy food choices. But did you know that by making some minor changes in the types of exercises you engage in, you can speed up and dramatically improve the results?

It's true.

The key to boosting weight loss and getting the most out of your exercise routine is to make sure to incorporate high-intensity, short-burst-type exercises, such as my Peak Fitness Program, two to three times per week. Several studies have confirmed that exercising in shorter bursts with rest periods in between burns more fat than exercising continuously for an entire session.

This has been shown to hold true even when the session is not done at an extremely high intensity.

This may be because these types of exercises are the closest to how the human body was designed to move—like that of a hunter-gatherer. A recent study highlights the benefits of this type of daily movement. The researchers noted that the ideal "exercise prescription" would include the following aspects of normal hunger-gatherer living:

A variety of exercises performed regularly (weight training, cardio, stretching, etc.) Alternate difficult days with easier days Exercise outdoors, which helps maintain vitamin D levels and improve mood
Interval training sessions performed once or twice a week Weight training at least twice a week Walk and run on softer, uneven terrain, such as grass and dirt, possibly barefoot or using "simpler shoes that do not drastically restrict foot motion or alter natural foot strike dynamics"
Exercise with a friend to receive social stimulation as well Ample time for rest after physical exertion Recreational activities, including dancing and sex

I completely agree that variety is yet another key to getting the most benefits from your exercise. A sound, well-rounded regimen would include:

* High intensity interval exercises
* Conventional aerobics
* Strength training
* Core exercises like Pilates
* Stretching like Yoga or active isolated stretching


If you're like most Americans, you probably have between a few and several unnecessary pounds you'd prefer not to be carrying around every day. I'm here to tell you that not only is it possible to take off the extra weight with a little thoughtful planning, it is also possible to keep the weight off simply by following a few sensible guidelines above and my nutrition plan.

References:
...
I've been doing interval exercising, reaching heart beat per minute of about 130 then jogging and stretching to slow the heart down, then weights and squats to raise the bpm again. A few times per exercise session. And SMILE -- have fun!

Also, Lezlee is making a daily green-veggie + fruit smoothie... Loving it! and her.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Dr. M speaks often about the importance of vitamin D3, both to boost the healthy IMMUNE system and even to prevent/treat (oops, I mean palliate) CANCER. Vitamin D in the blood tends to be at its low point about now (February).
Here's a summary page; looks like you'll have to go here to get the clickable links:
http://www.mercola.com/article/vitamin-d-resources.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Age Dosage
Below 5 35 units per pound per day
Age 5 - 10 2500 units
Adults 5000 units
Pregnant Women 5000 units


WARNING:
There is no way to know if the above recommendations are correct. The ONLY way to know is to test your blood. You might need 4-5 times the amount recommended above. Ideally your blood level of 25 OH D should be 60ng/ml.



Top Vitamin D Articles on Mercola.com



* My One Hour FREE Vitamin D Lecture to Clear Up All Your Confusion on this Vital Nutrient
* Important Vitamin D Update
* Breakthrough Updates You Need to Know on Vitamin D
This is some of the most crucial information that I have come across in recent years on nutrition. Most experts, including me, have long missed the...
* Valuable Insights Into the Importance of Vitamin D and Sun
William B. Grant, Ph.D., one of the top vitamin D researchers in the world, shares some valuable information about the need for proper sun exposure and...
* Test Values and Treatment for Vitamin D DeficiencyVideo: Do Flu Shots Work? Ask A Vaccine Manufacturer
Recent changes in commercial testing of vitamin D allow us to easily adjust vitamin D levels to optimal ranges without any fear of toxicity.
* Vitamin D is a Key Player in Your Overall Health
The list of diseases that vitamin D favorably influences continues to grow.
* Avoid Flu Shots With the One Vitamin that Will Stop Flu in Its TracksVideo: Do Flu Shots Work? Ask A Vaccine Manufacturer
Why expose yourself and your family to the dangers of an ineffective vaccine when the solution is right outside your door?
* Vitamin D Journal Articles






Useful Websites



* Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center
* John Cannell, MD, California
He also has a monthly newsletter, to which you can subscribe.
* Michael F. Holick, MD, Ph.D., Boston University
* The UV Foundation
* Carole Baggerly, California
* Ashton Embry, DIet REsearch into the Cause and Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
* Susan Brown, Osteoporosis Education Project
* James E. Dowd, MD, Michigan:
* Krispin Sullivan, California
* Oliver Gillie, Ph.D., London
* UC-Riverside, About vitamin D
* Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
Office of Dietary Supplements
* National Institutes of Health
* Medline Plus (seems to be the same as at the ODS)
* Vitamin D - MayoClinic.com
* World's Healthiest Foods
* Vitamin D at WisdomCard™
* U.S. Atlas of Cancer Mortality
* DNA-weighted UVB spectral exposure for July 1992 developed using data from NASA’s Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer
* U.S. Department of Agriculture Ultraviolet Monitoring and Research Program
* Vitamin D, Merck
* Vitamin-D.com






Useful Presentations



* The Vitamin D Pandemic and its Health Consequences
Presented by Michael Holick, PhD, MD, Professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics and director of the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University Medical Center. Keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 34th European Symposium on Calcified Tissues, Copenhagen 5 May, 2007. (Michael’s presentations are always entertaining and full of useful information)
* Diagnosis & Treatment of Vitamin D Deficiency
April 9, 2008
* Reinhold Vieth
* Vitamin D Scientists’ Call to Action Statement






Useful Books



* Dark Deception; Discover the Truth about the Benefits of Sunlight Exposure. Joseph Mercola with Jeffry Herman. Mercola.com. 2008. 238 pp.
* Solar Power for Optimal Health, Marc Sorenson, foreword by William B. Grant. Sept. 2008. 265 pp.
* The Vitamin D Cure, by James E. Dowd and Diane Stafford, John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
* Naked at Noon, Understanding Sunlight and Vitamin D, Krispin Sullivan (Available through her website).

* Sunlight Robbery, Oliver Gillie, (Available through his website).

* Scotland’s Health Deficit: An Explanation and a Plan. August 2008. Oliver Gillie.
* The UV Advantage. Michael F. Holick, Mark Jenkins. iBooks. 2003.






Practical Matters: Sources of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)



* http://www.bio-tech-pharm.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
* https://secure.bio-tech-pharm.com/catalog.aspx?cat_id=2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
* http://www.vitamin-d-max.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
* http://www.carlsonlabs.com/product_deta ... d=10001068" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
* http://www.lsgvitd.naturemade.com/natur ... amind.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
* http://www.vitd3.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;





User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Today's note warns about "DIET drinks". I don't drink these; probably you don't either... but someone you know may benefit...
Diet soda is often perceived as being "healthier" than regular soft drinks because it contains artificial sweeteners in lieu of sugar, and therefore has no calories.

Many conventional nutritionists will even go so far as to recommend diet soda as a sensible beverage choice.

Sugar, and particularly the sugar often used to sweeten regular soda, is clearly something you need to limit for optimal health... but, while I do not recommend you drink any soda, if given the choice, between regular soda and diet, the regular soda would likely be less damaging to your health

In fact, before you reach for another can, you might want to get up to speed on the latest research, which shows that drinking diet soda results in an increased risk of vascular events such as stroke, heart attack, and vascular death.i

Is Drinking Diet Soda Worth Increasing Your Stroke Risk?

Diet soda can be addictive, so if you need incentive and motivation to quit this habit, ask yourself whether the pleasure you get from drinking it is worth having a stroke.

This is a very real scenario, as researchers found that people who drank diet soft drinks daily were 43 percent more likely to have suffered a vascular event, including a stroke.

This significant association persisted even after controlling for other factors that could increase the risk, such as smoking, physical activity levels, alcohol consumption, diabetes, heart disease, dietary factors and more.

According to the authors:

"This study suggests that diet soda is not an optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages, and may be associated with a greater risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death than regular soda."

Vascular events like strokes and heart attacks typically occur suddenly without any warning, which is why prevention is so important. I like to refer to the most common type of stroke as a brain attack, which is similar to a heart attack; the only difference is that the blood clot blocks blood flow to your brain instead of your heart. As a result, brain cells begin to die. Naturally, the longer your brain goes without oxygen, the greater your risk of lasting brain damage.

This is one area where conventional emergency medicine excels, as there are emergency medications that can actually dissolve a blood clot that is blocking blood flow to your brain, and if done quickly enough can virtually reverse any permanent neurological damage.

In order to be effective, you typically need to get treated within one hour. This is clearly one of the miracles of modern science, however it all goes to waste if you do not address the underlying conditions after the stroke. Again, prevention is your best option, and research is now suggesting that eliminating diet sodas may be an important way to dramatically reduce your stroke risk.

While more research will likely be needed to confirm this potential link, there's plenty of evidence showing that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose (Splenda) can be dangerous to your health. I believe aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous artificial sweetener on the market. Reports of adverse reactions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also support this, as aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA.

Need Even More Incentive to Ditch Diet Soda? It May Make You Fat

If potentially lowering your risk of heart attack and stroke doesn't spur you to ditch this dangerous habit, maybe the fact that diet soda will make you fat will.

A study by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, presented at the 2011 meeting of the American Diabetes Association, followed 474 diet soda drinkers for nearly 10 years. They found that their waists grew 70 percent larger than the waists of non-diet soda drinkers. Furthermore, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day had a 500 percent greater increase in waist size!ii

As you may know, your waist size is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also one of the most powerful predictors of lean body mass and your risk of serious degenerative disease. Your waist size is a far more accurate predictor of your heart risks than your body mass index (BMI), so any habit that has the potential to increase your waist size by 500 percent more than someone who does not have that habit is one worth breaking.

A second study by some of the same researchers also revealed that mice eating food laced with the artificial sweetener aspartame had higher blood sugar levels than mice eating food without it, which suggests it may increase your risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.iii In a statement, the researchers noted:

"These results are consistent with data from community-based epidemiologic studies in which the consumption of diet sodas was shown to be associated with increased incidence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. They suggest that aspartame exposure may in fact directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels, and thus may contribute to the associations observed between diet soda consumption and the risk of diabetes in humans."

Artificial sweeteners also tend to trigger enhanced activity within your brain's pleasure centers, yet at the same time providing less actual satisfaction. This separation of the taste of sweetness from caloric content means that when you consume artificial sweeteners, your brain actually craves more of it because your body is not satisfied at a cellular level by the sugar imposter! This can actually contribute to overeating and weight gain. Furthermore, research by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, who was also involved in the studies noted above, and her colleagues found that your risk of obesity increases by 41 percent for each can of diet soda you drink in a day!iv
.....
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... _DNL_art_2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

This message from Dr Mercola is particularly important IMO... as it relates medical "experimentation" and gov't regulation to the US Constitution. Please consider:
The Cruel Science Experiment They Want to Force You to Take
Posted By Dr. Mercola | February 21 2012 | 3,394 views

By Dr. Mercola

A paper published by the American Medical Association's Virtual Mentor is concerned that current enrollment in vaccine trials is extremely low.1

The proposed solution?

Creating a federal law that would force each individual to make a "mandated choice" to participate in vaccine trials.

Such a law would give drug companies a more or less guaranteed supply of human guinea pigs.


According to the featured paper:

"... The lack of animal models that can reliably predict vaccine efficacy means that development still unavoidably relies on testing of novel vaccines in healthy individuals...

In recent decades there has been a distressing decline in the numbers of healthy volunteers who participate in clinical trials, a decline that has the potential to become a key rate-limiting factor in vaccine development.

... The modest financial remuneration commonly provided often means that students and the unemployed make up the bulk of volunteers.

As a result, the risks of developing a health intervention that would benefit the whole population are carried disproportionately by some of society's most poor and vulnerable.


This is a situation few would judge to be fair or ethical. Compulsory involvement in vaccine studies is one alternative solution that is not as outlandish as it might seem on first consideration.

Many societies already mandate that citizens undertake activities for the good of society; in several European countries registration for organ-donation has switched from "opt-in" (the current U.S. system) to "opt-out" systems... and most societies expect citizens to undertake jury service when called upon...

Mandatory involvement in vaccine trials is... perhaps more akin to military conscription... In both conscription and obligatory trial participation, individuals have little or no choice regarding involvement and face inherent risks over which they have no control, all for the greater good of society."

Medical Tyranny of the Worst Kind!

From my perspective, the idea of compulsory involvement in vaccine trials "for the greater good of society" is not only outlandish, it's a complete abomination. It's tyranny of the worst kind, and the epitome of a heartless system based on broken ethics. Sadly, there are signs that we're already sliding in that direction. For example, consider the fact that the US government has already ok'd the testing of the incredibly controversial and dangerous anthrax vaccine on infants. And the fact that when 14 babies died in an Argentinean vaccine trial, the drug company, GlaxoSmithKline, was fined a measly $250,000.

Download Interview Transcript

Again and again, we see that life is not valued as highly as the prospects or promises of financial profits... Human experimentation -- the practice of subjecting live human beings to science experiments that are sometimes cruel, painful, or deadly -- is a shameful part of U.S. history that you won't find in most history or science books. But it is a practice that is still continuing to this day, and if Susanne Sheehy and Joel Meyer, the authors of the featured paper, have anything to say about it, medical experimentation on ALL infants would not only be possible, it would be mandatory! Folks, this is an absolute nightmare; one that I hope will never actually come to fruition.

Know Your Rights!

While you may one day have to opt out of vaccine trials for your child, we're not quite there yet. However, you do need to educate yourself about your rights when it comes to vaccinating your child. There are currently three different types of exemptions you can use to avoid vaccinations of all kinds:

* Religious exemption
* Medical exemption
* Philosophical/conscientious exemption

Download Interview Transcript

Unfortunately, the religious exemption is being targeted for elimination by lobbyists working for pharmaceutical corporations and medical trade associations funded by Pharma. In some states, like New York, parents are being grilled about the sincerity of their religious beliefs by state officials and denied religious exemptions to vaccination for the purpose of barring their partially vaccinated or unvaccinated children from attending public schools.

All 50 states allow a medical exemption to vaccination if you or your child has a verifiable medical reason to defer or avoid use of one or more vaccines. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have eliminated most of the officially recognized contraindications for vaccination, to the point that almost no medical condition qualifies for a medical exemption to vaccination...

Still, depending on where you live, you may have the option of using a philosophical or conscientious belief exemption. This exemption, like the religious exemption, is under attack by forced vaccination proponents. Only 18 states (listed below) still allow conscientious, personal or philosophical belief exemption to vaccination. These states come the closest to protecting a citizen's right to exercise voluntary, informed consent to vaccination in America:

Arizona California Colorado
Idaho Louisiana Maine
Michigan Minnesota New Mexico
North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma
Rhode Island Texas Utah
Vermont Washington Wisconsin
What You Can Do to Make a Difference

While it seems "old-fashioned," the only truly effective actions you can take to protect the right to informed consent to vaccination and expand vaccine exemptions, is to get personally involved with your state legislators and the leaders in your community.

THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY.

Mass vaccination policies are made at the federal level but vaccine laws are made at the state level, and it is at the state level where your action to protect your vaccine choice rights can have the greatest impact.


Signing up for NVIC's free Advocacy Portal at http://www.NVICAdvocacy.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; not only gives you access to practical, useful information to help you become an effective vaccine choice advocate in your own community, but when national vaccine issues come up, you will have the up-to-date information and call to action items you need at your fingertips to make sure your voice is heard.

So please, as your first step, sign up for the NVIC Advocacy Portal.

Contact Your Elected Officials

NVIC will help educate you about how to write or email your elected state representatives and share your concerns. You might even want to call them, or better yet, make an appointment to visit them in person in their office. Don't let them forget you!

It is so important for you to reach out and make sure your concerns get on the radar screen of the leaders and opinion makers in your community, especially the politicians you elect and are directly involved in making vaccine laws in your state. These are your elected representatives, so you have a right and a responsibility to let them know what's really happening in your life and the lives of people you know when it comes to vaccine mandates. Be sure to share the "real life" experiences that you or people you know have had with vaccination.

Internet Resources Where You Can Learn More

I encourage you to visit the following web pages on the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) website at http://www.NVIC.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;:

* NVIC Memorial for Vaccine Victims: View descriptions and photos of children and adults, who have suffered vaccine reactions, injuries and deaths. If you or your child experiences an adverse vaccine event, please consider posting and sharing your story here.
* If You Vaccinate, Ask 8 Questions: Learn how to recognize vaccine reaction symptoms and prevent vaccine injuries.
* Vaccine Freedom Wall: View or post descriptions of harassment by doctors or state officials for making independent vaccine choices.

Connect with Your Doctor or Find a New One that Will Listen and Care

If your pediatrician or doctor refuses to provide medical care to you or your child unless you agree to get vaccines you don't want, I strongly encourage you to have the courage to find another doctor. Harassment, intimidation, and refusal of medical care is becoming the modus operandi of the medical establishment in an effort to stop the change in attitude of many parents about vaccinations after they become truly educated about health and vaccination.

If you are treated with disrespect or are harassed in any way by a doctor (or government official), do not engage in an unproductive argument. You may want to contact an attorney, your elected state representatives or local media if you or your child are threatened.

However, there is hope.

At least 15 percent of young doctors recently polled admit that they're starting to adopt a more individualized approach to vaccinations in direct response to the vaccine safety concerns of parents. It is good news that there is a growing number of smart young doctors, who prefer to work as partners with parents in making personalized vaccine decisions for children, including delaying vaccinations or giving children fewer vaccines on the same day or continuing to provide medical care for those families, who decline use of one or more vaccines.

So take the time to locate a doctor, who treats you with compassion and respect and is willing to work with you to do what is right for your child.


References:

* 1 Virtual Mentor. January 2012, Volume 14, Number 1: 35-38

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

WHAT MAKES US FAT?
By Dr. Mercola

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a complex group of compounds formed when sugar reacts with amino acids.

This can occur both in the food you eat, and inside your body.

It's is a fitting acronym because – along with oxidation – it's one of the major molecular mechanisms whereby damage accrues in your body, which leads to disease, aging, and eventually, death.

For example, there is mounting evidence that AGEs may be implicated in the development of the chronic degenerative diseases associated with aging, including but not limited to:

* Cardiovascular disease
* Alzheimer's disease, and
* Diabetes

Several studies have shown that restricting the consumption of AGEs can lead to an increased lifespan in animal models.

According to a paper that summarizes recent research on AGEsi:

"... [T]he data are supportive that endogenous AGEs are associated with declining organ functioning. It appears that dietary AGEs may also be related.

... As of today, restriction of dietary intake of AGEs and exercise has been shown to safely reduce circulating AGEs, with further reduction in oxidative stress and inflammatory markers."

Why Limiting Sugar is Key for Longevity

Limiting sugar in your diet is a well-known key to longevity, because of all the molecules capable of inflicting damage in your body, sugar molecules are probably the most damaging of all. Fructose in particular is an extremely potent pro-inflammatory agent that creates AGEs and speeds up the aging process. It also promotes the kind of dangerous growth of fat cells around your vital organs that are the hallmark of diabetes and heart disease. In one study on fructose, 16 volunteers on a controlled diet including high levels of fructose produced new fat cells around their heart, liver and other digestive organs in just 10 weeks!

Sugar/fructose also increases your insulin and leptin levels and decreases receptor sensitivity for both of these vital hormones, and this is another major factor of premature aging and age-related chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease. Keep in mind that while it's perfectly normal for your blood sugar levels to rise slightly after every meal, it is not natural or healthy when your blood sugar levels become excessively elevated and stay that way.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what will happen if you're eating like the stereotypical American, who consumes a staggering 2.5 pounds of sugar a week on average!

And when you add in other low-quality carb foods such as white bread, sugar, pasta, pastries, cookies, and candy, which also break down to sugar in your body, it's not so difficult to see why so many Americans are in such poor health.

This type of high-sugar (high-carb) diet is also what's driving the obesity epidemic—not diets high in fat....

User avatar
bobhenstra
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 7236
Location: Central Utah

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by bobhenstra »

Hmmm, AGE's causes age--makes sense! :)

Bob

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

This from Dr Mercola 26 Feb 2012 is right in line with threads around here -- FOOD and what Cargill and Monsanto are doing to us... with cooperation from the feds... There is also a video called FRESH, see link:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/artic ... _SNL_Art_1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
By Dr. Mercola

The "faster, bigger, cheaper" approach to food is slowly draining dry our planet's resources and compromising your health.

The Earth's soil is depleting at more than 13 percent the rate it can be replaced.

The documentary "FRESH" celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.

The film demonstrates how we can collectively transform the current "industrial agricultural paradigm" into a healthier, more sustainable way of feeding the world, while restoring the health of our ailing planet.

I hope you will set aside the time to watch it, as it will be time well spent.

We have already lost 75 percent of the world's crop varieties over the last century.

Over the past 10 years, we've had 100 million tons of herbicides dumped onto our crops, polluting our soil and streams.

The agriculture industry now tries to convince us that housing 110,000 to more than one million chickens or 20,000 hogs in a warehouse is a necessary practice to feed the masses.

The quality of our food is in free-fall, and disease is rampant. Not to mention that the quality of life for those animals is so horrid that many people cannot bear to look. Meanwhile, the human population on our little blue globe continues to rise, recently topping 7 billion souls. We simply cannot sustain this growth with our current model. If we continue along the present path, world hunger will continue to escalate without a viable way to meet the need.

Forging more sustainable alternatives is imperative if we hope to survive.

As illuminated in the film, one of the major issues is that farmers have been forced into the practice of monoculture, or monocropping, which is detrimental to our soil, water, plants, and animals—and therefore detrimental to us.

Playing "Chicken" with Mother Nature

In the words of Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and a number of other bestsellers: "Mother Nature destroys monocultures." What is a monoculture? Monoculture (or monocropping) is defined as the high-yield agricultural practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land, in the absence of rotation through other crops. Corn, soybeans, wheat, and to some degree rice, are the most common crops grown with monocropping techniques. In fact, corn, wheat and rice now account for 60 percent of human caloric intake, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

By contrast, polyculture (the traditional rotation of crops and livestock) better serves both land and people. Polyculture evolved to meet the complete nutritional needs of a local community. Polyculture, when done mindfully, automatically replenishes what is taken out, which makes it sustainable with minimal effort.

Some critics of monocropping claim it even contributes to unsustainable population growth and mass starvation. According to an article on GreenFudge.org, monoculture is detrimental to the environment for a number of reasons, including the following:

* It damages soil ecology by depleting and reducing the diversity of soil nutrients
* It creates an unbuffered niche for parasitic species to take over, making crops more vulnerable to opportunistic pathogens that can quickly wipe out an entire crop
* It increases dependency on chemical pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
* It increases reliance on expensive specialized farm equipment and machinery that require heavy use of fossil fuels
* It destroys biodiversity

The Most Famous Monoculture Disaster: The Great Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s

Monoculture farming practices have sadly resulted in a widespread shift away from sustainable family farms and local foods, and toward industrialized agriculture, massive farming complexes, and confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), all driven by large corporations whose chief motivation is maximizing profit. Countless small independent family farms have been squeezed out by "Big Ag" and replaced by massive monocultural operations.

Thousands of animals in small spaces means large quantities of antibiotics are needed to prevent rampant disease. Outbreaks of mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), salmonella, E. coli, avian flu, and campylobacteriosis are all products of industrialized food production. Antibiotics are fed to livestock and poultry to ward off low-grade infection. Weak strains of pathogens are killed off, allowing strong strains to mutate and become even stronger. You consume these bacterial strains in your meat, which then contribute to the spread of infections that are increasingly resistant to the antibiotics your physician prescribes...

The Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s is a perfect example of how monocropping can lead to disaster.

Lack of genetic variation in Irish potatoes was a major contributor to the severity of the famine, allowing potato blight to decimate Irish potato crops. The blight resulted in the starvation of almost one of every eight people in Ireland during a three-year period. But the greatest shortcoming of monocrops may lie in the compromised quality of those foods, and the long-term effect that has on your health.

There's No Such Thing as Cheap Food

Food is most nutritious in its whole, fresh form. This is why local food is more healthful. Freshness means better taste AND better nutrition. The more you process food, the less nutritional it is. The greater the variety in your diet, the better nourished your body will be. Supermarkets are full of processed foods whose nutrients have been expunged in the name of "convenience."

Michael Pollan said it best:

"Cheap food is an illusion. There is no such thing as cheap food. The real cost of the food is paid somewhere. And if it isn't paid at the cash register, it's charged to the environment or to the public purse in the form of subsidies. And it's charged to your health."

In other words, pay now or pay later. Consider organic eggs, for example. They cost more, but they're WORTH more. Organic free-range eggs are far richer in omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, and vitamins A and E—a 79-cent cage egg just can't compete. Grass-fed beef contains three to five times as much CLA as cheap, conventional corn-fed beef.

But there are people who cannot afford high quality food at these prices. In today's environment, organic food is expensive to put on the dinner table because it's expensive to produce. And millions of Americans live in "food deserts" where fresh produce is hard to find but processed food is available everywhere. You can find Ramen noodles, but you can't find an apple.

Enterprising Farmers Show the Impossible is Possible

Virginia farmer Joel Salatin, featured in the films "FRESH" and "Food, Inc.," is a living example of how incredibly successful and sustainable natural farming can be. He produces beef, chicken, eggs, turkey, rabbits and vegetables. Yet, Joel calls himself a grass-farmer, for it is the grass that transforms the sun into energy that his animals then feed on. By closely observing nature, Joel created a rotational grazing system that not only allows the land to heal but also allows the animals to behave the way the were meant to—expressing their "chicken-ness" or "pig-ness," as Joel would say.

Cows are moved every day, which mimics their natural patterns and promotes revegetation. Sanitation is accomplished by birds. The birds (chickens and turkeys) arrive three days after the cows leave—via the Eggmobile—and scratch around in the pasture, doing what chickens do best.

No pesticides. No herbicides. No antibiotics. No seed spreading. Salatin hasn't planted a seed or purchased a chemical fertilizer in 50 years. He just lets herbivores be herbivores and cooperates with nature, instead of fighting it. It's a different and refreshing philosophy.

Instead of making 150 dollars per acre per year from a crop that produces food for three months, but lays fallow for the rest of the year, he's making $3,000 per acre by rotating crops throughout the year, thereby making use of his land all 12 months—and maintaining its ecological balance at the same time. This generates complimentary income streams. But can the entire world be fed this way?

Monocropping is More Productive and More Profitable… WRONG!

Proponents of monocropping argue that crop specialization is the only way to feed the masses, that it's far more profitable than having small independent farms in every township. But is this really true? Recent studies suggest just the opposite!

Studies are showing that medium sized organic farms are far more profitable than ANY sized industrial agricultural operation.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (results published in 2008 in the Agronomy Journal) found that traditional organic farming techniques of planting a variety of plants to ward off pests is more profitable than monocropping. The organic systems resulted in higher profits than "continuous corn, no-till corn and soybeans, and intensively managed alfalfa."

Rotational grazing of dairy cows was also shown to be more profitable. The researchers concluded:

"Under the market scenarios that prevailed between 1993 and 2006, intensive rotational grazing and organic grain and forage systems were the most profitable systems on highly productive land in southern Wisconsin."

The research team also concluded that government policies supporting monoculture are "outdated," and that it's time for support to be shifted toward programs that promote crop rotation and organic farming.

As it turns out, when you eliminate the agricultural chemicals, antibiotics, veterinary treatments, specialized machinery and multi-million dollar buildings, fuel costs, insurance costs, and the rest of the steep financial requirements of a big industrial operation, your cost of producing food makes a welcome dive into the doable. And did I mention… the food from organic farms is better? So, if small to medium-scale organic farming is more profitable, why aren't all farmers doing it?

Government Subsidies and Food Processing Monopolies have a Chokehold on American Farmers

The government is subsidizing the makers of high fructose corn syrup but doing nothing to subsidize the growers of healthy, fresh produce. That's issue number one. The second issue is that a very small number of very large companies control the food chain, from seed to plate.
Farmers are held captive by huge food processing companies you may have never heard of, because they sell very few products directly to the general public.

Two major players are ADM (Archer Daniels Midland Company) and Cargill, each having ENORMOUS power in agriculture. Current.com reports Cargill has greater interests in soybean production and trade than any other company on the planet. Cargill is responsible for more than 75 percent of Argentina's grain and oilseed production and has partnered with the Gates Foundation to introduce similar soybean monoculture to Africa.

So, here's how it works…

Food processors, like ADM and Cargill, sell the farmers seed, fertilizers and pesticides. Then when the crops come in, those food processors turn around and buy the corn and soy, processing it into high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil that they then sell to huge food industry clients, like fast food chains. They also own feedlots. According to "FRESH," 83 percent of commercial beef in the U.S. is processed by just three meat processors.

These players tell the farmers that, if they want to play the game, they play by their rules or not at all. These food-processing monopolies also promote GMOs. In 1998, Monsanto partnered with Cargill to develop and distribute genetically modified food and feed products. We need to level the playing field.
Growing a Movement

Farmers and lovers of real food, such as those portrayed in this film, show us that change IS possible. But your help is needed! As was suggested in the documentary, if each of you purchased only 10 dollars of food each week from your local farmer's market or organic food stand, the market impact would be tremendous. There are "10 FRESH actions" you can take in order to live a more sustainable lifestyle:

1. Buy local products whenever possible. Otherwise, buy organic and fair-trade products.
2. Shop at your local farmers market, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), or buy from local grocers and co-ops committed to selling local foods.
3. Support restaurants and food vendors that buy locally produced food.
4. Avoid genetically engineered (GMO) foods. Buying certified organic ensures your food is non-GM.
5. Cook, can, ferment, dry and freeze. Return to the basics of cooking, and pass these skills on to your children.
6. Drink plenty of water, but avoid bottled water whenever possible, and do invest in a high quality water filter to filter the water from your tap.
7. Grow your own garden, or volunteer at a community garden. Teach your children how to garden and where their food comes from.
8. Volunteer and/or financially support an organization committed to promoting a sustainable food system.
9. Get involved in your community. Influence what your child eats by engaging the school board. Effect city policies by learning about zoning and attending city council meetings. Learn about the federal policies that affect your food choice, and let your congressperson know what you think.
10. Spread the word! Share this article with your friends, family, and everyone else you know.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

This weekend, Dr. Mercola talks about Bill Gates and Monsanto, and warns about GMO foods. Interesting read:
By Dr. Mercola

Above, ABC's "Nightline," Bill Weir talks with Microsoft founder Bill Gates about his charitable endeavors.

Gates' latest plan is to try to end world hunger by growing more genetically modified (GM) crops.

He's already invested $27 million into Monsanto Company—leading some countries to reject his charity due to the high risks, such as:

* New disease vectors
* Mutated pesticide-resistant insects
* Resistant "superweeds"
* Contamination of surrounding non-GM crops

We already know how deeply entrenched the U.S. government has become with Monsanto.

For a visual illustration of their 'revolving-door-relationship' with the governmental regulatory agencies, see the graph toward the bottom of this article.

It is this type of government infiltration that allowed genetically engineered alfalfa to be approved without any restrictions at all, despite the protests of the organic community and public comments from a quarter of a million concerned citizens.

In Bill Gates, Monsanto also has one of the wealthiest and most influential "philanthropists" supporting their agenda and spreading misleading propaganda about their products.

In recent years, it has become disappointingly clear that Gates may be leading the pack as one of the most destructive "do-gooders" on the planet... His views on what is required to make a difference in poverty- and disease-stricken third world nations are short-sighted and misinformed at best. A recent article in the Seattle Times1 joins me in arguing that Bill Gates' support of genetically modified (GM) crops as a solution for world hunger is based on unsound science. A team of 900 scientists funded by the World Bank and United Nations, investigated the matter over the course of three years, and determined that the use of GM crops is simply NOT a meaningful solution to the complex situation of world hunger.

Instead, the scientists suggested that "agro-ecological" methods would provide the most viable means to ensure global food security, including the use of traditional seed varieties and local farming practices already adapted to the local ecology.

"Philanthropy is the Enemy of Justice"

In a recent article with the same headline, "Philanthropy is the Enemy of Justice", Robert Newman criticizes2 the choice of Bill Gates as the designated "voice" of the world's poor at the World Economic Forum, held in January.

"Am I saying that philanthropy has never done good? No, it has achieved many wonderful things... But beware the havoc that power without oversight and democratic control can wreak," Newman writes.

"The biotech agriculture that Lord Sainsbury was unable to push through democratically he can now implement unilaterally, through his Gatsby Foundation. We are told that Gatsby's biotech project aims to provide food security for the global south. But if you listen to southern groups such as the Karnataka State Farmers of India, food security is precisely the reason they campaign against GM, because biotech crops are monocrops which are more vulnerable to disease and so need lashings of petrochemical pesticides, insecticides and fungicides – none of them cheap – and whose ruinous costs will rise with the price of oil, bankrupting small family farms first. Crop diseases mutate, meanwhile, and all the chemical inputs in the world can't stop disease wiping out whole harvests of genetically engineered single strands.

Both the Gatsby and the Bill and Melinda Gates foundations are keen to get deeper into agriculture, especially in Africa. But top-down nostrums for the rural poor don't end well."

I agree. Donating patented seeds, which takes away the farmers' sovereignty, is not the way to save the third-world poor. As reported by Netline last year3, Monsanto and other biotech companies have collaborated with the Gates Foundation via the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to promote the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in Africa. The Gates Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to AGRA, and in 2006 Robert Horsch was hired for the AGRA project. Horsch was a Monsanto executive for 25 years. In a nutshell, the project may be sold under the banner of altruism and 'sustainability', but in reality it's anything but. It's just a multi-billion dollar enterprise to transform Africa into a GM-crop-friendly continent.

Conflicts of Interest Abound

Gates' philanthropic methods came under scrutiny back in August 2010, when it was discovered that The Gates Foundation had purchased 500,000 shares of Monsanto stock;
dramatically increasing its previous holdings—and hence its financial conflicts of interest—in the biotech firm. AGRA-Watch commented on the ties stating4:

"The Foundation's direct investment in Monsanto is problematic on two primary levels," said Dr. Phil Bereano, University of Washington Professor Emeritus and recognized expert on genetic engineering.

"First, Monsanto has a history of blatant disregard for the interests and well-being of small farmers around the world, as well as an appalling environmental track record. The strong connections to Monsanto cast serious doubt on the Foundation's heavy funding of agricultural development in Africa and purported goal of alleviating poverty and hunger among small-scale farmers. Second, this investment represents an enormous conflict of interests."

It would be naive to think that all these philanthropic collaborations are designed to solve any problem besides how to help Monsanto monopolize the world's food supply with expensive patented GM seeds, and the herbicides to go with them.


In the interview above, Gates claims the seeds would be donated to the impoverished areas in question. But seriously, how long would the seeds remain free? There's rarely such a thing as a free lunch anymore, and it appears highly unlikely that Monsanto is poised to "feed Africa" indefinitely... And since you cannot save Monsanto's seeds from year to year, they will literally own the areas and the people they temporarily donate their seeds to. And once you own the rights to all the food grown around the globe, you literally rule the world.

That appears to be the goal. And only sane, rational, thinking people can stop them. It's really too bad that Gates has signed up as a lackey for "the Dark Side," as it were, instead of using his unfathomable wealth to really create positive, sustainable change.

It's an undisputed fact at this point that the introduction of genetically engineered crops lead to diminished biodiversity, which is the direct opposite of what the world needs. Truly, in order to save the planet and ourselves, small-scale organic and sustainable farming must not only prevail but flourish, and GM crops do not help, but rather threaten their existence. Seeds have always been sold and swapped freely between farmers, preserving biodiversity, and without that basis, you cannot have food sovereignty. And with fewer farmers, "feeding the hungry with GM crops" is nothing but a pipe dream.

Both Genetically Engineered Seeds and Herbicides Pose Risks to Environment and Human Health

Besides the threat to the environment and to agricultural practices, GM crops also bring a whole host of health concerns; not just from the GM seeds, but also from the herbicide used: Monsanto's Roundup. It's the world's best-selling herbicide, which is designed to be partnered with genetically engineered "Roundup Ready" crops.

According to a shocking report5, regulators were aware as early as 1980 that glyphosate, the active chemical ingredient of Roundup, caused birth defects in lab animals. However, the information was not made public. Instead, regulators misled the public about glyphosate's safety,
and with the introduction of Roundup Ready crops, the use of Roundup has skyrocketed.

According to Monsanto. NO6:

"Dr. Andres Carrasco, a lead embryologist at the University of Bueno Aires Medical School and the Argentinean national research council, discovered that glyphosate-based herbicides like Monsanto's Roundup formula caused deformations in chicken embryos that resembled the kind of birth defects which where reported in areas like La Leonesa, where big agribusinesses depend on glyphosate to treat genetically engineered crops."

Golden Rice: a "Trojan Horse"

The idea that you can end world hunger with genetically engineered crops is simply not very well thought through. Last summer, I reported on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's donation of $20 million toward the development of so-called "golden rice"—yet another untested GM crop that risks bringing economic and ecological disaster. Golden rice has been genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene, which your body can convert to vitamin A. It's been promoted as a way to alleviate vitamin A deficiency, which is common in developing countries where people don't have regular access to beta-carotene-rich foods, like vegetables and fruits.

However, while this sounds all well and good in theory, the reality of a beta-carotene producing rice may not be all it's cracked up to be. According to Food Freedom7:

"Golden rice is a Trojan horse for pushing through GE-friendly biosafety regulations under the guise of humanitarian aid. Once in place, these regulations open the door for the biotech industry to bring in commercial, patented GE crops; USAID and Monsanto accomplished exactly this in Kenya with their sweet potato project."

It may be easier to see why so many people question this kind of philanthropy once you understand a bit more about the product itself, and why it likely cannot ever live up to its own hype. In this case, your body can only convert beta-carotene to vitamin A under certain conditions. Specifically, beta-carotene is fat-soluble, which means dietary fat is required for your body to convert it into vitamin A. But many people in developing countries eat very low-fat diets, as they simply do not have access to animal foods or other fat on a regular basis. Furthermore, malnourished people might not be able to convert beta carotene to vitamin A efficiently, so taken as a whole, the actual usefulness of golden rice is debatable.

The soundness of the idea becomes even more questionable when you consider the unrealistic amounts of rice you'd have to consume each day to obtain the recommended amount of vitamin A. As stated in a golden rice case study from Iowa State University8:

"Even if golden rice is successfully introduced … a woman would need to eat 16 lbs. of cooked rice every day in order to get sufficient Vitamin A, if golden rice were her only source of the nutrient. A child would need 12 lbs." [Emphasis mine]

What people in the developing world need in order to receive ample dietary vitamin A is access to a diverse range of nutritious foods -- including animal products like eggs, cheese and meat and vegetables such as dark leafy greens and sweet potatoes. This is the type of diet that is attained from biodiverse farming -- the opposite of what will occur if GM crops like golden rice get planted on a large scale.

Learn More about Genetically Engineered Foods

Many Americans are still unfamiliar with what GE foods are, which is understandable when you consider that these foods do not need to be labeled in the U.S. We have a plan to change that, and I urge you to participate, and to continue learning more about genetically engineered foods and associated risks, and help your friends and family do the same.

To start, please print out and use the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, created by the Institute for Responsible Technology. Share it with your friends and family, and post it to your social networks. You can also download a free iPhone application, available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications.

An even better strategy is to simply buy USDA 100% Organic products whenever possible, (as these do not permit GM ingredients) or buy whole fresh produce and meat from local farmers. The majority of the GMO's (genetically modified organism) you're exposed to are via processed foods, so by cooking from scratch with whole foods, you can be sure you're not inadvertently consuming something laced with GM ingredients. When you do purchase processed food, avoid products containing anything related to corn or soy that are not 100 percent organic, as any foods containing these two non-organic ingredients are virtually guaranteed to contain genetically engineered ingredients, as well as toxic herbicide residues.

To learn more about GM foods, I highly recommend number of great films and lectures available, including:

* Hidden Dangers in Kid's Meals
* Your Milk on Drugs - Just Say No!
* Everything You Have to Know About Dangerous Genetically Modified Foods

Does Monsanto "Own" the U.S. Government?

Is sure seems like it at times. Genetically engineered seeds are now banned in Hungary, as they are in several other European countries, such as Germany and Ireland. Peru is also following the precautionary principle, and has even passed a law that bans genetically modified ingredients within the nation for 10 years9.

In the U.S., however, the opposite to consumer protection is taking place, with certain states actually passing legislation that protects the use of GM seeds and allows for unabated expansion! To date, 14 states have passed such legislation and Michigan's Sen. Bill 777, if passed, would make that 15.


The Michigan bill would prevent anti-GMO laws and would remove "any authority local governments may have to adopt and enforce ordinances that prohibit or regulate the labeling, sale, storage, transportation, distribution, use, or planting of agricultural, vegetable, flower or forest tree seeds." Bills like these are obviously music to Monsanto's ears, which spends millions of dollars lobbying the U.S. government at the federal level for favorable legislation that supports the spread of their toxic products. In the first quarter of 2011 alone, Monsanto spent $1.4 million on lobbying the federal government -- a drop from the year before, when they spent $2.5 million during the same quarter.

If we all had several million to spend on lobbying efforts, the world would undoubtedly be a very different place... If you aren't familiar with the power of lobbying please view the recent 60 minutes expansion on it, which is one of the best 60 Minute episodes I have seen in 40 years.

Not only that, but once you realize just how many of Monsanto's employees have simply shifted into positions of power within the federal government, it suddenly becomes easy to understand how this biotech giant has managed to so successfully undermine common sense within the U.S. government.

Your Opportunity to Eliminate Genetically Engineered Foods from the U.S.

In 2007, then-Presidential candidate Obama promised to "immediately" require GM labeling if elected. So far, nothing of the sort has transpired.

Labeling of genetically engineered food is way overdue... Here's how you can get involved to rectify the situation:

* Whether you live in California or not, please donate money to this historic effort
* Talk to organic producers and stores and ask them to actively support the California Ballot. It may be the only chance we have to label genetically engineered foods.
* Distribute WIDELY the Non-GMO Shopping Guide to help you identify and avoid foods with GMOs. Look for products (including organic products) that feature the Non-GMO Project Verified Seal to be sure that at-risk ingredients have been tested for GMO content. You can also download the free iPhone application that is available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications.
* For timely updates, please join the Organic Consumers Association on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
* Look for in-depth coverage of the issue at the Institute for Responsible Technology, subscribe to Spilling the Beans, and check out their Facebook or Twitter.

In the meantime, the simplest way to avoid genetically engineered foods is to buy whole, certified organic foods. By definition, foods that are certified organic must never intentionally use genetically engineeredorganisms, must be produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and come from an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs. Additionally, grass-fed beef will not have been fed genetically engineeredcorn feed, although now that genetically engineeredalfalfa is approved, grass-fed will not always mean they animals have not consumed genetically engineered feeds..

Be assured that what happens in California will affect the remainder of the U.S., so please support this important state initiative, even if you do not live there!

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

About the use of salt and natural-salt:
The Guilty Pleasure that Could Save You From Heart Disease
Posted By Dr. Mercola | March 05 2012 | 61,343 views

Story at-a-glance

* Salt is an essential nutrient required for blood pressure regulation, transportation of nutrients into and out of your cells, ion exchange, and brain-muscle communication.
* Decades of scientific research have failed to show the benefits of a low-salt diet, and in fact tend to show the opposite. Low-salt diets are associated with higher cardiac risk across multiple studies.
* All salts are not equal, in terms of their impact on your health. Processed (table) salt is health harming, while natural unprocessed salt is not only healing, but in fact essential for many biological functions

By Dr. Mercola

For many decades now, U.S. policy makers have been attempting to get Americans to eat less salt. But the drive to do this has little basis in science.

In fact, a recent meta-analysis by the Cochrane Review involving a total of 6,250 subjects found no strong evidence that cutting salt intake reduces the risk for heart attacks, strokes or death.1

Another study published last year found that lower salt consumption actually increased your risk of death from heart disease.2

A review of the available research reveals that much of the science behind the supposed link between salt and high blood pressure is dubious at best.

According to Scientific American:3

"Intersalt, a large study published in 19884, compared sodium intake with blood pressure in subjects from 52 international research centers and found no relationship between sodium intake and the prevalence of hypertension.

In fact, the population that ate the most salt, about 14 grams a day, had a lower median blood pressure than the population that ate the least, about 7.2 grams a day...

Studies that have explored the direct relationship between salt and heart disease have not fared much better... For every study that suggests that salt is unhealthy, another does not."

The Tenuous Link Between Salt and Heart Disease

Melinda Moyer, writing for Scientific American, points out that the evidence linking salt to high blood pressure and heart disease has always been on the flimsy side, stating:5

"Fears over salt first surfaced more than a century ago. In 1904 French doctors reported that six of their subjects who had high blood pressure—a known risk factor for heart disease—were salt fiends. Worries escalated in the 1970s when Brookhaven National Laboratory's Lewis Dahl claimed that he had "unequivocal" evidence that salt causes hypertension: he induced high blood pressure in rats by feeding them the human equivalent of 500 grams of sodium a day. (Today the average American consumes 3.4 grams of sodium, or 8.5 grams of salt, a day.)

Dahl also discovered population trends that continue to be cited as strong evidence of a link between salt intake and high blood pressure. People living in countries with a high salt consumption—such as Japan—also tend to have high blood pressure and more strokes.

But as a paper pointed out several years later in the American Journal of Hypertension, scientists had little luck finding such associations when they compared sodium intakes within populations, which suggested that genetics or other cultural factors might be the culprit. Nevertheless, in 1977 the U.S. Senate's Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs released a report recommending that Americans cut their salt intake by 50 to 85 percent, based largely on Dahl's work."

This is certainly not the first time a stubborn dogmatic belief has grown out of a hypothesis that later turned out to be incorrect. The same applies to the saturated-fat-is-bad-for-your-heart myth, which is based on cherry-picked data… Since the days of Lewis Dahl, a long list of studies has failed to prove ANY benefits of a low-salt diet, and in fact many tend to show the opposite. In addition to the ones already mentioned above, the following studies also came up with negative results:

* A 2004 meta analysis by the Cochrane Collaboration reviewed 11 salt-reduction trials and found that, in otherwise healthy people, over the long-term, low-salt diets decreased systolic blood pressure by 1.1 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure by 0.6 mmHg. That equates to reducing your blood pressure from 120/80 to 119/79.6 In conclusion, the authors stated that:

"Intensive interventions, unsuited to primary care or population prevention programs, provide only minimal reductions in blood pressure during long-term trials."
* A 2003 Cochrane review of 57 short-term studies concluded that "there is little evidence for long-term benefit from reducing salt intake."7
* A 2006 study in the American Journal of Medicine study compared the reported daily sodium intakes of 78 million Americans to their risk of dying from heart disease over the course of 14 years. The study concluded that lower sodium diets led to HIGHER mortality rates among those with cardiovascular disease, which "raised questions regarding the likelihood of a survival advantage accompanying a lower sodium diet."8

For an even more comprehensive list of research, please see this previous article.

Not All Salt is Created Equal

Not only is salt relatively benign, it's actually a nutritional goldmine, IF you consume the right kind. Modern table salt has very little in common with natural, unrefined salt. The first will damage you health while the latter is profoundly healing. Here's a quick break-down of their basic ingredients:

* Natural salt: 84 percent sodium chloride, 16 percent naturally-occurring trace minerals, including silicon, phosphorous and vanadium

* Processed (table) salt: 97.5 percent sodium chloride, 2.5 percent man-made chemicals, such as moisture absorbents and flow agents. These are dangerous chemicals like ferrocyanide and aluminosilicate. A small amount of iodine may also be added

(Some European countries, where water fluoridation is not practiced, also add fluoride to table salt. In France, 35 percent of table salt sold contains either sodium fluoride or potassium fluoride and use of fluoridated salt is widespread in South America)

The processing also radically alters the structure of the salt. Refined table salt is dried above 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, and this excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure of the salt.9

The Healing Benefits of Unrefined Natural Salt
Being a major component of your blood plasma, lymphatic fluid, extracellular fluid, and even amniotic fluid Carrying nutrients into and out of your cells, and helping maintain your acid-base balance Increasing the glial cells in your brain, which are responsible for creative thinking and long-term planning. Both sodium and chloride are also necessary for the firing of neurons
Maintain and help regulate blood pressure Helping your brain communicate with your muscles, so that you can move on demand via sodium-potassium ion exchange Supporting the function of you adrenal glands, which produce dozens of vital hormones

Unrefined natural salt is important to many biological processes, however, for every gram of excess sodium chloride that your body has to neutralize, it uses up 23 grams of cellular water. Hence, eating too much common processed salt will cause fluid to accumulate in your tissues, which may contribute to:

* Unsightly cellulite
* Rheumatism, arthritis and gout
* Kidney and gall bladder stones
* Hypertension (high blood pressure)

The Importance of Maintaining Optimal Sodium-Potassium Ratio

While natural unprocessed salt has many health benefits and is indeed essential for life, that does not mean you should ingest it with impunity. Another important factor is the potassium to sodium ratio of your diet. Imbalance in this ratio can not only lead to hypertension (high blood pressure) but also contribute to a number of other diseases, including:

Heart disease and stroke Memory decline Osteoporosis Ulcers and stomach cancer
Kidney stones Cataracts Erectile dysfunction Rheumatoid arthritis

The easiest way to achieve this imbalance is by consuming a diet of processed foods, which are notoriously low in potassium while high in sodium…
According to a 1985 article in The New England Journal of Medicine, titled "Paleolithic Nutrition," our ancient ancestors got about 11,000 mg of potassium a day, and about 700 mg of sodium.10 This equates to a potassium over sodium factor of nearly 16. Compare that to today's modern diet where daily potassium consumption averages about 2,500 mg (the RDA is 4,700 mg/day), along with 4,000 mg of sodium… If you eat a diet of processed foods, you can be virtually guaranteed that your potassium-sodium ratio is upside-down.

This may also explain why high-sodium diets appear to affect some people but not others. According to a recent federal study into sodium and potassium intake, those at greatest risk of cardiovascular disease were those who got too much sodium along with too little potassium. The research, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in July of last year11, was one of the first and largest U.S. studies to evaluate the relationship of salt, potassium and heart disease deaths.

Mike Stobbe reported on the study in an article for the Huffington Post:12

"If you have too much sodium and too little potassium, it's worse than either one on its own," said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City's health commissioner, who has led efforts to get the public to eat less salt… "Potassium may neutralize the heart-damaging effects of salt," said Dr. Elena Kuklina, one of the study's authors at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention… The research found people who eat a lot of salt and very little potassium were more than twice as likely to die from a heart attack as those who ate about equal amounts of both nutrients. Such a dietary imbalance posed a greater risk than simply eating too much salt, according to the study."

So, how do you ensure you get these two important nutrients in more appropriate ratios? Ditch processed foods, which are very high in processed salt and low in potassium and other essential nutrients, and eat a diet of whole, unprocessed foods, ideally organically-grown to ensure optimal nutrient content. This type of diet will naturally provide much larger amounts of potassium in relation to sodium.

About 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed foods and more than 75 percent of the sodium in the U.S. diet comes from processed foods, so it's easy to see how this kind of diet can lead to lopsided sodium-potassium ratios. Emerging evidence suggests that this ratio is actually crucial for improving health, and the way to optimize potassium intake is by increasing consumption of vegetables, which are the highest sources of potassium.

Why You Need Potassium…

Your body needs potassium to maintain proper pH levels in your body fluids, and it also plays an integral role in helping regulate your blood pressure. It is possible that potassium deficiency may be more responsible for hypertension, rather than excess sodium, as it also affects your:

* Bone mass
* Nervous system
* Muscle function
* Heart and kidney function
* Adrenal functions

Potassium deficiency can lead to electrolyte imbalance, and can result in a condition called hypokalemia. Symptoms include:

* Water retention
* Raised blood pressure and hypertension
* Heart irregularities/arrhythmias
* Muscular weakness and muscle cramps
* Continual thirst
* Constipation

Potassium-Rich Foods


I do not advise taking potassium supplements to correct a sodium-potassium imbalance. Instead, it is best to alter your diet and incorporate more potassium-rich whole foods. Some of the richest sources in potassium are:

1. Baked potato (1081 mg per potato) But limit as has high levels of starchy carbohydrate which can increase your insulin and leptin resistance
2. Lima beans (955 mg/cup)
3. Winter squash (896 mg/cup)
4. Cooked spinach (839 mg/cup)

Other potassium-rich fruits and vegetables include:

* Fruits: papayas, prunes, cantaloupe, and bananas. (But be careful of bananas as they are high in sugar and have half the potassium that an equivalent of amount of green vegetables. It is an old wives tale that you are getting loads of potassium from bananas, the potassium is twice as high in green vegetables.)
* Vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, avocados, asparagus, and pumpkin

Fructose—a Far More Likely Culprit in Hypertension and Heart Disease

Avoiding processed foods will also help you avoid another primary risk factor for high blood pressure and heart disease, namely fructose. If you check the labels, you will find that virtually every single food and beverage you contemplate buying contains fructose, either in the form of high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, or some other version. The amounts of salt Americans consume pales in comparison to the amount of fructose eaten on a daily basis, and I'm convinced that it's the sugar/fructose consumption that is the major driving force behind our skyrocketing hypertension rates, not excess salt.

The connecting link between fructose consumption and hypertension lies in the uric acid produced. Uric acid is a byproduct of fructose metabolism, and increased uric acid levels effectively drive up your blood pressure.

The more you can move toward a diet of whole organic foods in their natural state, the healthier you'll be. And given that salt is essential to good health, I recommend switching to a pure, unrefined salt. My favorite is an all-natural sea salt from the Himalayas.

Himalayan salt is completely pure, having spent many thousands of years maturing under extreme tectonic pressure, far away from impurities, so it isn't polluted with the heavy metals and industrial toxins of today. It's hand-mined, hand-washed, and minimally processed, and contains some 84 different trace minerals. It's likely to be the most delicious salt you'll ever find, which is why it's so popular among gourmet chefs.

Relax, and Salt to Taste…

In the featured article Melinda Moyers writes:13

"… unless we have clear data, evangelical anti-salt campaigns are not just based on shaky science; they are ultimately unfair. "A great number of promises are being made to the public with regard to this enormous benefit and lives saved," Cohen says. But it is "based on wild extrapolations." "

I agree, and based on the evidence available, I think it's safe to just relax and salt your food to taste—provided you use a natural unrefined salt.

References:

* 1 Reduced Dietary Salt for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (Cochrane Review), American Journal of Hypertension, August 2011: 24(8); 843-53, R. S. Taylor, et al.
* 2 Fatal and Nonfatal Outcomes, Incidence of Hypertension, and Blood Pressure Changes in Relation to Urinary Sodium Excretion, Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011: 305(17); 1777-1785, Katarzyna Stolarz-Skrzypek, MD, et al.
* 3 It's Time to End the War on Salt, Scientific American, July 8, 2011: Melinda Wenner Moyer.
* 4 The INTERSALT Study: Background, Methods, Findings, and Implications, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, February 1997: 65(2); 6265-6425, J. Stamler.
* 5 It's Time to End the War on Salt, Scientific American, July 8, 2011: Melinda Wenner Moyer.
* 6 The Long Term Effects of Advice to Cut Down on Salt in Food on Deaths, Cardiovascular Disease, and Blood Pressure in Adults, Cochrane Summaries, January 21, 2009: L. Hooper, et al.
* 7 The Long Term Effects of Advice to Cut Down on Salt in Food on Deaths, Cardiovascular Disease, and Blood Pressure in Adults, Cochrane Summaries, January 21, 2009: L. Hooper, et al.
* 8 Sodium Intake and Mortality in the NHANES II Follow-Up Study, American Journal of Medicine, March 2006: 119(3); 275.e7-14, H. W. Cohen, et al.
* 9 Process, SSP PVT Limited.
* 10 Paleolithic Nutrition – A Consideration of Its Nature and Current Implications, New England Journal of Medicine, January 31, 1985: 312; 283-289, S. Boyd Eaton, M.D. and Melvin Konner, Ph.D.
* 11 Sodium and Potassium Intake and Mortality Among US Adults, Archives of Internal Medicine, July 2011: 171(13); 1183-1191, Quanhe Yang, PhD, et al.
* 12 Why Your Sodium-Potassium Ratio Is So Important, Huffpost Healthy Living, July 11, 2011: Mike Stobbe.
* 13 It's Time to End the War on Salt, Scientific American, July 8, 2011: Melinda Wenner Moyer.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

Krill oil; Omega-3's
By Dr. Mercola

For many years now, my favorite source of omega-3 fats has been krill oil.

Every time a new study about krill oil hits the journals, its list of health benefits grows longer and the differences between fish oil and krill oil become more pronounced.

Krill oil is often compared to fish oil as a source of animal-based omega-3 fats.

But krill consistently comes out on top in the research—and the latest study published in the July 2011 issue of Frontiers in Genetics1 is no exception.

This study compared the livers of mice fed krill oil to those fed fish oil by looking at the gene expression triggered by each.

Researchers found that krill oil is VASTLY superior to fish oil when it comes to influencing your genes.

What do your genes have to do with your metabolism?

Everything! Every aspect of your metabolism is controlled by how your genes express themselves.

New Study Shows Krill Oil Flips on Key Metabolic Genes

Genes have “switches” that can be flipped on and off, which control virtually every biochemical process in your body. And nutrients like omega-3 fats control those switches. Your liver plays a major role in controlling how your body uses carbohydrates and lipids, utilizing omega-3 and omega-6 fats to sense your nutritional state and influence gene expression accordingly. Fatty acids help to direct key metabolic processes such as glucose production, lipid synthesis, cellular energy, oxidation, and dozens of others. We now know that various types and sources of omega-3 fat affect liver tissue differently, which is what this study was designed to examine.

Krill oil actually influences your metabolism and genes to improve! The referenced study found that, although both fish oil and krill oil contain omega-3s, they differ greatly in how they affect the genes controlling your metabolism. Krill oil:

* Enhances glucose metabolism in your liver, whereas fish oil does not
* Promotes lipid metabolism, whereas fish oil does not
* Helps regulate the mitochondrial respiratory chain, whereas fish oil does not
* Decreases cholesterol synthesis, whereas fish oil increases it

So, krill will help lower your triglyceride and cholesterol levels and increase your energy production, whereas fish oil does neither and in fact may even raise your cholesterol level, according to the latest research. According to the researchers:

“Elevated hepatic glucose production is associated with metabolic disease in humans (Natali and Ferrannini, 2006), and we observed that krill oil supplementation favorably alters the expression of genes regulating hepatic glucose metabolism.”

Prior studies show that krill oil may lower your blood glucose level by increasing glucose uptake by tissues other than your liver. In another study that directly compared krill oil with fish oil, krill oil was significantly more effective in reducing liver triglyceride levels. These studies all suggest krill oil may offer significant benefits for those with the metabolic dysregulation seen in obesity and type 2 diabetes—which is a problem of epidemic proportions in today’s world.

Omega 3 fats affect your cellular health and DNA chiefly by how they influence your cell membranes. It is these cell membranes that are critical in switching your genes on and off, because the membranes contain receptors that respond to hormones and other agents, and these are affected by the fatty acids on their surface. Your cell membranes contain EPA, DHA and phospholipids, and all help to shuttle molecules into and out of your cells. Therefore, having ample high quality fatty acids in your system is crucial to keeping your cell membranes working like well-oiled little machines.

Other Advantages of Krill

It is important to understand that krill oil has a number of other advantages over fish oil:

1. Some studies have shown that krill oil may be 48 times more potent than fish oil. This means you need far less of it than fish oil, as confirmed by a 2011 study published in the journal Lipids2.
2. This is because krill oil contains phospholipids, so the omega-3 fats are already in the form that your body can use. This bioavailability means krill oil is absorbed very quickly and crosses your blood-brain barrier, so is able to reach important brain structures. Also, phospholipids are one of the principle compounds in high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which you want more of.
3. Fish oil is quite prone to oxidation, and oxidation leads to the formation of free radicals. Consuming free radicals further increases your need for antioxidants. Fish oil is weak in antioxidant content, whereas krill oil is rich in antioxidants. Krill oil contains astaxanthin—probably the most potent antioxidant in nature—which is why it is so stable and resistant to oxidation.
4. Many, if not most, fish and fish oil are now contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals; even fish that is thousands of miles away from coal plants and other environment-polluting industries. Antarctic krill is not prone to this contamination.
5. Krill is also far more sustainable as a food source than is fish because it's the largest biomass in the world, making krill harvesting one of the most sustainable practices on the planet.

Could Omega-3 Deficiency be Killing More People than Breast Cancer?

Three studies in 2009 showed that omega-3 fat deficiency might cause or contribute to up to 96,000 premature deaths each year. Compare that number to the estimated 40,000 women who die from breast cancer in the U.S. annually3, and the implications of omega-3 deficiency become quite clear.

Omega-3 fats from krill have been shown to be far more effective than fish oil in reducing fat levels in your heart and liver. The latest study adds to the mountain of research that krill oil can lower your risk for metabolic syndrome, obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

In one study, krill oil was found to reduce fat levels in the hearts of rats by 42 percent, compared to just two percent for fish oil. Similarly, krill was found to reduce fat in the liver by 60 percent, compared to 38 percent for fish oil. The buildup of fat in your liver can lead to insulin sensitivity, metabolic syndrome and eventually full-blown type 2 diabetes, just as the buildup of fat in your heart can predispose you to a heart attack.

Krill Oil Can Also Help Protect Your Brain

Some omega-3 fats—especially DHA—are critical for your nervous system, particularly your brain. DHA is converted into substances called neuroprotectins. Alzheimer's disease is associated with a shortage of these neuroprotectins. Fats make up about two-thirds of your brain tissue. Myelin, the protective sheath that covers your neurons, is composed of 30 percent protein and 70 percent fat. These fats are not just important for adults. Omega-3s are crucial for proper brain and eye development in infants and children.

Two different studies have shown that taking 800 to 900 mg of DHA per day for 16 to 24 weeks resulted in significant improvements in memory, verbal fluency scores, and rate of learning.

Low concentrations of EPA and DHA are known to accelerate cognitive decline and increase your risk for mood swings and mood disorders. Those suffering from depression have been found to have lower levels of omega-3 in their blood, compared to nondepressed individuals. A 2010 study involving 46 depressed elderly women4 concluded that omega-3 supplementation can improve quality of life and effectively treat depression.

According to a report published in 2007 in the Alternative Medicine Review5, DHA and EPA in krill oil can lessen a variety of brain and mental disorders, including autism and dyslexia. DHA also protects your cells from gene mutations that can lead to brain diseases such as Parkinson's and some forms of Alzheimer's disease, by preventing "misfolding" of certain proteins that occur as a result of those mutations.

Krill Oil is a Potent Anti-Inflammatory

A major reason krill oil has such impressive benefits is that it powerfully reduces inflammation in your body. They produce compounds called resolvins and protectins, which help quell inflammation before it can do too much damage to your tissues. Several studies have been published on the remarkable effectiveness of krill oil in combating inflammation-related disorders, such as arthritis.

One 2011 study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women with the highest omega-3 levels had a 44 percent reduced risk of dying from inflammatory diseases. Studies have proven krill oil’s ability to reduce pain, stiffness, and functional impairment in people with inflammatory disorders in just one to two weeks6and reduce the symptoms for both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis sufferers7 8.

Krill May Even Slow Down Aging

One of the most exciting recent studies found that increased dietary intake of omega-3 fat is associated with prolonged survival in patients with coronary artery disease. The benefit has to do with actually preventing telomere shortening. The study9, published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), followed 608 people in California with stable coronary artery disease for five years. At the end of the five years, those with the highest blood levels of DHA and EPA showed the smallest change in telomere length.

If you aren't familiar with telomeres, telomeres may be one of the KEYS to understanding aging. They are found at the tip of each arm of your chromosomes. Throughout your life, your telomeres shorten every time a cell divides. Free radicals can also cleave telomeres, which is thought to accelerate aging. So, we have seen that krill oil can benefit your metabolism, heart and brain, and maybe even slow your aging process and help reduce your chances of dying from many causes… but it can do even more.

The Verdict is in: Krill Oil May Help with Literally DOZENS of Diseases

GreenMedInfo.com now lists more than than 25 different diseases krill may help prevent or reverse. Of course, if you extend the search to include everything related to omega-3 fats, the list of benefits expands even more, since the gifts of krill oil include everything known to be good about omega-3s. The implications are truly profound, and I'm sure you'll be seeing much more krill research in the future. The following table includes links to a number of studiesspecific to krill oil, by disease. There is much more information about krill and omega-3 fats on the GreenMedInfo website.
Cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia Inflammation, and C-Reactive Protein Oxidative stress
Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Metabolic syndrome, including obesity and fatty liver Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea
Brain disease: Cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, brain aging, learning disorders and ADHD Cancer Kidney disease

A Final Note on Krill Oil Supplements

Please remember that I don't advocate taking large amounts of supplements. It is far better to receive you nutrients from food. If it weren't for the polluted waterways of the world, I would recommend your getting your omega-3 fats from fish rather than supplements, but unfortunately, most fish are now so contaminated with mercury and other toxins, I just cannot recommend it any longer.

As you can see from the research above, animal-based omega-3 fats are essential for optimal health. I recommend you consider taking a high quality omega-3 supplement, and I think krill oil is your best option.

The only kind of krill oil I recommend is from genuine Antarctic krill. Look for a brand that is cold-processed, which preserves its biological benefits. Please make sure that hexane is not used to extract the oil from the krill as some of the most popular krill oils on the market use this dangerous chemical agent. It should also be free of heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins and other contaminants.

User avatar
BroJones
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 8247
Location: Varies.
Contact:

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by BroJones »

DR Mercola references Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz! RE: Health benefits of walnuts, and allowing reference to scientific studies.
By Dr. Mercola

As unbelievable as it sounds, current law makes it illegal for food producers to share certain types of scientific information with you.

So when Diamond Food relayed health information about the omega-3 fats in walnuts on product packaging and also on their Web site, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attacked.

Even though the information was entirely true, and backed by peer-reviewed scientific research.

If a Food Can Prevent a Disease, it Must be a Drug

This is the backward thinking that goes on at the FDA, where regulations currently prohibit manufacturers of dietary supplements or producers of food from referring to any scientific study documenting the potential effect of the substance on a health condition, punishable by large fines and even jail.

Disclosure about the benefits of a dietary supplement or food, no matter how credible, places the food in the category of an "unapproved drug."

In other words, if a product makes a medical claim, it's automatically classified as a drug.

This is how the FDA got away with sending Diamond Food a warning letter1, stating:

"… we have determined that your walnut products are promoted for conditions that cause them to be drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.

The following are examples of the claims made on your firm's website under the heading of a web page stating "OMEGA-3s... Every time you munch a few walnuts, you're doing your body a big favor … "

These claims are backed by science2, but it doesn't matter under FDA rules, which are so counter to rationality and logic that it boggles the mind. The FDA letter goes on to list several health claims made by Diamond Foods regarding omega-3 fats, claims such as:

* "Studies indicate that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts may help lower cholesterol; protect against heart disease, stroke and some cancers; ease arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; and even fight depression and other mental illnesses."
* "[O]mega-3 fatty acids inhibit the tumor growth that is promoted by the acids found in other fats... "
* "n treating major depression, for example, omega-3s seem to work by making it easier for brain cell receptors to process mood-related signals from neighboring neurons."
* "The omega-3s found in fish oil are thought to be responsible for the significantly lower incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women as compared to women in the United States."

Walnuts are "New Drugs"

Because Diamond Food dared to let consumers know that natural substances in a natural food may offer some health benefits and protections, the FDA views this as a new drug. In their eyes, only FDA-approved drugs are capable of offering such protections …

The FDA stated in the warning letter3:

"Because of these intended uses, your walnut products are drugs… Your walnut products are also new drugs … because they are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced conditions. Therefore … they may not be legally marketed with the above claims in the United States without an approved new drug application.

Additionally, your walnut products are offered for conditions that are not amenable to self-diagnosis and treatment by individuals who are not medical practitioners; therefore, adequate directions for use cannot be written so that a layperson can use these drugs safely for their intended purposes. Thus, your walnut products are also misbranded… in that the labeling for these drugs fails to bear adequate directions for use… "

The FDA's current position is that foods such as walnuts, cherries, broccoli, turmeric, green tea and the like should be subjected to the full FDA approval process. But obtaining a new drug application, as the FDA suggested, can cost billions of dollars. And let's face it -- walnut growers cannot come close to affording that!

Is it Not a Constitutional Right to Share Truthful, Scientific Information?

This is so ridiculous, as censoring a food producer's right to inform others about scientific research is in violation of the first amendment. The American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF) states:

"The FDA ignores first amendment protections and censors the communication of valid scientific information. The agency seems to have lost sight of its mandate to protect the public and has instead come to see itself as the guardian of corporate interests."

Can you imagine the drug companies not being permitted to tell you what their products could do for you... do you think they would roll over for that? Not a chance, but they don't have to simply because they are the ones who can afford the FDA's approval process. With few exceptions, it's impossible for food producers to assume such costs for natural and therefore non-patentable products.

It's ludicrous for the FDA to require natural products to be "vetted" the same way as drugs. In nearly every case, natural products are safer and more effective than synthetic drugs, as science has shown, time and time again. Not to mention that natural agents are much less expensive than pharmaceuticals, and can even be grown in your backyard!

It's unfortunate that the FDA is so beholden to the drug industry that it would waste it's time to attack a walnut manufacturer for citing scientific research while allowing Frito Lay to claim that its Lay's potato chips are "heart healthy."

And walnut producers are not alone. Cherry growers have also been threatened by the FDA with jail time if their websites even contain links to scientific studies from Harvard and elsewhere, outlining the health benefits of cherries for gout or arthritis pain.4 Green tea growers have received similar threats. As I said, it truly boggles the mind…

What Should You Know About Walnuts?

The FDA was sure worried that you might get wind of the truth -- that a food might confer health benefits that drugs currently lay exclusive claim to. Walnuts are good sources of plant-based omega-3 fats, natural phytosterols and antioxidants that are so powerful at free-radical scavenging that researchers called them "remarkable."5 Plus, walnuts may help reduce not only the risk of prostate cancer, but breast cancer as well.

In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumors compared to the control group that consumed the same amount of fat but from other sources. Overall the whole walnut diet reduced prostate cancer growth by 30 to 40 percent. According to another study on mice, the human equivalent of just two handfuls of walnuts a day cut breast cancer risk in half, and slowed tumor growth by 50 percent as well6. Other research has shown walnuts may:

* Significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels
* Reverse brain aging in rats
* Boost heart health in diabetics

Now this is the type of information that we need to hear more of as, no doubt, if people were made aware of these potential benefits, and similar ones in other whole foods, they may be tempted to snack on a handful of whole walnuts instead of a bag of potato chips or pretzels.

You Can Still Support HR 1364 for Free Speech About Science

Congressmen Jason Chaffetz (R–UT) and Jared Polis (D–CO) have introduced the Free Speech about Science Act (HR 1364), a landmark legislation that would allow the flow of legitimate scientific and educational information.7 The new bill provides a limited and carefully targeted change to FDA regulations so that manufacturers and producers may reference legitimate, peer-reviewed scientific studies without converting a natural food or dietary supplement into an "unapproved drug." According to Rep. Chaffetz's website, the provisions of HR 1364 do the following8:

* Allow dietary supplements and healthy foods to cite legitimate scientific research
* Provide a clear definition of the types of research that may be referenced by growers and manufacturers
* Ensure that referencing such research does not convert a food or dietary supplement into an "unapproved (and therefore illegal) new drug"
* Retain the authority of FDA and FTC to pursue any fraudulent and misleading statements

According to Rep. Chaffetz9:

"It is important for individuals and families to take charge of their personal health by making the right decisions to get and stay healthy. This includes accessing information so that individuals can adjust habits, eat healthfully, and take appropriate dietary supplements to prevent and even treat health conditions.

The Free Speech About Science Act helps insure their access to legitimate scientific research to make the necessary decisions to improve their personal health and the health of their families."

Rep. Polis adds10:

"Today's science has shown that vitamins and nutritional supplements can offer successful, natural alternatives to drugs. As we begin to reform our nation's healthcare system, supplements are an innovative way to help reduce costs.

The Free Speech About Science Act is a common sense act that will make it easier for doctors and consumers to learn about the cheaper, healthier alternatives to costly medicines that food and nutritional supplements provide."

As of December 2011, HR 1364 is in the first step in the legislative process and has been referred to committee. The majority of bills never make it out of committee, so we need your help.

Please lend HR 1364 your support by signing on as a co-sponsor TODAY.

Use the Alliance for Natural Health's HR 1364 page to send a letter to your representative in support of this bill.11 And forward or post this article to all of your friends and loved ones who care about their health and their right to informed consent. With your combined influence we can be a powerful force for much-needed change.

References:

* 1 Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, February 22, 2010.
* 2 Omega-3 Fatty Acids, GreenMedInfo.com.
* 3 Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, February 22, 2010.
* 4 Tart Cherry, GreenMedInfo.com.
* 5 Antioxidative Polyphenols from Walnuts, Phytochemisty, August 2003: 63(7); 795-801, Toshiyuki Fukuda, et al.
* 6 Walnuts May Fight Breast Cancer, WebMD Health News, April 21, 2009: Charlene Laino.
* 7 H.R. 1364: Free Speech About Science Act of 2011, GovTrack.us, December 14, 2011.
* 8 Chaffetz and Polis Introduce the Free Speech About Science Act, Congressman Jason Chaffetz Website, April 5, 2011.
* 9 Chaffetz and Polis Introduce the Free Speech About Science Act, Congressman Jason Chaffetz Website, April 5, 2011.
* 10 Chaffetz and Polis Introduce the Free Speech About Science Act, Congressman Jason Chaffetz Website, April 5, 2011.

User avatar
Fairminded
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1956

Re: Dr. MERCOLA --> alternative health and fitness

Post by Fairminded »

DrJones wrote:DR Mercola references Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz! RE: Health benefits of walnuts, and allowing reference to scientific studies.
By Dr. Mercola

As unbelievable as it sounds, current law makes it illegal for food producers to share certain types of scientific information with you.

So when Diamond Food relayed health information about the omega-3 fats in walnuts on product packaging and also on their Web site, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attacked.

Even though the information was entirely true, and backed by peer-reviewed scientific research.

If a Food Can Prevent a Disease, it Must be a Drug

This is the backward thinking that goes on at the FDA, where regulations currently prohibit manufacturers of dietary supplements or producers of food from referring to any scientific study documenting the potential effect of the substance on a health condition, punishable by large fines and even jail.

Disclosure about the benefits of a dietary supplement or food, no matter how credible, places the food in the category of an "unapproved drug."

In other words, if a product makes a medical claim, it's automatically classified as a drug.

This is how the FDA got away with sending Diamond Food a warning letter1, stating:

"… we have determined that your walnut products are promoted for conditions that cause them to be drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.

The following are examples of the claims made on your firm's website under the heading of a web page stating "OMEGA-3s... Every time you munch a few walnuts, you're doing your body a big favor … "

These claims are backed by science2, but it doesn't matter under FDA rules, which are so counter to rationality and logic that it boggles the mind. The FDA letter goes on to list several health claims made by Diamond Foods regarding omega-3 fats, claims such as:

* "Studies indicate that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts may help lower cholesterol; protect against heart disease, stroke and some cancers; ease arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; and even fight depression and other mental illnesses."
* "[O]mega-3 fatty acids inhibit the tumor growth that is promoted by the acids found in other fats... "
* "n treating major depression, for example, omega-3s seem to work by making it easier for brain cell receptors to process mood-related signals from neighboring neurons."
* "The omega-3s found in fish oil are thought to be responsible for the significantly lower incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women as compared to women in the United States."

Walnuts are "New Drugs"

Because Diamond Food dared to let consumers know that natural substances in a natural food may offer some health benefits and protections, the FDA views this as a new drug. In their eyes, only FDA-approved drugs are capable of offering such protections …

The FDA stated in the warning letter3:

"Because of these intended uses, your walnut products are drugs… Your walnut products are also new drugs … because they are not generally recognized as safe and effective for the above referenced conditions. Therefore … they may not be legally marketed with the above claims in the United States without an approved new drug application.

Additionally, your walnut products are offered for conditions that are not amenable to self-diagnosis and treatment by individuals who are not medical practitioners; therefore, adequate directions for use cannot be written so that a layperson can use these drugs safely for their intended purposes. Thus, your walnut products are also misbranded… in that the labeling for these drugs fails to bear adequate directions for use… "

The FDA's current position is that foods such as walnuts, cherries, broccoli, turmeric, green tea and the like should be subjected to the full FDA approval process. But obtaining a new drug application, as the FDA suggested, can cost billions of dollars. And let's face it -- walnut growers cannot come close to affording that!

Is it Not a Constitutional Right to Share Truthful, Scientific Information?

This is so ridiculous, as censoring a food producer's right to inform others about scientific research is in violation of the first amendment. The American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF) states:

"The FDA ignores first amendment protections and censors the communication of valid scientific information. The agency seems to have lost sight of its mandate to protect the public and has instead come to see itself as the guardian of corporate interests."

Can you imagine the drug companies not being permitted to tell you what their products could do for you... do you think they would roll over for that? Not a chance, but they don't have to simply because they are the ones who can afford the FDA's approval process. With few exceptions, it's impossible for food producers to assume such costs for natural and therefore non-patentable products.

It's ludicrous for the FDA to require natural products to be "vetted" the same way as drugs. In nearly every case, natural products are safer and more effective than synthetic drugs, as science has shown, time and time again. Not to mention that natural agents are much less expensive than pharmaceuticals, and can even be grown in your backyard!

It's unfortunate that the FDA is so beholden to the drug industry that it would waste it's time to attack a walnut manufacturer for citing scientific research while allowing Frito Lay to claim that its Lay's potato chips are "heart healthy."

And walnut producers are not alone. Cherry growers have also been threatened by the FDA with jail time if their websites even contain links to scientific studies from Harvard and elsewhere, outlining the health benefits of cherries for gout or arthritis pain.4 Green tea growers have received similar threats. As I said, it truly boggles the mind…

What Should You Know About Walnuts?

The FDA was sure worried that you might get wind of the truth -- that a food might confer health benefits that drugs currently lay exclusive claim to. Walnuts are good sources of plant-based omega-3 fats, natural phytosterols and antioxidants that are so powerful at free-radical scavenging that researchers called them "remarkable."5 Plus, walnuts may help reduce not only the risk of prostate cancer, but breast cancer as well.

In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumors compared to the control group that consumed the same amount of fat but from other sources. Overall the whole walnut diet reduced prostate cancer growth by 30 to 40 percent. According to another study on mice, the human equivalent of just two handfuls of walnuts a day cut breast cancer risk in half, and slowed tumor growth by 50 percent as well6. Other research has shown walnuts may:

* Significantly reduce LDL cholesterol levels
* Reverse brain aging in rats
* Boost heart health in diabetics

Now this is the type of information that we need to hear more of as, no doubt, if people were made aware of these potential benefits, and similar ones in other whole foods, they may be tempted to snack on a handful of whole walnuts instead of a bag of potato chips or pretzels.

You Can Still Support HR 1364 for Free Speech About Science

Congressmen Jason Chaffetz (R–UT) and Jared Polis (D–CO) have introduced the Free Speech about Science Act (HR 1364), a landmark legislation that would allow the flow of legitimate scientific and educational information.7 The new bill provides a limited and carefully targeted change to FDA regulations so that manufacturers and producers may reference legitimate, peer-reviewed scientific studies without converting a natural food or dietary supplement into an "unapproved drug." According to Rep. Chaffetz's website, the provisions of HR 1364 do the following8:

* Allow dietary supplements and healthy foods to cite legitimate scientific research
* Provide a clear definition of the types of research that may be referenced by growers and manufacturers
* Ensure that referencing such research does not convert a food or dietary supplement into an "unapproved (and therefore illegal) new drug"
* Retain the authority of FDA and FTC to pursue any fraudulent and misleading statements

According to Rep. Chaffetz9:

"It is important for individuals and families to take charge of their personal health by making the right decisions to get and stay healthy. This includes accessing information so that individuals can adjust habits, eat healthfully, and take appropriate dietary supplements to prevent and even treat health conditions.

The Free Speech About Science Act helps insure their access to legitimate scientific research to make the necessary decisions to improve their personal health and the health of their families."

Rep. Polis adds10:

"Today's science has shown that vitamins and nutritional supplements can offer successful, natural alternatives to drugs. As we begin to reform our nation's healthcare system, supplements are an innovative way to help reduce costs.

The Free Speech About Science Act is a common sense act that will make it easier for doctors and consumers to learn about the cheaper, healthier alternatives to costly medicines that food and nutritional supplements provide."

As of December 2011, HR 1364 is in the first step in the legislative process and has been referred to committee. The majority of bills never make it out of committee, so we need your help.

Please lend HR 1364 your support by signing on as a co-sponsor TODAY.

Use the Alliance for Natural Health's HR 1364 page to send a letter to your representative in support of this bill.11 And forward or post this article to all of your friends and loved ones who care about their health and their right to informed consent. With your combined influence we can be a powerful force for much-needed change.

References:

* 1 Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, February 22, 2010.
* 2 Omega-3 Fatty Acids, GreenMedInfo.com.
* 3 Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, February 22, 2010.
* 4 Tart Cherry, GreenMedInfo.com.
* 5 Antioxidative Polyphenols from Walnuts, Phytochemisty, August 2003: 63(7); 795-801, Toshiyuki Fukuda, et al.
* 6 Walnuts May Fight Breast Cancer, WebMD Health News, April 21, 2009: Charlene Laino.
* 7 H.R. 1364: Free Speech About Science Act of 2011, GovTrack.us, December 14, 2011.
* 8 Chaffetz and Polis Introduce the Free Speech About Science Act, Congressman Jason Chaffetz Website, April 5, 2011.
* 9 Chaffetz and Polis Introduce the Free Speech About Science Act, Congressman Jason Chaffetz Website, April 5, 2011.
* 10 Chaffetz and Polis Introduce the Free Speech About Science Act, Congressman Jason Chaffetz Website, April 5, 2011.


It's amazing how often a report on some action taken by the government could just as easily go in the Humor thread :).

Post Reply