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THE FOOD ISSUE Putting America’s Diet on a Diet
Oct 13th, 2009 by Joy Feldman
VITAL SIGNS Nutrition: Lower Depression Risk Linked to Mediterranean Diet
Oct 13th, 2009 by Joy Feldman
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Frankenfoods: Genetically Engineered Foods
Oct 12th, 2009 by Joy Feldman
Frankenfoods
Welcome to a brave new world. This new world of Frankenfoods is frightening. You might be wondering, what are Frakenfoods? These foods are those that have been genetically engineered (GE) or altered by disrupting the genetic blueprints of living organisms- plants, trees, fish, animals, humans and microorganisms. Large companies claim that these new products will help to make agriculture sustainable, eliminate world hunger, cure disease, and improve public health.
In GE, animal genes and human genes are randomly inserted into the chromosomes of plants, fish, and animals, creating interesting and unimaginable life forms. What is scary is that these large companies are now becoming the architects of life. Add into this equation, the lack of regulatory restraints, labeling requirements or scientific protocol, and what we are seeing is an entire new line of wonder foods being created. What is even worse is that all of this is being done with minimal concern for humans and environmental hazards and the harsh impact on the billions of farmers around the world. Scary huh?
There is a growing trend of scientists who warn that GE techniques are inexact and unpredictable. In other words, just plain dangerous. There are curently more than four dozen GE foods and crops being grown or sold in the US.More than 80 million acres of GE crops are being developed in the US.Get ready for this. Most supermarket foods now test postive for the presence of GE ingredients. This includes the following unlabeled foods:
- soybeans
- soy oil
- corn
- potatoes
- squash
- canola oil
- cottonseed oil
- papaya
- tomatoes
- dairy products
GE foods are dangerous and unpredictable for humans, animals, for the environment and for the future of sustainable organic agriculture. Dr. Michael Antoniou, a British molecular scientist states” gene-splicing has already resulted in the unexpected production of toxic substances in genetically engineered bacteria, yeast, plants, and animals with the problem remaining undetected until a major health hazard has arisen.”
Problems with Genetically Engineered Foods
In 1989, tryptophan was genetically engineered, killing thirty seven Americans. More than 5000 others were permanently disabled or afflicted with a potentially fatal blood disorder before being recalled by the FDA.
Scientists warned that rBGH was potentially dangerous, but was injected into dairy cows to force them to produce more milk. These scientists were concerned that high levels of insulin like growth factor, in the milk of rBGH injected cows, could pose hazards such as breast, prostate and colon caner. A number of studies have shown that humans with elevated levels of IGF-1 in their bodies are more likely to get cancer.
In 1994, the Eurpoean Union(EU) banned rGBH.No other industrialized country has legalized its use, except in the US, 10 percent of all dairy cows continue to be injected with rGBH. Furthermore, the GATT Codex Alimentarius, a United Nations food standards body, has refused to certify the rBGH is safe.
Food Allergies is another issue relating to GE foods. Those with food allergies, which affect eight percent of all Americans may be harmed by exposure to GE foods.
There is also damage to the insects and butterflies. In 1999, Cornell University found that pollen from GE corn was poisonous to Monarch butterflies. This research went on to state that there is evidence that GE crops are having a negative impact on insects, ladybugs, beneficial soil microorganisms, bees and maybe even birds.
How can you help to put an end to GE foods?
- Organize protests, forums and media related events.
- Pressure elected officials to demand mandatory labeling of all GE products
- Volunteer to help with grass roots organizing.
Please take a moment to share your thoughts on this topics.
The Conscience of a Capitalist
Oct 3rd, 2009 by Joy Feldman
The Whole Foods founder talks about his Journal health-care op-ed that spawned a boycott, how he deals with unions, and why he thinks CEOs are overpaid.
Please take a moment to read this article from the CEO of Whole Foods. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Toxic Metals and Your Health
Oct 3rd, 2009 by Joy Feldman
EXPOSURE TO HEAVY METALS( AND I DO NOT MEAN EXPOSURE TO ROCK BANDS)
The sad truth today is that mankind is exposed to the highest levels of toxic metals in recorded history. For example, lead, mercury, arsenic, aluminum, copper, nickel, tin, antimony, bromine, bismuth and vanadium are present in levels up to several thousand times higher than in primitive man. Most everyone has excessive amounts of some or all of the toxic metals.As an introduction to this subject area, this article focuses on the extent of toxic metal problems – sources of toxic metals, symptoms and how to remove them safely, quickly and deeply.
Why are there so many toxic metals today?
This is due to their industrial use, the unrestricted burning of coal, natural gas and petroleum, and incineration of waste materials worldwide. Toxic metals are now everywhere and affect everyone on planet earth. They have become a major cause of illness, aging and even genetic defects.“Most organic substances are degradable by natural processes. However, no metal is degradable…they are here to stay for a long time”.
How do we remove these metals from our bodies
Various methods are used to remove these metals from the body. Options include chelators, antagonists, sulfur amino acids and other methods. One must very delicately bring the body into dynamic equilibrium by using hair analysis,
MINERALS
Minerals are the building blocks of our bodies and they are involved in most bodily functions. They are the “sparkplugs” of the body, necessary for body structure, fluid balance, protein structures and to produce hormones. They act as co-factors, catalysts or inhibitors of all enzymes in the body.
How do heavy metals affect our heath?
Because toxic metals replace nutrient minerals in enzyme binding sites, the metals inhibit, overstimulate or otherwise alter thousands of enzymes. For example, the enzymes affected by these metals, may only operate at 5% of its normal activity. Toxic metals may deposit in different bodily sites, causing irritation, and supporting development of fungus, and viruses. In addition, these metals may affect the tissues, joints, bones and muscles, debilitating the body and, consequently,contribute to health conditions
Now remember, minerals are essential to your health and bodily functions. Nutritonal deficiences or toxic substances impair the energy pathway where minerals play a vital role in energy production.These heavy metals will replace the minerals in our body so that the body can keep functioning. What most people do not realize is that their fatigue and other symptoms are due to the presence of incorrect “replacement parts” in their biological engine compartments. Depending on where toxic metals accumulate, the resulting effects may be given names such as hypothyroidism, diabetes or cancer.
THE DEGENERATION OF THE MODERN DIET
Americans have lost their dietary sense today. Consuming large amounts of chemically laden foods, fast foods, boxed foods and high content sugary foods, the traditional diet today lacks many important minerals and essential vitamins. Due to the low mineral content of foods,the danger of toxic metals is greatly increased. These critical minerals compete with toxic metals for absorption in the body.
THIS IS KEY.When food is low in essential minerals, the body absorbs and makes use of more toxic metals. It is essential to choose foods high in vitamins and minerals to ensure a healthy body.
What are the causes for the low mineral content of almost all agricultural products:
- Hybrid crops are bred for production or disease resistance, rather than superior nutrition.
- Superphosphate fertilizers produce higher yields by stimulating growth, but do not provide all the trace elements.
- Monoculture, the growing of just one crop over and over on the same piece of land, eventually depletes the soil.
- Toxic sprays damage soil microorganisms needed to help plants absorb minerals from the soil.
- Food refining and processing almost always reduce the mineral content of our food. Whole wheat flour, when milled to make white flour, loses 40% of its chromium, 86% of its manganese, 89% of its cobalt, 78% of its zinc and 48% of its molybdenum. Refining cane into sugar causes even greater losses.
- EDTA may be added to frozen foods to retain their color. However, this chelating agent removes minerals that otherwise would cause the surface minerals to ‘tarnish’, discoloring the vegetables.
SOURCES OF TOXIC METALS
There are various sources of toxic metals. They are:
- Food Sources. Food grown near highways or downwind of industrial plants may contain lead and other toxic amounts of metals. Sprays and insecticides still often contain lead, arsenic, mercury and other toxic metals. Refining of food often contaminates the food with aluminum, as it is found in water supplies everywhere.Also, food refining removes the protective zinc, chromium and manganese from food and leaves the toxic metals in some cases, such as cadmium. This makes white flour even more toxic, as with white sugar, and is another reason to totally avoid these foods.
- Lead is considered the most widely distributed toxic metal due to its many uses in industry. Pesticides used on fruits, vegetables and many other foods may contain arsenic, lead, copper, mercury and other toxic metals.
- Mercury and others from the sea. Fish, especially those caught near the coast or in contaminated streams or lakes, are universally contaminated. Mercury is found today in ALL FISH, bar none. Even small fish, which used to be safe, are not any more. This is sad as fish is otherwise an excellent food.Large fish concentrate mercury a million times or more. The federal government recently issued a warning that pregnant and lactating women should avoid tuna, shark, king mackerel and other large fish.
- Aluminum and Drinking Water. This is the most important source of toxic metals for most people. Aluminum, copper, toxic chlorides and fluorides are added to many municipal water supplies.
- Airborne Sources of Toxic Metals. Most toxic metals are effectively absorbed by inhalation. Auto and particularly aircraft exhaust, industrial smoke and products from incinerators are among the airborne sources of toxic metals and other chemicals.
- Mercury and coal-fired power plants. Burned high in the atmosphere, aircraft fuel deposits everywhere and affects everyone on earth. Burning coal can release mercury, lead and cadmium among other metals
- Cadmium and mercury in papers. Cigarette and marijuana smoke are high in cadmium, found in cigarette paper. Pesticides used on these crops may contain lead, arsenic and other toxic metals.
- Medications. Many patented prescription and over-the-counter drugs contain toxic metals. Cipro (fluoquinolones) and Prozac (fluoxetine) are fluoride-containing chemicals, for example.
DETECTING TOXIC METALS IN THE BODY
Toxic metals are not easy to detect. They lodge deep within tissues and organs. The most common methods of detection include hair, urine and feces tests.There are various methods to detect toxic metals: blood tests, challenges and hair tests.
Hair testing is also used and can reveal some toxic metals that are deposited in the skin and hair at the time the hair grows. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reviewed over 400 studies of the use of hair for toxic metal detection and concluded that:
“Hair is a meaningful and representative tissue for (biological monitoring for) antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, vanadium and perhaps selenium and tin.“
Removal of Toxic Metals
The following methods will help remove metals from the body.
- Increase the amount of rest and sleep greatly
- Excellent quality diet high in mineralized and vitamin rich foods
- Simplify life and develop excellent eating habits
- Appropriate supplements
- Improve energy
- Balance oxidation rate
- Improve the function of eliminative organs
- Sauna Therapy
- Relax-meditate
Overlooked by many health professionals today, toxic metals are one of the most important causes of ill health. My hope is that removing these toxic agents from the body, and restoring equilibrium to the biochemistry, Nutritional Balancing Science(which includes Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) will become recognized as a great secret for healing many health conditions. Please share your thoughts.
If you would like to read more infomation about Toxic Metals and your health please visit http://drlwilson.com/
Sweets and violence
Oct 1st, 2009 by Joy Feldman
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Get Your Flock Flying Sunny Side Up!
Sep 25th, 2009 by Joy Feldman
This wonderful food is guaranteed to get your flock flying sunny side up! Free Range eggs are something to crow about. Hens that spend time on the pasture, get exercise, and fresh air produce healthier eggs. This wonderful food is inexpensive and probably nature’s most perfect nourishment. Free range eggs are best. Why? There is more than great flavor in free range eggs. You will find more vitamins, less cholesterol and saturated fat. According to Mother Earth News’ research, free range eggs contain less fat and more nutrients than conventional eggs:
- 1/3 less cholesterol
- 1/4 less saturated fat
- 2/3 more vitamin A
- Two times more omega-3 fatty acids
- Three times more vitamin E
- Seven times more beta carotene
Eggs are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that help your eyes, brain, and heart because they contain choline, an organic compound that promotes cardiovascular health and brain development.
In addition, eggs provide Vitamin D, an important nutrient that many people, especially those living in the Northeast, do not seem to get enough of during the winter months. According to Mother Earth News,”The USDA says supermarket eggs contain an average of 34 International Units per 100 grams. Our tests of eggs from four pastured farms in Texas, Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania found that their eggs contained three to six times as much vitamin D as typical supermarket eggs. This means two scrambled eggs from pastured hens may give you 63 to 126 percent of the recommended daily intake of 200 IU of vitamin D.” What excellent news!
If you would like to get the most health benefits from this practically perfect food, please eat the entire egg(excluding the shell of course) as both the egg white and the egg yolk are good for you. And that’s no yolk.
(As an aside, eggshells can be placed in the soil of your garden to grown flowers and vegetable. They enrich the soil with calcium to create beautiful blossoms.)
Please click here for Deviled Eggs (shown above)!
White House Launching a Farmer's Market
Sep 25th, 2009 by Joy Feldman
The White House is about to launch an open-to-the-public farmers market this week. Situated on the north side of the White House lawn, the weekly market will offer D.C.-area residents (and visitors) the opportunity to purchase fresh food directly from the farmers who grew it.
Click here to read article
Getting Well: It's About Time
Sep 23rd, 2009 by Joy Feldman
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Healthy Children
Sep 23rd, 2009 by Joy Feldman
Taking excellent care of our children is one of the best gifts a parent can give a child. It is important to select the best foods for a growing child and to understand that children have needs that are quite different from those of their parents. Healthy children have a great chance of a healthy adult life. In addition, tastes, preferences and eating habits begin during childhood and affect the choices made as an adult.
Food preparation at home is an opportunity to teach our children and have fun with them as well. When children feel a part of the process, they are more likely to try new foods. I often let my children thumb through the cookbook recipes and have them pick out what they like. The use of Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and Nutritional Balancing can help parents learn more about their children’s nutritional needs and deficits. Detecting requirements at an early age helps youngsters achieve optimal health-both mind and body-during childhood and determines the quality of life for years to come. Children and infants have certain needs that must be considered. Food choices for children should take into consideration very specific requirements.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis for Children(HTMA)
HTMA can help determine the best foods for your child. One of the benefits of this test is determining the oxidation level and preparing foods accordingly.
Fast Oxidation and Children
Most young children are fast oxidizers. Fast oxidizers are individuals who metabolize their food at a rate faster than required for the production of energy. Young children in particular fall into this category that ranges from birth to 4 years old. Parents should not be concerned that healthy fat is harmful to their child. In fact, the opposite is true. A diet rich in good quality fats and oils are necessary for the fast oxidizer child.
There are several reasons for this:
- Fat slows down the metabolic rate
- Fat provides extra calories many fast oxidizer need to maintain energy.
- Fat is digested slowly and provides a continuous supply of energy to stabilize blood sugar
- Essential Fatty Acids are vital for optimal brain development
Sugar
Sugar is one of the worst foods for the fast oxidizer. Omitting healthful fats and oils from your child’s diet is an enormous mistake. Without them, a fast oxidizer will crave sweets, starting a cycle of rapidly fluctuating blood sugar levels. Eating too much sugar and starch is the main cause of obesity in children. Children who are deprived of the necessary fats and oils are likely to demonstrate behavioral as well as health problems. Remember, that young children do not have the same nutritional needs or limitations as adults. In fact, children’s bodies are undergoing a major construction project. They are building a system as well as laying down the structure of their bodies for a lifetime. It is critical to build and nurture the body with the right foods and proper rest so that they can develop into healthy adults. So please, make sure that your children are getting a diet rich in vegetables, proteins, healthy fats and whole grains. Omit the sugar, as there is little doubt that the surplus of this empty calorie, nutrient free concoction will help build a healthy little body.
What types of foods do you feed your child? Please take a moment to check out the recipe for Corny Tortilla, Oui, Oui. It is my children’s favorite breakfast.
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