My usual routine on a Sunday morning is to go for bicycle ride. Today I wanted to do something different so I stopped at the cemetery where my grandparents are buried. I rode only a mile to where their headstone is and cleaned it up a little and reflected. I have only one memory from each of my grandparents that stands out. I remember my grandfather walking me to the corner store one morning for bread. He let me carry the money we were going to spend, and I even got to hand it to the clerk.
My grandmother would often be found on the couch with her eyes closed as if she were sleeping. I asked one day why she always had her eyes closed, her response was that she was resting them. Nothing profound about either memory, but I am glad I have them.
As I continued around the cemetery I noticed small groups of people scattered throughout staring at the grave markers at their feet. I would imagine they too were reflecting.
One man bid me good morning as I rode by, so I stopped to wish him a good morning as well. He replied, 'yes it is a wonderful morning'. With that enthusiastic answer I felt an invitation to talk.
"Sir, I noticed you on the hill up the road, now you are down here. Can I ask you what you are doing?"
"Sure." He replied, as if he had something to tell me. "I come here every Sunday to visit my wife up on the hill, then I come down here to visit my life-long buddy. We were in three wars together you know."
We talked for about 30 minutes, then I asked him. "John, (we exchanged names) what advice would you have to give people as we all grow old?"
"Well, Larry, we don't always have control over our health, or even our wealth. But we have control of keeping in touch with our friends. So, I say stay in touch. Whether you're sick or poor, healthy or wealthy, you can always stay in touch."
My eyes began to swell with tears as I looked at this old man and knew he was right. We talked a little longer then wished each other a good day, we shook hands and left.
My early morning bicycle ride made an impression on me today. I hope you got something out of this as well.
Larry D. Schultz
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
What we expect
"If we are basically positive in attitude, expecting and envisioning pleasure, satisfaction and happiness, we will attract and create people, situations, and events which conform to our positive expectations."
Shakti Gawain
Author
Shakti Gawain
Author
Bisphenol A Chemical in Plastic Bottles Harms Children, Feds Conclude
(NaturalNews) For the first time, a branch of the U.S. government has
admitted that the common industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) may pose a
health risk.
BPA is a crucial ingredient in the hard, clear polycarbonate plastic found
in water and baby bottles. It is also used to make liners for food and
infant formula cans. BPA has been shown to seep out of these containers and
into food or liquids, and 90 percent of U.S. residents carry it in their
bodies.
The National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health
concluded in April that there is "some concern" that BPA may cause problems
in fetuses, babies and children, including breast or prostate cancer, early
onset of female puberty, attention deficit disorder and other problems of
the reproductive and neurological systems.
"Some concern" is the middle of five rankings available to the National
Toxicology Program, with none at one end and extreme at the other.
The National Toxicology Program's findings "[reflect] a significant body of
science showing that BPA may play a larger role than previously thought in a
host of common health problems, including prostate cancer, breast cancer and
early puberty," said Anila Jacob, senior scientist at Environmental Working
Group.
"More research is needed to better understand [BPA's] implications for human
health," the report reads. "However, because these effects in animals occur
at bisphenol A exposure levels similar to those experienced by humans, the
possibility that bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be
dismissed."
In spite of the report's cautious wording, BPA expert Frederick vom Saal
said that it is "very, very much in line" with a statement signed by 38
scientists in 2007, warning that BPA could be harming infant development.
"This is going to ripple around the world," vom Saal said. "The bottom line
is there really is a convergence of opinion that is occurring."
Sources for this story include: www.latimes.com.
admitted that the common industrial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) may pose a
health risk.
BPA is a crucial ingredient in the hard, clear polycarbonate plastic found
in water and baby bottles. It is also used to make liners for food and
infant formula cans. BPA has been shown to seep out of these containers and
into food or liquids, and 90 percent of U.S. residents carry it in their
bodies.
The National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health
concluded in April that there is "some concern" that BPA may cause problems
in fetuses, babies and children, including breast or prostate cancer, early
onset of female puberty, attention deficit disorder and other problems of
the reproductive and neurological systems.
"Some concern" is the middle of five rankings available to the National
Toxicology Program, with none at one end and extreme at the other.
The National Toxicology Program's findings "[reflect] a significant body of
science showing that BPA may play a larger role than previously thought in a
host of common health problems, including prostate cancer, breast cancer and
early puberty," said Anila Jacob, senior scientist at Environmental Working
Group.
"More research is needed to better understand [BPA's] implications for human
health," the report reads. "However, because these effects in animals occur
at bisphenol A exposure levels similar to those experienced by humans, the
possibility that bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be
dismissed."
In spite of the report's cautious wording, BPA expert Frederick vom Saal
said that it is "very, very much in line" with a statement signed by 38
scientists in 2007, warning that BPA could be harming infant development.
"This is going to ripple around the world," vom Saal said. "The bottom line
is there really is a convergence of opinion that is occurring."
Sources for this story include: www.latimes.com.
Low Cholesterol Increases Cancer and Death Risk
(NaturalNews) In a major shot fired across the bow of the statin marketing
machine, the levels of LDL cholesterol that are the artificial targets of
"health" promoted by the American Heart Association (AHA) are now found to
be associated with a significant increased risk of cancer and death.
The AHA recommends an LDL level of 100 for prevention and 70 for high risk
patients. In the new study an LDL level of 107 was associated with a 33%
increased risk of cancer and death, an LDL level of 87 was associated with a
50% increased risk. As the LDL goes lower the risk keeps getting worse.
These arbitrary AHA levels for LDL cholesterol were established by "experts"
with direct financial ties to the statin industry, who knew full well that
reaching their artificially low target levels for LDL would require double
and triple doses of statin drugs, thus dramatically increasing sales (which
has indeed happened).
The Vytorin fraud has pointed out quite clearly that lowering LDL
cholesterol to very low levels does not reduce cardiovascular disease.
Another Vytorin study also shows doing so increases cancer risk by 64%. The
new study paints the clear picture that lowering LDL too low actually
increases the rate of death from any cause. This new study also points out
the statistical shenanigans that the statin industry uses to hide the actual
risks of these drugs in the studies that have been published.
The data was so alarming that the researchers called for a statistical
reanalysis of the data from all existing cholesterol studies, using better
statistical models that actually reflect true risk. The results of this new
research led the authors to conclude "A low LDL cholesterol level is not
necessarily associated with optimal clinical outcomes but is a predictor of
cancer and death."
We have known for many years that individuals who maintain an LDL
cholesterol level of 130 as they enter their 40s and 50s have much less
heart disease as they grow older. This is because they are healthy and have
maintained fitness in their cholesterol function and metabolism. There is no
credible data to show that lowering LDL numbers with statins actually
produces a similar level of health, especially to artificially low numbers.
There is a huge difference between having good cholesterol numbers because
you are healthy and drugging your body's synthesis of cholesterol with
statins.
In the current study the ideal LDL cholesterol level was 126. The
researchers were able to identify a bell shaped curve, in terms of a
departure in either direction from this ideal number. LDL over 146 or less
than 107 was associated with 33% increased risk of cancer. LDL over 164 of
less than 87 was associated with a 50% increased risk. The risk keeps
getting worse the higher or lower the number progresses away from the ideal
of 126. LDL in the range of 108 - 145 had no statistically significant
cancer risk, although being in the center of this range is clearly best.
There have been a number of studies in the past that link low cholesterol
and cancer risk. However, these studies could not prove that the cancer was
not already there prior to the start of the study - which has been the main
argument used (besides statistical manipulation) by the statin industry to
deny the association. In the new study this issue was taken into account by
eliminating participants with less than 2.5 years follow up after the start
of the study, thus demonstrating that the results were not due to
pre-existing cancer.
Needless to say, this study was not part of the marketing machine propaganda
that is rampant in universities and "scientific" journals that have been
used to promote the statin scam around the world, while actively
blackmailing and blacklisting any authors, institutions, or journals that
dare to step on Big Pharma's statin toes. This study was published on August
26, 2008 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It was carried out in
Hong Kong with Chinese patients who had type II diabetes - the exact patient
who is forced onto aggressive cholesterol lowering with statin drugs in
America.
It is quite clear that scientific knowledge and advanced statistical
analysis are no longer under the control of Big Pharma and its legions of
scientists, universities, and medical journals that are on the take,
misrepresenting data, and actively suppressing negative findings. The truth
is coming out because Big Pharma is targeting the citizens of the world as a
new market for statin sales. And they are also targeting our children,
wanting infants seven months of age to have LDL levels of 50 and keep them
at that level their whole life (with drugs, since such levels are totally
abnormal).
The insanity must stop. Americans have been conned. Big Pharma and the
American Heart Association should be held responsible for past crimes and
future intended crimes against the health of our citizens under the false
pretense of improved cardiovascular health.
Sources:
Link to full Canadian Medical Association Journal article:
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/179...
Link to fully referenced version of this article:
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health...
About the author: Byron J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist,
nationally-renowned nutrition expert, and founder of Wellness Resources is a
leader in advocating the value of dietary supplements as a vital tool to
maintain health. He is an outspoken critic of government and Big Pharma
efforts to deny access to natural health products and has written
extensively on the life-shortening and health-damaging failures of the
sickness industry. www.wellnessresources.com askbyron@wellnessresources.com
machine, the levels of LDL cholesterol that are the artificial targets of
"health" promoted by the American Heart Association (AHA) are now found to
be associated with a significant increased risk of cancer and death.
The AHA recommends an LDL level of 100 for prevention and 70 for high risk
patients. In the new study an LDL level of 107 was associated with a 33%
increased risk of cancer and death, an LDL level of 87 was associated with a
50% increased risk. As the LDL goes lower the risk keeps getting worse.
These arbitrary AHA levels for LDL cholesterol were established by "experts"
with direct financial ties to the statin industry, who knew full well that
reaching their artificially low target levels for LDL would require double
and triple doses of statin drugs, thus dramatically increasing sales (which
has indeed happened).
The Vytorin fraud has pointed out quite clearly that lowering LDL
cholesterol to very low levels does not reduce cardiovascular disease.
Another Vytorin study also shows doing so increases cancer risk by 64%. The
new study paints the clear picture that lowering LDL too low actually
increases the rate of death from any cause. This new study also points out
the statistical shenanigans that the statin industry uses to hide the actual
risks of these drugs in the studies that have been published.
The data was so alarming that the researchers called for a statistical
reanalysis of the data from all existing cholesterol studies, using better
statistical models that actually reflect true risk. The results of this new
research led the authors to conclude "A low LDL cholesterol level is not
necessarily associated with optimal clinical outcomes but is a predictor of
cancer and death."
We have known for many years that individuals who maintain an LDL
cholesterol level of 130 as they enter their 40s and 50s have much less
heart disease as they grow older. This is because they are healthy and have
maintained fitness in their cholesterol function and metabolism. There is no
credible data to show that lowering LDL numbers with statins actually
produces a similar level of health, especially to artificially low numbers.
There is a huge difference between having good cholesterol numbers because
you are healthy and drugging your body's synthesis of cholesterol with
statins.
In the current study the ideal LDL cholesterol level was 126. The
researchers were able to identify a bell shaped curve, in terms of a
departure in either direction from this ideal number. LDL over 146 or less
than 107 was associated with 33% increased risk of cancer. LDL over 164 of
less than 87 was associated with a 50% increased risk. The risk keeps
getting worse the higher or lower the number progresses away from the ideal
of 126. LDL in the range of 108 - 145 had no statistically significant
cancer risk, although being in the center of this range is clearly best.
There have been a number of studies in the past that link low cholesterol
and cancer risk. However, these studies could not prove that the cancer was
not already there prior to the start of the study - which has been the main
argument used (besides statistical manipulation) by the statin industry to
deny the association. In the new study this issue was taken into account by
eliminating participants with less than 2.5 years follow up after the start
of the study, thus demonstrating that the results were not due to
pre-existing cancer.
Needless to say, this study was not part of the marketing machine propaganda
that is rampant in universities and "scientific" journals that have been
used to promote the statin scam around the world, while actively
blackmailing and blacklisting any authors, institutions, or journals that
dare to step on Big Pharma's statin toes. This study was published on August
26, 2008 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It was carried out in
Hong Kong with Chinese patients who had type II diabetes - the exact patient
who is forced onto aggressive cholesterol lowering with statin drugs in
America.
It is quite clear that scientific knowledge and advanced statistical
analysis are no longer under the control of Big Pharma and its legions of
scientists, universities, and medical journals that are on the take,
misrepresenting data, and actively suppressing negative findings. The truth
is coming out because Big Pharma is targeting the citizens of the world as a
new market for statin sales. And they are also targeting our children,
wanting infants seven months of age to have LDL levels of 50 and keep them
at that level their whole life (with drugs, since such levels are totally
abnormal).
The insanity must stop. Americans have been conned. Big Pharma and the
American Heart Association should be held responsible for past crimes and
future intended crimes against the health of our citizens under the false
pretense of improved cardiovascular health.
Sources:
Link to full Canadian Medical Association Journal article:
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/179...
Link to fully referenced version of this article:
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health...
About the author: Byron J. Richards, Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist,
nationally-renowned nutrition expert, and founder of Wellness Resources is a
leader in advocating the value of dietary supplements as a vital tool to
maintain health. He is an outspoken critic of government and Big Pharma
efforts to deny access to natural health products and has written
extensively on the life-shortening and health-damaging failures of the
sickness industry. www.wellnessresources.com askbyron@wellnessresources.com
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Dealing with troubling people
"Whenever encountering a troublesome person, do not identify him as being cruel or stupid or rude or anything else like that. Instead, see him as a frightened person."
Vernon Howard
Author
Vernon Howard
Author
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
What kindness is
"Genuine kindness is not what we do. It is what we are."
Vernon Howard
Author of Psycho-Pictography
Vernon Howard
Author of Psycho-Pictography
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Amazing Power of the Human Will
"My mother taught me very early to believe I could achieve any accomplishment I wanted to. The first was to walk without braces."
Wilma Rudolph
The human will is the most incredible thing. I believe it is the human will that keeps us going, when everyone else expects us to sit, or even quit.
I have always been fascinated by the heroes and sheroes who have made indelible marks in world history; and illustrated distinguished triumphs over seemingly, insurmountable adversity.
I can vividly recall reading about Wilma Rudolph when I was in grade school. Her life epitomized, "breaking through limitations." Over the last three decades, I have thought about Wilma when so-called, "limitations" presented themselves in my own life. I think of Wilma, and I am passionately reminded of the amazing power of the human will.
Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely and weighed only 4.5 pounds. Most of her childhood was spent in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee. There, she was bedridden as she battled double pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio. At six years old, she lost the use of her left leg. Subsequently, she was fitted with leg braces. Later on in life, she was often quoted as saying: "I spent most of my time trying to get them off. (I had an uncompromising resolve) to be a normal kid."
At the age of 16, when she was only a sophomore in high school, the 5' 11" Wilma Rudolph won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. And, in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Rudolph became "the fastest woman in the world." She also was the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics. She won the 100 and 200 meter races; and also anchored the U.S. team to victory in the 4 X 100 meter relay, breaking records along the way.
Wilma Rudolph is remembered by family and admirers alike, for her incredible calm and graceful demeanor when under pressure. Valiantly and brilliantly, she removed all of her "struggles" during the course of her lifetime.
She once said: "The most important aspect is to be yourself and have confidence in yourself...triumph can't be had without a struggle."
In 1994, Wilma Rudolph died of brain cancer at the age of 54. Few would argue that she lived a full, purposeful, and triumphant life. Rudolph expected victory when just about everyone else would have understood if she'd just lay down, sit or even quit. Thank you, Wilma, for being the contrary.
Fran Briggs
Wilma Rudolph
The human will is the most incredible thing. I believe it is the human will that keeps us going, when everyone else expects us to sit, or even quit.
I have always been fascinated by the heroes and sheroes who have made indelible marks in world history; and illustrated distinguished triumphs over seemingly, insurmountable adversity.
I can vividly recall reading about Wilma Rudolph when I was in grade school. Her life epitomized, "breaking through limitations." Over the last three decades, I have thought about Wilma when so-called, "limitations" presented themselves in my own life. I think of Wilma, and I am passionately reminded of the amazing power of the human will.
Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely and weighed only 4.5 pounds. Most of her childhood was spent in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee. There, she was bedridden as she battled double pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio. At six years old, she lost the use of her left leg. Subsequently, she was fitted with leg braces. Later on in life, she was often quoted as saying: "I spent most of my time trying to get them off. (I had an uncompromising resolve) to be a normal kid."
At the age of 16, when she was only a sophomore in high school, the 5' 11" Wilma Rudolph won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. And, in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Rudolph became "the fastest woman in the world." She also was the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics. She won the 100 and 200 meter races; and also anchored the U.S. team to victory in the 4 X 100 meter relay, breaking records along the way.
Wilma Rudolph is remembered by family and admirers alike, for her incredible calm and graceful demeanor when under pressure. Valiantly and brilliantly, she removed all of her "struggles" during the course of her lifetime.
She once said: "The most important aspect is to be yourself and have confidence in yourself...triumph can't be had without a struggle."
In 1994, Wilma Rudolph died of brain cancer at the age of 54. Few would argue that she lived a full, purposeful, and triumphant life. Rudolph expected victory when just about everyone else would have understood if she'd just lay down, sit or even quit. Thank you, Wilma, for being the contrary.
Fran Briggs
Top Ten Spices That Defend You Against Aging
Herbs and spices are rich in antioxidants, and they are also potent inhibitors of tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar.
When researchers tested extracts from 24 common herbs and spices, they found a direct correlation between antioxidant phenol content and the ability of the extracts to block the formation of compounds that contribute to damage caused by diabetes and aging.
Spices such as cloves and cinnamon have phenol levels that are 30 percent and 18 percent of dry weight, respectively, while herbs such as oregano and sage are 8 and 6 percent phenol by dry weight. Blueberries, which are widely touted for their antioxidant capabilities, contain roughly 5 percent phenol by dry weight.
Sources:
a.. Journal of Medicinal Foods June 2008; 11(2):275-81
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Any molecule in your body is capable of causing damage, but probably the most damaging of all are glucose and other sugar molecules. They cause more inflammation that leads to heart disease than cholesterol could ever hope to.
How Does High Blood Sugar Cause Tissue Damage and Heart Disease?
Glucose and other sugar molecules cause glycation; a process in which the sugar bonds with proteins and form so-called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. It's a fitting acronym as it - along with oxidation -- is one of the major molecular mechanisms whereby damage accrues in your body, which leads to disease, aging, and eventually, death.
When sugar glycates it creates inflammation, which activates your immune system in a defensive maneuver. Macrophages are scavenger cells that are part of your immune defense system, and as such they have special receptors for AGEs, aptly called RAGEs (think: raging inflammation). These RAGEs bind to the AGEs and get rid of them. Unfortunately, this process can leave its fair share of battle scars.
Essentially, when you consume excess sugar you tend to produce and accumulate AGEs, which frequently lead to raging inflammation, which leads to damage in your arteries. The damage control ultimately takes its toll and you begin to form scar tissue, which inside your arteries is called plaque.
And, voila! -- Heart disease.
This is why there's such a strong correlation between diabetes and heart disease - and shortened lifespan.
People with Type 2 diabetes get heart disease about 15 years earlier than non-diabetics, and also lose about 18 years from their expected life span, according to findings from hospital and death records of close to 9.5 million Canadians.
How Common Spices Can Protect Against Heart Disease and the Ravages of Aging
This study, published in the current issue of the Journal of Medicinal Foods, found a strong and direct correlation between the phenol content of common herbs and spices and their ability to inhibit glycation and the formation of AGE compounds, making them potent preventers of heart disease and premature aging.
The top 10 most potent herbs and spices are:
1.. Cloves (ground)
2.. Cinnamon (ground)
3.. Jamaican allspice (ground)
4.. Apple pie spice (mixture)
5.. Oregano (ground)
6.. Pumpkin pie spice (mixture)
7.. Marjoram
8.. Sage
9.. Thyme
10.. Gourmet Italian spice
This is not the first time scientists have declared culinary herbs and spices as potent anti-diabetic alternatives.
Cinnamon and cinnamon extracts have previously been shown to effectively lower blood sugar. As a matter of fact, cinnamon was found to increase glucose metabolism 20-fold, in one such study!
Interestingly, cinnamon lowers your blood sugar by acting on several different levels. It slows the emptying of your stomach to reduce sharp rises in blood sugar following meals, and improves the effectiveness, or sensitivity, of insulin. It also enhances your antioxidant defenses.
Researchers have even gone so far as to say cinnamon could play the role of an insulin substitute in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
1 in 4 Americans Now Suffer From Pre-Diabetes or Some Form of Diabetes
The latest statistics on diabetes indicate that the U.S. now has as many as 24 million people with diabetes, or 8 percent of our total population. However, the statistics are even more grim when it comes to the prevalence of pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glucose).
Almost 26 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 are pre-diabetics, and more than 35 percent of seniors, 60 and older. In total, that's 57 million Americans walking around with pre-diabetes, in addition to the 24 million that have already crossed the line.
That means that just over 26.5 percent of the entire U.S. population either has pre-diabetes, or some form of diabetes!
My personal experience with diabetes and review of the literature has made it VERY clear to me that virtually every case of type 2 diabetes is 100 percent reversible without the use of prescription drugs.
And let me assure you, the cure for type 2 diabetes has NOTHING to do with giving insulin. Giving someone insulin with type 2 diabetes is one of the WORST things that can be done. Any physician doing this for type 2 diabetes is suffering from profound ignorance of insulin physiology.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of physicians are still seriously confused about this issue, which is why most doctors cause diabetics to D. I. E.
How to Prevent Diabetes and Heart Disease, and Increase Longevity
First things first: For people with diabetes, the last thing you want to eat is a lot of grains, or any sugar for that matter.
Swap out your grains and sugar for high-quality sources of protein, healthy fat (which INCLUDES saturated fat) and vegetables according to your nutritional type, all of which is outlined in my Take Control of Your Health Program, and you'll be off to a great start.
Add in regular exercise, the other essential key to preventing and reversing diabetes, and you'll be even better off. These two measures alone will help you to shed excess weight, and a weight loss of 10 pounds can reduce your risk of diabetes by nearly 60 percent.
Last but not least, why not add some spice to your life?
Herbs and spices have very low calorie content, they're relatively inexpensive, and they're a great way to turbo-boost the natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power of your diet!
Tons of benefits and zero hazardous side effects. It doesn't get any better than that, which is why I keep advocating for the return to a healthy whole food diet that is tailored for your individual biochemistry, rather than stocking up on a cabinet-full of (often synthetic) supplements.
Set up a good herb and spice cabinet and season your food liberally, and you could potentially double or even triple the medicinal value of your meal.
When researchers tested extracts from 24 common herbs and spices, they found a direct correlation between antioxidant phenol content and the ability of the extracts to block the formation of compounds that contribute to damage caused by diabetes and aging.
Spices such as cloves and cinnamon have phenol levels that are 30 percent and 18 percent of dry weight, respectively, while herbs such as oregano and sage are 8 and 6 percent phenol by dry weight. Blueberries, which are widely touted for their antioxidant capabilities, contain roughly 5 percent phenol by dry weight.
Sources:
a.. Journal of Medicinal Foods June 2008; 11(2):275-81
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Any molecule in your body is capable of causing damage, but probably the most damaging of all are glucose and other sugar molecules. They cause more inflammation that leads to heart disease than cholesterol could ever hope to.
How Does High Blood Sugar Cause Tissue Damage and Heart Disease?
Glucose and other sugar molecules cause glycation; a process in which the sugar bonds with proteins and form so-called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. It's a fitting acronym as it - along with oxidation -- is one of the major molecular mechanisms whereby damage accrues in your body, which leads to disease, aging, and eventually, death.
When sugar glycates it creates inflammation, which activates your immune system in a defensive maneuver. Macrophages are scavenger cells that are part of your immune defense system, and as such they have special receptors for AGEs, aptly called RAGEs (think: raging inflammation). These RAGEs bind to the AGEs and get rid of them. Unfortunately, this process can leave its fair share of battle scars.
Essentially, when you consume excess sugar you tend to produce and accumulate AGEs, which frequently lead to raging inflammation, which leads to damage in your arteries. The damage control ultimately takes its toll and you begin to form scar tissue, which inside your arteries is called plaque.
And, voila! -- Heart disease.
This is why there's such a strong correlation between diabetes and heart disease - and shortened lifespan.
People with Type 2 diabetes get heart disease about 15 years earlier than non-diabetics, and also lose about 18 years from their expected life span, according to findings from hospital and death records of close to 9.5 million Canadians.
How Common Spices Can Protect Against Heart Disease and the Ravages of Aging
This study, published in the current issue of the Journal of Medicinal Foods, found a strong and direct correlation between the phenol content of common herbs and spices and their ability to inhibit glycation and the formation of AGE compounds, making them potent preventers of heart disease and premature aging.
The top 10 most potent herbs and spices are:
1.. Cloves (ground)
2.. Cinnamon (ground)
3.. Jamaican allspice (ground)
4.. Apple pie spice (mixture)
5.. Oregano (ground)
6.. Pumpkin pie spice (mixture)
7.. Marjoram
8.. Sage
9.. Thyme
10.. Gourmet Italian spice
This is not the first time scientists have declared culinary herbs and spices as potent anti-diabetic alternatives.
Cinnamon and cinnamon extracts have previously been shown to effectively lower blood sugar. As a matter of fact, cinnamon was found to increase glucose metabolism 20-fold, in one such study!
Interestingly, cinnamon lowers your blood sugar by acting on several different levels. It slows the emptying of your stomach to reduce sharp rises in blood sugar following meals, and improves the effectiveness, or sensitivity, of insulin. It also enhances your antioxidant defenses.
Researchers have even gone so far as to say cinnamon could play the role of an insulin substitute in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
1 in 4 Americans Now Suffer From Pre-Diabetes or Some Form of Diabetes
The latest statistics on diabetes indicate that the U.S. now has as many as 24 million people with diabetes, or 8 percent of our total population. However, the statistics are even more grim when it comes to the prevalence of pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glucose).
Almost 26 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 are pre-diabetics, and more than 35 percent of seniors, 60 and older. In total, that's 57 million Americans walking around with pre-diabetes, in addition to the 24 million that have already crossed the line.
That means that just over 26.5 percent of the entire U.S. population either has pre-diabetes, or some form of diabetes!
My personal experience with diabetes and review of the literature has made it VERY clear to me that virtually every case of type 2 diabetes is 100 percent reversible without the use of prescription drugs.
And let me assure you, the cure for type 2 diabetes has NOTHING to do with giving insulin. Giving someone insulin with type 2 diabetes is one of the WORST things that can be done. Any physician doing this for type 2 diabetes is suffering from profound ignorance of insulin physiology.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of physicians are still seriously confused about this issue, which is why most doctors cause diabetics to D. I. E.
How to Prevent Diabetes and Heart Disease, and Increase Longevity
First things first: For people with diabetes, the last thing you want to eat is a lot of grains, or any sugar for that matter.
Swap out your grains and sugar for high-quality sources of protein, healthy fat (which INCLUDES saturated fat) and vegetables according to your nutritional type, all of which is outlined in my Take Control of Your Health Program, and you'll be off to a great start.
Add in regular exercise, the other essential key to preventing and reversing diabetes, and you'll be even better off. These two measures alone will help you to shed excess weight, and a weight loss of 10 pounds can reduce your risk of diabetes by nearly 60 percent.
Last but not least, why not add some spice to your life?
Herbs and spices have very low calorie content, they're relatively inexpensive, and they're a great way to turbo-boost the natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power of your diet!
Tons of benefits and zero hazardous side effects. It doesn't get any better than that, which is why I keep advocating for the return to a healthy whole food diet that is tailored for your individual biochemistry, rather than stocking up on a cabinet-full of (often synthetic) supplements.
Set up a good herb and spice cabinet and season your food liberally, and you could potentially double or even triple the medicinal value of your meal.
How to live your life
"To live your life the way you choose,
you have to be a bit rebellious.
You have to be willing to stand up for yourself."
Dr. Wayne Dyer
you have to be a bit rebellious.
You have to be willing to stand up for yourself."
Dr. Wayne Dyer
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The books that help you most
"The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. A great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty."
Theodore Parker
1810-1860, Minister
Theodore Parker
1810-1860, Minister
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Mindfulness in our work
"Consciously or unconsciously, every one of us does render some service or other. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and will make, not only our own happiness, but that of the world at large."
Mahatma Gandhi
1869-1948, Indian Political and Spiritual Leader
Mahatma Gandhi
1869-1948, Indian Political and Spiritual Leader
Fish Oil Cuts Macular Degeneration Risk in Half
A study in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that eating oily fish at least once per week cuts the risk for developing age-related macular degeneration in half.
This is a testament to the destruction of the quality of our food supply by companies that process food and animals used in the food supply that are no longer range raised. Oily fish are one of the few remaining sources of vital oils like DHA. Even the intake of fish is of concern due to the widespread pollution of ocean water.
Molecularly distilled DHA, which does not contain mercury, PCBs, or other contaminants, is the safest way for you to get this vital oil into your diet on a consistent basis.
This is a testament to the destruction of the quality of our food supply by companies that process food and animals used in the food supply that are no longer range raised. Oily fish are one of the few remaining sources of vital oils like DHA. Even the intake of fish is of concern due to the widespread pollution of ocean water.
Molecularly distilled DHA, which does not contain mercury, PCBs, or other contaminants, is the safest way for you to get this vital oil into your diet on a consistent basis.
Low Vitamin D Status Linked to Heart Failure and Sudden Cardiac Death
Reference: "Association of vitamin D deficiency with heart failure and sudden cardiac death in a large cross-sectional study of patients referred for coronary angiography," Pilz S, Marz W, et al, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2008 August 5; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Public Health, Division of Endocrinology and Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, Austria. E-mail: Stefan Pilz, stefan.pilz@chello.at ).
Summary: In a study involving 3,299 Caucasian subjects who were routinely referred to coronary angiography at baseline (1997-2000), low vitamin D status was found to be associated with increased risk of deaths due to heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Patients were followed up with for an average of 7.7 years, during which time 116 died due to heart failure and 188 died due to sudden cardiac death. As compared to patients with optimal serum 25(OH)D levels (75 nmol/L or greater), those with severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 25 nmol/L) were found to have a 2.84 hazard ratio for death due to heart failure and 5.05 for sudden cardiac death. The authors conclude, "Interventional trials are warranted to elucidate whether vitamin D supplementation is useful for treatment and/or prevention of myocardial diseases."
Summary: In a study involving 3,299 Caucasian subjects who were routinely referred to coronary angiography at baseline (1997-2000), low vitamin D status was found to be associated with increased risk of deaths due to heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Patients were followed up with for an average of 7.7 years, during which time 116 died due to heart failure and 188 died due to sudden cardiac death. As compared to patients with optimal serum 25(OH)D levels (75 nmol/L or greater), those with severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D < 25 nmol/L) were found to have a 2.84 hazard ratio for death due to heart failure and 5.05 for sudden cardiac death. The authors conclude, "Interventional trials are warranted to elucidate whether vitamin D supplementation is useful for treatment and/or prevention of myocardial diseases."
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Facing fear
"When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all. We all need some form of deeply rooted, powerful motivation - it empowers us to overcome obstacles so we can live our dreams."
Les Brown
Speaker and Author
Les Brown
Speaker and Author
Monday, August 18, 2008
Serenity
Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.
A person becomes calm in the measure that one understands themselves as a thought evolved being, for such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought, and as one develops a right understanding, and sees more and more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect, one ceases to fuss and fume and worry and grieve, and remains poised, steadfast, serene.
The calm person, having learned how to govern themselves, knows how to adapt themselves to others; and they, in turn, reverence their spiritual strength, and feel that they can learn of them and rely upon them. The more tranquil a person becomes, the greater is their success, their influence, their power for good. Even the ordinary trader will find their business prosperity increase as one develops a greater self control and equanimity, for people will always prefer to deal with a person whose demeanor is strongly equable.
The strong, calm person is always loved and revered. They are like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm. Who does not love a tranquil heart, a sweet-tempered, balanced life? It does not matter whether it rains or shines, or what changes come to those possessing these blessings, for they are always sweet, serene, and calm. That exquisite poise of character which we call serenity is the last lesson of culture; it is the flowering of life, the fruitage of the soul. It is precious as wisdom, more to be desired than gold, than even fine gold. How insignificant mere money seeking looks in comparison with a serene life - a life that dwells in the ocean of truth, beneath the waves, beyond the reach of tempests, in the eternal calm!
How many people we know who sour their lives, who ruin all that is sweet and beautiful by explosive tempers, who destroy their poise of character, and make bad blood! It is a question whether the great majority of people do not ruin their lives and mar their happiness by lack of self-control flow few people we meet in life who are well-balanced, who have that exquisite poise which is characteristic of the finished character!
James Allen
1864-1912, Author
A person becomes calm in the measure that one understands themselves as a thought evolved being, for such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought, and as one develops a right understanding, and sees more and more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect, one ceases to fuss and fume and worry and grieve, and remains poised, steadfast, serene.
The calm person, having learned how to govern themselves, knows how to adapt themselves to others; and they, in turn, reverence their spiritual strength, and feel that they can learn of them and rely upon them. The more tranquil a person becomes, the greater is their success, their influence, their power for good. Even the ordinary trader will find their business prosperity increase as one develops a greater self control and equanimity, for people will always prefer to deal with a person whose demeanor is strongly equable.
The strong, calm person is always loved and revered. They are like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm. Who does not love a tranquil heart, a sweet-tempered, balanced life? It does not matter whether it rains or shines, or what changes come to those possessing these blessings, for they are always sweet, serene, and calm. That exquisite poise of character which we call serenity is the last lesson of culture; it is the flowering of life, the fruitage of the soul. It is precious as wisdom, more to be desired than gold, than even fine gold. How insignificant mere money seeking looks in comparison with a serene life - a life that dwells in the ocean of truth, beneath the waves, beyond the reach of tempests, in the eternal calm!
How many people we know who sour their lives, who ruin all that is sweet and beautiful by explosive tempers, who destroy their poise of character, and make bad blood! It is a question whether the great majority of people do not ruin their lives and mar their happiness by lack of self-control flow few people we meet in life who are well-balanced, who have that exquisite poise which is characteristic of the finished character!
James Allen
1864-1912, Author
Home Remedies for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Have you ever heard of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? If you feel some
numbness around your hands or palms, consult your physician
immediately as these symptoms might lead to serious damage to your
life.
Most bedridden patients experienced numbness around their feet or
hands in the beginning, thinking that it was just a twist while
sleeping or some simple daily usual occurrence. Often, they tell us
that the feeling of numbness was just nothing, until time had passed
for several years. One day they noticed that they failed to even hold
a cup of coffee or else dropping it. Bear in mind that these are all
dangerous signs to your health.
In carpal tunnel syndrome, numbness usually occurs at thumb, index,
middle finger and half of the ring finger.
## WHAT IS THE REAL CAUSE OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME?
There are several and many think that it is caused by repetitive
movements of arms and fingers especially among heavy computer
keyboard users. Some records show that women during pregnancy and
after delivery are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome than
others. It is also fairly common in patients undergoing dialysis.
However, according to medical groups, up to this writing, there is no
definite answer on the real cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
What could be the remedy for the thumb and other parts of the fingers
that are getting thin or having muscle degeneration? It is quite
difficult to answer, and there is also no definite remedy that was
found.
According to some patients, solving the pressure of the nerve with
surgical operation will correct the condition or numbness. Of course,
there are cases that such syndrome disappeared over time without any
treatment.
## HOW TO TEST OR DIAGNOSE CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME?
The following photo shows a diagnostic test for carpal tunnel
syndrome, known as the Phalen's maneuver or Phalen's test.
http://www.pyroenergen.com/articles08/images/phalens-maneuver.jpg
Bend your wrist and maintain your hands position in a 90-degree
angle, pushing the back of both hands together, for about one minute.
If you do not feel any pain or numbness, then you are at least on the
safe level. Of course, the Phalen's maneuver is not a definite way to
diagnose but it helps to know at least.
Two years ago, one of our caretakers in the rice field was cutting
rice straw with sickle when she suddenly lost her power to hold the
sickle and dropped it. Since then, she had difficulties holding
things with her right hand for a year. She is now under diet control
and of course, hands, arms and feet exercise everyday with the Pyro-
Energen treatment.
Usually, hands and mouth numbness leads to cerebral apoplexy or
cerebral apoplexy leads to hands and mouth numbness. You should know
that this numbness usually happens when you wake up in the morning.
Whichever it is, if you feel slight numbness in your hands or around
the mouth, we advise you to consult your physician immediately before
anything serious happens to your health.
Also, some patients told us that some numbness or strange feeling or
strange vertigo occurs especially when they bend their neck (head)
upward. Schoolteachers told us that such numbness occurred when they
started writing on the blackboard when they bend their head upwards
or when they face up.
## HOME REMEDIES FOR CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Open and close and twist hard your hands as shown on these
illustrations as often as possible every day. This simple hands
exercise can eradicate hundreds of blood-related problems according
to our experiences.
----------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher involved in
investigating the cause of various diseases since 1960. In 1968, he
invented Pyro-Energen, the first electromedicine device that
eradicates viral diseases, cancer, and diseases of unknown cause
effectively without side effects.
Free newsletter: http://www.pyroenergen.com/newsletter.htm
----------------------------------------------------------
numbness around your hands or palms, consult your physician
immediately as these symptoms might lead to serious damage to your
life.
Most bedridden patients experienced numbness around their feet or
hands in the beginning, thinking that it was just a twist while
sleeping or some simple daily usual occurrence. Often, they tell us
that the feeling of numbness was just nothing, until time had passed
for several years. One day they noticed that they failed to even hold
a cup of coffee or else dropping it. Bear in mind that these are all
dangerous signs to your health.
In carpal tunnel syndrome, numbness usually occurs at thumb, index,
middle finger and half of the ring finger.
## WHAT IS THE REAL CAUSE OF CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME?
There are several and many think that it is caused by repetitive
movements of arms and fingers especially among heavy computer
keyboard users. Some records show that women during pregnancy and
after delivery are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome than
others. It is also fairly common in patients undergoing dialysis.
However, according to medical groups, up to this writing, there is no
definite answer on the real cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.
What could be the remedy for the thumb and other parts of the fingers
that are getting thin or having muscle degeneration? It is quite
difficult to answer, and there is also no definite remedy that was
found.
According to some patients, solving the pressure of the nerve with
surgical operation will correct the condition or numbness. Of course,
there are cases that such syndrome disappeared over time without any
treatment.
## HOW TO TEST OR DIAGNOSE CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME?
The following photo shows a diagnostic test for carpal tunnel
syndrome, known as the Phalen's maneuver or Phalen's test.
http://www.pyroenergen.com/articles08/images/phalens-maneuver.jpg
Bend your wrist and maintain your hands position in a 90-degree
angle, pushing the back of both hands together, for about one minute.
If you do not feel any pain or numbness, then you are at least on the
safe level. Of course, the Phalen's maneuver is not a definite way to
diagnose but it helps to know at least.
Two years ago, one of our caretakers in the rice field was cutting
rice straw with sickle when she suddenly lost her power to hold the
sickle and dropped it. Since then, she had difficulties holding
things with her right hand for a year. She is now under diet control
and of course, hands, arms and feet exercise everyday with the Pyro-
Energen treatment.
Usually, hands and mouth numbness leads to cerebral apoplexy or
cerebral apoplexy leads to hands and mouth numbness. You should know
that this numbness usually happens when you wake up in the morning.
Whichever it is, if you feel slight numbness in your hands or around
the mouth, we advise you to consult your physician immediately before
anything serious happens to your health.
Also, some patients told us that some numbness or strange feeling or
strange vertigo occurs especially when they bend their neck (head)
upward. Schoolteachers told us that such numbness occurred when they
started writing on the blackboard when they bend their head upwards
or when they face up.
## HOME REMEDIES FOR CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Open and close and twist hard your hands as shown on these
illustrations as often as possible every day. This simple hands
exercise can eradicate hundreds of blood-related problems according
to our experiences.
----------------------------------------------------------
About the Author:
Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher involved in
investigating the cause of various diseases since 1960. In 1968, he
invented Pyro-Energen, the first electromedicine device that
eradicates viral diseases, cancer, and diseases of unknown cause
effectively without side effects.
Free newsletter: http://www.pyroenergen.com/newsletter.htm
----------------------------------------------------------
Friday, August 15, 2008
Your Friday story: Love and Loss
I was lucky. I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started?
Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT.
I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple.It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.
Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs gave this as his second story of his Commencement Address at Stanford University on June 12, 2005.
Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT.
I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple.It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.
Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs gave this as his second story of his Commencement Address at Stanford University on June 12, 2005.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The road to happiness
"The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it put your whole soul into it - every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have."
John D. Rockefeller
1839-1937, Industrialist and Philanthropist
John D. Rockefeller
1839-1937, Industrialist and Philanthropist
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Achieving what you want in life
"You can achieve anything you want in life if you have the courage to dream it, the intelligence to make a realistic plan, and the will to see that plan through to the end."
Sidney A. Friedman
Entrepreneur, Speaker and Author
Sidney A. Friedman
Entrepreneur, Speaker and Author
Omega-3's Protect Against Clogged Arteries
A diet rich in omega-3 fats may explain why middle-aged men in Japan have fewer problems with clogged arteries than similar men in the United States.
The research found that Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood levels of omega-3 fats, and also lower levels of atherosclerosis, compared to middle-aged white men or Japanese-American men living in the United States.
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Over time, they can lead to serious problems like heart attacks and stroke.
Nutritional studies show that intake of omega-3 fats averages 1.3 grams per day in Japan, compared to 0.2 grams per day in the United States.
Sources:
a.. Reuters July 28, 2008
a.. Journal of the American College of Cardiology August 2008; 52:417-424
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
It's been proven time and again that omega-3 fats are excellent for your heart health. Where this particular study made some strides was in showing that it's likely diet -- and not genes -- that's responsible for the drastically lower rates of heart disease among the Japanese.
That is, Japanese people living in Japan. Japanese people who live in the United States have many of the same heart issues as Americans. Why? Because their diets are Americanized.
Are You Getting Enough Omega-3?
Animal-based omega-3 fats, which come largely from fish and fish oils, are not eaten in abundance in the United States. What IS eaten in abundance are omega-6 fats, which come from vegetable oils like corn, soy, and canola.
The typical Western ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 20:1. To reach optimal health, the ratio should be closer to 1:1. Because the Japanese eat so much fish (about 3 ounces a day compared to twice a week in the United States) their ratio is about 3:1.
When omega-6 fats predominate in your diet, as is common in the United States, this encourages the production of inflammation in your body. Since so many diseases have now been linked to chronic inflammation, this really is one of the most important nutrition concerns to get right.
In fact, many scientists believe that one major reason for today's high incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, and some forms of cancer is this profound imbalance between your intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fats.
Here is just a sampling of omega-3's benefits:
a.. Antiarrhythmic: counteracting or preventing cardiac arrhythmia
b.. Antithrombotic: tending to prevent thrombosis (a blood clot within a blood vessel)
c.. Antiatherosclerotic: preventing fatty deposits and fibrosis of the inner layer of your arteries from forming
d.. Anti-inflammatory: counteracting inflammation (heat, pain, swelling, etc.)
e.. Improves endothelial function: a major factor in promoting the growth of new blood vessels
f.. Lowers blood pressure
g.. Lowers triglyceride concentrations
You can shift your ratio by consuming more omega-3 fats, which actually promote the production of substances that fight inflammation, while also cutting down on omega-6 fats in vegetable oils.
What's the Best Source of Omega-3 Fats?
Most of your health benefits associated with omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA, not plant-based omega-3 fats like ALA from flaxseed. ALA is converted into EPA and DHA in your body, but only at a very low ratio. Even if you eat large amounts of ALA, your body can only convert very small amounts into EPA and DHA, and only when sufficient enzymes are present.
So, hands down, the types of omega-3 that you want to add to your diet are EPA and DHA, which are found primarily in fish. The study above is further evidence of this confirmation as these benefits were found in those consuming animal, not plant based, omega-3 fats.
I'm a big believer in getting your nutrients in as close to their natural form as possible, so in a perfect world you would get your omega-3 fats from eating fish.
Unfortunately, studies show that eating fish can potentially expose you to a high degree of contamination with industrial pollutants and toxins like mercury, PCBs, heavy metals and radioactive poisons.
This is why the FDA and EPA have put out health advisories warning against certain fish and shellfish consumption for young children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and nursing mothers.
So instead of getting your omega-3 from potentially contaminated fish, I recommend taking it in supplement form, as this has been purified to remove any toxins. And, instead of taking fish oil, which is extremely perishable and prone to oxidation, I recommend taking krill oil, which is superior to fish oil for a number of reasons.
What about the Japanese? How can they eat so much fish without any noticeable side effects?
It's my belief that eating the fish raw, as is commonly done in Japan, tends to diminish some of the toxicity.
It should be noted that recent tests have found high levels of mercury in sushi in the United States, particularly tuna, which accumulate more toxins because of their large size.
However, the variable that still remains untested is if the mercury and other contaminants are as toxic if you consume the fish raw. In other words, does cooking it change the nature of the food to transfer its toxicity to you? To the best of my knowledge those studies have not been done.
If you like to practice the precautionary principle then it would be best to avoid it. Personally I avoid tuna, whether raw or cooked. But, again, I believe the Japanese are able to eat fish in abundance because it's almost always eaten raw.
Of course, there may be other variables in the equation as well.
What Else Helps Keep Japanese People Healthy?
There are clearly some downsides to the Japanese way of life. They eat loads of white rice, which is terrible for your insulin levels, and they're expected to put in extremely long hours at the job. So stressful is the Japanese work environment that they have a word devoted to it: karoshi, which means "death from overwork."
Still, Japan continues to have one of the highest life expectancies in the world -- 83 years, compared to 78 in the United States -- so they must be doing something right. Along with their omega-3-rich diets, I suspect their longevity is in part due to:
a.. Fermented foods: The Japanese eat lots of fermented foods, including miso, tempeh, and natto, which are fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor. Natto is loaded with nattokinase, a very powerful blood thinner.
I eat natto frequently, as it is the highest source of vitamin K2 on the planet, and has a very powerful beneficial bacteria, bacillus subtilis. It can usually be found in any Asian grocery store.
a.. Green tea: Japanese people drink green tea everyday, which has been linked to protection from heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and more. They also have access to the most antioxidant-rich green tea out there, matcha green tea, the highest quality of which comes from Japan.
a.. Power naps: They may work long hours, but employers encourage their workers to take regular naps, which are known health boosters. Napping salons are actually commonplace in Japan.
For those of you living outside of Japan, eating more fermented foods, drinking some high-quality green tea and taking power naps may all help improve your health. But make sure you combine them with one of the most important -- and easiest -- healthy steps you can make: taking high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fats every day.
The research found that Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood levels of omega-3 fats, and also lower levels of atherosclerosis, compared to middle-aged white men or Japanese-American men living in the United States.
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Over time, they can lead to serious problems like heart attacks and stroke.
Nutritional studies show that intake of omega-3 fats averages 1.3 grams per day in Japan, compared to 0.2 grams per day in the United States.
Sources:
a.. Reuters July 28, 2008
a.. Journal of the American College of Cardiology August 2008; 52:417-424
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
It's been proven time and again that omega-3 fats are excellent for your heart health. Where this particular study made some strides was in showing that it's likely diet -- and not genes -- that's responsible for the drastically lower rates of heart disease among the Japanese.
That is, Japanese people living in Japan. Japanese people who live in the United States have many of the same heart issues as Americans. Why? Because their diets are Americanized.
Are You Getting Enough Omega-3?
Animal-based omega-3 fats, which come largely from fish and fish oils, are not eaten in abundance in the United States. What IS eaten in abundance are omega-6 fats, which come from vegetable oils like corn, soy, and canola.
The typical Western ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is 20:1. To reach optimal health, the ratio should be closer to 1:1. Because the Japanese eat so much fish (about 3 ounces a day compared to twice a week in the United States) their ratio is about 3:1.
When omega-6 fats predominate in your diet, as is common in the United States, this encourages the production of inflammation in your body. Since so many diseases have now been linked to chronic inflammation, this really is one of the most important nutrition concerns to get right.
In fact, many scientists believe that one major reason for today's high incidence of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, and some forms of cancer is this profound imbalance between your intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fats.
Here is just a sampling of omega-3's benefits:
a.. Antiarrhythmic: counteracting or preventing cardiac arrhythmia
b.. Antithrombotic: tending to prevent thrombosis (a blood clot within a blood vessel)
c.. Antiatherosclerotic: preventing fatty deposits and fibrosis of the inner layer of your arteries from forming
d.. Anti-inflammatory: counteracting inflammation (heat, pain, swelling, etc.)
e.. Improves endothelial function: a major factor in promoting the growth of new blood vessels
f.. Lowers blood pressure
g.. Lowers triglyceride concentrations
You can shift your ratio by consuming more omega-3 fats, which actually promote the production of substances that fight inflammation, while also cutting down on omega-6 fats in vegetable oils.
What's the Best Source of Omega-3 Fats?
Most of your health benefits associated with omega-3 fats are linked to animal-based omega-3 fats like EPA and DHA, not plant-based omega-3 fats like ALA from flaxseed. ALA is converted into EPA and DHA in your body, but only at a very low ratio. Even if you eat large amounts of ALA, your body can only convert very small amounts into EPA and DHA, and only when sufficient enzymes are present.
So, hands down, the types of omega-3 that you want to add to your diet are EPA and DHA, which are found primarily in fish. The study above is further evidence of this confirmation as these benefits were found in those consuming animal, not plant based, omega-3 fats.
I'm a big believer in getting your nutrients in as close to their natural form as possible, so in a perfect world you would get your omega-3 fats from eating fish.
Unfortunately, studies show that eating fish can potentially expose you to a high degree of contamination with industrial pollutants and toxins like mercury, PCBs, heavy metals and radioactive poisons.
This is why the FDA and EPA have put out health advisories warning against certain fish and shellfish consumption for young children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and nursing mothers.
So instead of getting your omega-3 from potentially contaminated fish, I recommend taking it in supplement form, as this has been purified to remove any toxins. And, instead of taking fish oil, which is extremely perishable and prone to oxidation, I recommend taking krill oil, which is superior to fish oil for a number of reasons.
What about the Japanese? How can they eat so much fish without any noticeable side effects?
It's my belief that eating the fish raw, as is commonly done in Japan, tends to diminish some of the toxicity.
It should be noted that recent tests have found high levels of mercury in sushi in the United States, particularly tuna, which accumulate more toxins because of their large size.
However, the variable that still remains untested is if the mercury and other contaminants are as toxic if you consume the fish raw. In other words, does cooking it change the nature of the food to transfer its toxicity to you? To the best of my knowledge those studies have not been done.
If you like to practice the precautionary principle then it would be best to avoid it. Personally I avoid tuna, whether raw or cooked. But, again, I believe the Japanese are able to eat fish in abundance because it's almost always eaten raw.
Of course, there may be other variables in the equation as well.
What Else Helps Keep Japanese People Healthy?
There are clearly some downsides to the Japanese way of life. They eat loads of white rice, which is terrible for your insulin levels, and they're expected to put in extremely long hours at the job. So stressful is the Japanese work environment that they have a word devoted to it: karoshi, which means "death from overwork."
Still, Japan continues to have one of the highest life expectancies in the world -- 83 years, compared to 78 in the United States -- so they must be doing something right. Along with their omega-3-rich diets, I suspect their longevity is in part due to:
a.. Fermented foods: The Japanese eat lots of fermented foods, including miso, tempeh, and natto, which are fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor. Natto is loaded with nattokinase, a very powerful blood thinner.
I eat natto frequently, as it is the highest source of vitamin K2 on the planet, and has a very powerful beneficial bacteria, bacillus subtilis. It can usually be found in any Asian grocery store.
a.. Green tea: Japanese people drink green tea everyday, which has been linked to protection from heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and more. They also have access to the most antioxidant-rich green tea out there, matcha green tea, the highest quality of which comes from Japan.
a.. Power naps: They may work long hours, but employers encourage their workers to take regular naps, which are known health boosters. Napping salons are actually commonplace in Japan.
For those of you living outside of Japan, eating more fermented foods, drinking some high-quality green tea and taking power naps may all help improve your health. But make sure you combine them with one of the most important -- and easiest -- healthy steps you can make: taking high-quality, animal-based omega-3 fats every day.
Low Vitamin D Levels Pose Large Threat To Health; Overall 26 Percent Increased Risk Of Death
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080811195629.htm
ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2008) - Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.
In a study set to appear in the Archives of Internal Medicine online Aug. 11, the Johns Hopkins team analyzed a diverse sample of 13,000 initially healthy men and women participating in an ongoing national health survey and compared the risk of death between those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D to those with higher amounts. An unhealthy deficiency, experts say, is considered blood levels of 17.8 nanograms per milliliter or lower.
Of the 1,800 study participants known to have died by Dec. 31, 2000, nearly 700 died from some form of heart disease, with 400 of these being deficient in vitamin D. This translates overall to an estimated 26 percent increased risk of any death, though the number of deaths from heart disease alone was not large enough to meet scientific criteria to resolve that it was due to low vitamin D levels.
Yet, researchers say it does highlight a trend, with other studies linking shortages of vitamin D to increased rates of breast cancer and depression in the elderly. And earlier published findings by the team, from the same national study, have established a possible tie-in, showing an 80 percent increased risk of peripheral artery disease from vitamin D deficits.
Researchers note that other studies in the last year or so in animals and humans have identified a connection between low levels of vitamin D and heart disease. But these studies, they say, were weakened by small sample numbers, lack of diversity in the population studied and other factors that limited scientists' ability to generalize the findings to the public at large.
"Our results make it much more clear that all men and women concerned about their overall health should more closely monitor their blood levels of vitamin D, and make sure they have enough," says study co-lead investigator Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S.
"We think we have additional evidence to consider adding vitamin D deficiency as a distinct and separate risk factor for death from cardiovascular disease, putting it alongside much better known and understood risk factors, such as age, gender, family history, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, obesity and diabetes," says Michos.
Vitamin D is well known to play an essential role in cell growth, in boosting the body's immune system and in strengthening bones.
"Now that we know vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor, we can better assess how aggressively to treat people at risk of heart disease or those who are already ill and undergoing treatment," says Michos, who adds that test screening for nutrient levels is relatively simple. It can, she says, be made part of routine blood work and done while monitoring other known risk factors, including blood pressure, glucose and lipid levels.
Heart disease remains the nation's leading cause of death, killing more than a million Americans each year. Nearly 10 percent of those with the condition have not one identifiable, traditional risk factor, which the experts say is why a considerable extent of the disease goes unexplained.
Michos, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and its Heart and Vascular Institute, recommends that people boost their vitamin D levels by eating diets rich in such fish as sardines and mackerel, consuming fortified dairy products, taking cod-liver oil and vitamin supplements, and in warmer weather briefly exposing skin to the sun's vitamin-D producing ultraviolet light.
Aware of the cancer risks linked to too much time spent in the sun, she says as little as 10 to 15 minutes of daily exposure to the sun can produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D to sustain health. The hormone-like nutrient controls blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, essential chemicals in the body.
If vitamin supplements are used, Michos says there is no evidence that more than 2,000 international units per day do any good. Study results show that heart disease death rates flattened out in participants with the highest vitamin D levels (above 50 nanograms per milliliter of blood), signaling a possible loss of the vitamin's protective effects at too-high doses.
The U.S. Institute of Medicine suggests that an adequate daily intake of vitamin D is between 200 and 400 international units (or blood levels nearing 30 nanograms per milliliter). Previous results from the same nationwide survey showed that 41 percent of men and 53 percent of women are technically deficient in the nutrient, with vitamin D levels below 28 nanograms per milliliter.
Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., study co-lead investigator who started the research as a clinical fellow at Johns Hopkins, says no one knows yet why or how vitamin D's hormone-like properties may protect the heart, but she adds that there are plenty of leads in the better known links the vitamin has to problems with muscle overgrowth and high blood pressure, in addition to its control of inflammation, which scientists are showing plays a stronger role in all kinds of heart disease. But more research is needed to determine the nutrient's precise biological action.
Researchers say their next steps are to test various high doses of vitamin D to find out if the nutritional supplementation results in fewer deaths and lower incidence of heart disease, including heart attack or moments of prolonged and severe chest pain.
The team also plans to investigate what biological triggers, such as obesity or hypertension, might offset or worsen the action of vitamin D on heart muscle, or whether vitamin D sets off some other reaction in the heart.
Melamed says that because vitamin D levels are known to fluctuate in direct proportion with daily physical activity, the growing epidemic of obesity and indoor sedentary lifestyles lend more urgency to act on the vitamin D factor.
Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health, the P.J. Schafer Cardiovascular Research Fund and the Paul Beeson Physician Faculty Scholars in Aging Program. Michos has received previous consulting fees from vitamin D therapeutics manufacturer Abbott Pharmaceuticals. The terms of these arrangements are being managed by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.
Besides Michos and Melamed, other Hopkins researchers involved in this study, conducted solely at Hopkins, were Wendy Post, M.D.; and Brad Astor, Ph.D. Melamed is now an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City.
----------------------------------------------------------
Journal reference:
1.. Michal L. Melamed, MD, MHS; Erin D. Michos, MD, MHS; Wendy Post, MD, MS; Brad Astor, PhD. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and the Risk of Mortality in the General Population. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008; 168 (15): 1629 DOI: 10.1001/archinte.168.15.1629
ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2008) - Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.
In a study set to appear in the Archives of Internal Medicine online Aug. 11, the Johns Hopkins team analyzed a diverse sample of 13,000 initially healthy men and women participating in an ongoing national health survey and compared the risk of death between those with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D to those with higher amounts. An unhealthy deficiency, experts say, is considered blood levels of 17.8 nanograms per milliliter or lower.
Of the 1,800 study participants known to have died by Dec. 31, 2000, nearly 700 died from some form of heart disease, with 400 of these being deficient in vitamin D. This translates overall to an estimated 26 percent increased risk of any death, though the number of deaths from heart disease alone was not large enough to meet scientific criteria to resolve that it was due to low vitamin D levels.
Yet, researchers say it does highlight a trend, with other studies linking shortages of vitamin D to increased rates of breast cancer and depression in the elderly. And earlier published findings by the team, from the same national study, have established a possible tie-in, showing an 80 percent increased risk of peripheral artery disease from vitamin D deficits.
Researchers note that other studies in the last year or so in animals and humans have identified a connection between low levels of vitamin D and heart disease. But these studies, they say, were weakened by small sample numbers, lack of diversity in the population studied and other factors that limited scientists' ability to generalize the findings to the public at large.
"Our results make it much more clear that all men and women concerned about their overall health should more closely monitor their blood levels of vitamin D, and make sure they have enough," says study co-lead investigator Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S.
"We think we have additional evidence to consider adding vitamin D deficiency as a distinct and separate risk factor for death from cardiovascular disease, putting it alongside much better known and understood risk factors, such as age, gender, family history, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, obesity and diabetes," says Michos.
Vitamin D is well known to play an essential role in cell growth, in boosting the body's immune system and in strengthening bones.
"Now that we know vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor, we can better assess how aggressively to treat people at risk of heart disease or those who are already ill and undergoing treatment," says Michos, who adds that test screening for nutrient levels is relatively simple. It can, she says, be made part of routine blood work and done while monitoring other known risk factors, including blood pressure, glucose and lipid levels.
Heart disease remains the nation's leading cause of death, killing more than a million Americans each year. Nearly 10 percent of those with the condition have not one identifiable, traditional risk factor, which the experts say is why a considerable extent of the disease goes unexplained.
Michos, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and its Heart and Vascular Institute, recommends that people boost their vitamin D levels by eating diets rich in such fish as sardines and mackerel, consuming fortified dairy products, taking cod-liver oil and vitamin supplements, and in warmer weather briefly exposing skin to the sun's vitamin-D producing ultraviolet light.
Aware of the cancer risks linked to too much time spent in the sun, she says as little as 10 to 15 minutes of daily exposure to the sun can produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D to sustain health. The hormone-like nutrient controls blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, essential chemicals in the body.
If vitamin supplements are used, Michos says there is no evidence that more than 2,000 international units per day do any good. Study results show that heart disease death rates flattened out in participants with the highest vitamin D levels (above 50 nanograms per milliliter of blood), signaling a possible loss of the vitamin's protective effects at too-high doses.
The U.S. Institute of Medicine suggests that an adequate daily intake of vitamin D is between 200 and 400 international units (or blood levels nearing 30 nanograms per milliliter). Previous results from the same nationwide survey showed that 41 percent of men and 53 percent of women are technically deficient in the nutrient, with vitamin D levels below 28 nanograms per milliliter.
Michal Melamed, M.D., M.H.S., study co-lead investigator who started the research as a clinical fellow at Johns Hopkins, says no one knows yet why or how vitamin D's hormone-like properties may protect the heart, but she adds that there are plenty of leads in the better known links the vitamin has to problems with muscle overgrowth and high blood pressure, in addition to its control of inflammation, which scientists are showing plays a stronger role in all kinds of heart disease. But more research is needed to determine the nutrient's precise biological action.
Researchers say their next steps are to test various high doses of vitamin D to find out if the nutritional supplementation results in fewer deaths and lower incidence of heart disease, including heart attack or moments of prolonged and severe chest pain.
The team also plans to investigate what biological triggers, such as obesity or hypertension, might offset or worsen the action of vitamin D on heart muscle, or whether vitamin D sets off some other reaction in the heart.
Melamed says that because vitamin D levels are known to fluctuate in direct proportion with daily physical activity, the growing epidemic of obesity and indoor sedentary lifestyles lend more urgency to act on the vitamin D factor.
Funding for this study was provided by the National Institutes of Health, the P.J. Schafer Cardiovascular Research Fund and the Paul Beeson Physician Faculty Scholars in Aging Program. Michos has received previous consulting fees from vitamin D therapeutics manufacturer Abbott Pharmaceuticals. The terms of these arrangements are being managed by the Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.
Besides Michos and Melamed, other Hopkins researchers involved in this study, conducted solely at Hopkins, were Wendy Post, M.D.; and Brad Astor, Ph.D. Melamed is now an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City.
----------------------------------------------------------
Journal reference:
1.. Michal L. Melamed, MD, MHS; Erin D. Michos, MD, MHS; Wendy Post, MD, MS; Brad Astor, PhD. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and the Risk of Mortality in the General Population. Archives of Internal Medicine, 2008; 168 (15): 1629 DOI: 10.1001/archinte.168.15.1629
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
How small things lead to bigger things
"No matter how small and unimportant what we are doing may seem, if we do it well, it may soon become the step that will lead us to better things."
Channing Pollock
Actor, Writer and Composer
Channing Pollock
Actor, Writer and Composer
Monday, August 11, 2008
The cost of indecision
"Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days... What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
1749-1832, Poet, Novelist and Scientist
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
1749-1832, Poet, Novelist and Scientist
Keeping sight of your goal
"Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.'"
Mario Andretti
Auto Racer
Mario Andretti
Auto Racer
Having A Vision
Whether you liked his politics or not, much can be learned from the life of former President Clinton. Grolier's "New Book of Knowledge" reports that as a teenager "Clinton thought of becoming a doctor or a reporter or even a musician. But after a fateful meeting with President John F. Kennedy, while still in high school, he made up his mind to enter politics." At that moment a vision was born that he would hold onto - that he would glorify in his mind over and over - for the next 30 years, until he himself was elected President at the age of 46.
Jay Leno, who succeeded the venerable Johnny Carson as host of "The Tonight Show," first envisioned that he would be the host when he was just 22-years-old and unknown and unproven as a comedian, much less as host of a show of such regard. For twenty years he enthroned in his heart an ideal that most people would have thought was "foolish, outlandish and impossible."
The ancient writer tells us in Proverbs that "Without a vision, the people perish." And Thoreau told us that "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." No doubt because the masses are without a vision for their lives.
What is your vision for your future, your ideal life? Is it written down? Do you review it and think about it often? Have you "enthroned" it in your heart? Is your life organized around goals and objectives that will ensure your vision is reached?
Wallace D. Wattles, wrote "There is no labor from which most people shrink as they do from that of sustained and consecutive thought; it is the hardest work in the world." And yet it is the "sustained and consecutive thought" about our vision that is the first and primary labor of achievement.
Thoreau also wrote one of my favorite passages of all time. And it gives us the best reason there is to stop what you're doing today and identify the vision for your life. "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
And that's worth thinking about!
Vic Johnson
Vic Johnson is a speaker, author and entrepreneur. You can visit his website at:
www.asamanthinketh.net
Jay Leno, who succeeded the venerable Johnny Carson as host of "The Tonight Show," first envisioned that he would be the host when he was just 22-years-old and unknown and unproven as a comedian, much less as host of a show of such regard. For twenty years he enthroned in his heart an ideal that most people would have thought was "foolish, outlandish and impossible."
The ancient writer tells us in Proverbs that "Without a vision, the people perish." And Thoreau told us that "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." No doubt because the masses are without a vision for their lives.
What is your vision for your future, your ideal life? Is it written down? Do you review it and think about it often? Have you "enthroned" it in your heart? Is your life organized around goals and objectives that will ensure your vision is reached?
Wallace D. Wattles, wrote "There is no labor from which most people shrink as they do from that of sustained and consecutive thought; it is the hardest work in the world." And yet it is the "sustained and consecutive thought" about our vision that is the first and primary labor of achievement.
Thoreau also wrote one of my favorite passages of all time. And it gives us the best reason there is to stop what you're doing today and identify the vision for your life. "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
And that's worth thinking about!
Vic Johnson
Vic Johnson is a speaker, author and entrepreneur. You can visit his website at:
www.asamanthinketh.net
Broccoli may undo diabetes damage
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7541639.stm
Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.
A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane.
It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.
Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have previously been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.
People with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes; both are linked to damaged blood vessels.
The Warwick team, whose work is reported in the journal Diabetes, tested the effects of sulforaphane on blood vessel cells damaged by high glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), which are associated with diabetes.
They recorded a 73% reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).
Hyperglycaemia can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and such high levels can damage human cells.
The researchers also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2, which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
Countering vascular disease
Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said: "Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes.
"In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will."
Dr Iain Frame, director of research at the charity Diabetes UK, stressed that research carried out on cells in the lab was a long way from the real life situation.
However, he said: "It is encouraging to see that Professor Thornalley and his team have identified a potentially important substance that may protect and repair blood vessels from the damaging effects of diabetes.
"It also may help add some scientific weight to the argument that eating broccoli is good for you."
Eating broccoli could reverse the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels, research suggests.
A University of Warwick team believe the key is a compound found in the vegetable, called sulforaphane.
It encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessels, and a reduction in high levels of molecules which cause significant cell damage.
Brassica vegetables such as broccoli have previously been linked to a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.
People with diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes; both are linked to damaged blood vessels.
The Warwick team, whose work is reported in the journal Diabetes, tested the effects of sulforaphane on blood vessel cells damaged by high glucose levels (hyperglycaemia), which are associated with diabetes.
They recorded a 73% reduction of molecules in the body called Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).
Hyperglycaemia can cause levels of ROS to increase three-fold and such high levels can damage human cells.
The researchers also found that sulforaphane activated a protein in the body called nrf2, which protects cells and tissues from damage by activating protective antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
Countering vascular disease
Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said: "Our study suggests that compounds such as sulforaphane from broccoli may help counter processes linked to the development of vascular disease in diabetes.
"In future, it will be important to test if eating a diet rich in brassica vegetables has health benefits for diabetic patients. We expect that it will."
Dr Iain Frame, director of research at the charity Diabetes UK, stressed that research carried out on cells in the lab was a long way from the real life situation.
However, he said: "It is encouraging to see that Professor Thornalley and his team have identified a potentially important substance that may protect and repair blood vessels from the damaging effects of diabetes.
"It also may help add some scientific weight to the argument that eating broccoli is good for you."
Vitamin C 'slows cancer growth'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7540822.stm
An injection of a high dose of vitamin C may be able to hold back the advance of cancers, US scientists claim.
The vitamin may start a destructive chain reaction within the cancer cell, they add.
The jab halved the size of brain, ovarian and pancreatic tumours in mice, reported the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
However, Cancer Research UK said other studies suggested large vitamin C doses may interfere with cancer treatment.
Earlier research by the team at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland had suggested that the vitamin, also called ascorbate, could kill cancer cells in the laboratory.
After these successful tests in mice, they are now suggesting that the treatment be considered for human use at similar levels.
The dose they employed - up to four grams per kilo of bodyweight - was far greater than any that could be achieved using diet or vitamin pills, as the digestive system does not absorb more than a fixed amount taken orally.
The mice were bred to have malfunctioning immune systems, then injected with human cancer cells, which as a result, grew quickly into large tumours. The vitamin was then injected into their abdominal cavity.
Tumour growth and weight fell by between 41% and 53%, and while in untreated mice, the disease spread rapidly to involve other body parts, no such spread was seen in the vitamin C-treated animals.
The researchers wrote: "These pre-clinical data provide the first firm basis for advancing pharmacologic ascorbate in cancer treatment in humans."
Peroxide bomb
The treatment works because a tumour cell is chemically different to a healthy cell.
The vitamin C reacts with this chemical make-up, producing enough hydrogen peroxide to kill the cell, while leaving healthy cells unscathed.
However, Dr Alison Ross, from Cancer Research UK said that much more work would have to be done to see if vitamin C could be a viable treatment.
"This is encouraging work but it's at a very early stage because it involves cells grown in the lab and mice.
"There is currently no evidence from clinical trials in humans that injecting or consuming vitamin C is an effective way to treat cancer.
"Some research even suggests that high doses of antioxidants can make cancer treatment less effective, reducing the benefits of radiotherapy and chemotherapy."
An injection of a high dose of vitamin C may be able to hold back the advance of cancers, US scientists claim.
The vitamin may start a destructive chain reaction within the cancer cell, they add.
The jab halved the size of brain, ovarian and pancreatic tumours in mice, reported the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
However, Cancer Research UK said other studies suggested large vitamin C doses may interfere with cancer treatment.
Earlier research by the team at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland had suggested that the vitamin, also called ascorbate, could kill cancer cells in the laboratory.
After these successful tests in mice, they are now suggesting that the treatment be considered for human use at similar levels.
The dose they employed - up to four grams per kilo of bodyweight - was far greater than any that could be achieved using diet or vitamin pills, as the digestive system does not absorb more than a fixed amount taken orally.
The mice were bred to have malfunctioning immune systems, then injected with human cancer cells, which as a result, grew quickly into large tumours. The vitamin was then injected into their abdominal cavity.
Tumour growth and weight fell by between 41% and 53%, and while in untreated mice, the disease spread rapidly to involve other body parts, no such spread was seen in the vitamin C-treated animals.
The researchers wrote: "These pre-clinical data provide the first firm basis for advancing pharmacologic ascorbate in cancer treatment in humans."
Peroxide bomb
The treatment works because a tumour cell is chemically different to a healthy cell.
The vitamin C reacts with this chemical make-up, producing enough hydrogen peroxide to kill the cell, while leaving healthy cells unscathed.
However, Dr Alison Ross, from Cancer Research UK said that much more work would have to be done to see if vitamin C could be a viable treatment.
"This is encouraging work but it's at a very early stage because it involves cells grown in the lab and mice.
"There is currently no evidence from clinical trials in humans that injecting or consuming vitamin C is an effective way to treat cancer.
"Some research even suggests that high doses of antioxidants can make cancer treatment less effective, reducing the benefits of radiotherapy and chemotherapy."
Low Vitamin D Intake Boosts Heart Attack, Stroke Risk by 60 Percent
Wednesday, August 06, 2008 by: David Gutierrez
http://www.naturalnews.com/023795.html
(NaturalNews) Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Harvard Medical School and published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
Researchers followed 1,739 people for five years, assessing their vitamin D levels by means of regular blood tests. The average age of participants was 59. All participants were white, had no prior history of cardiovascular disease, and were the children of the original participants in the multigenerational Framingham Heart Study.
Participants with low levels of vitamin D had a 60 percent higher chance of experiencing a cardiovascular event, including heart attack, heart failure or stroke, during the study period than participants with high blood levels. The correlation remained even after researchers adjusted for other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Those who had both vitamin D deficiency and high blood pressure had twice the risk of cardiovascular events as those who had vitamin D deficiency alone.
"There is a growing body of experimental literature suggesting that vitamin D may have some actions on the heart and major blood levels," said lead researcher Thomas Wang. "As a corollary, the lack of vitamin D may be associated with the development of cardiac abnormalities."
The connection between Vitamin D and bone health is well-established, due to the vitamin's role in helping the body absorb calcium. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a bone softening disorder in children known as rickets, and can increase adults' risk of osteoporosis. More recent research has also suggested that high vitamin D intake may also protect against certain cancers and the neurodegenerative disease multiple sclerosis.
The body naturally produces vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight. Health professionals recommend that light-skinned people get 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine exposure at least three times per week, and that darker skinned people get up to twice that amount.
http://www.naturalnews.com/023795.html
(NaturalNews) Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Harvard Medical School and published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
Researchers followed 1,739 people for five years, assessing their vitamin D levels by means of regular blood tests. The average age of participants was 59. All participants were white, had no prior history of cardiovascular disease, and were the children of the original participants in the multigenerational Framingham Heart Study.
Participants with low levels of vitamin D had a 60 percent higher chance of experiencing a cardiovascular event, including heart attack, heart failure or stroke, during the study period than participants with high blood levels. The correlation remained even after researchers adjusted for other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Those who had both vitamin D deficiency and high blood pressure had twice the risk of cardiovascular events as those who had vitamin D deficiency alone.
"There is a growing body of experimental literature suggesting that vitamin D may have some actions on the heart and major blood levels," said lead researcher Thomas Wang. "As a corollary, the lack of vitamin D may be associated with the development of cardiac abnormalities."
The connection between Vitamin D and bone health is well-established, due to the vitamin's role in helping the body absorb calcium. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a bone softening disorder in children known as rickets, and can increase adults' risk of osteoporosis. More recent research has also suggested that high vitamin D intake may also protect against certain cancers and the neurodegenerative disease multiple sclerosis.
The body naturally produces vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight. Health professionals recommend that light-skinned people get 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine exposure at least three times per week, and that darker skinned people get up to twice that amount.
The House of 1000 Mirrors
Long ago in a small, far away village, there was a place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often."
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?
Japanese Folktale
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?
Japanese Folktale
5 Healthy Vinegar Tips & Trick
1. Vinegar Paste for scale cleaning. Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 2
tablespoons of salt and use it as a kitchen cleanser.
2. Vinegar for kitchen sink and drain cleaning. Make 1 cup of sodium
bicarbonate (baking soda) to 1 cup of vinegar and wait for 5 minutes.
Mix with warm water and drain to the pipe.
3. Vinegar for flower vase. Mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1
teaspoon of sugar to 1 liter of water to keep cut flowers longer.
4. Vinegar for dog care. Mix 1 cup of vinegar to 1 liter of water.
Use it to wipe dog fur.
5. Vinegar for beauty care. Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 2 liters
of water. Rinse your face with it. You do not need any other facial
cleanser or creams at all. Our beautiful ancestors never had modern
creams, and history books say that Cleopatra also used vinegar.
About the Author:
Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher involved in
investigating the cause of various diseases since 1960. In 1968, he
invented Pyro-Energen, the first electromedicine device that
eradicates viral diseases, cancer, and diseases of unknown cause
effectively without side effects.
Free newsletter: http://www.pyroenergen.com/newsletter.htm
tablespoons of salt and use it as a kitchen cleanser.
2. Vinegar for kitchen sink and drain cleaning. Make 1 cup of sodium
bicarbonate (baking soda) to 1 cup of vinegar and wait for 5 minutes.
Mix with warm water and drain to the pipe.
3. Vinegar for flower vase. Mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1
teaspoon of sugar to 1 liter of water to keep cut flowers longer.
4. Vinegar for dog care. Mix 1 cup of vinegar to 1 liter of water.
Use it to wipe dog fur.
5. Vinegar for beauty care. Mix 1 tablespoon of vinegar to 2 liters
of water. Rinse your face with it. You do not need any other facial
cleanser or creams at all. Our beautiful ancestors never had modern
creams, and history books say that Cleopatra also used vinegar.
About the Author:
Junji Takano is a Japanese health researcher involved in
investigating the cause of various diseases since 1960. In 1968, he
invented Pyro-Energen, the first electromedicine device that
eradicates viral diseases, cancer, and diseases of unknown cause
effectively without side effects.
Free newsletter: http://www.pyroenergen.com/newsletter.htm
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
What we should devote our lives to
"Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. We lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in a year's time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings."
Andre Maurois
1885-1967, Writer
Andre Maurois
1885-1967, Writer
DHA - Brain Boosting and Mercury Protecting
Not only does your heart and circulatory system love DHA, so does your brain. Your brain cells would much rather make themselves of fatty acids from DHA, compared to potato chips or French fries - something to ponder. A variety of new animal studies illustrate the brain power of DHA.
One study showed that DHA was able to maintain "marked neurite-promoting potential in neurones from adult and aged animals." The ability to generate nerve-related projections from existing old brain cells is truly amazing, and supports the notion of DHA as a superior brain anti-aging nutrient.
Another study showed that DHA helped maintain brain plasticity and cognitive function, protecting against scar tissue formation in the brain. The effects of DHA and exercise had a combined synergistic value in terms of further enhancing brain health. The researchers showed that brain brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was boosted by DHA and the result was further enhanced by exercise. BDNF is the life force of brain rejuvenation, and here are two easy ways to boost BDNF levels.
Another DHA study tested if DHA could protect brain glial cells (astrocytes) and neurons from exposure to methylmercury. Exposure to mercury without protection by DHA caused these brain cells to have severe free radical distress and reduced mitochondrial activity (energy production). Pretreatment with DHA completely prevented these adverse effects of mercury on brain cells.
DHA is one potent nutrient for brain health.
Japanese men have half the heart disease compared to any other industrialized country in the world. This is true even though they smoke more and have similar rates of cholesterol problems, blood pressure issues, and diabetes. Living in Japan, they eat fish every day and new research shows their blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) are twice as high as Japanese men living in America and white American men.
Since so much of the fish available in the U.S. market contains mercury, PCBs, and other contaminants it is wise to get your essential fatty acids from high quality molecularly distilled DHA, which should be taken daily - the higher the amount the greater the protection.
Of course, fish oil is also known to help metabolize triglycerides, those nasty fat blobs that cause so much trouble to your circulation when they are elevated.
The lead author of this study is Akira Sekikawa, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. She concluded, "Our study suggests that very high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have strong properties that may help prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries.While we don't recommend Americans change their diets to eat fish at these quantities because of concerns about mercury levels in some fish, increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the U.S. could have a very substantial impact on heart disease."
Byron Richards, CCN
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/dha_brain_boosting_and_mercury_protecting/?source=Email&camp=news080408
One study showed that DHA was able to maintain "marked neurite-promoting potential in neurones from adult and aged animals." The ability to generate nerve-related projections from existing old brain cells is truly amazing, and supports the notion of DHA as a superior brain anti-aging nutrient.
Another study showed that DHA helped maintain brain plasticity and cognitive function, protecting against scar tissue formation in the brain. The effects of DHA and exercise had a combined synergistic value in terms of further enhancing brain health. The researchers showed that brain brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was boosted by DHA and the result was further enhanced by exercise. BDNF is the life force of brain rejuvenation, and here are two easy ways to boost BDNF levels.
Another DHA study tested if DHA could protect brain glial cells (astrocytes) and neurons from exposure to methylmercury. Exposure to mercury without protection by DHA caused these brain cells to have severe free radical distress and reduced mitochondrial activity (energy production). Pretreatment with DHA completely prevented these adverse effects of mercury on brain cells.
DHA is one potent nutrient for brain health.
Japanese men have half the heart disease compared to any other industrialized country in the world. This is true even though they smoke more and have similar rates of cholesterol problems, blood pressure issues, and diabetes. Living in Japan, they eat fish every day and new research shows their blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) are twice as high as Japanese men living in America and white American men.
Since so much of the fish available in the U.S. market contains mercury, PCBs, and other contaminants it is wise to get your essential fatty acids from high quality molecularly distilled DHA, which should be taken daily - the higher the amount the greater the protection.
Of course, fish oil is also known to help metabolize triglycerides, those nasty fat blobs that cause so much trouble to your circulation when they are elevated.
The lead author of this study is Akira Sekikawa, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. She concluded, "Our study suggests that very high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have strong properties that may help prevent the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries.While we don't recommend Americans change their diets to eat fish at these quantities because of concerns about mercury levels in some fish, increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the U.S. could have a very substantial impact on heart disease."
Byron Richards, CCN
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/dha_brain_boosting_and_mercury_protecting/?source=Email&camp=news080408
Monday, August 4, 2008
How American censorship is like Chinese censorship
Media Censorship at Olympics in China Mirrors FDA Censorship of Health Product Claims in America
by Mike Adams (see all articles by this author)
(NaturalNews) The U.S. media is loudly protesting the censorship of their reporters at the Olympics in Beijing. Betraying its promise to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), China has blocked reporters' access to "sensitive" websites, including those that mention human rights violations, the suppression of the Falun Gong religious group, the Tiananman Square uprising and other similar topics the Chinese government would like to imagine never happened. In response to these restrictions, U.S. reporters are crying foul, insisting that they should have full access to information without government censorship. By implication, they are also stating that the U.S. is a "free society" where information is never censored by the government.
Perhaps these reporters have never actually opened their eyes in their own country. While China's censorship of news websites is deplorable, the U.S. is engaged in a far more restrictive, freedom-crush brand of censorship in the health industry: The censorship of truthful descriptions of health products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Like China's government at the Olympics, the FDA has outlawed free speech by nutritional supplement companies, threatening them with fines, business interruptions and even jail time for their founders if they don't remove all text from their websites and product packaging that seeks to inform consumers about the genuine health benefits provided by their products.
The FDA's campaign of intimidation against food and supplement companies
For example, last year the FDA sent threatening letters to 29 growers of cherries, warning that they could not place links on their websites linking to scientific studies documenting the health benefits of cherries. Allowing consumers to be informed of the scientific truth about cherries, it seems, was simply intolerable by the FDA. Any company that linked to a scientific, peer-reviewed study showing cherries to be natural anti-inflammatory foods would be sued by the FDA and put out of business, the letters warned.
And that's just the beginning. Over the last several decades, the FDA has seized imports of herbs from South America, threatened honest supplement companies to remove accurate information from their labels, and pursued a campaign of intimidation and tyranny against virtually the entire natural products industry. In fact, the FDA has even ordered the destruction of recipe books containing dessert recipes using stevia (you thought book burnings only happened in China? Think again...).
Why China and America both use censorship to protect the powerful
In all, the actions of the FDA makes China's government look downright Libertarian. In the United States, the FDA has made sure that consumers have virtually zero access to truthful information about the benefits of nutritional supplements in much the same way the Chinese government blocks its citizens from having access to truthful information about human rights websites. These campaigns of censorship also happen for much the same reason: To protect the status quo and prevent a revolution from taking place (in China, it would be a social revolution. In the U.S., it would be a health care revolution).
You see, when it comes to real freedom, it makes no difference that China is a Communist government and America claims to be a Democracy: America blocks its citizens from accessing all sorts of crucial information about health freedom, just like China censors its internet to prevent people from learning about political freedom. In fact, both China and the FDA use many of the same online technologies to search for "offending" websites that they can shut down, intimidate or threaten with legal action. Those technologies, of course, were created by American companies like Google. And it is American companies like Yahoo that gladly hand over free speech protestors to tyrannical governments, betraying the privacy of their users and colluding with the thought police of various nations.
So reporters can protest all they want at China's censorship of the internet, but when they return home from the Olympics, they will return to nations that practice the same brand of crushing censorship... the kind of censorship that keeps consumers ignorant and uninformed, protecting the profits of drug companies and cancer centers, all while interfering with the distributing of truthful information about the astounding ability of foods, superfoods, herbs and nutritional supplements to prevent cancer, halt heart disease, reverse diabetes, dissolve kidney stones, end depression and greatly extend lifespan (among other benefits).
They will talk about how China's citizens don't have access to a free press, and then they'll turn right around and execute the very same censorship they are criticizing by refusing to print stories about the fraud of modern medicine; the quackery of chemotherapy; the monopoly price controls of Big Pharma and the outright criminal actions of the FDA.
The U.S. media mirrors China's media censors
In fact, it is the mainstream media -- the very group whining about freedom at the Olympics -- that fully cooperates with the FDA by focusing its reporting on pharmaceuticals while ignoring the wealth of important information about natural remedies that could revolutionize health care and save the U.S. more than $40 trillion over the next few decades.
Really? $40 trillion? Absolutely: According to the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, a 1% reduction in cancer mortality is worth about $500 billion to the U.S. economy over the long term. We have nutrients right now that can slash cancer rates by nearly 80 percent, across the entire population (vitamin D being the simplest one). That comes to $40 trillion in economic abundance from preventing cancer alone. (That's enough money to rebuild every school, bridge, highway, park, library, airport and seaport in the entire country, by the way, but again, you're not supposed to know that...)
The FDA doesn't want anybody to know that Vitamin D prevents cancer, you see. That's why no Vitamin D supplement company can make any statements at all about cancer. If they tried, they'd be arrested at gunpoint and dragged into prison like a Falun Gong member in Beijing. In China, of course, you might be sentenced to death and have your organs harvested and sold on the black market. In America, you might have your children kidnapped by state officials and watch in horror as their organs are destroyed by state-mandated chemotherapy chemicals that you are then obliged to pay for (at monopoly prices, no less). Don't believe this actually happens in the United States? Think again. Read the story of Abraham Cherrix: http://www.naturalnews.com/019617.html
Don't believe for a minute that you are free in America. You are merely a subject that's exploited by powerful corporations and corrupt government regulators working in collusion with a media institution engaged in all-out censorship of stories that threaten the status quo: Health freedom, the truth about 9/11, voting fraud, the mass fluoridation of public water supplies, the real story behind the fractional reserve banking system and other similar topics. While every American citizens is TOLD they are free, if you look at the man behind the curtain, you'll realize it's all just smoke and mirrors (and bombs and bullets).
Censorship is a tool that protects the powerful
Every government, you see, has its power base to protect, and in the U.S., the power base is the corporations. If you threaten the corporations by telling the truth about nutritional supplements or natural healing modalities, you will be arrested, imprisoned or run out of the country. It happens in America every day. That's why all the really effective cancer clinics are in Mexico and South America -- they've all had to flee the "health police" in the U.S. that run around arresting people like Communist China Secret Police! Read my article documenting the true history of armed FDA raids on health clinics: http://www.naturalnews.com/021791.html
The thought police aren't limited to China
I hope this latest fiasco at the Olympics in Beijing will serve as a reminder that China isn't the only country that isn't free: The U.S., U.K., Australia and most other western nations practice their own forms of censorship, and much of it is carried out at gunpoint. (Many health clinic raids in the U.S., for example, are carried out with SWAT teams armed with assault rifles and body armor.)
When it comes to accessing accurate information about health and supplements, U.S. citizens are no more free than China's citizens, and they're nowhere near as free as the citizens of Ecuador, for example, where a package of the Chanca Piedra herb just openly says, "Eliminates kidney stones." Try to put that text on your bottle of herbs in the U.S. and you'll find your product inventory confiscated by the FDA, which has become the "Ministry of Truth" on anything related to health.
While many reporters might be hoping for freedom in China right now, I'm hoping for freedom at home first. Let's reclaim our own freedom of speech right here at home before we go worrying about how other countries censor their news.
Words and ideas banned in China:
Falun Gong
Tiananmen Square
Religious worship (including Christianity)
Voting rights
Workers' rights
Civil liberties
Words and ideas banned in America:
Curing cancer with herbs
Saying no to vaccinations
Reversing heart disease with nutrition
Curing diabetes with vegetable juices
Eliminating depression with supplements
"Treating" any disease at all with herbs
Disagreeing with the "official" explanation of 9/11 and the WTC7 building
... and more. And while some skeptics might say that China's censorship is far more severe because it deals with human rights violations, I say the FDA's censorship of truthful health information IS a human rights violation!
What could be more important to human rights than the right of an individual to protect and preserve their own life by learning the truth about nourishing foods? To deny a population access to truthful information about the life-protecting properties of common nutrients is, all by itself, a crime against humanity and a damning violation of human rights!
It's always easy to fool the sheeple with TV propaganda
The most astonishing thing about all of this is that China's citizens think they are free! And if you live in the U.S., I'm willing to bet you think you're free, too.
Remember this: Tyranny is always, always, always sold to the People as freedom. Every government lies to its People, as it is a necessary component of creating the illusion of freedom. But there is no such thing as real freedom in a society that restricts the Peoples' access to the very information they need in order to make informed decisions about their own lives. America, then, is no more "the Land of the Free" than China.
Want to make America free? You'll have to take it back from those who stole it from you. Remember the words of Thomas Jefferson:
And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that the people preserve the spirit of resistance? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
by Mike Adams (see all articles by this author)
(NaturalNews) The U.S. media is loudly protesting the censorship of their reporters at the Olympics in Beijing. Betraying its promise to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), China has blocked reporters' access to "sensitive" websites, including those that mention human rights violations, the suppression of the Falun Gong religious group, the Tiananman Square uprising and other similar topics the Chinese government would like to imagine never happened. In response to these restrictions, U.S. reporters are crying foul, insisting that they should have full access to information without government censorship. By implication, they are also stating that the U.S. is a "free society" where information is never censored by the government.
Perhaps these reporters have never actually opened their eyes in their own country. While China's censorship of news websites is deplorable, the U.S. is engaged in a far more restrictive, freedom-crush brand of censorship in the health industry: The censorship of truthful descriptions of health products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Like China's government at the Olympics, the FDA has outlawed free speech by nutritional supplement companies, threatening them with fines, business interruptions and even jail time for their founders if they don't remove all text from their websites and product packaging that seeks to inform consumers about the genuine health benefits provided by their products.
The FDA's campaign of intimidation against food and supplement companies
For example, last year the FDA sent threatening letters to 29 growers of cherries, warning that they could not place links on their websites linking to scientific studies documenting the health benefits of cherries. Allowing consumers to be informed of the scientific truth about cherries, it seems, was simply intolerable by the FDA. Any company that linked to a scientific, peer-reviewed study showing cherries to be natural anti-inflammatory foods would be sued by the FDA and put out of business, the letters warned.
And that's just the beginning. Over the last several decades, the FDA has seized imports of herbs from South America, threatened honest supplement companies to remove accurate information from their labels, and pursued a campaign of intimidation and tyranny against virtually the entire natural products industry. In fact, the FDA has even ordered the destruction of recipe books containing dessert recipes using stevia (you thought book burnings only happened in China? Think again...).
Why China and America both use censorship to protect the powerful
In all, the actions of the FDA makes China's government look downright Libertarian. In the United States, the FDA has made sure that consumers have virtually zero access to truthful information about the benefits of nutritional supplements in much the same way the Chinese government blocks its citizens from having access to truthful information about human rights websites. These campaigns of censorship also happen for much the same reason: To protect the status quo and prevent a revolution from taking place (in China, it would be a social revolution. In the U.S., it would be a health care revolution).
You see, when it comes to real freedom, it makes no difference that China is a Communist government and America claims to be a Democracy: America blocks its citizens from accessing all sorts of crucial information about health freedom, just like China censors its internet to prevent people from learning about political freedom. In fact, both China and the FDA use many of the same online technologies to search for "offending" websites that they can shut down, intimidate or threaten with legal action. Those technologies, of course, were created by American companies like Google. And it is American companies like Yahoo that gladly hand over free speech protestors to tyrannical governments, betraying the privacy of their users and colluding with the thought police of various nations.
So reporters can protest all they want at China's censorship of the internet, but when they return home from the Olympics, they will return to nations that practice the same brand of crushing censorship... the kind of censorship that keeps consumers ignorant and uninformed, protecting the profits of drug companies and cancer centers, all while interfering with the distributing of truthful information about the astounding ability of foods, superfoods, herbs and nutritional supplements to prevent cancer, halt heart disease, reverse diabetes, dissolve kidney stones, end depression and greatly extend lifespan (among other benefits).
They will talk about how China's citizens don't have access to a free press, and then they'll turn right around and execute the very same censorship they are criticizing by refusing to print stories about the fraud of modern medicine; the quackery of chemotherapy; the monopoly price controls of Big Pharma and the outright criminal actions of the FDA.
The U.S. media mirrors China's media censors
In fact, it is the mainstream media -- the very group whining about freedom at the Olympics -- that fully cooperates with the FDA by focusing its reporting on pharmaceuticals while ignoring the wealth of important information about natural remedies that could revolutionize health care and save the U.S. more than $40 trillion over the next few decades.
Really? $40 trillion? Absolutely: According to the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, a 1% reduction in cancer mortality is worth about $500 billion to the U.S. economy over the long term. We have nutrients right now that can slash cancer rates by nearly 80 percent, across the entire population (vitamin D being the simplest one). That comes to $40 trillion in economic abundance from preventing cancer alone. (That's enough money to rebuild every school, bridge, highway, park, library, airport and seaport in the entire country, by the way, but again, you're not supposed to know that...)
The FDA doesn't want anybody to know that Vitamin D prevents cancer, you see. That's why no Vitamin D supplement company can make any statements at all about cancer. If they tried, they'd be arrested at gunpoint and dragged into prison like a Falun Gong member in Beijing. In China, of course, you might be sentenced to death and have your organs harvested and sold on the black market. In America, you might have your children kidnapped by state officials and watch in horror as their organs are destroyed by state-mandated chemotherapy chemicals that you are then obliged to pay for (at monopoly prices, no less). Don't believe this actually happens in the United States? Think again. Read the story of Abraham Cherrix: http://www.naturalnews.com/019617.html
Don't believe for a minute that you are free in America. You are merely a subject that's exploited by powerful corporations and corrupt government regulators working in collusion with a media institution engaged in all-out censorship of stories that threaten the status quo: Health freedom, the truth about 9/11, voting fraud, the mass fluoridation of public water supplies, the real story behind the fractional reserve banking system and other similar topics. While every American citizens is TOLD they are free, if you look at the man behind the curtain, you'll realize it's all just smoke and mirrors (and bombs and bullets).
Censorship is a tool that protects the powerful
Every government, you see, has its power base to protect, and in the U.S., the power base is the corporations. If you threaten the corporations by telling the truth about nutritional supplements or natural healing modalities, you will be arrested, imprisoned or run out of the country. It happens in America every day. That's why all the really effective cancer clinics are in Mexico and South America -- they've all had to flee the "health police" in the U.S. that run around arresting people like Communist China Secret Police! Read my article documenting the true history of armed FDA raids on health clinics: http://www.naturalnews.com/021791.html
The thought police aren't limited to China
I hope this latest fiasco at the Olympics in Beijing will serve as a reminder that China isn't the only country that isn't free: The U.S., U.K., Australia and most other western nations practice their own forms of censorship, and much of it is carried out at gunpoint. (Many health clinic raids in the U.S., for example, are carried out with SWAT teams armed with assault rifles and body armor.)
When it comes to accessing accurate information about health and supplements, U.S. citizens are no more free than China's citizens, and they're nowhere near as free as the citizens of Ecuador, for example, where a package of the Chanca Piedra herb just openly says, "Eliminates kidney stones." Try to put that text on your bottle of herbs in the U.S. and you'll find your product inventory confiscated by the FDA, which has become the "Ministry of Truth" on anything related to health.
While many reporters might be hoping for freedom in China right now, I'm hoping for freedom at home first. Let's reclaim our own freedom of speech right here at home before we go worrying about how other countries censor their news.
Words and ideas banned in China:
Falun Gong
Tiananmen Square
Religious worship (including Christianity)
Voting rights
Workers' rights
Civil liberties
Words and ideas banned in America:
Curing cancer with herbs
Saying no to vaccinations
Reversing heart disease with nutrition
Curing diabetes with vegetable juices
Eliminating depression with supplements
"Treating" any disease at all with herbs
Disagreeing with the "official" explanation of 9/11 and the WTC7 building
... and more. And while some skeptics might say that China's censorship is far more severe because it deals with human rights violations, I say the FDA's censorship of truthful health information IS a human rights violation!
What could be more important to human rights than the right of an individual to protect and preserve their own life by learning the truth about nourishing foods? To deny a population access to truthful information about the life-protecting properties of common nutrients is, all by itself, a crime against humanity and a damning violation of human rights!
It's always easy to fool the sheeple with TV propaganda
The most astonishing thing about all of this is that China's citizens think they are free! And if you live in the U.S., I'm willing to bet you think you're free, too.
Remember this: Tyranny is always, always, always sold to the People as freedom. Every government lies to its People, as it is a necessary component of creating the illusion of freedom. But there is no such thing as real freedom in a society that restricts the Peoples' access to the very information they need in order to make informed decisions about their own lives. America, then, is no more "the Land of the Free" than China.
Want to make America free? You'll have to take it back from those who stole it from you. Remember the words of Thomas Jefferson:
And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that the people preserve the spirit of resistance? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
How to get things done
The greatest stumbling block to achieving anything of importance in your life is circumstances. We let circumstances get us off the hook when we should be giving it everything we've got. More dreams are shattered and goals lost because of circumstances than any other single factor.
How often have you caught yourself saying, "I would like to do or have this but I can't because...?" Whatever follows "because" is the circumstance.
Successful people use circumstances to catapult them on toward their goal, while the masses use them as road blocks. A circumstance may cause a detour in your life but you should never permit it to stop you.
George Bernard Shaw is quoted as saying, "People are always blaming circumstance for what they are. I do not believe in circumstance. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstance they want and if they can't find them they make them."
Napoleon said, "Circumstances hell, I make them."
The next time you hear someone say they would like to vacation in Paris, or purchase a particular automobile but they can't because they have no money. Tell them they don't need any money, your reward will probably be a blank stare followed with, "What do you mean I don't need any money?"
Explain they don't need the money until they make a decision to go to Paris or purchase the car. When the decision is made, they will figure out a way to get the amount needed. They always do.
The circumstance they are using is one of the most common: a lack of money. The real cause of their problem is lack of decision. You always attract what you need when you decide it must be done. Try this yourself today. You know the task you have been putting off "because..." Make a decision, forget the circumstance or adopt Shaw's theory, but get it done!
Bob Proctor
How often have you caught yourself saying, "I would like to do or have this but I can't because...?" Whatever follows "because" is the circumstance.
Successful people use circumstances to catapult them on toward their goal, while the masses use them as road blocks. A circumstance may cause a detour in your life but you should never permit it to stop you.
George Bernard Shaw is quoted as saying, "People are always blaming circumstance for what they are. I do not believe in circumstance. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstance they want and if they can't find them they make them."
Napoleon said, "Circumstances hell, I make them."
The next time you hear someone say they would like to vacation in Paris, or purchase a particular automobile but they can't because they have no money. Tell them they don't need any money, your reward will probably be a blank stare followed with, "What do you mean I don't need any money?"
Explain they don't need the money until they make a decision to go to Paris or purchase the car. When the decision is made, they will figure out a way to get the amount needed. They always do.
The circumstance they are using is one of the most common: a lack of money. The real cause of their problem is lack of decision. You always attract what you need when you decide it must be done. Try this yourself today. You know the task you have been putting off "because..." Make a decision, forget the circumstance or adopt Shaw's theory, but get it done!
Bob Proctor
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Compounds From Soy Affect Brain And Reproductive Development
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080731140030.htm
ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2008) - Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University.
The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key building block for how to treat these problems.
The study is the first to show that the actual physical organization of a region of the brain that is important for female reproduction can be significantly altered by exposure to phytoestrogens - or plant-produced chemicals that mimic hormones - during development. Specifically, the study finds that the compounds alter the sex-specific organization of the hypothalamus - a brain region that is essential to the regulation of puberty and ovulation. The study also shows that the phytoestrogens could cause long-term effects on the female reproductive system.
While the study examined the impact of these compounds on laboratory rats, neurotoxicologist Dr. Heather Patisaul - who co-authored the study - says the affected "circuitry" of the brain is similar in both rats and humans. Patisaul is an assistant professor in NC State's Department of Zoology. Her co-author is Heather Bateman, a doctoral student in the department.
Patisaul says this finding is extremely important because, while the changes in brain structure cannot be reversed, "if you understand what is broken, you may be able to treat it." Patisaul says she is in the process of evaluating the effects of these compounds on the ovaries themselves.
Patisaul says that this study is also "a step towards ascertaining the effects of phytoestrogens on developing fetuses and newborns." Patisaul adds that these phytoestrogenic compounds cross the placental barrier in humans and that, while many people are concerned about the effects of man-made compounds on human health, it is important to note that some naturally occurring substances can have similar effects.
In the study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Neurotoxicology, the researchers exposed newborn rats to physiologically relevant doses of the phytoestrogens genistein and equol, and then looked at reproductive health markers in the rats throughout their adulthood. The neonatal stage of development in rats is comparable to the latter stages of pregnancy for humans, Patisaul says. Genistein is a phytoestrogen that is found in various plants, including soybeans and soy-based foods. Equol is a hormone-like compound that is formed when bacteria found in the digestive system metabolize another phytoestrogen. However, only approximately a third of humans have the necessary bacteria to produce equol.
The study shows that both genistein and equol result in the early disruption of the rats' estrus cycle - which would be corollary to early onset of menopause in a human. The study also showed that genistein caused the early onset of puberty. The disruption of the estrus cycle could stem from problems with the brain or the ovaries, so the researchers decided to determine if the compounds had any effect on brain development or function.
Patisaul explains that the brains of both female rats and female humans have a region that regulates ovulation. "That part of the brain," Patisaul says, "is organized by hormones during development - which is the neonatal stage for rats and during gestation for humans." Patisaul says the new study shows that the female brain is "critically sensitive" to genistein and equol during this crucial stage of development - and that this may indicate that the brain is also especially sensitive during this period to all phytoestrogens and possibly other man-made chemicals, such as bisphenol-A.
ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2008) - Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University.
The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key building block for how to treat these problems.
The study is the first to show that the actual physical organization of a region of the brain that is important for female reproduction can be significantly altered by exposure to phytoestrogens - or plant-produced chemicals that mimic hormones - during development. Specifically, the study finds that the compounds alter the sex-specific organization of the hypothalamus - a brain region that is essential to the regulation of puberty and ovulation. The study also shows that the phytoestrogens could cause long-term effects on the female reproductive system.
While the study examined the impact of these compounds on laboratory rats, neurotoxicologist Dr. Heather Patisaul - who co-authored the study - says the affected "circuitry" of the brain is similar in both rats and humans. Patisaul is an assistant professor in NC State's Department of Zoology. Her co-author is Heather Bateman, a doctoral student in the department.
Patisaul says this finding is extremely important because, while the changes in brain structure cannot be reversed, "if you understand what is broken, you may be able to treat it." Patisaul says she is in the process of evaluating the effects of these compounds on the ovaries themselves.
Patisaul says that this study is also "a step towards ascertaining the effects of phytoestrogens on developing fetuses and newborns." Patisaul adds that these phytoestrogenic compounds cross the placental barrier in humans and that, while many people are concerned about the effects of man-made compounds on human health, it is important to note that some naturally occurring substances can have similar effects.
In the study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Neurotoxicology, the researchers exposed newborn rats to physiologically relevant doses of the phytoestrogens genistein and equol, and then looked at reproductive health markers in the rats throughout their adulthood. The neonatal stage of development in rats is comparable to the latter stages of pregnancy for humans, Patisaul says. Genistein is a phytoestrogen that is found in various plants, including soybeans and soy-based foods. Equol is a hormone-like compound that is formed when bacteria found in the digestive system metabolize another phytoestrogen. However, only approximately a third of humans have the necessary bacteria to produce equol.
The study shows that both genistein and equol result in the early disruption of the rats' estrus cycle - which would be corollary to early onset of menopause in a human. The study also showed that genistein caused the early onset of puberty. The disruption of the estrus cycle could stem from problems with the brain or the ovaries, so the researchers decided to determine if the compounds had any effect on brain development or function.
Patisaul explains that the brains of both female rats and female humans have a region that regulates ovulation. "That part of the brain," Patisaul says, "is organized by hormones during development - which is the neonatal stage for rats and during gestation for humans." Patisaul says the new study shows that the female brain is "critically sensitive" to genistein and equol during this crucial stage of development - and that this may indicate that the brain is also especially sensitive during this period to all phytoestrogens and possibly other man-made chemicals, such as bisphenol-A.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Gifts From the Heart
According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"
The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter. Heartfelt gifts deserve the return gift of gratitude."
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"
The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter. Heartfelt gifts deserve the return gift of gratitude."
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it's a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
Gratitude doesn't always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org
The Terrible Truth About Plastic You Never Knew
As plastic ages or is exposed to heat or stress, it can release trace amounts of some of its ingredients. Of particular concern are bisphenol-a (BPA), used to strengthen some plastics, and phthalates, used to soften others.
These chemicals are used in hundreds of household items; BPA is in everything from baby bottles to can linings, while phthalates are found in children's toys as well as vinyl shower curtains. They enter your body through the food, water and bits of dust you consume, or are simply absorbed through your skin.
BPA and phthalates are endocrine disrupters, which mimic hormones. Estrogen and other hormones in relatively tiny amounts can cause vast changes, so researchers worry that BPA and phthalates could do the same, especially in young children.
To cut down on your exposure, avoid plastic bottles and toys labeled with the numbers 3 or 7, which often contain BPA or phthalates, and canned foods, especially those with acidic contents like tomatoes. You should also avoid heating plastic in microwaves.
Sources:
a.. Time July 10, 2008
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The dangers of plastic are fast becoming common knowledge. It's amazing the number of blogs and news articles now devoted to reducing plastics' use, when just a few years ago most people never thought twice about it.
In recent years, major changes have come about signaling that attitudes are changing about this pervasive toxin:
a.. Whole Foods stopped using plastic bags
b.. Canada has declared the plastics' chemical BPA toxic and banned its use
c.. You can now purchase reusable shopping bags in just about every U.S. grocery store (unheard of a couple of years ago)
d.. Wal-Mart is phasing out BPA-containing baby bottles, Nalgene bottles have gone BPA-free and Amazon.com has an entire BPA-free section
This is a perfect example of the public's actions and preferences dictating the direction of major corporations!
For Those Who Don't Know . Why Plastics are a Big Problem
Plastic is not an inert substance as its manufacturers would like you to believe. It contains chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which mimic hormones in your body. Even tiny concentrations can cause problems, and you're likely being exposed from all angles: food containers, plastic wraps, water bottles, personal care products, you name it, it contains plastic.
According to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study, BPA was detected in the urine of 95 percent of people tested!
This is alarming when you consider all of the problems its been linked to like:
a.. Structural damage to your brain
b.. Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
c.. Increased fat formation and risk of obesity
d.. Altered immune functionEarly puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction
e.. Changes in gender-specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior
f.. Stimulation of prostate cancer cells
g.. Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production
Anytime you eat or drink something out of plastic, you risk exposure. Plastics that are worn out or scratched may leach even more chemicals into your food, as do hot beverages. Just by drinking coffee from a plastic-lined paper cup, you could be exposed to 55 times more BPA than normal.
As usual those most at risk are children and fetuses, which is why it's appalling to think that these chemicals are commonly used in baby bottles and children's toys.
I haven't even touched on plastics' impact on the environment, but this one statistic sums it up pretty well: when researchers tested the water of the Pacific Ocean, they found it contained six times as much plastic as plankton, by weight!
What's Hidden in Your Plastic Products?
The Ecology Center in Berkeley, California has put together an excellent list that exposes just what kinds of plastic toxins are in the products you use. I think everyone should read the entire list, but here are some highlights:
a.. Salad dressing and cooking oil bottles: This plastic container is made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which leaches plasticizers (lead, cadmium, mercury, phthalates and the carcinogen, diethyl hexyphosphate) into your food.
a.. Soda bottles, water bottles, peanut butter jars and cooking oil bottles: Made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the leach acetaldehyde -- a probable human carcinogen, according to the EPA -- into your food and drinks.
a.. Meat trays, foam take-out food containers and cups, foam packing materials: Made from polystyrene (PS), these materials leach styrene, which can damage your nervous system, into your food.
Moving Toward a Plastic-Less Life
Is it possible to go completely plastic-free?
Well, anything is possible . but it wouldn't be easy. Plastic is in shoes, clothing, electronics, and just about every processed food package, not to mention cars, household items and personal care product packaging.
There are some things you can do though, and you won't even have to sacrifice much to do them. Just imagine how much less plastic we could use if we ALL tried to do our part.
My top tips to reduce the plastic in your life are:
1. Boycott plastic shopping bags. Use reusable canvas or cloth varieties instead. (This also applies to the plastic produce bags in the grocery store.)
2. Don't buy bottled water. Filter your own using a reverse-osmosis filter and put it in a glass bottle. I am going to be helping you in this area soon as my team is just finishing up a glass water bottle that you can use to carry around with you. It is covered with a neoprene sleeve to protect it from breaking and has a easy lid to drink from and is wide enough so you can easily clean the bottle. I hope to have them available in the fall as they are at the factory right now being produced.
3. Avoid using plastic cups, utensils, dishware and food storage containers. If you get a beverage while on-the-go, bring your own cup with you.
4. Buy toys made of natural fabrics instead of plastic.
5. Look for products that use minimal packaging, or buy in bulk.
6. Give up plastic wrap (and never use it to cover your food while it's heating).
7. Avoid buying canned foods and drinks (the can linings contain plastic chemicals). Try your hand at canning fresh produce at home instead.
8. Parents, use cloth diapers instead of plastic ones.
9. Look for non-plastic home items like cloth shower curtains and wooden spoons instead of plastic ones.
10. If you have pets, use biodegradable bags to clean up after them.
These chemicals are used in hundreds of household items; BPA is in everything from baby bottles to can linings, while phthalates are found in children's toys as well as vinyl shower curtains. They enter your body through the food, water and bits of dust you consume, or are simply absorbed through your skin.
BPA and phthalates are endocrine disrupters, which mimic hormones. Estrogen and other hormones in relatively tiny amounts can cause vast changes, so researchers worry that BPA and phthalates could do the same, especially in young children.
To cut down on your exposure, avoid plastic bottles and toys labeled with the numbers 3 or 7, which often contain BPA or phthalates, and canned foods, especially those with acidic contents like tomatoes. You should also avoid heating plastic in microwaves.
Sources:
a.. Time July 10, 2008
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The dangers of plastic are fast becoming common knowledge. It's amazing the number of blogs and news articles now devoted to reducing plastics' use, when just a few years ago most people never thought twice about it.
In recent years, major changes have come about signaling that attitudes are changing about this pervasive toxin:
a.. Whole Foods stopped using plastic bags
b.. Canada has declared the plastics' chemical BPA toxic and banned its use
c.. You can now purchase reusable shopping bags in just about every U.S. grocery store (unheard of a couple of years ago)
d.. Wal-Mart is phasing out BPA-containing baby bottles, Nalgene bottles have gone BPA-free and Amazon.com has an entire BPA-free section
This is a perfect example of the public's actions and preferences dictating the direction of major corporations!
For Those Who Don't Know . Why Plastics are a Big Problem
Plastic is not an inert substance as its manufacturers would like you to believe. It contains chemicals like BPA and phthalates, which mimic hormones in your body. Even tiny concentrations can cause problems, and you're likely being exposed from all angles: food containers, plastic wraps, water bottles, personal care products, you name it, it contains plastic.
According to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study, BPA was detected in the urine of 95 percent of people tested!
This is alarming when you consider all of the problems its been linked to like:
a.. Structural damage to your brain
b.. Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning
c.. Increased fat formation and risk of obesity
d.. Altered immune functionEarly puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction
e.. Changes in gender-specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior
f.. Stimulation of prostate cancer cells
g.. Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production
Anytime you eat or drink something out of plastic, you risk exposure. Plastics that are worn out or scratched may leach even more chemicals into your food, as do hot beverages. Just by drinking coffee from a plastic-lined paper cup, you could be exposed to 55 times more BPA than normal.
As usual those most at risk are children and fetuses, which is why it's appalling to think that these chemicals are commonly used in baby bottles and children's toys.
I haven't even touched on plastics' impact on the environment, but this one statistic sums it up pretty well: when researchers tested the water of the Pacific Ocean, they found it contained six times as much plastic as plankton, by weight!
What's Hidden in Your Plastic Products?
The Ecology Center in Berkeley, California has put together an excellent list that exposes just what kinds of plastic toxins are in the products you use. I think everyone should read the entire list, but here are some highlights:
a.. Salad dressing and cooking oil bottles: This plastic container is made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which leaches plasticizers (lead, cadmium, mercury, phthalates and the carcinogen, diethyl hexyphosphate) into your food.
a.. Soda bottles, water bottles, peanut butter jars and cooking oil bottles: Made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the leach acetaldehyde -- a probable human carcinogen, according to the EPA -- into your food and drinks.
a.. Meat trays, foam take-out food containers and cups, foam packing materials: Made from polystyrene (PS), these materials leach styrene, which can damage your nervous system, into your food.
Moving Toward a Plastic-Less Life
Is it possible to go completely plastic-free?
Well, anything is possible . but it wouldn't be easy. Plastic is in shoes, clothing, electronics, and just about every processed food package, not to mention cars, household items and personal care product packaging.
There are some things you can do though, and you won't even have to sacrifice much to do them. Just imagine how much less plastic we could use if we ALL tried to do our part.
My top tips to reduce the plastic in your life are:
1. Boycott plastic shopping bags. Use reusable canvas or cloth varieties instead. (This also applies to the plastic produce bags in the grocery store.)
2. Don't buy bottled water. Filter your own using a reverse-osmosis filter and put it in a glass bottle. I am going to be helping you in this area soon as my team is just finishing up a glass water bottle that you can use to carry around with you. It is covered with a neoprene sleeve to protect it from breaking and has a easy lid to drink from and is wide enough so you can easily clean the bottle. I hope to have them available in the fall as they are at the factory right now being produced.
3. Avoid using plastic cups, utensils, dishware and food storage containers. If you get a beverage while on-the-go, bring your own cup with you.
4. Buy toys made of natural fabrics instead of plastic.
5. Look for products that use minimal packaging, or buy in bulk.
6. Give up plastic wrap (and never use it to cover your food while it's heating).
7. Avoid buying canned foods and drinks (the can linings contain plastic chemicals). Try your hand at canning fresh produce at home instead.
8. Parents, use cloth diapers instead of plastic ones.
9. Look for non-plastic home items like cloth shower curtains and wooden spoons instead of plastic ones.
10. If you have pets, use biodegradable bags to clean up after them.
High Fructose Corn Syrup Makes You Stupid
Byron Richards, CCN
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/high_fructose_corn_syrup_makes_you_stupid/?source=Email&camp=news073108
We now know the real reason so many of our kids can't finish high school. They have been fed too much high fructose corn syrup and they have become dumb. This is not a laughing matter. Coke and Pepsi are on the line for playing a significant role in wrecking the intelligence of several generations of children - as well as making them fat. Of course, birdbrains at the AMA want to give our kids statin drugs because they don't have the guts to make a policy statement against high fructose corn syrup as a major cause of obesity.
A new study analyzing rats on a high fat and high fructose corn syrup diet found that the hippocampus, the region of the brain needed for learning and memory, was severely impaired. Eight months on the diet impeded spatial learning ability, lowered the density of brain cells, and the function of brain synapses. The brain damage appears to be caused by a lowering of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). I have made several recent posts on the importance of boosting BDNF to restore your brain, and here we have clear evidence that high fructose corn syrup as part of a high calorie diet is killing off brain cells like an alcoholic.
Parents need to wake up and not give their children any beverage of any kind with high fructose corn syrup. We have a young generation of dropouts and an old generation with excessive dementia headed for Alzheimer's. Coke and Pepsi, and many other smaller companies, have played a large role in the decline of intelligence in our country.
http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/high_fructose_corn_syrup_makes_you_stupid/?source=Email&camp=news073108
We now know the real reason so many of our kids can't finish high school. They have been fed too much high fructose corn syrup and they have become dumb. This is not a laughing matter. Coke and Pepsi are on the line for playing a significant role in wrecking the intelligence of several generations of children - as well as making them fat. Of course, birdbrains at the AMA want to give our kids statin drugs because they don't have the guts to make a policy statement against high fructose corn syrup as a major cause of obesity.
A new study analyzing rats on a high fat and high fructose corn syrup diet found that the hippocampus, the region of the brain needed for learning and memory, was severely impaired. Eight months on the diet impeded spatial learning ability, lowered the density of brain cells, and the function of brain synapses. The brain damage appears to be caused by a lowering of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). I have made several recent posts on the importance of boosting BDNF to restore your brain, and here we have clear evidence that high fructose corn syrup as part of a high calorie diet is killing off brain cells like an alcoholic.
Parents need to wake up and not give their children any beverage of any kind with high fructose corn syrup. We have a young generation of dropouts and an old generation with excessive dementia headed for Alzheimer's. Coke and Pepsi, and many other smaller companies, have played a large role in the decline of intelligence in our country.
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