![]() |
|
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Research Articles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
We hear a lot today about pH balance and about balancing one’s pH. What exactly is pH? The term pH stands for “Potential” of “Hydrogen.” Thus, pH refers to the amount of hydrogen ions in a particular substance. The more hydrogen ions, the more acidic. Fewer hydrogen ions, the more alkaline. Measuring pHpH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. As we drop down below 7 the substance is more acidic. Above 7 the substance becomes more alkaline. In other words, the lower the pH number the more acidic it is and the higher the number the more alkaline. For example, a pH of 3 is more acidic than a pH of 5 and a pH of 9 is more alkaline than a pH of 6. In its natural state, the human body is slightly alkaline. The alkaline body reflects normal, optimal pH levels. In fact, the body must maintain this slightly alkaline state for its survival. This state is called pH balance. Homeostasis The most critical pH is in the blood. All other organs and fluids will fluctuate in their range in order to keep the blood at a strict pH between 7.35 and 7.45 (slightly alkaline). Although the blood needs to be slightly alkaline, the stomach digests best when it is acidic, between 1 and 2 pH. The body is continually striving to maintain a proper balance between the two. This process is called homeostasis. The body makes constant adjustments in tissue and fluid pH to maintain this very narrow pH balance range in the blood. It even goes so far as to dissolve bones in order to maintain necessary pH of blood. Balance your pHWhat can we do to insure a proper pH balance in the body? Diet is probably the single most important factor in maintaining a proper pH balance. To assure a proper pH balance, avoid consuming excessive amounts of meat, alcohol, soft drinks, caffeine, coffee, most nuts, eggs, vinegar, sauerkraut, ascorbic acid, cheese, white sugar and medical drugs. Instead, eat more ripe fruits, vegetables, bean sprouts, water, milk, onions, figs, carrots, beets, and miso. ALKALINE ASH FOODS
ACID ASH FOODS
Lemons Produce Alkaline Ash There is much confusion over the alkalinity and acidity of foods. For example, eggs and honey result in a more acidic body, whereas lemons result in a more alkaline body. While lemons are acidic, they promote a more alkaline body. The true test of alkalinity and acidity is to determine what pH results in the body after foods are eaten and metabolized. Once digested, foods form mineral byproducts that are alkaline, acid or neutral. To simulate this in a laboratory setting, food is burned, leaving an ash residue that is then measured for its mineral content. Alkaline-ash foods are foods that leave high concentrations of calcium, magnesium, potassium and/or sodium in their ash. These minerals, in turn, are used to form alkaline compounds (called bases) in the body. Vegetables and most (but not all) fruits are alkaline-forming. Acid-ash foods are those that contain chloride, iron, phosphorus or sulfur, minerals that form acid compounds. These include phosphorus-rich foods such as meat, fish, poultry, legumes and grains, as well as mustard and eggs, which contain sulfur. To sum up, the pre-metabolized acid content of a food is not an indicator of the acid/alkaline balance in the blood. The acid ash, however, is. pH of Stomach vs BloodExtended acid imbalances can overwhelm the body, resulting in low energy levels, fatigue, excess weight, headaches, occasional constipation and frequent colds. An alkaline stomach on the other hand can cause indigestion. Microorganisms in food that would perish in an acid stomach are likely to survive in an alkaline stomach, causing all kinds of health problems. Food can start to putrefy and cause heartburn. Digestive Powers You don’t need to worry about the HCL making you blood permanently acidic because the little amount (500 to 1000 mg) you take gets used up in the digestive process. Compare that to eating a ¼ pound (113,400 mg) of meat which will surely create a more acidic body. Supplements such as calcium and magnesium are best taken between mealtimes so they don’t reduce acidity of the stomach. Ultimately it’s best to take them in the evening as they tend to relax your muscles and make you sleepy. Testing your pH LevelTesting saliva is the most effective way to gauge the body’s pH. You can use a simple pH test, consisting of test strips and a color chart. You can test both saliva and urine. An optimal reading of saliva is 7.5. This indicates a slightly alkaline body. A neutral result is 7.0. A reading of 6.5 is slightly acidic. A reading below 6.5 is very acidic. Proper pH Balance for Optimum Health | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Newsletter Articles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Newsletter 2008
There are thousands of species of molds. Most of them are “bad,” but some are “good.” Alexander Fleming’s famous discovery of the antibiotic penicillin, for example, involved the mold Penicillium chrysogenum. And friendly molds are used to make certain kinds of cheeses. Roquefort, blue, Gorgonzola and Stilton cheeses have blue veins of mold throughout the cheese. Brie and Camembert have white surface molds. Other cheeses have both an internal and a surface mold. The koji molds, a group of the Aspergillus species, have been cultured in eastern Asia for many centuries. They are used to ferment the soybean and wheat mixture from which soy sauce and miso are derived. Molds reproduce through tiny spores. Some spores can remain airborne indefinitely, and many are able to survive extremes of temperature and pressure. Common moldsCommon molds include Rhizopus stolonifer (black bread mold), Stachybotrys (appears on water-damaged building materials) and Botrytis cinerea or gray mold rot (strawberries, raspberries and other fruits). Leave a slice of bread out on the counter for a few days and Rhizopus stolonifer, black bread mold, will soon set up housekeeping. The stubborn mildew that appears so persistently on your shower walls is probably Stachybotrys. And that nice juicy peach you forgot about in the fruit basket is now playing host to a thriving colony of Botrytis cinerea. Friendly fungi Soft-ripened cheeses start out firm and rather chalky in texture. They are aged from the exterior inwards by exposing them to mold. The mold may be a velvety bloom of Penicillium candida or P. camemberti that forms a flexible white crust and contributes to the gooey texture and intense flavor. Brie and Camembert, the most famous of soft-ripened cheeses, are made by allowing white mold to grow on the outside of a soft cheese for a few days or weeks. Washed-rind cheeses are soft in character and ripen inwards like those with white molds. However, they are treated differently. Washed rind cheeses are periodically cured in a solution of saltwater brine and other mold-bearing agents, making their surfaces amenable to the reddish-orange Brevibacterium linens. The result is a pungent odor and a distinctive flavor. Washed-rind cheeses can be soft (Limburger), semi-hard (Munster), or hard (Appenzeller). Blue cheese is created by inoculating a cheese with Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum. The mold grows within the cheese as it ages. These cheeses have distinct blue veins and assertive flavors. Their texture can be soft or firm. Some of the most renowned cheeses are of this type, each with its own distinctive color, flavor, texture and smell. They include Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton. The not-so-nice guysMolds are ubiquitous in nature, and mold spores are a common component of household and workplace dust. However, when mold spores are present in large quantities, they may constitute a health hazard to humans, causing allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Because of this, mold allergy has become a serious problem for many people. Some molds generate toxic liquid or gaseous compounds, called mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are harmful or lethal to humans and animals when exposure is high enough. Serious neurological problems can result from prolonged exposure to mycotoxins. One example of toxic mold is Stachybotrys chartarum, which has been associated with sick building syndrome. Farm animals frequently suffer from mycotoxin poisoning and may die as a result. Mycotoxins resist decomposition from cooking, and remain in the food chain. Dermatophytes are parasitic fungi that cause skin infections such as Athlete's foot and Jock Itch. Most dermataphyte fungi take the form of a mold, as opposed to that of a yeast. Your kitchen game plan For hard cheeses in which mold is not part of the processing, it’s safe to remove the mold and eat the cheese. USDA recommends cutting off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Be sure to keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the cheese. After trimming off the mold, re-cover the cheese in fresh wrap. Mold generally cannot penetrate deep into the product. Small mold spots can be cut off fruits and vegetables with low moisture content such as cabbage, bell peppers and carrots. Cut off at least one inch around and below the mold spot. Keep the knife out of the mold itself so it will not cross-contaminate other parts of the produce. Discard fruits and vegetables with high moisture content that can be contaminated below the surface. Although most molds prefer higher temperatures, they can grow in your refrigerator. Check for mold in refrigerated jam and jelly and on cured, salty meats such as ham, bacon, salami and bologna. Discard jams and jellies infested with mold. The mold could be producing a mycotoxin. Hard salami and dry-cured country hams normally have surface mold. Some salamis have a characteristic thin, white mold coating that is safe to consume, but they shouldn’t show any other mold. Dry-cured country hams normally have surface mold that must be scrubbed off before cooking. Clean the inside of your refrigerator every few months with one tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a quart of water. Keep your dishcloths, towels, sponges and mops clean and fresh. A musty smell means they’re spreading mold around. When you handle mold-infested foods, do not to sniff the moldy item. This can cause respiratory problems. Bottom line: in some cases you can cut away the moldy part and use the food item—provided you know what you’re doing. But generally speaking, if food is covered with mold, discard it. If in doubt, throw it out. Washing your hands is one of the best ways to fight germs. But do you really need an antibacterial soap to do the job? Some researchers say no, and they caution that antibacterial products may do more harm than good. Only the strong surviveRecent research indicates that antibacterial agents contained in soaps may kill off ordinary bacteria, creating an environment for resistant, mutated bacteria that are impervious to antibacterials, including antibiotics. "These mutated bacteria get wise to antibacterial agents," says Eli Perencevich, M.D., a research fellow in infectious diseases at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. By using antibacterial soaps over and over, more bacteria will become resistant to the products, Perencevich says. In that respect, antibacterial agents behave like antibiotics which, when overused, promote the spread of antibiotic resistance. Read the labelConsumers should pay close attention to labeling when buying soap, Perencevich says, because an increasing number of products contain antibacterials. "With so many of these products on the market, consumers may not even realize they are purchasing soaps that contain antibacterials," he warns. More than 75 percent of all liquid hand soaps and nearly 30 percent of bar soaps for sale nationally contain antibacterial agents. In a survey of national chain stores, regional stores and e-commerce sites, researchers found nearly half of all commercial soaps contain the antibacterial agent triclosan. TriclosanTriclosan has been used as an antibacterial for many years. However, it only recently raised a red flag as researchers have learned how it acts on bacteria. Triclosan does not actually cause a genetic mutation in the bacteria, but by killing the normal bacteria, it creates an environment where mutated bacteria that are resistant to triclosan are more likely to survive and reproduce. Antibiotic resistance has become an increasingly serious problem worldwide, and overuse of triclosan may exacerbate this problem. The concern is that bacteria will become resistant to antibacterial products like triclosan, rendering those antimicrobial products useless to those who truly need them, such as people with compromised immune systems. The use of triclosan is alarmingly widespread. It is found most commonly in hand soaps, cleaning supplies and dish detergents, but it also shows up in products that don't claim to be antibacterial. Some toothpastes, kitchen utensils, garbage bags, toys and bedding contain triclosan. Plain old soap and waterDespite Americans' concern with germ control, at least a third have forgotten the basics. A recent survey conducted for the American Society of Microbiology found that while 95 percent of men and women surveyed say they wash their hands after using a public restroom, only 67 percent actually do wash before leaving the restroom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says antibacterial soaps are not necessary. Hand-washing with regular soap and warm water is the simplest, most effective thing people can do to reduce the spread of infectious diseases," says CDC director Julie Gerberding, M.D. In fact, the agency deems hand-washing so important in preventing the spread of infections that it offers guidelines for how and when the hands should be washed: · Always use warm, running water and a mild, preferably liquid, soap. Antibacterial soaps may be used but are not required. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Newsletter 2007
When the soybean was originally introduced into the United States around 1900, it was used in the manufacture of industrial products such as oil, plastic, and ink, but it was not considered it to eat. Today, soy-based food products like hotdogs, sausage, bacon, cheese and frozen desserts abound in mainstream supermarkets and even in natural food stores. This soy invasion has been accompanied by a tremendous amount of soy-industry carnival ballyhoo regarding soy’s alleged health beneits. The demonizing of traditional whole foods The soy industry’s agenda: Specious health claims As we noted, an extraordinary amount of hype and hoopla has accompanied the meteoric rise of soy as a desirable food. A popular booklet sold in many health food stores, for example, describes soy foods as “uniformly high in protein, but low in calories, carbohydrates and fats, entirely devoid of cholesterol, high in vitamins, easy to digest, tasty and wonderfully versatile in the kitchen.” Does this sound too good to be true? Yes? Well, that’s because it is. Soy must be fermented Tofu is not for you What’s cooking in the gene kitchen The politics of soy Buyer beware More than 70 million people today suffer from digestive upsets at least once a week. Indigestion, bloating and heartburn are common complaints. Almost all digestive upsets have a common cause: inability to properly digest food. The solution? Digestive enzymes. What digestive enzymes do The heat is on Gas and bloating Fatigue after meals Bowel Complaints Heartburn and Indigestion Digestive enzymes: a magic bullet Once, not so long ago, our ancestors got their drinking water directly from streams, rivers and lakes. This water was pure, uncontaminated and rich in mineral content. Perilous waters Magnesium’s Crucial Role Too Little Too Late What Your Doctor Won't Tell You What You Can Do
Another way to optimize your magnesium intake is to choose water that is rich in magnesium. Unfortunately in the US this is easier said than done. The FDA regulates bottled water and mandates that the only additives permitted are fluoride and antimicrobials to deter bacterial growth. With the exception of Florida's Original Fountain of Youth Mineral Water, drinking an entire liter of many so-called mineral waters provides only a minimal amount of magnesium. Of course dietary supplements are not intended to treat or cure any disease. However, by adding a magnesium supplement to your diet, you can easily meet your RDA without drinking gallons of expensive mineral water. What You Need To Know About Magnesium
Sweet nothings The taste that kills Rumsfield’s Disease Revolving doors Death-dealing diet drinks The NSDA also said (Docket No. 82F-0305) “Aspartame is inherently, markedly and uniquely unstable in aqueous media. In a liquid, such as a soft drink APM will degrade as a function of temperature and pH. Higher temperatures and more acidic liquids increase the rate of degradation. Higher temperatures may also affect the degradation products which are formed.” (6) Coke and Pepsi knew all this and yet sent diet pop to the Persian Gulf. American soldiers were, in effect, drinking formaldehyde cocktails. It’s about the money
Through the ages, turmeric has been sought as a medicinal herb. In Sanskrit Turmeric is called “Kanchani, the “Golden Goddess.” This amazing herb has long been revered by ayurvedic healers for its diverse and powerful healing properties. Herbalists familiar with turmeric’s stimulant and tonic effects have prescribed the juice extracted from the root of the plant as an internal antiseptic and an antidote to blood poisoning. In traditional folk medicine, the dried root is ground and rubbed on the skin to maintain a healthy skin. Mixed with coconut oil, it speeds the healing of wounds and minimizes scarring. Turmeric is what makes mustard yellow. It is also the principal ingredient in curry powder. It is turmeric, in fact, that gives curry powder its characteristic deep yellow color. Turmeric is also used to add color to foods such as butter, margarine, and cheese, to tint cotton, silk, paper, wood and cosmetics, as a food preservative, and to make pickles. Therapeutic use of turmeric was described in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine as early as the 7th century AD. Asian folk medicine used turmeric to treat diarrhea, fever, bronchitis, colds, parasitic worms and leprosy, as well as bladder and kidney inflammations. According to a 2005 article in the Wall Street Journal titled, “Common Indian Spice Stirs Hope,” research activity into curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is exploding. Two hundred and fifty-six curcumin papers were published in the past year, according to a search of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Supplement sales are on the increase, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health has four clinical trials underway to study curcumin treatment for pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer’s and colorectal cancer. (1) Turmeric—the Golden Goddess—is clearly coming into its own. References
Did you know that much of mass-marketed soap available in stores today is not really soap at all, but detergent? Detergents are a petroleum-based product, like gasoline and kerosene. Some ingredients in mass-marketed corporate soap have been proven harmful to human health and can cause severe skin irritations and worse. We are talking about additives such as DEA, Isopropyl Alcohol, BHT and Triclosan (a common component of anti-bacterial soap). Triclosan, Sodium Cocoyl Bethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Tallowate, Water, Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate, Sodium Cocoate, PEG-20, Sodium Chloride, Masking Fragrance, Sodium Isethionate, Petrolatum, Sodium Isosteroyl Lactylate, Sucrose Laurate, Titanium Dioxide, Pentasodium Pentatate, Tetrasodium Etidronate. Therapeutic use of turmeric was described in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine as early as the 7th century AD. Asian folk medicine used turmeric to treat diarrhea, fever, bronchitis, colds, parasitic worms and leprosy, as well as bladder and kidney inflammations. Color me toxic More than skin deep Lethal lather Getting under your skin Handcrafted soaps Pure, natural moisturizing glycerin
Bread-heavy diet linked to kidney cancer Further study indicated Pass the vegetables Your kidneys A toxic world In 1990, manufacturers were supposed to get the benzene out of their soft drinks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which discovered the prob- lem, never made it public because the US soft drinks association promised to “get the word out” and fix the benzene problem themselves. 1 The “word” to “get out” is sodium benzoate, a common preservative. In the presence of an acid it breaks down into several things, including benzene, a carcinogenic, highly regulated chemical. Unfortu- nately, many soft drinks are naturally acidic, espe- cially fruit based ones that contain vitamin C (ascor- bic acid). The remedy is simple if you know it: don’t use sodium benzoate to preserve acidic drinks. But in Europe, Latin America and North America over 1,500 soft drink products containing sodium benzoate and either citric acid or ascorbic acid have been intro- duced since January 2002. In formulations like that the FDA has confirmed that benzene does form at parts per billion (ppb) levels. Are parts per billion levels dangerous? Yes, ac- cording to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2 . The safe level is zero ppb because anything above that is hazardous, although the maximum al- lowable level in drinking water is 5 ppb only because at the present time we can’t reliably remove benzene any better than that. Some soft drinks tested by an independent lab show benzene levels at 10 ppb! How dangerous? Short-term effects include tem- porary nervous system disorders, immune system depression, anemia, and long-term effects are chro- mosome aberrations and cancer. That’s what you are risking when you consume a soft drink from an American or foreign source that didn’t “get the word”. Minutes from a meeting between FDA and the National Soft Drinks Association in 1990-1 show FDA officials chose to protect soft drink manufactur- ers from “adverse publicity associated with this prob- lem”. Instead of litigation, or legislation, they near- sightedly chose to trust the industry to “get the word out”. Legislation prohibiting sodium benzoate in acidic beverages would have served the public better, because although FDA tests in 1993 indicated the problem was gone, obviously the verbal solution did not last. The FDA should not have covered up the benzene problem because their first duty is to citizens. These days, if a water district found benzene above 5 ppb the FDA would require them to “notify the public via newspapers, radio, TV and other means. Additional actions, such as providing alternative drinking water supplies, may be required to prevent serious risks to public health.” I suppose we should be thankful that, at least to- day, we are getting an investigation rather than a private deal with vested interests. Good old milk often unfairly accused 1 http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=65840-soft-drinks-fda-
benzene 2 http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/dw_contamfs/benzene.html Science has not had time to rigorously test every botanical for every traditional use, and I used to think that was bad. Now I think “Hey, science, take your time. I’m willing to accept some uncertainty.” Why did I change my mind? Why do I now embrace traditional uses, which may or may not be accurate? For instance traditional uses for butterbur (Petasites vul- garis) include a heart stimulant, diuretic, fever remedy, ulcer remedy, poison antidote, and love divination. Love divination? Apparently if a young, unmarried woman sows butterbur seeds half an hour before sunrise on a Friday morning, in a lonesome place and sings “I sow, I sow! / Then, my own dear, / Come here, come here, / And mow and mow!”, she will see her future husband mowing a short distance away. 1 Of all these traditional uses, which ones have been scientifically proven? None that I know of, but other surprising uses have. Several scientific studies find butterbur (Petasites hybridus root) to be effective at preventing migraine headaches in adults, adoles- cents, and children. In adults, for example, 150 mg of a stan- dardized extract per day reduced the number of migraines per month for most participants by half or more. This is signifi- cantly better than the placebo used, and comparable to ob- served benefits from prescription medications. It should be noted that although the frequency lessened, the duration and intensity of the migraine appeared unchanged. 2 In another clinical trial a carbon dioxide extract of butterbur was found to be as effective as fexofenadine (Allegra ?) for allergic rhinitis (hay fever). 3 It looks like science has given migraine and hay fever suf- ferers a safer, cheaper remedy that’s just as effective as con- ventional drugs. If butterbur becomes popular, you can bet there will be many more studies. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is one of the top three dietary supplements sold (the other two are garlic and glucosamine) so ginkgo is one of the most studied botanicals with an estimated 140+ published clinical trials involving both healthy adults and adults suffering from dementia and other cognitive impair- ment. What do they tell us? According to a review of scientific literature through Sep- tember 2004, 11 out of 16 studies involving healthy, cogni- tively intact adults found significant positive results including enhanced performances involving memory, attention, and speed of processing abilities. 4 But ginkgo did not benefit from the weight of all these positive studies because recently the media focused on one of the clinical trials 5 that did not find significant positive results and generally reported that ginkgo did not work! Thanks, science. What if a dietary supplement had a great and important benefit which was scientifically proven with little dispute, and the media had nothing bad to say about it. Would that get everyone excited? Red yeast rice is rice that has been fermented by red yeast (Monascus purpureus). Chinese peoples have been eating it for over one thousand years without reports of toxic- ity. One traditional use was for improving blood circulation. Science had little difficulty validating that claim because the red yeast makes monacolin K, also known as lovastatin, marketed as Mevacor, a studied and approved drug that lowers cholesterol. 6 With science on its side, Pharmanex, Inc. fermented selected strains of red yeast that would produce a concentration of lovastatin and marketed it as the dietary supplement Cholestin, claiming, correctly, that it will help reduce cholesterol. After much litigation the FDA successfully got Cholestin reclassified as a drug, which destroyed its biggest assets: cheap, safe availability. Science starts off helping the dietary supplement industry by validating uses for botanicals, then kills it because negative studies get media attention and positive studies get FDA attention (to be fair, neither of these is the fault of science). Is the answer to shun studies and go back to traditional uses before science robs us of them? When my daughter grows up and is ready to settle down should I give her some butterbur seeds to sow? The answer is “yes” to everything. Yes, science, keep
studying. Yes, health-conscience consumer, subscribe to
HerbalGram, the peer-reviewed Journal of the American
Botanical Council to find out the latest scientifically accurate
information. 7 Yes, pass on the information to your family and
friends as humans have traditionally done (don’t tell the
popular media). And yes, rely on unstudied traditional uses,
too. For example, I’m 100% convinced butterbur seeds can get
my daughter a date. After all, if you put a young, unmarried,
lonely woman singing all alone in a field at harvest time just
before the weekend, she won’t fail to attract muscular, em-
ployable suitors! Lets just consider one fact in order to get a perspective on what is going on in healthcare research. The same corporations that make and CONTROL the creation of dangerous chemicals, like pesticides, that are proven to cause cancers also make it their business to produce and CONTROL the sale of “drugs that cure” cancers. In addition they also restrict and CONTROL the research funding to beneit more drug production and draw attention away from environmental factors that are a contributing factor in cancers and AIDS as well as most other diseases. The whole drug system is self-enriching at the cost of humanity. Usually corporate magazines such as Fortune, only publish the pro corporate views, since the survival of all ad-supported media is entirely CONTROLLED by the maia-like run ad agencies, that can pull the plug on ALL the major advertisers and seriously jeopardize, even large and established magazines, like Fortune. This is why I am really pleased that Fortune and Seattle Times actually did publish articles that expose the systematic corporate CONTROL in research and handling of toxic wastes. Why We’re Losing The War On Cancer (and how to win it) "Fear in the Fields: How hazardous wastes become fertilizer" Like you know legislative CONTROL is the way to corporate riches and that is why they now want CODEX to become the law in USA. Tim Bolen, a Consumer Advocate states that “We’re in trouble in the US over the “Co- dex” problem. Why? Because there is too much conlict among the people who should be working together to solve the problem”. This is consistent with my experience, after sending out the November 2005 email newsletter explaining the strategies explaining how www.healthfreedomusa.org wants to stop CODEX, I was contacted by John Ham- mel from International Advocates of Health Freedom (www.iahf.com). He adamantly does not agree with the view that we can change CODEX and claims the only solution is to kill CAFTA/ FTAA. You can see the letter at http://www.drclarkstore.com/inadofhefr.html. March 2006 What action can we take? The agave (ah-gah-vay) plant is both beautiful and useful. The leshy leaves of the agave plant cover the pineapple shaped heart, which contains a sweet, sticky juice called aguamiel. Traditionally, the agave plant is allowed to reach a certain age, then farmers dig the trunk out of the ground, split it open, and after removing the core, extract the precious sap, or aguamiel. The Aztecs held the agave to be sacred, and agave juice played a prominent part in their religious ceremonies. Agave juice was also a favorite food of the Aztecs. Today the agave is considered by natives to be the Mexican Tree of Life and Abundance because of the aguamiel, honey-water, that lows from the leaves and roots when cut. The fermented juice from the agave plant forms the basis of the popular Mexican drink known as tequila. Agave syrup—or nectar—is about 90 percent fructose. Yet only recently has it been adapted as a sweetener and a safe and delicious sugar substitute. Agave syrup has a low glycemic level, and unlike the crystalline form of fructose, which is reined mainly from corn (corn syrup), agave syrup is already fructose in its natural form. Therefore it does not need to be reined, and consequently it contains no processing chemicals. Moreover, because agave syrup is 25 percent sweeter than sugar, less of it is needed in your recipes or on your cereal, and one-third fewer calories are consumed. This can be a boon to people who are diabetic, have insulin resistance (Syndrome X), or are simply watching their carbohydrates. Fructose, as we said, has a low glycemic value. But, according to recent research, if fructose is consumed with high glycemic foods, it loses its low glycemic value. In fact, it will take on the value of the higher glycemic food. Therefore, use fructose products such as agave syrup sparingly. It’s a good policy to eat fructose-based desserts on an empty stomach, in between meals or in combination with other low-glycemic foods. Our Naturel Agave Syrup is a Certiied Organic, high fructose, low-glycemic sweetener naturally extracted from the trunk of the wild agave plant. Use it with conidence on your cereal, for baking, and whenever a recipe calls for sugar. For baking, replace 1 cup of sugar with ¾ cup of Naturel. To replace liquids, reduce by 1/3 cup. Reduce cooking temperature by 25 percent. • Serving size: 1 tsp Body products are my concern right now, but it’s evident in general, too. Automobiles have more features than they did 50 years ago, and those features didn’t all appear last year, they appeared gradu- ally. We have more kinds of kitchen appli- ances, office machines, fabrics, television programs, shoes, sports and ethnic restau- rants than ever before. In general more variety is good, and interesting, so we may not think about the downside of “new” and “improved” products. But for body care products, we should. Everything you put on your skin will potentially be absorbed; therefore every product should be scrutinized for safety. Which ingredients are beneficial for you? Which benefit the manufacturer at your expense? Which ingredients have a history of safety? Which ones are newly approved? Which ones aren’t listed on the label? Take soap, for in- stance. The basic recipe is lye, water, and lard (or oil). But you can’t buy plain soap off the shelf anymore. It all has additives like fragrance, deodorant, color, bactericide, or exfoli- ant. A good consumer should not assume that just because it was simple to buy soap in the past it is still that way. Each ingredient should be scrutinized before you can feel confident about using it on your skin. At best, each ingredient should be something you recognize as edible, because some is going in your body. We feel good about every ingredient in our Pearl products. We would not hesitate to eat most of them! (I dare you to try that with your deodorant!) But it’s not easy coming up with products that work using only food ingredients. How do you keep them from going bad? How do you compete with chemicals honed to perfec- tion in extensive laboratories and testing facilities? To be honest, we can’t. But we come close. For instance our hairspray uses a little gelatin for stickiness. It won’t hold as well as a concocted can of chemicals, but it’s pretty good, and yes, you can eat it. We don’t use much fra- grance, but when we do be assured it didn’t come from a laboratory. For instance our lavender scent is the oil that comes from real, crushed lavender flowers. It costs $1.30 per table- spoon, but at least it’s safe to eat. Lavender is classi- fied as safe for human consumption by the F.D.A. 1 Same with sage. So you can purchase Pearl body care products with great confidence. Every ingredient is on the label. Check the ingredients for yourself. And taste! Do You Need More? If you were the CEO of a large food conglomer- ate, and if you wanted to design and manufacture the ideal breath freshener, what would you choose? For a zesty flavor, a blend of natural and artifi- cial ones will make a nice balance of taste and economy. For a gooey center you use vegetable oil. To keep it from sticking to your filling machines, you use a little FDA-approved mineral oil. Sweet things have the most appeal to humans, but sugar is avoided by health-conscious consumers, so use sucralose and neotame (8,000 times sweeter than sugar). Finally, a soft gelatin capsule with a smooth coat of carnauba wax, colored with an eye-catching mix of blue #1 and red #40, and you have a sure winner in the marketplace. The flashy package is probably the most expensive ingredient, but at $1.99 (retail) you will easily hit your profit target. 1 Proudly you go home with the first package off the assembly line and tell your family, “Look what’s going to make us some money.” Your family is impressed and proud of you. Your five-year-old daughter says, “Can I try one, please?” “Oh, no,” you tell her, “too many possibly dan- gerous chemicals for you!” “You aren’t going to sell them to chil- dren?” she asks. “Yes, they’re for everyone,” you tell her. “Except me?” she asks. “Why?” You explain that just because certain chemicals are legal, it doesn’t make them good, and it doesn’t make them healthful, and it doesn’t guarantee further studies won’t find them unsafe. “Then why did you use them to make these great looking pills?” your daughter wonders. You explain about the competitive marketplace and the gross margin and how it’s quite possible that all the chemicals used will continue to be found safe in the long run. “Or at least until the CEO who succeeds me signs off on my retirement package,” you mutter softly. Now again pretend you are that CEO wishing to design and market the ideal breath freshener, only this time your primary concern is to come up with a formula that you wouldn’t mind if your five-year- old daughter ate a whole container of. It suddenly occurred to me that some of the bo- tanicals we sell would be perfect. Like cinnamon. One pinch and your mouth wakes up like your daughter on Christmas morning. Plus there’s no doubt cinnamon is safe because humans have been using cinnamon in their food, with no adverse af- fects, for centuries. And it may even be good for you! Studies have shown cinnamon appears to push down both triglycerides and cholesterol, and also boosts insulin’s effect so diabetics need less. 2 So we put pure cinnamon, no sugar, no coloring, in small gelatin capsules for quick mouth freshen- ing. Usually you try to swallow capsules and avoid bad-tasting contents, but in this case, you crunch up the capsule and pow! It hits you like opening your daughter’s first straight-A report card! I think cinnamon tastes the best, but a close sec- ond is spearmint. Others include peppermint, fennel, cardamom, cloves, coriander and anise. They cost $1.95 each. I hope you find a Breath Bite you like. My daughter is not five, she’s ten, but I’m glad I don’t have to worry about how many Breath Bites she eats. After all, she’s my retirement package. More Good Stuff
In the supply catalog, vitamin A has a poison warning label on it. When it arrives we have to handle it very carefully. However once we mix it with filler, like cornstarch, so it is not overpower- ing, it becomes an essential nutrient. Too much causes liver abnormalities and birth defects, not enough causes night blindness, reproduction prob- lems, immune system dysfunction, and other prob- lems. How do you know what is the “right” amount for you? Today, the US government’s Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is 5000 IU, 1 but is this the right amount for you? To get RDI’s, the government relies on a consensus of scientific opinion to gauge the quantities necessary to assure the performance of recognized and essential physiological functions, but one problem with this approach is: we don’t know everything about the human body. Scientific consensus is capricious; it changes as we learn more. For instance the 1968 RDA for vitamin C was 60 mg. In 1974 that changed to 45 mg., but in 1980 it went back to 60 mg. 2 What if tomorrow scientists find out that lots more would have been better? In fact there are well-documented benefits of nutrient quantities above the RDI for folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and chromium, according to Vitamin and Mineral Safety, 2nd Ed. (VM Safety3 ). We should ask ourselves: Is there a better yardstick to measure our optimal intake, than RDI’s? Scientists may argue incessantly over “optimal”, but there is much more agreement about “too much”. Many studies vary the dosages of nutrients, and often note when adverse effects appear. The safe upper limit is therefore somewhat apparent, and government agencies are very interested in that in order to protect consumers. For instance the US Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) sets their upper limit of safety for vitamin A at 10,000 IU. The European Commission Scientific Committee on Food upper limit is also 10,000 IU. The United Kingdom Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals Guidance Level is 5,000 IU. It should be noted that these are safe daily limits. Children in some parts of the world are given a 50,000 to 200,000 IU dose of vitamin A once every 3 to 12 months to treat and prevent deficiencies (VM Safety). Looking at the available research as reviewed in VM Safety, the Council of Responsible Nutrition (CRN, www.crnusa.org) has come up with its own Upper Level of Supplementation (ULS), and based on upper safety levels minus the amounts you al- ready get in foods. For instance, the CRN ULS for vitamin C is 2000 mg, much more than the 60 mg RDI, because vitamin C has such a well-studied safety record. It is the CRN ULS that makes more sense for an optimal intake level than the RDI. We should strive for maximum amounts of vitamins and minerals, while still knowing such levels have been shown to be safe. Everyone should read VM Safety, because it is so informative and because a few items depend on individual circumstances. For instance high con- sumers of fortified foods and liver have a lower CRN ULS for vitamin A, and they recommend smokers not supplement with beta-carotene at all. But we were so impressed with the report we will be attempting to make a supplement that suits most adults and supplies most of the CRN ULS nutrients. Check with us next time you order! Product labels on website Mel Gibson starred in a 1997 movie entitled "Conspiracy Theory". What was funny about the movie is that he had many far-fetched conspiracy theories like the new $100 bills had tracking devices in them, or NASA had a satellite that could cause earthquakes. I always thought dietary supplement conspiracy theories stretched the imagination until I read the headline "Vitamins 'may raise death risk from cancer'". Vitamins? Bad for you? We all know there are physicians who advise patients not to take vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements because they feel (a) you get enough in the food you eat, or (b) they don't do any significant good. I'd like to think these physicians are not part of a conspiracy and just honestly have their head in the sand. We all know there are publications biased against dietary supplements. Consumer Reports ran an article in the May 2004 issue sharply criticizing the Dietary Supplement industry. Entitled "Danger- ous Supplements: Still at Large", it cast an inaccu- rate picture of dietary supplements in general ac- cording to the Council for Responsible Nutrition. 1 The American Botanical Council spends a lot of time fighting false and misleading information, too (see their website www.herbalgram.org). When I read articles in the mainstream press that attempt to scare me away from dietary supplements, like the recent ephedra reporting, I try to forgive editors because they are just trying to sell periodicals by sensationalizing issues, and I don't think they are part of a conspiracy. We all know the federal Food and Drug Ad- ministration (FDA) is biased against dietary sup- plements because it sees them as a threat to pharma- ceuticals. As recently as the Spring of 2003 the FDA proposed a redefinition of disease that would classify any deviation from a state of "normal" as a disease, even if that deviation is universal or a normal part of aging, such as onset of menses or menopause. Under the proposed new definition of disease, any dietary supplement with virtually any effect on the body could be reclassified as a drug. 2 Special interests influencing government isn't new, and doesn't prove there is a conspiracy. But "Vitamins 'may raise death risk from can- cer'" goes too far! No responsible editor in the mainstream press would publish such drivel unless pressured to do so, in my opinion. Read it for your- self and judge if the headline is merited. 3 So who is behind this conspiracy? Who wants to mislead our health choices? I'm going to call up Mel Gibson and see if he wants to investigate with me.... Connecticut school goes candy cold-turkey Where is my order? The Self Health Signal is an email newsletter with short summaries of health-related news. I try to select topics that show new approaches to existing conditions. However, it is not intended to be medi- cal advice. To sign up for The Self Health Signal simply send an email to signal-on@mail.shrc.net. You do not have to write any Message. You don't even have to write a Subject. Whichever email address you use to send the signal-on message will begin receiving The Self Health Signal. A new one is emailed every two to four weeks, although it may be longer or shorter because there is no fixed schedule. Instruc- tions for discontinuing the newsletter are included at the bottom of each issue (it's as simple as sending a "signal-off@mail.shrc.net" email). Following are some of the articles that have already been covered: Vitamins ward off Alzheimer's Clove extract neutralizes asbestos fibers Asbestos is dangerous and difficult to handle. But Italian chemists at the University of Turin found that eugenol and hydrogen peroxide instantly hardens asbestos into a polymer. Eugenol is a chemical found in cloves. The team of scientists hopes to develop a commercial spray that can be used on buildings to provide a safer and cheaper way of neutralizing the threat of exposure from asbestos previously used in building materials. 2 Is the spread of corn syrup causing the
spread of your tummy? Consumers look to vitamins to boost eye
health Where is my order? I read an article by a prominent doctor in which he expressed his view that humans eating a normal diet don’t need dietary supplements. This angered me because it lulls ordinary folks into thinking they don’t need vitamins. After all, who among us think they eat an abnormal diet? In reality, the entire civilized world eats an ab- normal diet. We have been humans for 2 million years, but most of the basic cultivated, processed, preserved food we eat has only been around for several thousand years, and junk food has only gotten plentiful in the last few decades. A normal diet would be nothing but wild, raw vegetables, meats and berries. And yes, if you only ate that you certainly wouldn’t need any extra vitamins! What do modern people think a normal diet is? I’ve seen adults just eat a doughnut and coffee for “breakfast.” You can probably name lots more examples. But what I worry most about is what our children think. The food industry uses celebrities and popular cartoon characters to tout junk food and fast food. Our schools sell soft drinks, junk food and fast food to our children. To make matters worse, portion size is out of control. 1 According to Dr. Michael Holick, a Boston University vitamin D specialist, there is actually an epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in teens. 2 This is due to their typical habits of little outdoor exercise (preferring movies and video games) and little milk (preferring soft drinks). Dr. Catherine Gordon, a Boston pediatric endocrinologist, says her research suggests as many as 20 percent of healthy children in Boston may be vitamin D deficient. That’s going to haunt them all their life. German researchers say there are “clear indications” that heart disease may be caused by vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D blood levels were up to 50 percent lower in patients with chronic heart failure than in a control group. 3 Let’s face it: our diet is not “normal,” and we would benefit from supplements. Fortunately, not all doctors have their heads in the sand. A review of scientific articles on the sub- ject came to this conclusion: “Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomized trials, it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements.” 4 The study recommends “Physicians should make specific efforts to learn about their patients' use of vitamins to ensure that they are taking vitamins they should, such as folate supplementation for women in the childbearing years, and avoiding dangerous prac- tices such as high doses of vitamin A during preg- nancy or massive doses of fat-soluble vitamins at any age.” When was the last time your doctor initi- ated such a discussion with you? Fortunately, I think our schools are improving. California would be the first state in the nation to ban school soda sales to elementary school students if Gov. Gray Davis signs a new bill passed by the state Senate in August. There is a ban scheduled to take effect January 1, but only if schools get addi- tional funding for nutrition programs (not likely). This new bill doesn’t depend on schools getting additional money and would take effect next July 1. 5 Our schools are cleaning up their act. And you should also tell your kids that cartoon characters love junk food only because they don’t eat it! Out of 13,000 men and women aged 35 to 60 cancer was the major cause of death in a recent French study. But a vitamin cocktail reduced the risk of cancer in men by 31%. Women did not benefit, possibly because their diet was better than the men’s to begin with. 6 Let that inspire us to eat healthy and take our vi-
tamins!
1
Brakes on the Scale, Nanci Hellmich, USA Today, 8/03.
2
Doctors: Teens’ vitamin D deficiency an epidemic, CNN.com, 9/1/03
3
www.foodnavigator.com/news/news.asp?id=6770, 1/15/03.
4
Fletcher, R., Fairfield, K., JAMA, 2002;287:3127-3129.
5
State Senate approves ban…, San Diego Union Tribune, 8/29/03.
6
News.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/3122033.stm, 8/4/03. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||