Kraft Foods has announced that they are going to cut salt in all of its foods sold in North America by an average of 10% over the next two years. Specifically the move will reduce the sodium in Oscar Mayer Bologna by 17% and Easy Mac Cups by 20%. This move is likely in response to the recent push to begin to reduce the overall salt consumption by Americans.
While I think this is a noble effort by Kraft Foods, they continue to bark up the wrong tree. It’s not the fact that people are eating Easy Mac loaded with salt that is making America unhealthy. It’s the fact that they’re eating Easy Mac in the first place! You can’t blame Kraft Foods for this. They are a business and have every right to produce a product and try and make a profit. The problem is that by reducing the salt content a large portion of the population will begin to see their Oscar Mayer Bologna sandwich as less detrimental to their health. Reducing its salt content does not make it significantly better for you.
While Kraft Foods is trying to get healthier, they are also trying to increase their business by trying to appeal to people that are more “health conscious.” This is evidenced by their own words.
“We are reducing sodium because it’s good for consumers, and, if done properly, it’s good for business,” said Kraft executive Rhonda Jordan. “A growing number of consumers are concerned about their sodium intake and we want to help them translate their intentions into actions.”
Again, it isn’t the salt in the foods that are making them unhealthy. It is the foods themselves. Easy Mac, for example is loaded with simple carbohydrates and when eaten regularly contributes as much to heart disease and diabetes as McDonald’s french fries. It is also loaded with ingredients that most of us cannot pronounce and exist exactly nowhere in nature. Let’s start out by looking at the ingredients for in one Easy Mac Cup.
The first ingredient, “enriched macaroni product” is called so because they enrich it with B vitamins. They know people will not consume something that doesn’t have at least some nutritional value (or most people won’t) so they enrich their pasta with B vitamins to make it more appealing.
It also contains monosodium glutamate or MSG. MSG is a flavor enhancer but it is terrible for your health. MSG is an excitotoxin which means that it binds receptors in the brain and excites neurons to death. Children are particularly susceptible and they just happen to be the target audience of Easy Mac. Russel Blaylock is a neurologist who has studied MSG and says it may aggravate many neurological conditions. His book called Excitotoxins the Taste that Kills is a good book and if you have questions regarding MSG you should read it.
The rest of the junk in there like “yellow #5″ and “yellow #6″ and “artificial flavors” are also horrible for your health. There are also a bunch of unnatural preservatives so it can sit on your shelf for 6 months and you can still eat it. Here is a good rule of thumb. If you can’t picture the ingredient in your head in its natural state, you shouldn’t eat it.
Now the “nutrition” in this isn’t good either. The carbohydrate count in one Easy Mac Cup is 39g. This roughly the same as consuming 8 teaspoons of sugar. Remember, for every 5 grams of carbohydrate you consume it is equal to one teaspoon of sugar. Would you eat 8 teaspoons of sugar for dinner? If you answered ‘no’ then you shouldn’t eat an Easy Mac Cup for dinner either. The sodium is quite high, but if you aren’t eating junk food like this all the time, you don’t need to worry about your sodium intake. If you continue to eat processed foods you will over consume sodium….and carbohydrates, and artificial dyes and chemicals, and a lot of other things that aren’t good for you.
Don’t be fooled by the hype of salt reduction in processed foods. It doesn’t make them any better for you. They are still loaded with simple carbohydrates which are a major contributor to disease in this country. They are also still loaded with chemicals and preservatives. If you’re going to eat macaroni and cheese (and I don’t recommend it often) eat it as naturally as possible. You could make a great mac and cheese with 3 simple ingredients. Whole wheat macaroni, milk and cheese. Spice it to your taste with salt, pepper or garlic. The downfalls of eating pasta are many, but once in a great while of OK. Do yourself a favor if you’re going to eat it and don’t eat it from a plastic cup.
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You may remember MOM pushing Cod-Liver oil on the kids, but our understanding and application of fish oil has come along ways.
We know the great benefits of fish oil comes from what are called “Omega-3 fatty acids”
“Tutmeric or curcumin” is under the miscroscope of shientists for its ability to address inflammation, particularly in the brain and nervous system.
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UCSF Lecture on Sugar & Obesity Goes Viral as Experts Confront Health Crisis
March 10, 2010 UCSF news release (University of California San Francisco)
Background
Metabolic syndrome (from National Library of Medicine) – a group of conditions that put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. These conditions are
High blood pressure
High blood sugar levels
High levels of triglycerides, a type of fat, in your blood
Low levels of HDL, the good cholesterol, in your blood
Too much fat around your waist
See also Metabolic Syndrome from the Nemours Foundation.
Connection between sugar and the metabolic syndrome
The news release includes a presentation by Dr. Robert H. Lustig, UCSF, on “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” (approx. 1h, 30min.)
Dr. Lustig explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin. Series: UCSF Mini Medical School for the Public [7/2009]. (In case you don’t have an hour and a half to spare, I found a basic version of Lustig’s presentation on the NIEHS website. Also includes a QuickTime version of the presentation Lustig gave at that workshop.)
I’m still convinced that environmental chemicals could be contributing to occurrence of metabolic syndrome, but Dr. Lustig’s presentation was eye-opening. I don’t understand all the biochemistry, but he makes what I think is a convincing argument that fructose, whether from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or from refined sugar (sugar = fructose + glucose), is responsible for the development of metabolic syndrome.
The basic reason is not because we’re taking in too many calories, but that fructose is metabolized differently than glucose is.
Lustig goes through the history of sugar in drinks and food and the production of HFCS before diving into biochemistry. He compares the metabolism of glucose, ethanol, and fructose, covering all the metabolic pathways for each.
All of the cells in the body can metabolize glucose, some ethanol is absorbed bv the gastrointestinal tract, then metabolized by the brain and liver.
Fructose is primarily metabolized by the liver. I won’t go into the details here, but fructose increases the level of triglycerides, messes with the insulin and leptin processes, makes the pancreas work harder, and has other negative effects on your body.
Dr. Lustig makes a very convincing argument that overconsumption of fructose has causes metabolic syndrome and had led to the obesity epidemic.
Some people argue that it’s Americans’ eating habits and lack of exercise that have caused the obesity epidemic. Lustig asks, if that’s true, how do you explain the epidemic of obese six-month-olds? (Lustig looks at the amount of sugar contained in many formulas.)
Lustig also notes that the role of exercise isn’t really to burn calories, but to keep our bodies’ metabolic processes running smoothly and discusses the important role of fiber in fructose metabolism.)
From the NIEHS website (a basic version of Lustig’s presentation)
(presented at a workshop on “Children’s Environmental Health Research: Past, Present & Future,” Jan. 2007) – this workshop had sessions focusing on lead and neurotoxicity, asthma, metabolic disorders, and ADHD)
Summary
Fructose (sucrose or HFCS) consumption has increased in the past 30 years, coinciding with the obesity epidemic
Fructose is everywhere
Fructose is not glucose
• Hepatic fructose metabolism leads to all the manifestations of the Metabolic Syndrome:
hypertension
de novo lipogenesis, dyslipidemia, and hepatic steatosis
Jobs have come and gone. Other jobs have proved elusive. Another job was not what it appeared to be on first presentation to me. Having expressed interest in one job I arranged to have an informal chat. Which then became a more formal-sounding interview. I appeared on time only to discover that they’d given that job to another. And somehow they’d forgotten to telephone or email me to let me know…
A close friend in town is very ill and we’re awaiting news due next week of his test results. He’s way too young to be this ill.
I had hoped to make it to age 50 before having heart disease shoved up close and personal by way of a prescription for cholesterol lowering medication. I have always had high cholesterol and it’s presumed to be genetic. The lowest reading I’ve had was 5.5 mmol/l and it’s been around 6.5 over the past five years. But over a period of 3 months it skyrocketed to a more worrying 7.5. Diet had not been changed so it’s time to try medication.
My blood pressure over the past year has also crept up very high (but with occasional large dips back to safer levels) & my doctor advised purchasing an automatic blood pressure monitoring kit. Which I did. And it looks like my BP is a lot lower when taken upon getting up in the morning. This is good for it should mean I won’t need blood pressure medication yet.
Just the cholesterol-lowering medication.
I will be curious to see the results of the stress ECG & other heart tests later this year. My father’s side of the family (including my generation) all have heart disease to some degree, many also have a history of minor heart attacks. Dad died suddenly at age 65 from a massive heart attack. In fact, most of the men on that side of the family died suddenly in their early 60s.
With all the rain that has fallen over outback Queensland over the past weeks & flooding the channel country, we’re hoping to do a flight over the desert to see the water flowing for ourselves. Given good weather we should take off tomorrow morning for Birdsville, Boulia and maybe Innamincka. I’ve charged up my camera battery in readiness.
Throughout the history of planet earth, mankind has looked for signs to help them understand God, the universe, their environment, and events happening around them. Man is naturally religious and superstitious, and in ancient times they would try to connect a misfortune with something they had done or a god that they had angered. This creating of a false god to interpret the universe, events and circumstances around them is not changed in modern man, they are simply different false idols with new, intelligent modern sounding names. We still try to appease the gods, just don’t call them “gods”, call them scientists!
Up until the late 19th century, modern civilizations understood what food was, how to prepare it, and what was indeed truly healthy based on two pieces of information. Observations over time learned and handed down from generation to generation, and the words of the only true God, found in the Bible. These observations, which could also be called common sense, may have taken hundreds of years to develop, but were remarkably accurate as people had no reason not to believe their parents when they instructed them about food, or the very obvious self-evident effect of eating the food itself.
Not too surprisingly, the Bible also has a lot to say about food, and much of the information is in complete harmony with the traditional diets of the vast majority of mankind throughout history. So whether you leaned on the Bible to help you understand what healthy eating was or “common sense” you were not too far from truth.
In order for the industrial food giants, the pharmaceutical industry and government usurpers of the human right to eat like a human being to be effective, they have to displace the two center pillars of truth about food, common sense and the Bible.
This started with the creation of fake food in the late 1800’s, as marketing began to attack real food, and indirectly common sense and the Bible. The Bible, which in those days was still considered true and trustworthy was beginning to become undermined by the “theory of evolution” an absolute fantasy which ultimately displaces the true god with man as the creator. As this fake religion is promoted, it promotes the scientist as the ultimate authority of truth. As more and more scientific discoveries were being made in the early 20th century, more and more trust in all things scientific begins to take hold in society. If the Bible is not true in one part, then it is not to be trusted at all, so all the information related to food in the Bible, as well as ancient common sense, is just the foolishness of man before the enlightenment of science “falsely so called”.
Today, when their is a conversation about food the authority is “well their is a study that shows…”, in other words, science is now the new authority, and anything else is not trustworthy.
Years ago when I was early in my personal trainer career I knew I was not getting results with the nutrition protocols I was using, and I had a strong suspicion they were WRONG ON PURPOSE!
Using common sense and observation, I was able to implement the OPPOSITE of the protocols taught to me in school, and my clients soon became consistently thin and healthy! My number one challenge to help my clients become thin and healthy was to convince them my program was safe and effective to try, in spite of the enormous psychological pressure from every other source of information they heard from , media, medical, government, friends and family.
The “false god of science” that reigns in our modern world is powerful, and loved and worshipped to such a high degree, that people will keep on living in pain and suffering, drain their life savings, and faithfully make trip after trip to the doctors office in order to keep their god on the throne! This god is never appeased, as he needs his subjects to be sick, fat, and confused! Healthy humans are just in between sickness events and need to have constant medical testing to hurry up and find something wrong!
The God of the Bible has given all mankind directions on what foods are good and how to eat them, instructions in total alignment with old-fashioned common sense.
Who ever you ascribe this truth to, when you begin to eat like a human, you begin to feel like a human. The person who awakes from his or her fake-food zombie state and says “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired”, soon finds true long lasting relief in the absence of science worship. It is the new Sign of the Times!
Give thanks when you eat, eat raw butter, raw milk and red meat. All clear instructions from the Bible, from common sense, and from ancient traditions! You will be on your way to an epiphany of health, and freedom of mind.
Kevin Brown is President of Liberation Wellness and co-author of the Liberation Diet. He serves as a Fellow on the National Board of Fitness Examiners, and is president of Visionary Trainers. Kevin and his wife Tracy are Chapter leaders for the Weston A. Price foundation, a non-profit organization that is helping restore real food to its rightful place in the American diet.
I am trying to follow a health eating plan in an attempt to lower my cholesterol. I have swapped any meat with visible fat for a leaner meat such as chicken or turkey, which hasn’t been at all difficulty really. I have also included more oily fish in my diet, but have avoided mackerel as I find it too strong. I have coupled this with also being careful about how many carbs I eat as bread could be my downfall, especially as it cries out for butter! So my eating plan goes something like this:
Breakfast – either porridge oats with skimmed milk, topped with berries, or granola mixed with low fat yoghurt instead of milk, coffee with skimmed milk and no sugar
Mid morning – handful of almonds and walnuts which are good at lowering cholesterol
Lunch – salad sandwich with no butter or tuna salad, using tuna canned in brine, followed by a low fat yoghurt and a large glass of water
Mid afternoon – apple and a handful of my own dried fruit and nut mixture
Dinner – salmon and steamed vegetables, or chicken with a huge salad (no dressing just black pepper and a sqeeze of lemon juice) low fat yoghurt and occasionally a glass of wine.
I am also trying to drink more water than I did previously and I also take a good multivitamin tablet at lunchtime to make sure I am not missing anything. I have also been making a few stews using beans and lentils which are a healthy source of fibre and a rich source of protein. I was amazed when I started finding out about eating more healthily, just how many beans there are.
There are black beans a favourite in Caribbean food; creamy coloured borlotti beans, used in many Italian stews and soups; cannellini beans lovely in a tuna salad; butter beans flat whitish beans with a great buttery flavour; pinto beans a bit like borlotti beans but darker, they are used a lot in Mexican cooking; flageolet beans pale green beans used a lot in French regional cooking; haricot beans used mainly in slow cooking, one-pot type dishes and are great added to soups - and I’m sure there are many more that I haven’t come across yet.
How to Amuse Yourself If You're Alone in a New City – If you are in a new town or city traveling on business, you may not know many people. Staying in your hotel every day and watching TV will get old after a day or two. Here are some tips for staying occupied and happy while traveling on business!
Make friends with the concierge or front desk
The concierge can help you find out what restaurants in town are good, what bars are lively, and what attractions are simply “tourist traps” versus which ones are actually worth going to while you are in the area. The concierge can also give you access to any hotel amenities, such as the pool or fitness center.
Be social at the bar, fitness center, or elsewhere
Chances are, you will never be in this town again—you can afford to be outgoing and charming to everyone you meet. They all assume you are a highly successful businessperson, or you would not be traveling “on business” in the first place, right? A friendly bartender will make your stay a lot easier—ask him or her where the hotspots are, and what else you should know about the town you are in.
Make as many contacts as possible at seminars or conferences
Your work conference or seminar during the day at the hotel is the ideal place to meet others who may be fun to hang out with—chances are, they know as little about the town as you do, and they are probably dying to party after a long day of listening to speakers and taking notes. Make sure you give them your cell number and room number so they can swing by and get you before going to the club or bar.
See if the town has any casinos
Unless you are a compulsive gambler or have a serious gambling problem, hitting the local casino is a great way to blow off some steam—and possibly even make some money. I only like to gamble when I'm out of town; it feels risky and dangerous, making every business trip a little bit more exhilarating. Play a “social” game like blackjack or craps where you interact with other players—don't simply sit at the slot machines all night, as this is a solitary and somewhat depressing activity. Having a few drinks before placing any serious bets may make you more likely to take risks, for better or worse.
Also, cocktail waitresses and casino employees are often very outgoing—ask them if there are any sights or tourist attractions nearby you should visit while in town.
When you are gambling, try to set in advance a maximum amount you will spend per night. For example, only come to the casino with $300 in your wallet, and leave after that amount has been spent. Similarly, predetermine the amount of winnings it would take for you to leave the casino for the night—say, $500 or so. You want to leave there with money in your pocket if at all possible!
Finally, you can meet new business contacts on your departure flight home. Especially if you fly in “business class”, you are likely to be seated next to another business executive. A long flight is a great opportunity to learn what someone else does for a living, and to see if you have any common interests and can help each other professionally. Polite networking is simply good business!
The biggest myth fueled by mainstream medicine is the cholesterol myth – that cholesterol is the major cause of heart disease. The good news is many doctors are starting to wise up. The main culprit behind heart disease is inflammation. Dr. Paul Ridker of Harvard University puts it this way: “We have to think of heart disease as an inflammatory disease, just as we think of rheumatoid arthritis as an inflammatory disease.” If you’d like to get a good idea of your heart health, ask your doctor to do a blood screen of C-reactive protein (CRP). CRP is released by the liver when your body experiences inflammation. Normally, your blood contains no CRP. Elevated levels indicate a problem.
The British Journal of Urology published a study that examined the levels of almost 400 people. They found that once the CRP levels reached twice the normal level, the participants were 150 percent more likely to suffer heart attack! Another study found that risk of heart attack increased by 6- to 7-fold in patients with elevated CRP.
Maintaining healthy levels of good and bad cholesterol is important. But even more important is keeping inflammation and your CRP levels at bay.
Immune system cells collect at the site of the problem in order to guard against infection and speed recovery. This is perfectly normal and harmless. The problem starts when you experience a chronic state of inflammation. And it’s more common than you may imagine. There are triggers in your environment that get into your body and irritate your blood vessels to the point of injury.
Cigarette smoke, vegetable oils, and the poor nutrient quality of the food we eat all contribute to small tears and injuries to your heart and blood vessels – injuries that cause a tidal wave of inflammation. In response to the inflammation, your body uses oxidized LDL, the so-called “bad” cholesterol, to “patch” the crack or tear in your blood vessel wall. Over time, chronic inflammation causes small lesions in the arterial walls leading to the heart and brain. These lesions, or bumps, are formed when plaque and other deposits “stick” to the walls of your blood vessels instead of simply flowing through as is normally the case with smooth, healthy arteries. This buildup leads to clogging and hardening of the arteries. And that spells big trouble for your health.
Arteries are the main food source for your vital organs. This includes your heart, your brain, your eyes, and kidneys. As the arteries harden, blood can’t get to the organs as easily. The end result is life-threatening disease. But that’s not all…
Because inflammation affects your entire system, it’s also directly linked to asthma, obesity, and even depression. That’s why it’s become such a hot topic these days. Successfully reducing inflammation in your body means preventing and, in some cases, even reversing a wide array of diseases.
It’s hard to say if it’s simply a sign of the times or the continuing search by drug companies to find new and untapped markets for their products. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is now recommending cholesterol testing for children as young as 2 years old and even recommending cholesterol lowering drugs in some older children.
The AAP has made the call for screening and treatment a part of their policy with a statement called “Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Childhood.” This screening is mainly directed at children in families that have a history of high cholesterol levels in their background. Other familial factors that could trigger a screening would be frequency of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Screening for children that meet these specifications should begin sometime after their 2nd birthday and before the age of 10, says the AAP. Previous AAP screening recommendations were far less specific regarding targeted ages for testing to start.
Previously, the AAP never recommended cholesterol drugs for children under 10. That specification has been lowered now to include younger children to whom drugs are being recommended. “For children who are more than 8 years old and who have high LDL (bad cholesterol) concentrations, cholesterol-reducing medications should be considered. Younger patients with elevated cholesterol readings should focus on weight reduction and increased activity while receiving nutrition counseling.”
Most cholesterol lowering drugs have serious side effects.
There is no question that obesity is a problem of increasing proportion throughout American society. It is truly unfortunate that it is becoming a factor in very young children and a sad comment on diet, sedentary lifestyles and a lack of exercise throughout our culture. Children need to be encouraged to “get out and play” and get the body moving. This will go a long way to promote good health and strong bodies.
Parents who are looking for ways to improve the lifestyle and health of their children would be wise to consult a chiropractor or acupuncturist for expertise and advice on this subject. It’s important not only to keep children off drugs, but also to develop a way of good healthy thinking that will have them choosing exercise and fitness rather than a trip to the medicine cabinet for everything that ails them in their future years.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics. “New AAP Policy on Lipid Screening and Heart Health in Children.” Press Release. July 2008. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/july08lipidscreening.htm
HEALTH REPORTS
Vol. 12 Issue 93
DAVID SINGER ENTERPRISES, INC. 401 YELVINGTON AVE. CLEARWATER, FL 33755 (800) 326-1797
Tina Turbin is a published children’s author, writer, researcher, humanitarian and the mother of three talented and successful children. Having worked extensively with kids in the entertainment business, Tina has since gone on to enjoy many years of working with and helping children and their families. She is a tireless advocate for the numerous issues involving children, women and the family, with research and involvement in childhood allergies, celiac disease, gluten-free sensitivity and nutrition, as a way to help improve the quality of health and life for others. Tina’s Danny the Dragon series fulfills a passion to delight both children and their parents through her enchanting characters and truly unique stories with curious endings, and her writing style communicates a special kind of magic to the young and young at heart. Tina’s enriched life has never slowed, nor has her abundant energy, as she continues to thoroughly enjoy the “ride of life.”
Tina’s website is http://www.tinaturbin.com/
Special Time on Blogtalk Radio only – Thursday March 4th, 1PM EST
The Liberation Wellness Hour Radio Show can be heard each week on Saturday at 12noon EST on
Liberty Works Radio Network, on BlogTalkRadio.com/LiberationWellness, and on Zubeo
Once a rare disease, cancer is now widespread, affecting as much as one-third of the population. The rise in cancer in the West and other indrustial countries in East has paralleled the rise in factory farming and the use of processed foods containing vegetable oils and additives. Orthodox methods for treating cancer (radiation and chemotherapy) do not prolong life. The best approach to cancer is prevention. Traditional diets, containing animal and plant foods farmed by nontoxic methods, are rich in factors that protect against cancer. Many of these protective factors are in the animal fats.
In this concern, I see the facts that some people carrying out vegetarian diets have died due to cancer, such as a case of Linda McCartney, Paul McCartney’s wife. Vegetarianism does not protect against cancer. In fact, vegetarians are particularly prone to cancers of the nervous system and reproductive organs.
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Nutrients in Whole Foods that Protect Against Cancer
Vitamin A: Strengthens the immune system. Essential for mineral metabolism and endocrine function. Helps detoxify. True vitamin A is found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil; fish and shellfish; and liver, butter and egg yolks from pasture-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin A than the typical modern American diet.
Vitamin C: An important antioxidant that prevents damage by free radicals. Found in many fruits and vegetables but also in certain organ meats valued by primitive peoples.
Vitamin B6: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Contributes to the function of over 100 enzymes. Most available from animal foods. Vitamin B12: Deficiencies are associated with cancer. Found only in animal foods. Vitamin B17: Protects against cancer. Found in a variety of organically grown grains, legumes, nuts and berries.
Vitamin D: Required for mineral absorption. Strongly protective against breast and colon cancer. Found only in animal foods such as cod liver oil, lard, shellfish and butterfat, organ meats and egg yolks from grass-fed animals. Traditional diets contained ten times more vitamin D than the typical modern American diet. Vitamin E: Works as an antioxidant at the cellular level. Found in unprocessed oils as well as in animal fats like butter and egg yolks.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Strongly protective against breast cancer. Found in the butterfat and meat fat of grass-fed ruminant animals.
Cholesterol: A potent antioxidant that protects against free radicals in cell membranes. Found only in animal foods.
Minerals: The body needs generous amounts of a wide variety of minerals to protect itself against cancer. Minerals like zinc, magnesium and selenium are vital components of enzymes that help the body fight carcinogens. Minerals are more easily absorbed from animal foods.
Lactic Acid and Friendly Bacteria: Contribute to the health of the digestive tract. Found in old fashioned lacto-fermented foods.
Saturated Fats: Strengthen the immune system. Needed for proper use of the essential fatty acids. The lungs cannot function without saturated fats. Found mostly in animal foods.
Long-Chain Fatty Acids: Arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) help fight cancer on the cellular level. They are found mostly in animal foods such as butter, organ meats, cod liver oil and seafood. Co-enzyme Q10: Highly protective against cancer. Found only in animal foods.
Compounds in Processed Foods that Can Cause Cancer
Trans Fatty Acids: Imitation fats in shortenings, margarines and most commercial baked goods and snack foods. Strongly associated with cancer of the lungs and reproductive organs.
Omega-6 fatty acids: Although needed in small amounts, an excess can contribute to cancer. Dangerously high levels of omega-6 fatty acids are due to the overuse of vegetable oils in modern diets.
MSG: Associated with brain cancer. Found in almost all processed foods, even when “MSG” does not appear on the label. Flavorings, spice mixes and hydrolyzed protein contain MSG.
Aspartame: Imitation sweetener in diet foods and beverages. Associated with brain cancer.
Pesticides: Associated with many types of cancer. Found in most commercial vegetable oils, fruit juices, vegetables and fruits.
Hormones: Found in animals raised in confinement on soy and grains. Plant-based hormones are plentiful in soy foods.
Artificial Flavorings and Colors: Associated with various types of cancers, especially when consumed in large amounts in a diet of junk food.
Refined Carbohydrates: Sugar, high fructose corn syrup and white flour are devoid of nutrients. The body uses up nutrients from other foods to process refined carbohydrates. Tumor growth is associated with sugar consumption.
More deep explanations concerning foods to preventing cancer could be found in great articles in 1001HealthSecret.com as follow:
In January 2004, Jimmy Moore made a decision to get rid of the weight that was literally killing him. At 32 years of age and 410 pounds, the time had come for a radical change of lifestyle. A year later, he had shed 180 pounds, shrunk his waist by 20 inches, and dropped his shirt size from 5XL to XL. After his dramatic weight loss, Jimmy was inundated with requests from friends, neighbors and complete strangers seeking information and help. Jimmy is dedicated to helping as many people as possible find the information they need to make the kind of lifestyle change he has made. To that end, he has started a blog and a number of web-sites to get out the message of lifestyle change and healthy living. Here you will find links to Jimmy’s blog, his YouTube videos and all of the websites he contributes to. Jimmy’s Website is http://www.livinlavidalowcarb.com/
First I want to start out by saying I am not a doctor and I am not making a diagnosis or treating any medical condition. I am not suggesting that anyone stop any medications they are currently taking without consulting with their physician first.
The intent of this discussion is for educational and informational purposes only.
Centuries ago there was some excellent advice given to physicians that bears repeating now:
“The physician is only the servant of nature, not her master.
Therefore it behooves medicine to follow the will of nature”
Paracelsus 1493-1541
How ironic is it that medicine has forgotten this sage advice. Now, at the first sign of elevated cholesterol instead of turning to nature to try to find out what is causing the elevated cholesterol. Medicine takes the easy way out and immediately prescribes a cholesterol lowering drug. As you will see in the following discussion, when confronted with higher than normal cholesterol the body is trying to tell us something is wrong. With this in mind let’s discuss cholesterol does in the body and what statins do in our bodies.
Several enzymes are involved in your body that are used to produce cholesterol. Cholesterol is a necessary compound in our bodies. We cannot live without cholesterol. It is found in every cell membrane in the body.
Cholesterol is used by the body to produce the adrenal hormones; testosterone, progesterone, estrone, DHA, and cortisol just to name a few. When these hormones are out of balance you get autoimmune disorders, fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, low libido, cancer and more. Also when they are out of balance it can cause allergies, asthma, blood sugar problems, inflammation, reproductive problems and more. Our bodies must maintain the proper balance of all these hormones to function optimally.
Several factors can cause the hormone system to become out of balance. Primarily these include poor diet, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, environmental toxins and adverse drug reactions.
What happens when the hormone systems are out of balance? Thankfully, when we were designed we were equipped with the ability to compensate for this so we can continue to live. For instance if we have a deficiency in one of these critical hormones the body detects the deficiency then it signals to increase the production of the compounds that are needed to produce the hormone and in this case that compound is cholesterol.
When the healthcare professional does the blood test to detect cholesterol levels they see the increase in cholesterol. They then immediately start treating it with drugs to get the cholesterol back down to the “normal” range without ever trying to figure out why it was elevated in the first place. We use a drug to lower the cholesterol back down, this then causes the body to not be able to correct whatever hormone deficiency that triggered the increase. Without correcting the deficiency our bodies then begin to exhibit the different medical problems discussed earlier.
What does cholesterol do in the body? Is cholesterol the villain? Is cholesterol so bad that even healthy people need to take cholesterol medications to get their numbers down even lower?
Cholesterol is needed to maintain a healthy immune system and to maintain an optimally functioning hormone system.
There are five major functions of cholesterol in our bodies.
1. Cholesterol and Vitamin D
Cholesterol is used to make vitamin D. Without adequate levels of cholesterol we become vitamin D deficient. Everyone knows that vitamin D is important for our bones but it is also critical to maintain a well functioning immune system.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many cancers including breast, colon and prostate cancers.
There have been numerous reports in the media lately about the deficiency of vitamin D. Of course they always mention the fact that we no longer get adequate amounts of sunshine to produce vitamin D naturally. What they fail to mention is that sharp increase in the use of cholesterol lowering drugs has also lead to an increase in vitamin D deficiency.
2. Cholesterol is necessary for mineral absorption and digestion of fats
Cholesterol is the main ingredient in bile salts. Fat absorption is not possible without bile salts. This then leads to a deficiency of all the fat soluble vitamins; A, D, E, and K. Once again these deficiencies lead to many medical conditions.
3. Cholesterol is part of every cell of the body
Trillions of cells use cholesterol to build their structure. It is the “glue” that holds the lipid layers together. It gives the cell membrane the strength it needs. Without it the cells become leaky and this leads to chronic illness and cancer
4. Cholesterol and the nervous system
It is needed for the myelin sheath that covers all nerve cells. It is important for memory function. It is the main organic molecule in the brain.
Brain fog is very common in people with low cholesterol levels.
It is also important for neurotransmitter function including serotonin. Low cholesterol levels inhibit serotonin receptors.
5. Cholesterol and Immune System
It is necessary for the immune system to fight infections. Inadequate cholesterol levels in men have been associated with lowered levels and responsiveness of immune cells. Fewer circulating lymphocytes, total T-Cells and Helper T-cells.
Now that we have established how critical cholesterol is to our overall health and we have established that elevated cholesterol is a sign of other medical conditions that need to be addressed let’s look at what statins do and don’t do.
The drug manufactures would like us to think that lowering our cholesterol protects us against heart disease. They bombard us and the doctors with drug reps, fancy New York ad campaigns, and important sounding studies all claiming that lowering our cholesterol lowers are risk of heart attacks. The wizard of oz looked important too until the curtain was pulled back. Let’s look behind the curtain at the research and see what is really true.
If reducing cholesterol levels lowers the risk of heart disease you would assume that people who lower their cholesterol levels will live longer compared to those who do not lower cholesterol levels. The most important statistic of any study is the mortality rate – how many are alive at the end of the study.
Let’s take a close look at the mortality rate of the five studies cited by the American Heart Association.
1. Heart Protection Study (2002) Over 20,000 adults in UK age 40-80 who were at a high risk for heart disease were followed for 5 years. They were divided into 2 groups. A placebo group and a group getting simvistatin 40mg/day. At the end of 5 years the placebo group had an 85.4% chance of survival. The statin group had an 87.1% chance of survival. That is not even a 2% difference. In fact the Doctor involved in the study wrote “Low cholesterol concentrations have been related to depression, cognitive impairment, and suppression of the immune system. Does a reduction of 1.7% in mortality balance these risks?” Funny that wasn’t mentioned by the American Heart Association.
2. Prosper (2002) 5804 adults were examined to look at the effect of pravastatin versus placebo in the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. At the end of the 3 year trial the placebo group had 89.5% alive compared to the treatment group of 89.7% alive. That is only 2 tenths of a percent difference. This is not even statistically significant. As a side note cancer was significantly increased in the treatment group.
3. ALLHAT (2003) 10,355 adults over 55 were randomized to receive either pravastatin or usual care (which means diet and lifestyle changes). At the end of 6 years 84.7% of the “usual care” group was still alive compared to 85.1% of the statin group. That is again less than 1% difference. Not statistically significant.
4. ASCOT-LLA 19,342 high blood pressure patients between 40 and 79 with risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The statin group in this case did have reduce the number of cardiac events compared to the placebo group however at the end of 3.3 years 95.9% of the placebo group were still alive compared to 96.4% of the statin group. Only ½ % difference.
5. PROVE-IT 4,162 patients who had a heart attack or angina were given either Lipitor or Pravachol. In this study there was no placebo group. The absolute reduction in death of Lipitor was 2.2% versus 3.2% from Pravachol.
So when we look at these studies the reduction in the risk of death was insignificant. Does this insignificant change in death rate warrant the increased risks of side effects from statins?
Let’s look at some other studies and what the outcomes of low cholesterol compared to higher cholesterol was:
In women of all ages and men over 55, higher cholesterol levels may actually result in a decreased mortality (Q J Med 2003;96:927-34)
One study showed that in the elderly female, a lower cholesterol level (less than 155mg/dl) was associated with 5.2 times higher death rate as compared to a woman with a cholesterol level of 272mg/dl (Lancet 1:868-870. 1989)
Breast cancer rates in humans that took statins were shown to increase by 1,200% (relative risk)
JAMA reported on a study of 5,170 subjects taking a statin versus 5,185 subjects treated with “usual care” (lifestyle changes) found that the statin did reduce cholesterol however (not widely reported) the mortality rate between the 2 groups was nearly identical (so why take the statin with all its side effects) also the coronary heart disease rates were not different between the control group and the statin group (JAMA Dec 18, 2002 18;288:2998-3007)
The Framingham study (one of the longest ongoing studies on heart disease) reports after 30 years of follow up, there is no increased overall mortality with subjects with high cholesterol for those over 50. Furthermore, researchers reported that FALLING cholesterol levels were found to increase the cardiovascular death rate – a 14% increase for every 1mg/dl drop in cholesterol. (JAMA Vol 257. No 16, 4.24.1987)
A study of 11,563 subjects found that those with cholesterol below 160mg/dl had 49% increases in all-cause mortality as compared to those subjects with a cholesterol level over 160mg/dl. Non cardiac death increased 2.27 times in the low cholesterol group compared to the control group (Eur Heart Journal 1997 18, 52-59)
In 977 elderly patients (>70 y/o) studied, researchers found no correlation between elevated cholesterol levels and increases in mortality from coronary heart disease, all-cause mortality or hospitalization from heart attacks or angina. (JAMA Vol 272 No 17 Nov 2, 1994)
Studies have found a correlation with low cholesterol levels and increased risk of mortality from cancer of the lung, liver, pancreas and bone marrow as well as increased risk of death from respiratory, hepatic and digestive disease (Arch. Intern. Med 192;152. 1490=1500)
A study of 5,491 men aged 45-68 y/o found that falling cholesterol levels from 180-239mg/dl down to less than 180mg/dl were associated with a 30% higher risk of all-cause mortality and a significant increased risk of death from cancers of the esophagus, prostate, and bone marrow (Circulation 1995;92:2396-2403)
So as seen above the overall mortality rate of taking statins compared to placebo is insignificant. Further the increased risk for mortality from other causes is increased in the lowered cholesterol group. So what exactly does statins do and why does it seem to decrease cardiovascular events?
What are the side effects of statins?
1. Muscle Pain and weakness. This is the most common side effect. The drug manufactures report that it occurs 1-5% of the time but I believe this is much higher because I see patients in my pharmacy complaining of this almost on a daily basis.
Why does this happen?
When we block the production of cholesterol with a statin drug we also block the production of a very important co-enzyme. CoQ10. Co-enzyme Q10 is used in the energy production inside of every cell in the body. So when the cells are depleted of this energy source we get fatigue. The cells that comprise the most used muscles in the body are the ones that are affected first. Of course we see this as pain in our arms and legs but there is one muscle that is used even more. In fact this muscle never rests. Of course I am talking about our heart. When muscle pain and weakness occurs our doctors get concerned because they know it can quickly lead to death.
2. Body aches and Pains these pains are probably related to CoQ-10 as well. The body aches and pains usually go away after the statin drug is discontinued
3. Heart Failure About 50% of people with heart failure will die within 5 years of their diagnosis. It is the most common reason Medicare patients are admitted to the hospital. An East Texas Medical Center studied 20 healthy patients with normal cardiac function. After 6 months on Lipitor 66% developed problems with diastole—the filling phase of the heart cycle. It is the same problem that congestive heart failure patients experience. They concluded that the statins dose-related depletion of CoQ10 was the culprit.
4. Brain Fog and Dementia Over 50% of the dry weight of the brain is made of cholesterol. The elderly are even more sensitive to decreased cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels <150mg/dl consistently exhibit brain fog and dementia compared to those with higher cholesterol levels.
5. Cancer All cholesterol drugs have been associated with an increased rate of cancer. Multiple studies have shown that statins have caused cancer in mice. As mentioned above, breast cancer rates in humans have increased 1,200%. Since none of the studies have lasted long enough to determine the exact rates. When you think about what statins do to cholesterol levels and you look at what deficiencies of the different hormones cause, it is easy to see why there is an increase in cancer among those with cholesterol lowered by statins.
6. Depression There are numerous studies that show a connection between low cholesterol and depression. This is easily understood when you consider that blocking cholesterol production affects the adrenal hormones as well as serotonin receptors. Both conditions have the effect of causing depression.
Do statins prevent Heart Attacks?
Well studies have shown that statins do decrease the risk of heart attack. You know what? So does aspirin. In fact a study was conducted that compared those taking statins to a group taking an aspirin a day. This study showed that statin drugs did not reduce cardiovascular events any more than aspirin. What is up with this one? Well it appears that statins not only reduce cholesterol but they also reduce inflammation just like aspirin. It is the reduction of inflammation that appears to have the cardio protective benefits. But with all the potential side effects of cholesterol why risk it when you can achieve the same outcome with aspirin. This is where I think the drug manufactures begin their deceit. Since they cannot sell an expensive new drug to reduce inflammation when aspirin does the same thing for a lot less money, they have created a whole new problem, high cholesterol. They can then patent a whole new class of drugs and treat a whole new condition when in reality it is not the cholesterol that is the problem it is actually inflammation and inflammation can be reduced with a $3 bottle of aspirin not a multi-billion dollar drug.
No wonder our health care system is going broke.
VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: TheRx4Health.com
Want to start you own home based business? I can help you design a business to fit your personallity. With 17 companies and over 500 products available I can help. TheRx4Wealth.com
First I want to start out by saying I am not a doctor and I am not making a diagnosis or treating any medical condition. I am not suggesting that anyone stop any medications they are currently taking without consulting with their physician first.
The intent of this discussion is for educational and informational purposes only.
Centuries ago there was some excellent advice given to physicians that bears repeating now:
“The physician is only the servant of nature, not her master.
Therefore it behooves medicine to follow the will of nature”
Paracelsus 1493-1541
How ironic is it that medicine has forgotten this sage advice. Now, at the first sign of elevated cholesterol instead of turning to nature to try to find out what is causing the elevated cholesterol. Medicine takes the easy way out and immediately prescribes a cholesterol lowering drug. As you will see in the following discussion, when confronted with higher than normal cholesterol the body is trying to tell us something is wrong. With this in mind let’s discuss cholesterol does in the body and what statins do in our bodies.
Several enzymes are involved in your body that are used to produce cholesterol. Cholesterol is a necessary compound in our bodies. We cannot live without cholesterol. It is found in every cell membrane in the body.
Cholesterol is used by the body to produce the adrenal hormones; testosterone, progesterone, estrone, DHA, and cortisol just to name a few. When these hormones are out of balance you get autoimmune disorders, fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, low libido, cancer and more. Also when they are out of balance it can cause allergies, asthma, blood sugar problems, inflammation, reproductive problems and more. Our bodies must maintain the proper balance of all these hormones to function optimally.
Several factors can cause the hormone system to become out of balance. Primarily these include poor diet, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, environmental toxins and adverse drug reactions.
What happens when the hormone systems are out of balance? Thankfully, when we were designed we were equipped with the ability to compensate for this so we can continue to live. For instance if we have a deficiency in one of these critical hormones the body detects the deficiency then it signals to increase the production of the compounds that are needed to produce the hormone and in this case that compound is cholesterol.
When the healthcare professional does the blood test to detect cholesterol levels they see the increase in cholesterol. They then immediately start treating it with drugs to get the cholesterol back down to the “normal” range without ever trying to figure out why it was elevated in the first place. We use a drug to lower the cholesterol back down, this then causes the body to not be able to correct whatever hormone deficiency that triggered the increase. Without correcting the deficiency our bodies then begin to exhibit the different medical problems discussed earlier.
What does cholesterol do in the body? Is cholesterol the villain? Is cholesterol so bad that even healthy people need to take cholesterol medications to get their numbers down even lower?
Cholesterol is needed to maintain a healthy immune system and to maintain an optimally functioning hormone system.
There are five major functions of cholesterol in our bodies.
1. Cholesterol and Vitamin D
Cholesterol is used to make vitamin D. Without adequate levels of cholesterol we become vitamin D deficient. Everyone knows that vitamin D is important for our bones but it is also critical to maintain a well functioning immune system.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many cancers including breast, colon and prostate cancers.
There have been numerous reports in the media lately about the deficiency of vitamin D. Of course they always mention the fact that we no longer get adequate amounts of sunshine to produce vitamin D naturally. What they fail to mention is that sharp increase in the use of cholesterol lowering drugs has also lead to an increase in vitamin D deficiency.
2. Cholesterol is necessary for mineral absorption and digestion of fats
Cholesterol is the main ingredient in bile salts. Fat absorption is not possible without bile salts. This then leads to a deficiency of all the fat soluble vitamins; A, D, E, and K. Once again these deficiencies lead to many medical conditions.
3. Cholesterol is part of every cell of the body
Trillions of cells use cholesterol to build their structure. It is the “glue” that holds the lipid layers together. It gives the cell membrane the strength it needs. Without it the cells become leaky and this leads to chronic illness and cancer
4. Cholesterol and the nervous system
It is needed for the myelin sheath that covers all nerve cells. It is important for memory function. It is the main organic molecule in the brain.
Brain fog is very common in people with low cholesterol levels.
It is also important for neurotransmitter function including serotonin. Low cholesterol levels inhibit serotonin receptors.
5. Cholesterol and Immune System
It is necessary for the immune system to fight infections. Inadequate cholesterol levels in men have been associated with lowered levels and responsiveness of immune cells. Fewer circulating lymphocytes, total T-Cells and Helper T-cells.
Now that we have established how critical cholesterol is to our overall health and we have established that elevated cholesterol is a sign of other medical conditions that need to be addressed let’s look at what statins do and don’t do.
The drug manufactures would like us to think that lowering our cholesterol protects us against heart disease. They bombard us and the doctors with drug reps, fancy New York ad campaigns, and important sounding studies all claiming that lowering our cholesterol lowers are risk of heart attacks. The wizard of oz looked important too until the curtain was pulled back. Let’s look behind the curtain at the research and see what is really true.
If reducing cholesterol levels lowers the risk of heart disease you would assume that people who lower their cholesterol levels will live longer compared to those who do not lower cholesterol levels. The most important statistic of any study is the mortality rate – how many are alive at the end of the study.
Let’s take a close look at the mortality rate of the five studies cited by the American Heart Association.
1. Heart Protection Study (2002) Over 20,000 adults in UK age 40-80 who were at a high risk for heart disease were followed for 5 years. They were divided into 2 groups. A placebo group and a group getting simvistatin 40mg/day. At the end of 5 years the placebo group had an 85.4% chance of survival. The statin group had an 87.1% chance of survival. That is not even a 2% difference. In fact the Doctor involved in the study wrote “Low cholesterol concentrations have been related to depression, cognitive impairment, and suppression of the immune system. Does a reduction of 1.7% in mortality balance these risks?” Funny that wasn’t mentioned by the American Heart Association.
2. Prosper (2002) 5804 adults were examined to look at the effect of pravastatin versus placebo in the risk of developing heart disease and stroke. At the end of the 3 year trial the placebo group had 89.5% alive compared to the treatment group of 89.7% alive. That is only 2 tenths of a percent difference. This is not even statistically significant. As a side note cancer was significantly increased in the treatment group.
3. ALLHAT (2003) 10,355 adults over 55 were randomized to receive either pravastatin or usual care (which means diet and lifestyle changes). At the end of 6 years 84.7% of the “usual care” group was still alive compared to 85.1% of the statin group. That is again less than 1% difference. Not statistically significant.
4. ASCOT-LLA 19,342 high blood pressure patients between 40 and 79 with risk factors of cardiovascular disease. The statin group in this case did have reduce the number of cardiac events compared to the placebo group however at the end of 3.3 years 95.9% of the placebo group were still alive compared to 96.4% of the statin group. Only ½ % difference.
5. PROVE-IT 4,162 patients who had a heart attack or angina were given either Lipitor or Pravachol. In this study there was no placebo group. The absolute reduction in death of Lipitor was 2.2% versus 3.2% from Pravachol.
So when we look at these studies the reduction in the risk of death was insignificant. Does this insignificant change in death rate warrant the increased risks of side effects from statins?
Let’s look at some other studies and what the outcomes of low cholesterol compared to higher cholesterol was:
In women of all ages and men over 55, higher cholesterol levels may actually result in a decreased mortality (Q J Med 2003;96:927-34)
One study showed that in the elderly female, a lower cholesterol level (less than 155mg/dl) was associated with 5.2 times higher death rate as compared to a woman with a cholesterol level of 272mg/dl (Lancet 1:868-870. 1989)
Breast cancer rates in humans that took statins were shown to increase by 1,200% (relative risk)
JAMA reported on a study of 5,170 subjects taking a statin versus 5,185 subjects treated with “usual care” (lifestyle changes) found that the statin did reduce cholesterol however (not widely reported) the mortality rate between the 2 groups was nearly identical (so why take the statin with all its side effects) also the coronary heart disease rates were not different between the control group and the statin group (JAMA Dec 18, 2002 18;288:2998-3007)
The Framingham study (one of the longest ongoing studies on heart disease) reports after 30 years of follow up, there is no increased overall mortality with subjects with high cholesterol for those over 50. Furthermore, researchers reported that FALLING cholesterol levels were found to increase the cardiovascular death rate – a 14% increase for every 1mg/dl drop in cholesterol. (JAMA Vol 257. No 16, 4.24.1987)
A study of 11,563 subjects found that those with cholesterol below 160mg/dl had 49% increases in all-cause mortality as compared to those subjects with a cholesterol level over 160mg/dl. Non cardiac death increased 2.27 times in the low cholesterol group compared to the control group (Eur Heart Journal 1997 18, 52-59)
In 977 elderly patients (>70 y/o) studied, researchers found no correlation between elevated cholesterol levels and increases in mortality from coronary heart disease, all-cause mortality or hospitalization from heart attacks or angina. (JAMA Vol 272 No 17 Nov 2, 1994)
Studies have found a correlation with low cholesterol levels and increased risk of mortality from cancer of the lung, liver, pancreas and bone marrow as well as increased risk of death from respiratory, hepatic and digestive disease (Arch. Intern. Med 192;152. 1490=1500)
A study of 5,491 men aged 45-68 y/o found that falling cholesterol levels from 180-239mg/dl down to less than 180mg/dl were associated with a 30% higher risk of all-cause mortality and a significant increased risk of death from cancers of the esophagus, prostate, and bone marrow (Circulation 1995;92:2396-2403)
So as seen above the overall mortality rate of taking statins compared to placebo is insignificant. Further the increased risk for mortality from other causes is increased in the lowered cholesterol group. So what exactly does statins do and why does it seem to decrease cardiovascular events?
What are the side effects of statins?
1. Muscle Pain and weakness. This is the most common side effect. The drug manufactures report that it occurs 1-5% of the time but I believe this is much higher because I see patients in my pharmacy complaining of this almost on a daily basis.
Why does this happen?
When we block the production of cholesterol with a statin drug we also block the production of a very important co-enzyme. CoQ10. Co-enzyme Q10 is used in the energy production inside of every cell in the body. So when the cells are depleted of this energy source we get fatigue. The cells that comprise the most used muscles in the body are the ones that are affected first. Of course we see this as pain in our arms and legs but there is one muscle that is used even more. In fact this muscle never rests. Of course I am talking about our heart. When muscle pain and weakness occurs our doctors get concerned because they know it can quickly lead to death.
2. Body aches and Pains these pains are probably related to CoQ-10 as well. The body aches and pains usually go away after the statin drug is discontinued
3. Heart Failure About 50% of people with heart failure will die within 5 years of their diagnosis. It is the most common reason Medicare patients are admitted to the hospital. An East Texas Medical Center studied 20 healthy patients with normal cardiac function. After 6 months on Lipitor 66% developed problems with diastole—the filling phase of the heart cycle. It is the same problem that congestive heart failure patients experience. They concluded that the statins dose-related depletion of CoQ10 was the culprit.
4. Brain Fog and Dementia Over 50% of the dry weight of the brain is made of cholesterol. The elderly are even more sensitive to decreased cholesterol levels. Cholesterol levels <150mg/dl consistently exhibit brain fog and dementia compared to those with higher cholesterol levels.
5. Cancer All cholesterol drugs have been associated with an increased rate of cancer. Multiple studies have shown that statins have caused cancer in mice. As mentioned above, breast cancer rates in humans have increased 1,200%. Since none of the studies have lasted long enough to determine the exact rates. When you think about what statins do to cholesterol levels and you look at what deficiencies of the different hormones cause, it is easy to see why there is an increase in cancer among those with cholesterol lowered by statins.
6. Depression There are numerous studies that show a connection between low cholesterol and depression. This is easily understood when you consider that blocking cholesterol production affects the adrenal hormones as well as serotonin receptors. Both conditions have the effect of causing depression.
Do statins prevent Heart Attacks?
Well studies have shown that statins do decrease the risk of heart attack. You know what? So does aspirin. In fact a study was conducted that compared those taking statins to a group taking an aspirin a day. This study showed that statin drugs did not reduce cardiovascular events any more than aspirin. What is up with this one? Well it appears that statins not only reduce cholesterol but they also reduce inflammation just like aspirin. It is the reduction of inflammation that appears to have the cardio protective benefits. But with all the potential side effects of cholesterol why risk it when you can achieve the same outcome with aspirin. This is where I think the drug manufactures begin their deceit. Since they cannot sell an expensive new drug to reduce inflammation when aspirin does the same thing for a lot less money, they have created a whole new problem, high cholesterol. They can then patent a whole new class of drugs and treat a whole new condition when in reality it is not the cholesterol that is the problem it is actually inflammation and inflammation can be reduced with a $3 bottle of aspirin not a multi-billion dollar drug.
No wonder our health care system is going broke.
VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: TheRx4Health.com
Want to start you own home based business? I can help you design a business to fit your personallity. With 17 companies and over 500 products available I can help. TheRx4Wealth.com
Editor’s note: This article goes under the heading as we learn more. Or, what we thought we knew, we really didn ‘t.
ScienceDaily (Feb. 10, 2010) — High blood fat levels normally raise the cholesterol values in the blood, which in turn elevates the risk of atherosclerosis and heart attack. Now a new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that butter leads to considerably less elevation of blood fats after a meal compared with olive oil and a new type of canola and flaxseed oil. The difference was stronger in men than in women.
The main explanation for the relatively low increase of blood fat levels with butter is that about 20 percent of the fat in butter consists of short and medium-length fatty acids. These are used directly as energy and therefore never affect the blood fat level to any great extent. Health care uses these fatty acids with patients who have difficulty taking up nutrition — in other words, they are good fatty acids.
“A further explanation, which we are speculating about, is that intestinal cells prefer to store butter fat rather than long-chain fatty acids from vegetable oils. However, butter leads to a slightly higher content of free fatty acids in the blood, which is a burden on the body,” explains Julia Svensson, a doctoral candidate in Biotechnology and Nutrition at Lund University.
More of Butter Leads to Lower Blood Fats Than Olive Oil, Study Finds
AstraZeneca won approval Monday to promote its cholesterol fighting drug Crestor for preventing heart disease in a vast new market of people with healthy cholesterol but other heart risks.
Crestor won approval from the Food and Drug Administration for reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, bypass operations and artery-clearing procedures in people with high levels of C-reactive protein in addition to at least one other risk factor. That clears the way for the drug for millions of people who are not typically prescribed cholesterol drugs now.
C-reactive protein, or C.R.P., is a sign of inflammation associated with heart disease. Patients should be men at least 50 years old or women at least 60, the F.D.A. said.
The approval was based on data from a nearly 18,000-patient study, called Jupiter, financed by AstraZeneca.
The study tested Crestor versus a placebo in middle-age people with healthy cholesterol, but high levels of C.R.P. The rate of major cardiovascular problems was 1.6 percent for patients treated with Crestor compared with 2.8 percent with a placebo, the F.D.A. said.
An F.D.A. advisory panel that reviewed the Jupiter results in December backed wider use but voiced concern that doctors might use Crestor too broadly in patients with low risk. F.D.A. reviewers had told the panel up to 6.5 million Americans meet the criteria used in the Jupiter study.
On Monday, the F.D.A. said doctors “must interpret the results of the Jupiter trial with caution.”
For example, there was no evidence Crestor helped patients with high C.R.P. but no traditional risk factors like high blood pressure, low HDL or “good” cholesterol, smoking or a family history of early heart disease, the F.D.A. said.
Wider approval for Crestor is likely to increase sales of the drug, but industry analysts say the size of the opportunity is uncertain because of the impending arrival of cheaper generic versions of the rival Lipitor from Pfizer in late 2011.
via Crestor Approved to Fight More Heart Disease – NYTimes.com.
Dr. Court’s Comments
Well it is apparent that the pharmaceutical industry can see the writing on the wall. More and more research is showing that simply lowering cholesterol numbers is not enough to reduce heart disease. That, however, is not going to stop them from continuing to find new ways to market their billion dollar statins.
This new research is just about as ridiculous as it gets. It opens up a whole new market for Crestor of 6.5 million people. Imagine if you had a business and you could add 6.5 million new customers. Sounds like a pretty good idea doesn’t it?
This study is ridiculous for three reasons:
1. The study was funded by the maker of the drug. There is no way the numbers are impartial. I was required to do a research study before graduating from school and therefor was required to analyze the study results. It was clear to me that you could make the numbers say just about anything you wanted depending on what formula and limitations you put on certain variables.
2. C-reactive protein, or CRP, can be lowered easily through proper diet. There is no need for a drug that has side effects to be used. I routinely measure this in my patients before and after a program of sound diet and supplements and it is always lower. The side effects of my program include weight loss, increased energy, better sleep, less aches and pain and the list goes on and on.
3. The FDA strongly advises doctors to look at the results before they start prescribing this drug because it works only on a very small percentage of people. This might be the biggest understatement of the year. Unfortunately, most doctors will not look at this study closely and will recommend this drug for anyone with a risk of heart disease when it has shown to have no benefit. This is precisely what AstraZeneca is counting on. Drugs are prescribed because the risk benefit ratio is favorable. If there no potential for benefit, as will be the case for many people that get this drug prescribed, then all there is is risk. This is a poor scenario for millions of unknowing Americans.
The bottom line is that these studies are done simply in the interest of opening up a new market for a drug that may be peaking in the amount of people who can take it. The numbers are manipulated and twisted so they can show some benefit, when in reality there probably is only risk. While CRP is a danger to people who have high levels of it, it is totally controllable by diet and supplementation.
I feel bloated today. Is it because I ate almost 250 grams of almonds?
Almonds are a good source of omega 3 oils which means these nuts are really good for the HEART. They can lower your cholesterol level and definitely help loss weight.
After some internet research, I found out that eating 25 grams of these nuts is already equivalent to 70% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA). That means, today I had 10 times the RDA!
Eating too many almonds at one sitting can have unwanted effects: abdominal bloating and
heavier bowel movements. This is due to the high fiber content found in almonds.
Almonds are like Lanzones (Does anyone know what Lanzones is in English?). The moment you start eating one, you just can’t stop. They are tasty.
I start each day with the same breakfast: one egg with one egg white, over easy and a slice of double fiber toast with “I cannot believe it’s not butter!” spray. I used to only eat the egg whites, to save calories, but I found that I was hungry again within hours when I didn’t include a healthy fat in my morning meal. I decided I would have just one egg with one egg white, for added protein, and it has made a huge difference in my satiety. So, I was extremely happy to discover that Dr. Jonny Bowden agrees with me and thinks that the egg yolk is a nutritional powerhouse that should not be ignored. He even says “Do me a favor. Stop with the egg whites already. Listen carefully: The egg yolk is good for you! It’s part of the package.”
The egg yolks are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that help your eyes, brain and heart. The yolk is also loaded with choline, which is essential for cardiovascular, brain and cell membrane health. The yolk also an essential part of a phospholipid called phosphatidylcholine, which helps prevent the accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the liver.
Yes, you read that right, egg yolks can actually help prevent cholesterol build up, not create it. I know that this is contrary to popular belief that one should avoid egg yolks because they raise cholesterol. Studies by the Harvard Medical School have even shown that the cholesterol in eggs do not raise ones’ blood cholesterol levels.
Eggs are the perfect food, packed full of nutrients, protein and vitamins in a delicate shell. They are one of the best sources of protein on the planet, containing all nine essential amino acids. This is particularly important to me because I’m trying to build my lean muscle mass and maximize my strength training. Protein is a key component in building lean muscle. I know that a lot of people tout whey protein as a key protein source when trying to build muscle, and I love whey protein too, but on the Protein Efficiency Rating Scale, eggs consistently score highest in the quality of their protein, beating out milk, beef, whey and soy!
The phosphatidylcholine in eggs is also a key nutrient in promoting liver health. Phosphatidylcholine also protects the liver from a wide range of toxic influences. Eggs are truly a brain food, helping prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.
You can also call eggs an “eye food” because they have lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two “superstar” nutrients, essential for eye health. Those two nutrients are the most effective supplements for eye health, according to Dr. Michael Geiger, a New York optometrist.
Another interesting fact that I’ve heard quite a bit in my research is that fat in foods really helps “carry” the nutrients through our body and makes them more “bioavailable,” which just means that are bodies can extract what it needs from the nutrients and put them to use. This is particularly relevant with eggs because the egg yolk has fat, which helps make the lutein more bioavailable than let’s say, spinach, which actually has more luetin, but is less bioavailable because of the lack of fat. Does that make sense? As a side note, this is why it is important to drizzle dressing with a bit of fat, and not completely fat-free dressing, on your salad. The fat in the dressing helps make the nutrients more bioavailable. So, cut yourself some slack with the “fat-free” dressing.
So, back to eggs….they can also help protect against breast cancer. A study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention found that women who ate six eggs a week vs. two eggs per week, lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%. Wow.
Eggs also have more than fifteen vitamins and minerals; one egg has 18% of the Daily Value (DV) for riboflavin, 14% DV for vitamin B12, 29% DV selenium.
All of these health benefits and still one more bonus; eggs promote healthy nails and make your hair grow faster. How can you lose with this super food?
So, Dr. Bowden thinks that eggs are better for you the less they are exposed to oxygen, therefore he prefers to eat them raw (Bleah!!) or poached. Personally, I like my eggs cooked over-easy, though I don’t mind a hard-boiled egg once in a while. How do you like your eggs? Do you eat the yolk?
I have found a secret to weight loss and improved health.
At one point in my life I was considered obese. I was obese because my body mass index was over 30. As we all know, obesity is linked to increased risk of cancer, heart disease and other health problems.
I was tired all the time and knew that I needed to lose weight. It didn’t take me long to realize that my terrible eating habits and lack of exercise had caused my body to accumulate toxins and excess weight. I decided to make a healthy lifestyle change by eating healthier and exercising in order to change my body. Then I discovered colon cleansing as a secret to better health and weight loss. By practicing a regular colon cleansing routine to compliment my healthier lifestyle I managed to safely and naturally lose 50 pounds and learn how to maintain an ideal weight.
Many people are walking around with excess weight, feeling lethargic, tired, and suffering with various aches and pains and illnesses due to auto-intoxication. Self-poisoning or auto-intoxication happens when the body’s elimination system does not function properly. Toxins are reabsorbed into the blood stream and spread throughout the body. When this happens the colon becomes sluggish or clogged and cannot properly process and eliminate food wastes and toxins.
Are You Feeling Sluggish and Slow?
It all starts with understanding how important regularity is to optimal health. If you eat three meals a day, you should have three bowl movements a day. If you are not eliminating waste products from the body, then there is a buildup of waste matter in your body. Like a backed-up toilet in your home, excess waste can collect and putrefy, causing a toxic colon.
Don’t Ignore These Facts -
Colon cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States
Digestive disorders kill 200,000 Americans every year
25 million Americans per year see a doctor for constipation, spending billions of dollars on laxatives
Digestive stress is linked to 90 million doctor visits annually and over 65 different health challenges
Over the years, I have tried several different methods of detox and colon cleansing with successful results. Recently I was introduced to a new cleansing product that I am very happy to share with you. My daily colon cleansing routine includes a combination of Fiberzon and Fiberzon Plus. Both products are a synergistic blend of fibers and botanicals that have been used for centuries for their detoxifying, energizing and revitalizing properties.
By taking the Fiberzon products I am experiencing the benefits of a healthier colon and proper elimination along with:
mental clarity
increased energy
fewer toxins
gorgeous skin (see my picture )
weight loss/maintenance
stronger immune system
healthy joints
improved digestion
Fiberzon works like an intestinal broom to gently cleanse and eliminate unwanted toxins from your body and maintain a healthy intestinal tract. It comes in a powder form that includes psyllium husk and slippery elm bark. You can blend Fiberzon with water and take first thing in the morning and before bedtime.
Fiberzon Plus is a gentle, yet more aggressive formulation than Fiberzon. It contains 34% pure Fiberzon, as well as a special blend of rhubarb root and Sangre de Drago sap for additional digestive support. Begin by taking one Fiberzon Plus capsule daily before bedtime. The usual dose is one to three capsules daily. Increase your amount each day until you achieve the desired results. The amount required may vary with each individual.
Fiberzon and Fiberzon Plus can be used individually or together, depending on your preferred cleansing regime.
Most people are shocked to learn that the average person holds between 5 and 10 pounds of putrefied fecal matter and other foul material in the body.
So, are you practicing a daily colon cleansing routine? If not, what are you waiting for?
Krista Haynes, a registered dietitian with The Cancer Project said,“A single high-fat meal like a gourmet burger can cause a dangerous increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The large amounts of processed meat, fat, dairy, and sodium in gourmet burgers can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.”
The five worst gourmet burgers are:
Rank
Worst Gourmet Burger
Fast-Food Restaurant
1
Bacon Deluxe Triple
Wendy’s
2
The Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger
Carl’s Jr.
3
Steakhouse XT Burger
Burger King
4
Sirloin Cheeseburger
Jack in the Box
5
Angus Bacon and Cheese
McDonald’s
A 2007 report from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund says that 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily increases one’s risk of colorectal cancer by an average of 21 percent. A 50-gram serving is approximately the size of a typical hot dog—or a little less than the four slices of bacon found on the Wendy’s Bacon Deluxe burger. (Info from www.PCRM.org).
Health news includes research from the New England Journal of Medicine showing that niacin is more effective in improving cardiovascular disease than expensive drugs that lower cholesterol like Zetia and Vytorin. Physicians wrote prescriptions of more than 29 million contributing to the worldwide sales of 4.56 billion. When it comes to profits and money motives you could get a bum steer if you do not know how your body works.
When you have disease or just a few symptoms you know something about the normal function of your body has gone awry. Here is a definition for you from Stedman’s Medical Dictionary: “cholesterol n. A white crystalline substance found in animal tissues and various foods, normally synthesized by the liver and important as a constituent of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones. Its level in the bloodstream can influence the pathogenesis of certain conditions, such as the development of atherosclerotic plaque and coronary artery disease.”
If you have attended Dr. Maulfair’s seminar you know the rest of the story with many examples and scientific backing that ONLY when the cholesterol is DAMAGED by free radicals does it become a problem and develop into a disease process. Cholesterol is a major constituent of the membrane around the billions of cells your body is made up of. The liver makes cholesterol and you need it. I am not a scientist but I bet if you take a drug that limits cholesterol your liver will make more to keep up. Stedman’s also has this definition: ” Cholesterolosis n. A condition marked by the abnormal deposition of cholesterol, as in tissues or blood vessels.” So lets wonder why cholesterol gets deposited in tissues where it does not belong. The real question to figure out is what is happening in your body and why. If you just stop to think for a minute you will discover that all drugs are unnatural and considered by your body to be toxins. They interrupt normal functions you might actually need. You need to find out WHY you have a non-optimum condition.
There is no substitute for looking for the reasons, causes of problems. You know this from living life, when you find the right reason why the solution comes naturally. If you have a leak in your water pipes you cannot add some substance and fix it you have to find it and repair it. If you fail to find it you still have the leak, and it will progress and create more problems. When you find the exact cause you have no more leak. So take the time to study a bit. Find seminars given by people in health care and look at who is paying for the meeting. Follow the money. Pull out the dictionary and start looking up the words dealing with your condition and you will find the real answers.
You are the guinea pig. Many people have had serious side effects from limiting cholesterol with drugs. Muscle weakness, liver problems and some digestive problems have been a direct result of drug usage. There are more studies, you need to look for them and then get busy improving your health with better dietary choices and antioxidants in the proper amounts.
Good luck -we wish for you a year of knowledge and independence from drugs!! We will save some health care dollars too!
While I think this is a noble effort by Kraft Foods, they continue to bark up the wrong tree. It’s not the fact that people are eating Easy Mac loaded with salt that is making America unhealthy. It’s the fact that they’re eating Easy Mac in the first place! You can’t blame Kraft Foods for this. They are a business and have every right to produce a product and try and make a profit. The problem is that by reducing the salt content a large portion of the population will begin to see their Oscar Mayer Bologna sandwich as less detrimental to their health. Reducing its salt content does not make it significantly better for you.
environment, and events happening around them. Man is naturally religious and superstitious, and in ancient times they would try to connect a misfortune with something they had done or a god that they had angered. This creating of a false god to interpret the universe, events and circumstances around them is not changed in modern man, they are simply different false idols with new, intelligent modern sounding names. We still try to appease the gods, just don’t call them “gods”, call them scientists!
The “false god of science” that reigns in our modern world is powerful, and loved and worshipped to such a high degree, that people will keep on living in pain and suffering, drain their life savings, and faithfully make trip after trip to the doctors office in order to keep their god on the throne! This god is never appeased, as he needs his subjects to be sick, fat, and confused! Healthy humans are just in between sickness events and need to have constant medical testing to hurry up and find something wrong!
the entertainment business, Tina has since gone on to enjoy many years of working with and helping children and their families. She is a tireless advocate for the numerous issues involving children, women and the family, with research and involvement in childhood allergies, celiac disease, gluten-free sensitivity and nutrition, as a way to help improve the quality of health and life for others. Tina’s Danny the Dragon series fulfills a passion to delight both children and their parents through her enchanting characters and truly unique stories with curious endings, and her writing style communicates a special kind of magic to the young and young at heart. Tina’s enriched life has never slowed, nor has her abundant energy, as she continues to thoroughly enjoy the “ride of life.”
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I start each day with the same breakfast: one egg with one egg white, over easy and a slice of double fiber toast with “I cannot believe it’s not butter!” spray. I used to only eat the egg whites, to save calories, but I found that I was hungry again within hours when I didn’t include a healthy fat in my morning meal. I decided I would have just one egg with one egg white, for added protein, and it has made a huge difference in my satiety. So, I was extremely happy to discover that Dr. Jonny Bowden agrees with me and thinks that the egg yolk is a nutritional powerhouse that should not be ignored. He even says “Do me a favor. Stop with the egg whites already. Listen carefully: The egg yolk is good for you! It’s part of the package.”
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Price over health? 