Holiday Food Consumption Strategies

First and foremost, almost everyone always recommends eating in moderation and we do too. Here are some healthy eating alternatives for the holidays:

1. Keep vegetables as close to raw as possible and steamed vegetables are healthier and tastier!
2. Consider a salad.
3. Use spices and herbs on veggies instead of butter or a creamy sauce.
4. Trim as much fat as possible from meat before cooking.
5. Serve some fresh fish or seafood.
6. Use wholegrain breads for stuffing.
7. Cook stuffing separate to the meat so it doesn’t soak up fats during cooking.
8. Buy or bake some pita bread to use with dips instead of chips. Add vegetable strips for variety.
9. Salad dressings can liven up a salad without adding major amouints of fat or calories. Try lemon juice, vinegar and fresh herbs.
10. Water fills you up, has no calories or side effects, is cheap and will help you rid your body of toxins.
11. Only put out some of the available food so people don’t over stuff themselves. More can always come out as required.
12. With alcohol, moderation is the key.

Happy Holidays!!!


BOTTOM LINE: Healthy actions are not found in resolutions and healthy eating alone. Healthy actions result from a health oriented mentality and the development of healthy lifestyle habits and what better time to begin? Healthy actions include stopping bad health habits before starting new healthy ones. How about making commitments to drinking an adequate amount of water, wearing your seat belt, taking your nutritional supplements and being regular with your chiropractic care?

Polyphenols to a Longer, Healthier Life

What are polyphenols?

Polyphenols are naturally-occurring chemicals in plants and recent studies have concluded that polyphenols have antioxidant characteristics that may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and various types of cancer.
Professor Gary Williamson, Professor of Functional Foods at Leeds in Britain, lectures on the idea that foods maximize a person’s chances of living a longer life, as well as increasing the quality of life by reducing the possibilities of incurring certain diseases.
Dr. Williamson list a number of foods that are especially healthful. Some of his list include:
1. Apples
2. Berries…including blackberries, blue berries, strawberries, raspberries
3. Black and green teas
4. Oranges, peaches and plums
5. Broccoli
6. Cereal bran
7. Cherries
8. Spinach
9. Red Grapes
10. Red Onions
11. Cherry tomatoes

While, like anything else, all of these should be consumed in moderation. Williamson noted. “Epidemiology studies support the protective effects of polyphenol-rich foods. Lack of these components in the diet, because of low intake of fruit and vegetables, increases the risk of chronic disease.”

Bottom Line: The fiber and protein in nuts make you feel full longer and likely lead to eating less later. Some studies have suggested nuts may slightly increase your body’s ability to burn calories, and as much as 17% of the fat in nuts passes out of the body undigested. Again, as with the foods rich in polyphenols, moderation is always the word of the day. Is there a common denominator to these stories? Other than tea, all of the best foods for you are raw fruits, vegetables and nuts!!!

Aggressive Drug Marketing and Your Health

An article published in the December 2, 2008 edition of the British Medical Journal by David Kao, a fellow in cardio-vascular medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center entitled, “What can we learn from drug marketing efficiency?” found that: “quicker drug approvals and sophisticated marketing campaigns may be putting more patients at risk of dangerous side effects but the same techniques might be put to use to protect them.”

Kao said the 1992 Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which authorizes fees from companies to beef up the FDA and speed drug approvals, cut the time needed to review a new drug by half from 1986 to 2002. The revenue from the fees collected accounts for 43% of the FDA budget for drug oversight. There’s no way this process could be helping drug safety. Kao also stated, “the closer to deadline that a new drug is approved, the more likely it is to later need strong safety warnings or to be withdrawn.”

An example Kao cites is a relatively new drug by Merck for diabetes. "Once approved, the drug maker began a multifaceted marketing campaign…the product web site was functional within 90 minutes of approval, and within 8 days, Merck had reached 70% of target doctors and made first deliveries to pharmacies. Within 14 days, discussions were completed with managed care organizations covering 73% of the insured U.S. population."
Kao said he was not implying that the drug will endanger any patients.

What happens 1 hour after drinking soda?

Do you want to be healthy? Drinking soda is bad for your health in so many ways; science can’t even state all the consequences. Here’s what happens in your body when you assault it with a Coke:

Within the first 10 minutes:

10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system. This is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake, and the only reason you don’t vomit as a result of the overwhelming sweetness is because phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

Within 20 minutes:

Your blood sugar spikes, and your liver responds to the resulting insulin burst by turning massive amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes:

Caffeine absorption is complete; your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your livers dumps more sugar into your bloodstream.

Around 45 minutes:

Your body increases dopamine production, which stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain – a physically identical response to that of heroin, by the way.

After 60 minutes:

You’ll start to have a sugar crash.

Sources:
Nutrition Research Center October 24, 2007

What You Need To Know About Cholesterol Lowering Drugs

The January 28, 2008 edition of Business Week focuses on the drug, Lipitor and asks the question, “do cholesterol drugs do any good?”

The basic premise that statin drugs are worth the risk is taken into question and, by and large, research suggests that the benefits of statins such as Lipitor are overstated.

James Wright is a professor at the University of British Columbia and is the director of the government-funded Therapeutics Initiative, whose purpose is to pore over the data on particular drugs and figure out how well they work. He found that for those patients without active heart disease (the majority of patients prescribed drugs like Lipitor), there was no benefit in people over the age of 65, no matter how much their cholesterol declines, and no benefit in women of any age. There was no overall reduction in total deaths or illnesses requiring hospitalization—despite big reductions in "bad" cholesterol. "Most people are taking something with no chance of benefit and a risk of harm," says Wright.

In clinical trials of statins, side effects were relatively rare which may be a result of biased reporting. In the real world, approximately 15% of patients suffer side effects. After muscle aches, common complaints include cognitive problems ranging from mild confusion to loss of memory.

One clinical trial also showed a relationship between statin use and cancer risk but that trial was considered not worth considering by the guidelines author (paid by drug maker Pfizer.

BOTTOM LINE: The safety of statins in long-term use "is an incredibly important question for which we have very little data," says Dr. Beatrice Golomb of the University of California at San Diego. Steve Hoffman, a chiropractor in San Diego reports that though prescribed Lipitor years ago, refused and transformed his “dangerous” cholesterol levels with food combining for his metabolic type, regular chiropractic adjustments and nutritional supplementation…all with NO side effects!

What Your Body Needs!

Many people think nothing of eating a double cheeseburger, medium fries and a medium cola. If you dissect this "meal," you'll find that on average, it contains an unbelievable 68 grams of fat (17 teaspoons), almost half of which are saturated; 15 grams of trans fatty acids; 150 mg of cholesterol; 1,200 mg of salt; and 20 teaspoons of sugar (all from the cola)! If you factor in that the fries were probably cooked in hydrogenated cottonseed oil, one of the most heavily pesticide-laden crops in the world, and that the meat, if overcooked, could contain carcinogens, or if undercooked, could result in food poisoning from E. coli, you may agree it's time to find a new all-American meal.

The Bad Guys: High levels of saturated fat are consistently linked with elevated blood cholesterol levels, heart disease, insulin resistance and several forms of cancer. Most Americans eat about 40 grams of saturated fat every day, which is twice as much as is considered healthy. Animal products are the greatest source of saturated fats in the Western diet.

For many years, trans fatty acids were considered a relatively minor player in health and disease. Although their impact on total cholesterol is not quite as profound as it is with saturated fats, the overall damage to heart health is worse. Trans fatty acids not only raise total cholesterol, but also lower LDL cholesterol ("good" cholesterol) and potentially increase triglycerides. Gram for gram, the adverse effect of trans fatty acids is estimated to be two to four times greater than that of saturated fatty acids. The most common sources are crackers, cookies, granola bars, chips and other snack foods, baked goods, margarine, shortening and deep-fried fast foods.

Cholesterol is made by animals, not plants; all animal foods contain cholesterol, while plant foods are all cholesterol-free. The next time you buy any plant-based food like peanut butter that says "no cholesterol" on the label, realize that is just a sales gimmick. There are several concerns about eating too much cholesterol because it can cause blood cholesterol levels to rise, increasing the risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. The recommended daily intake of cholesterol is less than 200 mg, which is a little less than the amount of cholesterol in one egg yolk.

The Good Guys: Science has known for a very long time that vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are healthful foods. Researchers assumed that the substances that made these foods so good for us were the vitamins, minerals and fiber. They were right, but only partly. In the past 20 years, scientists have discovered a whole new set of protective compounds packed within every whole-plant food: phytochemicals and antioxidants. Phytochemicals are natural substances that protect plants against attacks from insects. When we eat plants, these same powerful little protectors go to work on our behalf, with remarkable human health benefits.

Many phytochemicals are strong antioxidants, neutralizing destructive free radicals. Some phytochemicals provide anticancer support, helping the body rid itself of potent carcinogens. Others protect against cardiovascular disease by helping to reduce the formation of cholesterol, lower blood pressure, decrease blood cholesterol levels, reduce blood clot formation, open blood vessels and decrease damage to blood vessel walls. The list of significant beneficial activities of phytochemicals includes anti-inflammatory, anti-yeast, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and immune-enhancing benefits. Which foods are the most efficient phytochemical factories? Vegetables and fruits stand out as being particularly important, although legumes (beans), grains, nuts and seeds are also excellent sources. Choosing a wide variety of colorful, whole-plant foods is the key to a phytochemical-rich diet.

Hopefully this gives you a good starting point for improving your health. Limit your intake of saturated fat, trans fatty acids and cholesterol, and eat more whole foods, including seven to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day to maximize your phytonutrient and antioxidant protection. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Lower Your Cholesterol

Check out this article that I found on Cnn.com.

Article On CNN.Com

About one in two American adults has borderline or high cholesterol levels, which increase one's risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease.


Statins, medications that lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, are now among the most prescribed drugs in the country (and the world). But medication is only part of the solution: To keep cholesterol under control, maintaining a healthy weight and diet is just as important as taking a daily pill.

The guidelines for treating high cholesterol from the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend that patients try to lower their cholesterol through Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC), which include exercise and a healthy diet, before starting a statin.

Lowering your cholesterol through eating habits and exercise means you can avoid the risk of side effects from medication entirely. Indeed, the only side effects of TLC you'll encounter are more energy, weight loss, and better overall health.

To help decrease your cholesterol without a statin -- or to supplement the statin you're already taking -- follow these guidelines from the TLC diet.

Reduce saturated fat to no more than 7 percent of total calories, and cholesterol to no more than 200 milligrams per day

Saturated fat is likely to raise blood cholesterol more than any other food in your diet (except for, perhaps, trans fats, which are slowly being phased out of many foods). A goal of just 7 percent of total calories is no more than 16 grams per day for most people. To stay within these boundaries, eat more of a plant-based diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limit red meat, full-fat dairy products, baked goods, and fried foods. Read about more foods to avoid

Read labels and try to track your daily saturated fat grams until you get an idea of how much your typical food choices contain; don't rely solely on the Percent Daily Values listed, since they're based on the diet of someone who doesn't have high cholesterol and thus can eat slightly more saturated fat. An added bonus: Lowering your saturated fat intake means you'll help lower cholesterol intake as well, since saturated fat and cholesterol tend to be found together.

If you're overweight, reduce calories and work toward your ideal body weight

It's unclear exactly why being overweight tends to increase blood cholesterol, but too much abdominal fat is particularly heart-unhealthy. Video: See why your spare tire is so dangerous

Women should strive to keep their waist circumference below 35 inches and men below 40. If you are overweight, losing just 10 percent of your body weight can provide a significant health improvement. Use this interactive tool to see your weight-related health profile.

Add 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day

Soluble fiber is found in oats, beans, fruits, and vegetables -- it's why products like Cheerios can claim heart-healthy benefits. Soluble fiber helps trap cholesterol in the digestive tract so that it passes through your body rather than getting into your bloodstream. Eating oatmeal breakfasts and having whole fruits as snacks can get you closer to this goal.

Add 2 grams of plant stanols and sterols to your daily diet

Plant stanols and sterols are natural compounds found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds that compete with cholesterol for absorption into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract and thus decrease the amount of cholesterol that makes it into your system. Stanol- and sterol-enhanced foods and beverages have become commonplace in supermarkets, from margarines and spreads to orange juice. For best results, eat foods containing plant stanols and sterols with meals twice a day.

Practice therapeutic lifestyle changes

These adjustments, combined with exercise and consultations with a doctor, make up the TLC program. By following this plan, you may be able to avoid the cost, hassle, and potential side effects of prescription drugs -- or at least keep your dose down.

Heart Healthy: Part 3

In addition to all of the nutrients discussed over the past two weeks, here are basic yet important nutrients for maintaining a healthy, strong heart:

CoEnzyme Q10 - vitamin-like substance for overall heart strength and stability.

Vitamin E - powerful antioxidant that can protect against the development of heart disease.

Vitamin C - works in conjunction with Vitamin E to promote heart strength.

Fish Oil - contains Omega 3 fatty acids which can protect the heart.

Calcium - assists in heart function among other health benefits.

Magnesium - stabilizes the heart's electrical system and helps with heart problems.

Selenium - promotes a healthy heart by facilitating circulation.

L-Carnitine - increases energy production in heart tissue.

Ginkgo Biloba - gingko extract increases blow flow to the heart.

Hawthorn Berry - hawthorn extract improves all functions of heart muscle.

Maitake - maitake extract can help reduce blood pressure and ease blood flow.

Heart Health: Part 2

Nutrients associated with their ability to help lower homocysteine levels include:

Folic Acid - also known as Vitamin B9, folic acid can help the body produce the enzymes necessary to remove homocysteine from the blood.

Vitamin B6 - along with folic acid and Vitamin B12, helps reduce homocysteine levels.

Vitamin B12 - works with folic acid and Vitamin B6 to assist in homocysteine removal.

Nutrients associated with their ability to help lower CRP (C-Reactive Protein) levels include:

Fish Oil - the essential fatty acids in fish oil have been shown to decrease inflammation and, in turn, CPR levels.

Ginger - Ginger root extract can help reduce inflammation, as it relaxes the muscles surrounding blood vessels and facilitates circulation.

MSM - Methyl Sulfonyl Methane, commonly known as MSM, is a naturally occurring sulfur compound that has strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Please Remember: Mixing and matching nutrients on your own could be dangerous to your health as they could interact adversely. All of these nutrients have to be balanced perfectly in order to be optimally effective.

More next week on overall heart health…

Eat Smart for Your Heart

With heart disease at an all-time high I felt it was important that I shared many ways to stay heart healthy.

There are many natural ingredients that can, by incorporating them into your diet and exercise program, improve and maintain your heart health. Nutrients associated with their ability to help lower cholesterol include:

Policosanol - has been shown to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL).

Niacin (Vitamin B3) - can help reduce total cholesterol levels in higher dosages.

Green Tea - among its many therapeutic benefits green tea has been shown to lower the amount of LDL's in the blood stream, and aids in the prevention of blood vessel constriction.

Fish Oil - contains Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA & EPA) which can lower LDL cholesterol levels in the body.

Chromium Polyniconate - this organic version of chromium can help lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

Nutrients associated with their ability to help lower triglyceride levels include:

Fish Oil - Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to lower triglycerides in conjunction with Vitamin C and a low carbohydrate diet.

Vitamin C - works in conjunction with fish oil to lower triglyceride levels.

Guggulipid - has been shown to reduce triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

Green Tea - can significantly lower triglyceride levels in the blood.

More next week on overall heart health…

Horsey Wraps

I was in my favorite store Whole Foods last week when I happened to catch the tail end of a cooking demo. I took their recipe with me and after trying this food I had to share with my readers. This recipe is full of nutrition and takes little time to make.

Horsey Chicken Wraps

Ingredients
1) All-Natural Chicken
2) Avocado
3) Iceberg lettuce
4) Whole wheat wraps
5) Horsey Spread (Take soft cream cheese and mix it with white horseradish. Cut up some dill and put that in the mix. Squeeze a little bit lemon in the spread. Put as much cream cheese and horseradish to your likings.)

Heat up chicken on pan, grill, or foreman. Take wrap and spread horsey spread on top. Cut up iceberg lettuce and avocado. Place chicken on top of wrap followed by lettuce and avocado. Take a bite and enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

A Healthy Alternative To Milk

One of the most consumed liquids in the American diet is milk. As many people drink this product they may not realize it but milk (dairy) inflames the body. Humans are the only animal on this planet that drink another animals milk. The only reason why cow's drink their mothers milk is so that they can grow 3 times their body weight.

I understand that people drink milk for the benefits of calcium but why not go straight to the source. The reason cow milk is abundant in calcium is because its diet contains green, leafy vegetables. If you put more green vegetables into your diet than you would get the same nutrients from vegetables as you do milk.

Also it confuses me to see people ask for skim milk. The problem with skim milk is that it contains NO fat. Well in order for your body to absorb the Vitamin D it must have fat. Vitamin D along with vitamins A, K, and E are all fat soluble (need fat to be absorbed).

WHAT ALTERNATIVE IS THERE?

Almond Milk!!!

The milk of almonds not only tastes good but it also is abundant in nutrients. Almond milk comes from the milk of almonds which is a natural whole food that humans should eat. There is no dairy involved in this so it does not inflame or irritate the body. Every morning for the past year I have been putting almond milk in my cereal. I can honestly say that after a bowl of cereal with almond milk I feel great and do not get that full feeling from cows milk.

Almond milk is not expensive and there are many different flavors. I stick with the unsweetened milk, but there is vanilla flavor and sweetened.

Enjoy the benefits!

Create the Winners Edge With Breakfast

Most people are aware that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The problem is that most people do not know how to make a quick healthy breakfast because their life is always go-go-go. For the next 4 weeks we will be discussing different ideas for breakfast that take only 3 minutes to make.

Remember, if you do not eat breakfast than you are depriving your body of nutrients and energy for at least 12 hours. Breakfast is what gives people the winners edge at work and in life.

BREAKFAST 1:

2-4 Slices Ezekiel Bread (Come in all flavors: cinnamon raisin, wheat, regular)
Coconut Oil
Raw Honey

Toast as many slices of bread as you desire to eat. Take a knife and spread coconut oil on your bread. With the same knife spread raw honey over that slice of bread.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Ezekiel bread is great because it does not contain any flour that will cause inflammation in your body. This bread is made from sprouted grains and lentils and has amazing health benefits. Try the cinnamon raisin which is my favorite.

Coconut oil is a famous oil that eastern cultures eat on a frequent basis. Coconut oil is filled with healthy fats and is known to maintain a healthy heart.

Raw honey contains many antioxidants. People with allergies have been known to use this as a natural remedy. When looking for what honey to buy fo for the darker one as it contains more antioxidants and less water.

Red Bull Gives Up Wings in Europe

Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. The effect was seen even in young people.

The caffeine-loaded beverage causes blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

One hour after drinking Red Bull, your blood system becomes abnormal, as might be expected from a patient with cardiovascular disease.

Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks. Only if in America we could be ahead of the curve when it comes to health.

Sources:
Reuters August 14, 2008

Greens + Is a Plus

I want to start off by thanking everyone for their positive feedback on the topic of snacks to bring to work. If you are new to this site than feel free to go back three weeks where you can see all the different foods we have discussed as quick, easy, and healthy snack to bring to work.

This week we are going to focus on an energy bar. If you were to walk down the energy bar section of the grocery store you would find literally hudreds of bars. Unfortunately as healthy as these companies claim to be there is a lot of false claims behind many of their statements. Ninety-nine percent of the bars are filled with garbage such as hig fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and many other substances that do more harm than good.

THE GOOD NEWS:

I have found a bar that is actually healthy. If you go to your local health food store you will see a bar called "Greens Plus". I highly recommend this bar as it is filled with only organic, healthy ingredients. Here is the link to take you to the website to see the nutritional facts and ingredients.

http://greensplus.com/index.php/cPath/34_43

Apricot To-Go

For the past 3 weeks we have been discussing different snack foods you can bring with you to work or school. The foods we are focusing on are the ones that are filled with optimal nutrition and bring a sense of health to your day. This week we will focus on apricots and how they can improve your quality of life. I also want to share why it is vital we eat fresh apricots and not the dried ones we see at many grocery stores.

If you ate 2 medium-sized apricots you would be gaining benefits of fiber, vitamin A, beta carotene, potassium, and beta-cryptoxanthin. Beta-cryptoxanthin is a strong antioxidant that seems to reduce the risk of lung and colon cancer. If you were to eat dried apricots then you would lose the strong antioxidants since it is concentrated. The concentration process of apricots increases the amount of calories and raises the sugar level.

In the Himalayas there is a group of people that have focused on eating apricots as a dietary staple. This group lives to an old age and stays healthy throughout those years.

Check out your local health food store for organic apricots that are not sprayed with pesticide and herbicide.

Celery and Almond Butter

As I stated last week, we are going to spend the next 4 weeks discussing different snack foods you can bring to work or school. Last week we talked about apples and their healthy nutritional benefits. This week we are going to talk about one my favorite snacks which is celery with almond butter. Lets talk about celery first.

Hippo-crates, known as the father of medicine, states that celery calms the nerve. Celery is used with salads, garnishes, soups, and many different other foods. This green vegetable contains many compounds that can help alleviate joint pain and reduce high blood pressure. In Japan, patients with rheumatoid are put on a diet filled with celery. For people trying to lose weight I recommend eating celery daily as it contains a lot of water so you feel full and don't eat as much during a regular meal. I recommend going to a local health food store and buying celery stalks, cutting it up, and putting in a ziplock for lunch.

The next step is to take almond butter and scoop some into a small tupperware bowl. When you are ready to snack then dip your celery into the tupperware bowl and enjoy the complete health benefits of this delicious snack.

If you are looking for even more health benefits then sprinkle raisins on top of the almond butter for a more nutritious snack.

STEPS TO HEALTH SNACK

1) Slice celery into smaller stalks.

2) Put celery into ziploc bags.

3) Scoop almond butter into small tupperware.

4) When ready dip celery into almond butter.

5) EXTRA: Place raisins on almond butter for extra benefits.

Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Constantly people are asking me different snacks they can have rather then reaching for the bag of greasy potato chips. I am always recommending different fruits that are filled with nutrients and will not have you feeling guilty after you indulge. For the next few weeks we will be discussing many snack foods you can eat on the run that will improve your health and overall quality of life.

Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa says that men who eat one apple a day lower their risk of heart disease by 32%. A study done in the Mayo Clinic, helped prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells. Another study at Cornell University, showed that the nutrients in the skin of an apple stopped the reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43%. And the National Cancer Institute showed that foods containing flavonoids like the ones in apples may reduce the risk of lung cancer by as much as 50%. The old saying of "apple a day keeps the doctor away" has been studied for centuries and the results keep brining back positive data. Next time you walk or drive by an apple stand be sure to pick one up and reap the powerful benefits.

One Apple a Day

1) Reduce heart disease by 32%

2) Prevent growth of prostate cancer cells

3) Halt reproduction of colon cancer cells by 43%

4) Reduce risk of lung cancer by at least 50%

Problems with Diet Soda

FROM Mercola.com

What’s wrong with diet soda you ask? 

At the top of the list is the fact that the sugar is replaced with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose. For an in-depth look at just how dangerous these fake sweeteners really are, I suggest you read my book Sweet Deception, but in the meantime you may be interested to know that they can:

• Stimulate your appetite
• Increase carbohydrate cravings
• Stimulate fat storage and weight gain 
  

Perhaps even worse, aspartame acts as a neurotransmitter in your brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. But too much aspartame in your brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into your cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill your cells. 

The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartame is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite," or stimulate, your neural cells to death.
   
And don’t be fooled into thinking that diet sodas sweetened with sucralose are any better. Animal studies have revealed that sucralose can cause:

• Decreased red blood cells -- sign of anemia -- at levels above 1,500 mg/kg/day
• Increased male infertility by interfering with sperm production and vitality, as well as brain lesions at higher doses
• Enlarged and calcified kidneys (McNeil stated this is often seen with poorly absorbed substances and was of no toxicological significance. The FDA Final Rule agreed that these are findings that are common in aged female rats and are not significant.)
• Spontaneous abortions in nearly half the rabbit population given sucralose, compared to zero aborted pregnancies in the control group
• A 23 percent death rate in rabbits, compared to a 6 percent death rate in the control group

The researchers in the study above were surprised by their finding that diet soda may cause heart disease. But if you consider the well-known fact that diet soda, and diet foods of all kinds, contribute to obesity it makes perfect sense that they would also increase your risk of heart disease.

And as for the researchers finding that red meat contributes to this disease, well, that all depends on the type of red meat (processed, grass-fed or grain-fed), and this was not specified. 

Quite simply, once you find out your nutritional type, you’ll be able to determine if you thrive on grass-fed red meat, or whether you do better with free-range poultry instead. This is a highly individualized process, and simply stating that “red meat causes heart disease” is not taking any of these factors into account.

The Truth Behind Artificial Sweeteners

MUST READ IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW USES SPLENDA!

Next week we will post an amazing article about Diet Sodas.

From Janet Starr Hull's Health Newsletter, December 2003

The following interview was conducted with Janet Starr Hull on the safety of sucralose found in Splenda.

Q: What exactly is Splenda?

A: In a simple sentence, you would just as soon have a pesticide in your food as sucralose because sucralose (Splenda) is a chlorocarbon. The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent shrinkage of the thymus: a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys, and CALCIFICATION of the kidney. Note: if you experience kidney pain, cramping, or an irritated bladder after using sucralose in Splenda, stop use immediately.

Q: So sucralose is not found as a natural compound in nature, like real sugar?

A: Absolutely not. No sugar molecule is compounded with chlorine anywhere in nature.

Q: Do you know how it is made in the laboratory?

A: I found this information from a statement from the manufacturer, actually. 'Sucralose is made from sugar, but is derived from sucrose (sugar) through a process that selectively substitutes three atoms of chlorine for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sucrose molecule. No artificial sweetener made in the laboratory is going to be neither natural to the body nor safer than unprocessed sugar', they claim.

People need to stop searching for excuses to eat all the junk food they want without penalty. In the long run, no one benefits from this product but the corporations.

Q: The corporate researchers claim that the chlorine atoms are so tightly bound; they create a molecular structure that is exceptionally stable under extreme pH and temperature conditions. Do you agree?

A: They are testing these conditions in lab rats, and these types of corporate studies have forced and 'selective' results, in my opinion. Aspartame research is the proof of this!

Test these chemicals on a child and see how stable it is--but that would be cruel. So, why then do we buy it and give it to our children? I don't buy into manufacturers' claims when it comes to human beings using ANY man-made chemical. Plus, I have learned over the past 25 years of aspartame research to value independent research above that which is funded by corporations.

Q: The corporations say sucralose is safe.

A: They said the same thing about aspartame, and look at the rampant disease and obesity taking over America since aspartame was put into the food supply over 20 years ago.

Q: Can sucralose cause cancer?

A: Any animal that eats chlorine (especially on a regular basis) is at risk of cancer. The Merk Manuel and OSHA 40 SARA 120 Hazardous Waste Handbook states that chlorine is a carcinogen and emergency procedures should be taken when exposed via swallowing, inhaling, or through the skin.

It all depends upon how much you use and how often, your present and past health status, and the degree of other toxins you are putting inside your body. Good luck with this one ...

Q: Sucralose has been thoroughly tested, they claim. Actually they have stated that sucralose is the most tested food additive in history. I quote, " ... more than 100 studies on the safety of sucralose designed to meet the highest scientific standards have been conducted and evaluated over the course of 20 years. "

A: I don't believe that for a second. They stated verbatim the same thing about aspartame. We are looking at the same scenario in so many ways. As with NutraSweet, no human studies, corporate payrolled researchers, selective result reporting, government involvement and personal financial interests and controlled media. I will say that sucralose is not as dangerous as aspartame.

Q: Splenda is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar. How can that be?

A: As I stated before, the product is a forced product, not a natural sugar the body uses for fuel. People forget that sweetness is a by-product of foods--a bonus so to say. Forced sweetness, revved-up sweetness, and artificial sweetness--all altered foods that are a trap for people to get addicted to the sweeter tastes. People with eating disorders, children who are just learning about food, and people with illnesses are all being 'sold a bill of rubbish' in my opinion.

Q: The manufacturer claims sucralose doesn't react with other substances in the body and is not broken down in the body.

A: They claimed the same thing about saccharin, even though I feel saccharin is the only artificial sweetener with true merit. To answer your question, if the body is digesting properly, anything you put into the body will be assimilated. If it happens to be rancid, the stomach will throw it out immediately by vomiting or diarrhea. It is totally out of the realm of biological science to think the body will not immediately attack a toxic chemical. Henceforth, migraines from aspartame and diarrhea from Splenda.

Now, to add a note to this: if the body is fed an indigestible product such as plastic (like in margarine) that it is incapable of dissolving through normal digestion, it will pass through undigested (if it doesn't get stuck in the gall bladder, that is.) So, if sucralose is indigestible due to its laboratory compounding, then we have yet another serious health problem to consider, don't you think?

Technology is great, but we sure don't need to be eating it!

Q: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and government food authority committees and the Health Ministries in countries such as Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, and Brazil have confirmed the safety of sucralose. So have the countries of Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Romania, Lebanon, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Tajikistan, China, South Africa, and Tanzania. What do you think of all these countries confirming Splenda's safety?

A: The history of aspartame has unfortunately proven that individuals within government agencies cannot and should not be trusted to make such empowering public decisions behind closed doors.

Now, re-read this list of countries ... Mexico, Jamaica, Tajikistan and Tanzania? These are the countries in which Splenda is now marketed? (See the final question.) As an international geographer, I can comfortably say that these countries are not nations with the same technology and mass marketing strategies to be compared with the United States. These countries are more concerned with birth control, food staples, hostile take-overs, and drought--not diet sweeteners. Compare apples to apples.

Q: Is sucralose safe for children?

A: The manufacturer actually made this statement for disclosure: "One should note, however, that foods made with low-calorie sweeteners are not normally a recommended part of a child's diet, since calories are important to a growing child's body."

Pay attention ... Children should not be encouraged to grow up on fake foods. But just like cigarettes and alcohol, do what I say and not what I do? And we wonder why the younger generation is angry, ill, and ridden with ADD/ADHD and diabetes?? How many kids do you see taking a sip of mom or brother's diet cola?

Q: Who manufactures and markets sucralose?

A: McNeil Specialty Products Company (MSPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, along with Tate & Lyle PLC, a world leader in sweeteners and starches, all share responsibility for developing and manufacturing sucralose for commercial use. Sucralose is the first product from McNeil Specialty, whose mission is to develop and market innovative food ingredients that help consumers control, maintain and improve their health. Internationally, McNeil Specialty markets sucralose in the United States, Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East; Tate & Lyle markets sucralose in Africa, Asia, Europe and Canada. Internationally, McNeil Specialty markets sucralose under the name SPLENDAR Brand Sweetener. SPLENDAR is a registered trademark of McNeil Specialty Products Company.