Drug and chemical giant Bayer AG has admitted that there is no way to stop the uncontrolled spread of its genetically modified crops. "Even the best practices can't guarantee perfection," said Mark Ferguson, the company's defense lawyer in a recent trial.
Two Missouri farmers sued Bayer for contaminating their crop with modified genes from an experimental strain of rice engineered to be resistant to the company's Liberty-brand herbicide. The contamination occurred in 2006, during an open field test of the new rice, which was not approved for human consumption. According to the plaintiffs' lawyer, Don Downing, genetic material from the unapproved rice contaminated more than 30 percent of all rice cropland in the United States. "Bayer was supposed to be careful," Downing said. "Bayer was not careful and that rice did escape into our commercial rice supplies."
The plaintiffs alleged that in addition to contaminating their fields, Bayer further harmed them financially by undermining their export market. When the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the widespread rice contamination, important export markets were closed to U.S. producers. A report from Greenpeace International estimates the financial damage of the contamination at between $741 million and $1.3 billion.
Bayer claimed that there was no possible way it could have prevented the contamination, insisting that it followed not only the law but also the best industry practices. The jury disagreed, finding Bayer guilty of carelessness in handling the genetically modified crops. The company was ordered to pay farmers Kenneth Bell and Johnny Hunter $2 million.
Bayer is still being sued by more than 1,000 other farmers from Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Steve - as we suspected, there is nobody watching GMO cross-contamination and only time will tell the damage it will render.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Changes in Fetal Epigenetics Found Throughout Pregnancy
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that epigenetic marks on human placentas change from the first trimester of pregnancy to the third, a discovery that may allow clinicians to prevent complications in pregnancy. The finding marks a dramatic departure from the prevailing opinion that epigenetic programming is permanently established 12 weeks after fertilization. Published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the study indicates that clinicians may be able to change the course of a pregnancy through early diagnosis and treatment.
According to the researchers, "We have developed an assay that can allow clinicians to diagnose problems early enough to potentially prevent conditions such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction."
Epigenetics generally refers to factors that modify how a gene behaves while not altering the DNA nucleotide sequence of the gene itself. The placenta contains a group of genes, known as "imprinted" genes, which regulate fetal growth. In healthy fetal development, one copy of these genes is normally active and the other copy is silent. Loss of imprinting (LOI) occurs when both sets of genes are reactivated, and is an indicator of potential complications such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.
The surprising results showed that more loss of imprinting occurred in the first trimester than at full term. Dr. Lee and her team concluded that genomic imprinting appears to be an ever-changing process in the placenta, meaning that pregnancy risks can change throughout the course of gestation.
Bonnie - this is exciting research and shows that one needs to be vigilant about lifestyle choices from pre-fertility through birth to ensure the healthiest baby possible.
According to the researchers, "We have developed an assay that can allow clinicians to diagnose problems early enough to potentially prevent conditions such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction."
Epigenetics generally refers to factors that modify how a gene behaves while not altering the DNA nucleotide sequence of the gene itself. The placenta contains a group of genes, known as "imprinted" genes, which regulate fetal growth. In healthy fetal development, one copy of these genes is normally active and the other copy is silent. Loss of imprinting (LOI) occurs when both sets of genes are reactivated, and is an indicator of potential complications such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.
The surprising results showed that more loss of imprinting occurred in the first trimester than at full term. Dr. Lee and her team concluded that genomic imprinting appears to be an ever-changing process in the placenta, meaning that pregnancy risks can change throughout the course of gestation.
Bonnie - this is exciting research and shows that one needs to be vigilant about lifestyle choices from pre-fertility through birth to ensure the healthiest baby possible.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Looking for another reason to reduce stress?
Chronic stress triggers a chain of molecular events that protects breakaway ovarian cancer cells from destruction, a team of researchers reports in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. In preclinical research, the team found that heightened levels of the fight-or-flight stress hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine permit more malignant cells to safely leave the primary tumor, a necessary step in metastasis and cancer progression. They also found that ovarian cancer patients face earlier mortality when a crucial protein activated by the hormones is present at high levels in their tumors and that depressed patients have higher levels of the protein.
Using depression as an indicator of stress, the researchers found major depression was associated with increased levels of norepinephrine in the tumors. Researchers said future research will include investigating whether similar effects occur in other types of cancer, prospectively assessing the significance of FAK activation in chronic stress settings, and ultimately bringing strategies to clinical settings that can block the deleterious effects of chronic stress on tumor growth and progression.
Bonnie - block stomach acid production. Block cholesterol production. Block FAK activation. Can the allopathic research community come up with treatments that do something other than block? The more you block physiologic pathways, the more treatments (i.e. meds) you have to prescribe to take care of the side effects from blocking.
One thing is for certain: chronic stress can perpetuate cancer. Chronic stress must be managed in a host of ways including, diet, supplementation, mind/body techniques, lifestyle modification, and if necessary, assistance from a licensed mental health professional.
Using depression as an indicator of stress, the researchers found major depression was associated with increased levels of norepinephrine in the tumors. Researchers said future research will include investigating whether similar effects occur in other types of cancer, prospectively assessing the significance of FAK activation in chronic stress settings, and ultimately bringing strategies to clinical settings that can block the deleterious effects of chronic stress on tumor growth and progression.
Bonnie - block stomach acid production. Block cholesterol production. Block FAK activation. Can the allopathic research community come up with treatments that do something other than block? The more you block physiologic pathways, the more treatments (i.e. meds) you have to prescribe to take care of the side effects from blocking.
One thing is for certain: chronic stress can perpetuate cancer. Chronic stress must be managed in a host of ways including, diet, supplementation, mind/body techniques, lifestyle modification, and if necessary, assistance from a licensed mental health professional.
High glycemic carbs 'a heart risk'
Women who eat diets heavy in certain carbohydrates may be at greater risk of coronary heart disease, according to researchers. A study of over 47,000 Italian adults found that women alone whose diets contained a lot of bread, pizza and rice doubled their heart disease risk. These foods have a high glycemic index (GI), meaning they release energy and raise blood sugar quickly. The findings are published in Archives of Internal Medicine.
The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how much a food raises blood glucose levels compared with the same amount of glucose or white bread. The glycemic load is calculated based on the glycemic index of a given food and also on the total amount of carbohydrates it contains. After seven years, 463 participants had developed coronary heart disease. The researchers found that the women whose diet had the highest glycemic load had more than double the risk of heart disease compared with those women with the lowest glycemic load.
Bonnie - the key here is glycemic load, which is more important than glycemic index. It is about time we see these terms mentioned in the medical vernacular. My Blood Sugar Balance Action Plan has a complete list of glycemic index/load foods.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Diet may sharply cut Alzheimer's risk
A diet rich in olive oil, nuts, fish, poultry and certain fruits and vegetables may have a powerful effect at staving off Alzheimer's disease. People who ate nutrients specifically selected for brain health had a 40 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared in a study that appears in Archives of Neurology.
Foods high in nutrients that have been shown to be associated with Alzheimer's disease risk were studied. Omega-3 fatty acids, certain omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12 and folate, benefit the brain. To study this, the team collected information on the diets of 2,148 healthy people over 65 for an average of 4 years. They were checked for Alzheimer's disease every 18 months. Of these, 253 developed Alzheimer's, which has no cure. Those least likely to develop the disease ate more olive oil-based salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, fruits, and dark and green leafy vegetables and ate less red meat, organ meat or high-fat dairy products.
Researchers said the diet likely works in two ways. Because it is rich in heart-healthy foods, it may be protecting the brain from strokes that could make it more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. But it also may be that the nutrients -- such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and folate -- directly protect the brain. Current treatments helps with some symptoms, but cannot reverse the course of Alzheimer's, a mind-robbing form of dementia that affects more than 26 million people globally.
Bonnie - while not exactly a newsflash, studies like these are always reaffirming.
Foods high in nutrients that have been shown to be associated with Alzheimer's disease risk were studied. Omega-3 fatty acids, certain omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin B12 and folate, benefit the brain. To study this, the team collected information on the diets of 2,148 healthy people over 65 for an average of 4 years. They were checked for Alzheimer's disease every 18 months. Of these, 253 developed Alzheimer's, which has no cure. Those least likely to develop the disease ate more olive oil-based salad dressing, nuts, fish, tomatoes, poultry, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, fruits, and dark and green leafy vegetables and ate less red meat, organ meat or high-fat dairy products.
Researchers said the diet likely works in two ways. Because it is rich in heart-healthy foods, it may be protecting the brain from strokes that could make it more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease. But it also may be that the nutrients -- such as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and folate -- directly protect the brain. Current treatments helps with some symptoms, but cannot reverse the course of Alzheimer's, a mind-robbing form of dementia that affects more than 26 million people globally.
Bonnie - while not exactly a newsflash, studies like these are always reaffirming.
6 in 10 spring allergy sufferers unsuccessful in treatment
Courtesy of Consumer Reports
Allergies are hard to treat—60 percent of the springtime allergy sufferers we surveyed had limited success managing their itchy eyes, sinus pain, sneezing, and other symptoms. But if you are miserable every time the trees bloom, don't give up. Our nationally representative online survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, polled 1,814 adults in April 2009 during the spring allergy season. Here's what allergy sufferers said might help:
Avoidance
It's not easy to steer clear of pollen and other allergens. Only one in five respondents said they were "highly satisfied" with the avoidance measures they tried, such as staying indoors with the windows shut and the air-conditioner on, having someone else mow the lawn, or doing outdoor activities on low-pollen days. But when these tactics worked, they were even more effective than taking over-the-counter medicine for allergies. Staying indoors and taking other avoidance measures may be most important between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when allergen levels are typically highest. If you try this approach, set your air conditioner to recirculate the air so you reduce the amount of pollen and other outdoor allergens from flowing into your home. Check the pollen count in your area before going out. When you return home, take a shower to wash the pollen off your skin, and wash your clothes.
Prescription medicine
Only about one in four said they were highly satisfied with prescription allergy drugs. But most who were felt they had successfully managed their symptoms. Common medications included fexofenadine (Allegra and generic), a "second-generation" antihistamine that's less likely to cause drowsiness than older antihistamines; fluticasone (Flonase and generic) and mometasone (Nasonex), corticosteroid nasal sprays; and montelukast (Singulair), which blocks molecules that can cause inflammation and allergies. Overall, 8 percent of respondents received allergy shots, which can provide relief by gradually increasing the tolerance to specific allergens.
Over-the-counter medicine
More than two-thirds of our respondents relied on nonprescription drugs, including: diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy and generic), an older antihistamine that can cause drowsiness; loratadine (Claritin and generic) or cetirizine (Zyrtec and generic), second-generation antihistamines; and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed and generic), a nasal decongestant. Overall, nonprescription drugs were less likely to help manage symptoms than either avoidance or prescription medications, but they were better than doing nothing at all.
What you can do
Consider discussing your symptoms with a doctor. Most people who saw a doctor said the visit helped a lot, and 59 percent of those people said they had managed to rein in their symptoms. Part of that benefit may be that the people who saw a doctor were more likely to take prescription drugs. And those medications, notably the steroid nasal sprays, often do work well, research suggests. Seeing a doctor also helped respondents pinpoint the OTC drugs and allergy-avoidance strategies that worked best for them. That may be because choosing from all the options can be confusing, and some are clearly better than others.
Bonnie - I am ready to jump out of my seat. Every news piece I read never mentions food cross-reactors. This could minimize symptoms by half by just avoiding certain foods during the height of each allergy season! Refer to my Conquering Allergy and Intolerance Action Plan for details.
Allergies are hard to treat—60 percent of the springtime allergy sufferers we surveyed had limited success managing their itchy eyes, sinus pain, sneezing, and other symptoms. But if you are miserable every time the trees bloom, don't give up. Our nationally representative online survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, polled 1,814 adults in April 2009 during the spring allergy season. Here's what allergy sufferers said might help:
Avoidance
It's not easy to steer clear of pollen and other allergens. Only one in five respondents said they were "highly satisfied" with the avoidance measures they tried, such as staying indoors with the windows shut and the air-conditioner on, having someone else mow the lawn, or doing outdoor activities on low-pollen days. But when these tactics worked, they were even more effective than taking over-the-counter medicine for allergies. Staying indoors and taking other avoidance measures may be most important between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., when allergen levels are typically highest. If you try this approach, set your air conditioner to recirculate the air so you reduce the amount of pollen and other outdoor allergens from flowing into your home. Check the pollen count in your area before going out. When you return home, take a shower to wash the pollen off your skin, and wash your clothes.
Prescription medicine
Only about one in four said they were highly satisfied with prescription allergy drugs. But most who were felt they had successfully managed their symptoms. Common medications included fexofenadine (Allegra and generic), a "second-generation" antihistamine that's less likely to cause drowsiness than older antihistamines; fluticasone (Flonase and generic) and mometasone (Nasonex), corticosteroid nasal sprays; and montelukast (Singulair), which blocks molecules that can cause inflammation and allergies. Overall, 8 percent of respondents received allergy shots, which can provide relief by gradually increasing the tolerance to specific allergens.
Over-the-counter medicine
More than two-thirds of our respondents relied on nonprescription drugs, including: diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy and generic), an older antihistamine that can cause drowsiness; loratadine (Claritin and generic) or cetirizine (Zyrtec and generic), second-generation antihistamines; and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed and generic), a nasal decongestant. Overall, nonprescription drugs were less likely to help manage symptoms than either avoidance or prescription medications, but they were better than doing nothing at all.
What you can do
Consider discussing your symptoms with a doctor. Most people who saw a doctor said the visit helped a lot, and 59 percent of those people said they had managed to rein in their symptoms. Part of that benefit may be that the people who saw a doctor were more likely to take prescription drugs. And those medications, notably the steroid nasal sprays, often do work well, research suggests. Seeing a doctor also helped respondents pinpoint the OTC drugs and allergy-avoidance strategies that worked best for them. That may be because choosing from all the options can be confusing, and some are clearly better than others.
Bonnie - I am ready to jump out of my seat. Every news piece I read never mentions food cross-reactors. This could minimize symptoms by half by just avoiding certain foods during the height of each allergy season! Refer to my Conquering Allergy and Intolerance Action Plan for details.
Source of Recurrent Yeast Infections in Autoimmune Syndrome Pinpointed
Infectious diseases are not always caused by infection. In work reported in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, researchers at Rockefeller University reveal that patients who suffer from a rare autoimmune disorder that makes them vulnerable to yeast infections produce antibodies that target and destroy immune-fighting proteins that would otherwise keep yeast in check.
In 33 patients with the ailment, known as autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome, or APS-1, researchers found antibodies that attack a class of immune proteins called cytokines. Although several categories of cytokines exist, the antibodies found circulating in the patients' blood have long been known to protect humans from acute bacterial infections. "These cytokines, particularly the family comprising interleukin 17A, 17F and 22, have recently been implicated in defending against yeast overgrowth, but this is the first time it has been shown in humans," says researchers. "The next step is to find genetic mutations in these cytokines in patients with candidiasis, as only this will prove the causal relationship."
The findings pave the way for the treatment of fungal infections in APS-I patients with drugs that are already out in the market. The drugs clear the cytokine-attacking antibodies by depleting the B cells that make them.
Bonnie - while a small study, it is significant. Removing hindering nutritional deficiencies and adjusting to dietary habits that are unique to the individual is paramount with this disorder.
In 33 patients with the ailment, known as autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome, or APS-1, researchers found antibodies that attack a class of immune proteins called cytokines. Although several categories of cytokines exist, the antibodies found circulating in the patients' blood have long been known to protect humans from acute bacterial infections. "These cytokines, particularly the family comprising interleukin 17A, 17F and 22, have recently been implicated in defending against yeast overgrowth, but this is the first time it has been shown in humans," says researchers. "The next step is to find genetic mutations in these cytokines in patients with candidiasis, as only this will prove the causal relationship."
The findings pave the way for the treatment of fungal infections in APS-I patients with drugs that are already out in the market. The drugs clear the cytokine-attacking antibodies by depleting the B cells that make them.
Bonnie - while a small study, it is significant. Removing hindering nutritional deficiencies and adjusting to dietary habits that are unique to the individual is paramount with this disorder.
Low vitamin B6 may increase Parkinson’s disease risk
Insufficient levels of vitamin B6 may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease by about 50 per cent, says a new study from Japan. The study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, does not prove that low vitamin B6 levels are the cause of Parkinson’s disease, but indicates that additional study should focus on whether increased levels of vitamin B6 may reduce the risk of developing the disease.
This is not the first study to link vitamin B6 intake and the risk of the disease. In 2006 researchers from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam reported that people who had daily vitamin B6 intakes of 230.9 micrograms or more had an associated risk of developing Parkinson's disease 54 per cent lower than people who had average daily intakes lower than 185.1 micrograms. The study involved 5,289 people over the age of 55 (Neurology, Vol. 67, pp. 315-318).
The link between B vitamin intake and Parkinson’s disease is related to homocysteine, an amino acid reported to potentially toxic to brain cells.
The researchers conducted a hospital-based case-control study involving 249 people with Parkinson’s disease and 368 people without any neurodegenerative condition. Intakes of the B vitamins was assessed using a validated, self-administered, semi-quantitative, diet questionnaire. Low intakes of B6 were linked to an increased risk of the disease, independent of other factors, concluded the researchers. Despite apparently agreeing with the Rotterdam study, an earlier study from the US reported no link between B vitamin intake and Parkinson's disease. There is a need to confirm these links in both additional observational studies and clinical trials.
Friday, April 09, 2010
The Wheat Bombshell
Bonnie - What substance may be pro-inflammatory, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic, cardiotoxic, may interfere with gene expression, may disrupt endocrine function, may adversely effect gastrointestinal function, and may share pathogenic similarities with certain viruses? The substance is called WGA (wheat germ agglutinin).
I have always known that for some clients, even though tests for wheat allergy (IgE), celiac disease, gluten intolerance (IgG), and wheat intolerance (IgG) were all negative, wheat was still an issue. While I could not enunciate a “scientific” term, I just knew that these clients felt much better without wheat in their diet.
The following piece wonderfully articulates why this occurs, and it reinforces why I have been even more vociferous about avoiding wheat, especially whole wheat (which contains more WGA than regular wheat), the darling of the USDA and its Food Pyramid. If wheat is consistently a problem for you and you are seeking ways to confidently eliminate it, as well as most grains for that matter, make an appointment.
The article is very long, so I have summarized some of the most important points:
"Opening Pandora’s Bread Box: The Critical Role of Wheat Lectin in Human Disease"
by Sayer Ji
Now that celiac disease has been allowed official entry into the pantheon of established medical conditions, and gluten intolerance is no longer entirely a fringe medical concept, the time has come to draw attention to the powerful little chemical in wheat known as 'wheat germ agglutinin' (WGA) which is largely responsible for many of wheat's pervasive, and difficult to diagnose, ill effects. Not only does WGA throw a monkey wrench into our assumptions about the primary causes of wheat intolerance, but due to the fact that WGA is found in highest concentrations in "whole wheat," including its supposedly superior sprouted form, it also pulls the rug out from under one of the health food industry's favorite poster children. Below the radar of conventional serological testing for antibodies against the various gluten proteins and genetic testing for disease susceptibility, the WGA “lectin problem” remains almost entirely obscured.
What is unique about the WGA glycoprotein is that it can do direct damage to the majority of tissues in the human body without requiring a specific set of genetic susceptibilities and/or immune-mediated articulations. This may explain why chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions are endemic to wheat-consuming populations even when overt allergies or intolerances to wheat gluten appear exceedingly rare. The future fate of wheat consumption, and by implication our health, may depend largely on whether or not the toxic qualities of WGA come to light in the general population.
Lectins are, by design, particularly resistant to degradation through a wide range of pH and temperatures. WGA lectin is an exceptionally tough adversary as it is formed by the same disulfide bonds that make vulcanized rubber and human hair so strong, flexible and durable. Like man-made pesticides, lectins are extremely small, resistant to break-down by living systems, and tend to accumulate and become incorporated into tissues where they interfere with normal biological processes. Indeed, WGA lectin is so powerful as an insecticide that biotech firms have used recombinant DNA technology to create genetically modified WGA-enhanced plants.
Lectins are glycoproteins, and through thousands of years of selectively breeding wheat for increasingly larger quantities of protein, the concentration of WGA lectin has increased proportionately. This, no doubt, has contributed to wheat’s global dominance as one of the world’s favored monocultures, offering additional “built-in” pest resistance. WGA is nature's ingenious solution for protecting the wheat plant from the entire gamut of its natural enemies. WGA's unique binding specificity to these exact two glycoproteins is not accidental. Nature has designed WGA perfectly to attach to, disrupt, and gain entry through these mucosal surfaces. Humans – not Nature – have spent thousands of years cultivating and selecting for larger and larger quantities of these proteins.
WGA, as well as gluten, contain exceptionally high levels of the excitotoxic l-aspartic and l-glutamic amino acids, which can be highly addictive, not unlike their synthetic shadow molecules aspartame and monosodium glutamate.
Each grain of wheat contains about 1 microgram of WGA. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, it takes only 500 micrograms (about half a grain of sand) of ricin (a lectin extracted from castor bean casings) to kill a human. A single, one ounce slice of wheat bread contains approximately 500 micrograms of WGA, which if it were refined to its pure form and injected directly into the blood, could, in theory, have platelet aggregating and erythrocyte agglutinizing effects strong enough to create an obstructive clot such as occurs in myocardial infarction and stroke. This, however, is not a likely route of exposure and in reality the immediate pathologies associated with lectins like ricin and WGA are largely restricted to the gastrointestinal tract where they cause mucosal injuries. WGA is exceptionally small, at 36 kilodaltons (approximately the mass of 36,000 hydrogen atoms) and it can pass through the cell membranes of the intestine with ease. The intestines will allow passage of molecules up to 1,000 kilodaltons in size.
The disruptive and damaging effects of whole wheat bread consumption are formidable in someone whose protective mucosal barrier has been compromised by something as simple as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) use, or a recent viral or bacterial infection. The common consumption of both wheat and NSAIDs may suggest the frequency of the WGA vicious cycle. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen and aspirin, increase intestinal permeability and may cause absorption of even larger than normal quantities of pro-inflammatory WGA. Conversely, the inflammation caused by the absorption of WGA lectin is the very reason there is a great need for the inflammation-reducing effects of NSAIDs.
One way to gauge just how pervasive the adverse effects of WGA are among wheat-consuming populations is the popularity of the dietary supplement glucosamine. When we consume glucosamine supplements, the WGA, instead of binding to our tissues, binds to the pulverized chitin in the glucosamine supplements, sparing us from the full impact of WGA.
WGA may be pro-inflammatory, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic, cardiotoxic, may interfere with gene expression, may disrupt endocrine function, may adversely effect gastrointestinal function, and may share pathogenic similarities with certain viruses.
It is my belief that a careful study of the wheat plant will reveal that, despite claims to the contrary, man does not have dominion over nature. All that he deems fit for his consumption may not be his inborn right. Though the wheat plant’s apparently defenseless disposition would seem to make it suitable for mass human consumption, it has been imbued with a multitude of invisible“thorns,” with WGA being its smallest and perhaps most potent defense against predation. While WGA may be an uninvited guest at our table, wheat is equally inhospitable to us. Perhaps the courteous thing to do, having realized our mistaken intrusion, is to lick our wounds and simply go our separate ways. Perhaps as the distance between man and his infatuation with wheat grows, he will grow closer to himself and will discover far more suitable forms of nourishment that Nature has not impregnated with such high levels of addictive and potentially debilitating proteins.
Research references can be found at the link provided above.
I have always known that for some clients, even though tests for wheat allergy (IgE), celiac disease, gluten intolerance (IgG), and wheat intolerance (IgG) were all negative, wheat was still an issue. While I could not enunciate a “scientific” term, I just knew that these clients felt much better without wheat in their diet.
The following piece wonderfully articulates why this occurs, and it reinforces why I have been even more vociferous about avoiding wheat, especially whole wheat (which contains more WGA than regular wheat), the darling of the USDA and its Food Pyramid. If wheat is consistently a problem for you and you are seeking ways to confidently eliminate it, as well as most grains for that matter, make an appointment.
The article is very long, so I have summarized some of the most important points:
"Opening Pandora’s Bread Box: The Critical Role of Wheat Lectin in Human Disease"
by Sayer Ji
Now that celiac disease has been allowed official entry into the pantheon of established medical conditions, and gluten intolerance is no longer entirely a fringe medical concept, the time has come to draw attention to the powerful little chemical in wheat known as 'wheat germ agglutinin' (WGA) which is largely responsible for many of wheat's pervasive, and difficult to diagnose, ill effects. Not only does WGA throw a monkey wrench into our assumptions about the primary causes of wheat intolerance, but due to the fact that WGA is found in highest concentrations in "whole wheat," including its supposedly superior sprouted form, it also pulls the rug out from under one of the health food industry's favorite poster children. Below the radar of conventional serological testing for antibodies against the various gluten proteins and genetic testing for disease susceptibility, the WGA “lectin problem” remains almost entirely obscured.
What is unique about the WGA glycoprotein is that it can do direct damage to the majority of tissues in the human body without requiring a specific set of genetic susceptibilities and/or immune-mediated articulations. This may explain why chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions are endemic to wheat-consuming populations even when overt allergies or intolerances to wheat gluten appear exceedingly rare. The future fate of wheat consumption, and by implication our health, may depend largely on whether or not the toxic qualities of WGA come to light in the general population.
Lectins are, by design, particularly resistant to degradation through a wide range of pH and temperatures. WGA lectin is an exceptionally tough adversary as it is formed by the same disulfide bonds that make vulcanized rubber and human hair so strong, flexible and durable. Like man-made pesticides, lectins are extremely small, resistant to break-down by living systems, and tend to accumulate and become incorporated into tissues where they interfere with normal biological processes. Indeed, WGA lectin is so powerful as an insecticide that biotech firms have used recombinant DNA technology to create genetically modified WGA-enhanced plants.
Lectins are glycoproteins, and through thousands of years of selectively breeding wheat for increasingly larger quantities of protein, the concentration of WGA lectin has increased proportionately. This, no doubt, has contributed to wheat’s global dominance as one of the world’s favored monocultures, offering additional “built-in” pest resistance. WGA is nature's ingenious solution for protecting the wheat plant from the entire gamut of its natural enemies. WGA's unique binding specificity to these exact two glycoproteins is not accidental. Nature has designed WGA perfectly to attach to, disrupt, and gain entry through these mucosal surfaces. Humans – not Nature – have spent thousands of years cultivating and selecting for larger and larger quantities of these proteins.
WGA, as well as gluten, contain exceptionally high levels of the excitotoxic l-aspartic and l-glutamic amino acids, which can be highly addictive, not unlike their synthetic shadow molecules aspartame and monosodium glutamate.
Each grain of wheat contains about 1 microgram of WGA. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, it takes only 500 micrograms (about half a grain of sand) of ricin (a lectin extracted from castor bean casings) to kill a human. A single, one ounce slice of wheat bread contains approximately 500 micrograms of WGA, which if it were refined to its pure form and injected directly into the blood, could, in theory, have platelet aggregating and erythrocyte agglutinizing effects strong enough to create an obstructive clot such as occurs in myocardial infarction and stroke. This, however, is not a likely route of exposure and in reality the immediate pathologies associated with lectins like ricin and WGA are largely restricted to the gastrointestinal tract where they cause mucosal injuries. WGA is exceptionally small, at 36 kilodaltons (approximately the mass of 36,000 hydrogen atoms) and it can pass through the cell membranes of the intestine with ease. The intestines will allow passage of molecules up to 1,000 kilodaltons in size.
The disruptive and damaging effects of whole wheat bread consumption are formidable in someone whose protective mucosal barrier has been compromised by something as simple as Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) use, or a recent viral or bacterial infection. The common consumption of both wheat and NSAIDs may suggest the frequency of the WGA vicious cycle. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen and aspirin, increase intestinal permeability and may cause absorption of even larger than normal quantities of pro-inflammatory WGA. Conversely, the inflammation caused by the absorption of WGA lectin is the very reason there is a great need for the inflammation-reducing effects of NSAIDs.
One way to gauge just how pervasive the adverse effects of WGA are among wheat-consuming populations is the popularity of the dietary supplement glucosamine. When we consume glucosamine supplements, the WGA, instead of binding to our tissues, binds to the pulverized chitin in the glucosamine supplements, sparing us from the full impact of WGA.
WGA may be pro-inflammatory, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, cytotoxic, cardiotoxic, may interfere with gene expression, may disrupt endocrine function, may adversely effect gastrointestinal function, and may share pathogenic similarities with certain viruses.
It is my belief that a careful study of the wheat plant will reveal that, despite claims to the contrary, man does not have dominion over nature. All that he deems fit for his consumption may not be his inborn right. Though the wheat plant’s apparently defenseless disposition would seem to make it suitable for mass human consumption, it has been imbued with a multitude of invisible“thorns,” with WGA being its smallest and perhaps most potent defense against predation. While WGA may be an uninvited guest at our table, wheat is equally inhospitable to us. Perhaps the courteous thing to do, having realized our mistaken intrusion, is to lick our wounds and simply go our separate ways. Perhaps as the distance between man and his infatuation with wheat grows, he will grow closer to himself and will discover far more suitable forms of nourishment that Nature has not impregnated with such high levels of addictive and potentially debilitating proteins.
Research references can be found at the link provided above.
Bored to Death?
Have you ever felt bored? Ever found yourself with nothing engaging to do? Experienced a lack of interest in everything and everyone around you? Although not a pleasant state in which to find oneself, is boredom bad for health? In a rare moment of idleness one day, researchers pondered whether the expression 'bored to death' has any basis. Are people who are bored more likely to die earlier than those who are not?
In a International Journal of Epidemiology study, boredom levels were reported in the later versions of the baseline questionnaire (1985–88) of the Whitehall II cohort study. Participants were civil servants, based in London, aged 35–55 years. They were asked in a self-completed questionnaire about boredom during the past 4 weeks (response options were 'not at all', 'a little', 'quite a lot', 'all the time'). At the risk of participants becoming bored of answering this question, it was repeated at Phase 2 some 3 years later, but not since. Information on mortality was ascertained through the NHS Central Registry.
Follow-up for total mortality was available up to the end of April 2009. Excluding those with prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline, gave a sample size of 7524 men and women. Researchers found that those who report quite a lot or a great deal of boredom are more likely to be younger, to be women, to rate their health worse, to be in low employment grades and to report lower physical activity levels. We also found that those with a great deal of boredom were more likely to die during follow-up than those not bored at all. In particular, they were more likely to die from a CVD fatal event.
We conclude that those who report being bored are more likely to die younger than those who are not bored. Whilst some aspects of life may not be so easily modified (e.g. disease status or position in society), proneness to boredom, particularly in younger populations, could be indicative of harmful behaviors such as excessive drinking, smoking, taking drugs and low psychological profiles. Finding renewed interest in social and physical activities may alleviate boredom and improve health, thus reducing the risk of being 'bored to death'.
In a International Journal of Epidemiology study, boredom levels were reported in the later versions of the baseline questionnaire (1985–88) of the Whitehall II cohort study. Participants were civil servants, based in London, aged 35–55 years. They were asked in a self-completed questionnaire about boredom during the past 4 weeks (response options were 'not at all', 'a little', 'quite a lot', 'all the time'). At the risk of participants becoming bored of answering this question, it was repeated at Phase 2 some 3 years later, but not since. Information on mortality was ascertained through the NHS Central Registry.
Follow-up for total mortality was available up to the end of April 2009. Excluding those with prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline, gave a sample size of 7524 men and women. Researchers found that those who report quite a lot or a great deal of boredom are more likely to be younger, to be women, to rate their health worse, to be in low employment grades and to report lower physical activity levels. We also found that those with a great deal of boredom were more likely to die during follow-up than those not bored at all. In particular, they were more likely to die from a CVD fatal event.
We conclude that those who report being bored are more likely to die younger than those who are not bored. Whilst some aspects of life may not be so easily modified (e.g. disease status or position in society), proneness to boredom, particularly in younger populations, could be indicative of harmful behaviors such as excessive drinking, smoking, taking drugs and low psychological profiles. Finding renewed interest in social and physical activities may alleviate boredom and improve health, thus reducing the risk of being 'bored to death'.
Pollen at its worst in years
Excerpts Courtesy of Tamara Lush, Associated Press
From Florida to Texas to Colorado, 2010 is shaping up to be a monster of an allergy season. Experts say it's the worst they've seen in years.
Take 5-year-old Sam Wilson of St. Petersburg. His mom gives him Claritin in the morning, Nasonex and Benadryl at night, and he receives four allergy shots every week. The sidewalks of his hometown are covered in what look like piles of dried, brown worms — but they are mounds of oak tree pollen. The boy's mother said that when the pollen is at its worst, his eyes water and itch, he can't breathe through his nose and his throat burns. "His reaction yesterday was pretty bad," said his mother, 34-year-old Joanna Wilson on Thursday. "He couldn't breathe, he was completely congested, and crying."
"We had a perfect storm this year," said Dr. William Storms, professor at University of Colorado and a clinician. "It's the worst I've seen in 10 years." Tree pollen season should subside within a few weeks, but experts say some will continue to suffer because grass and weed allergies rise in the summer.
Bonnie - people could greatly reduce their symptoms during the height of allergy season by avoiding cross-reactors as explained in my Conquering Allergy and Food Intolerance Action Plan.
From Florida to Texas to Colorado, 2010 is shaping up to be a monster of an allergy season. Experts say it's the worst they've seen in years.
Take 5-year-old Sam Wilson of St. Petersburg. His mom gives him Claritin in the morning, Nasonex and Benadryl at night, and he receives four allergy shots every week. The sidewalks of his hometown are covered in what look like piles of dried, brown worms — but they are mounds of oak tree pollen. The boy's mother said that when the pollen is at its worst, his eyes water and itch, he can't breathe through his nose and his throat burns. "His reaction yesterday was pretty bad," said his mother, 34-year-old Joanna Wilson on Thursday. "He couldn't breathe, he was completely congested, and crying."
"We had a perfect storm this year," said Dr. William Storms, professor at University of Colorado and a clinician. "It's the worst I've seen in 10 years." Tree pollen season should subside within a few weeks, but experts say some will continue to suffer because grass and weed allergies rise in the summer.
Bonnie - people could greatly reduce their symptoms during the height of allergy season by avoiding cross-reactors as explained in my Conquering Allergy and Food Intolerance Action Plan.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Vitamins don't prevent pre- eclampsia in pregnant women
A government-sponsored study of more than 10,000 women failed to find that large doses of
vitamins C and E cut the risk of complications from pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, scientists report today.
Pre-eclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, occurs in up to 8% of pregnancies, says Catherine Spong, a co-author of the study in The New England Journal of Medicine. A leading cause of illness and death in pregnant women and infants, pre-eclampsia can be cured only by delivering the baby.
"It's like most pregnancy conditions: We don't have great preventative therapies," says Spong, chief of the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Only baby aspirin seems to help protect against pre-eclampsia, she says, but only in high-risk women and only by a modest 10%
reduction in risk.
Roberts and Spong emphasized that their findings don't mean that women should stop taking prenatal vitamins.
"This has absolutely no relevance to the use of standard doses of vitamin C and E as part of
prenatal vitamins," Roberts says. "These (study) doses were enormously higher, where they act as a drug rather than a vitamin."
Bonnie - this study was a waste of money. No one ever said C or E prevents eclampsia. Vitamin E is good for excess clotting. The C is helpful for a strong immune system so pregnant women won't get as many colds and allergic symptoms. The study should have focused upon MAGNESIUM, which is an effective therapy for pre-eclampsia. How many prenatals have at least 250 mg. of magnesium?
That said, I cannot even take these results at face value for the following reasons:
vitamins C and E cut the risk of complications from pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, scientists report today.
Pre-eclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine, occurs in up to 8% of pregnancies, says Catherine Spong, a co-author of the study in The New England Journal of Medicine. A leading cause of illness and death in pregnant women and infants, pre-eclampsia can be cured only by delivering the baby.
"It's like most pregnancy conditions: We don't have great preventative therapies," says Spong, chief of the Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Only baby aspirin seems to help protect against pre-eclampsia, she says, but only in high-risk women and only by a modest 10%
reduction in risk.
Roberts and Spong emphasized that their findings don't mean that women should stop taking prenatal vitamins.
"This has absolutely no relevance to the use of standard doses of vitamin C and E as part of
prenatal vitamins," Roberts says. "These (study) doses were enormously higher, where they act as a drug rather than a vitamin."
Bonnie - this study was a waste of money. No one ever said C or E prevents eclampsia. Vitamin E is good for excess clotting. The C is helpful for a strong immune system so pregnant women won't get as many colds and allergic symptoms. The study should have focused upon MAGNESIUM, which is an effective therapy for pre-eclampsia. How many prenatals have at least 250 mg. of magnesium?
That said, I cannot even take these results at face value for the following reasons:
- Instead of using a mixed tocopherol vitamin E, which includes the entire vitamin E spectrum (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) they only used alpha tocopherol, which is not sufficient.
- 400IU of vitamin E is too low a dose to mimic the effect of baby aspirin. It must be 800Iu or more.
Exercise Pill?
Steve - if this therapy works, what are the chances that Big Pharma will offer this to every human on the planet? I can just see it now. "Hate to exercise? Don't worry, we have a pill that can trick your body into thinking it is really exercising when it is not!"
For osteoporosis patients unable to exercise, help may be on the way. That's because scientists have discovered precisely how mechanical stress, such as exercise, promotes new bone growth. This opens the door to entirely new therapies that can trick bones into thinking they are getting a workout. The research report describing this advance is published in The FASEB Journal. This information could lead to the development of new drugs that cause the same benefits to the skeleton as exercise, which would be beneficial to patients with osteoporosis.
For osteoporosis patients unable to exercise, help may be on the way. That's because scientists have discovered precisely how mechanical stress, such as exercise, promotes new bone growth. This opens the door to entirely new therapies that can trick bones into thinking they are getting a workout. The research report describing this advance is published in The FASEB Journal. This information could lead to the development of new drugs that cause the same benefits to the skeleton as exercise, which would be beneficial to patients with osteoporosis.
TM may help with depression
Medication isn't the only way people successfully battle depression -- exercise and acupuncture are two alternative methods. A new study suggests that Transcendental Meditation may also be an effective way to lessen depression symptoms. Two studies compared months of Transcendental Meditation practice with health education (which served as a control) on depression. The TM technique uses a mantra to help people achieve a relaxed state, and the practice is typically done for about 15 to 20 minutes twice a day. The methodology of both studies was the same: Participants were asked to do TM or follow a health education program twice a day for 20 minutes. Researchers measured depression symptoms at the beginning of the studies and three, nine and 12 months later.
Since there is a link between depression and a risk for cardiac events in people who have coronary heart disease, participants in both studies also had cardiovascular risk factors such as carotid artery wall thickness. In one study, participants included 59 African American men and women ages 55 and older, and in the other, participants included 53 native Hawaiian men and women ages 55 and older. In both studies, the meditation groups had a far greater reduction in depression symptoms than the control groups.
The studies will be presented April 9 at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in Seattle.
Since there is a link between depression and a risk for cardiac events in people who have coronary heart disease, participants in both studies also had cardiovascular risk factors such as carotid artery wall thickness. In one study, participants included 59 African American men and women ages 55 and older, and in the other, participants included 53 native Hawaiian men and women ages 55 and older. In both studies, the meditation groups had a far greater reduction in depression symptoms than the control groups.
The studies will be presented April 9 at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in Seattle.
Prescription Drug Deaths Increase Dramatically
Excerpts Courtesy of Scientific American
The number of deaths and hospitalizations caused by prescription drugs has risen precipitously in the past decade, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
For prescription opioids, sedatives and tranquilizers—commonly prescribed for pain management—the number of hospitalizations for poisonings increased 65 percent between 1999 and 2006 (the first and last years, respectively, for which data were comparable and collected). The number of hospitalizations for all poisonings, including illegal drugs, other prescription medications and miscellaneous substances, increased during this time period as well, but that jump (33 percent) was about half the rate of those for the prescription pain drugs.
Many experts think that the sheer prevalence of many of these drugs recently has contributed to the drastic increase in poisonings. Although growing illegal markets and distribution of these drugs might be a driving factor in their increasingly large role in poisonings and deaths, perfectly legal prescriptions are probably playing a role as well.
"I think the whole issue of the availability of these drugs and whether they're being over-prescribed" should be investigated, says Susan Baker, a professor at Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy.
Many people do rely on pharmacological treatment for withdrawal, anxiety or chronic pain, but when communities have access to an overabundance of these medications, abuse appears to become more likely. If doctors prescribe too much medication or too many refills, excess drugs "are going to be sitting in people's medicine cabinets for someone else to take advantage of," Baker explains.
Although the new report details the stark increase in the reported poisoning data, the true number of deaths and hospitalizations in which prescription drugs have played a role might be even higher, the researchers pointed out. The new analysis assessed cases only in which prescription drug overdose was listed as the primary diagnosis. Some prescription drug–related hospitalizations might be classified under other primary categories.
"I don't have any sense that it's getting any better," Coben says. With drug companies reporting strong overall sales (including a 5.1 percent increase in U.S. sales in 2009 to $300.3 billion for 3.9 billion individual retail prescriptions), in fact, the problem might be getting worse.
The researchers noted that the details surrounding these hundreds of thousands of overdoses are unknown. The medical data used for the analysis did not include full toxicology reports that would reveal drug-drug interactions.
Steve - shocking numbers, but not surprising. This piece appeared in Scientific American, but could hardly be found anywhere else in mainstream media. Shocking, but not surprising either.
The number of deaths and hospitalizations caused by prescription drugs has risen precipitously in the past decade, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
For prescription opioids, sedatives and tranquilizers—commonly prescribed for pain management—the number of hospitalizations for poisonings increased 65 percent between 1999 and 2006 (the first and last years, respectively, for which data were comparable and collected). The number of hospitalizations for all poisonings, including illegal drugs, other prescription medications and miscellaneous substances, increased during this time period as well, but that jump (33 percent) was about half the rate of those for the prescription pain drugs.
Many experts think that the sheer prevalence of many of these drugs recently has contributed to the drastic increase in poisonings. Although growing illegal markets and distribution of these drugs might be a driving factor in their increasingly large role in poisonings and deaths, perfectly legal prescriptions are probably playing a role as well.
"I think the whole issue of the availability of these drugs and whether they're being over-prescribed" should be investigated, says Susan Baker, a professor at Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy.
Many people do rely on pharmacological treatment for withdrawal, anxiety or chronic pain, but when communities have access to an overabundance of these medications, abuse appears to become more likely. If doctors prescribe too much medication or too many refills, excess drugs "are going to be sitting in people's medicine cabinets for someone else to take advantage of," Baker explains.
Although the new report details the stark increase in the reported poisoning data, the true number of deaths and hospitalizations in which prescription drugs have played a role might be even higher, the researchers pointed out. The new analysis assessed cases only in which prescription drug overdose was listed as the primary diagnosis. Some prescription drug–related hospitalizations might be classified under other primary categories.
"I don't have any sense that it's getting any better," Coben says. With drug companies reporting strong overall sales (including a 5.1 percent increase in U.S. sales in 2009 to $300.3 billion for 3.9 billion individual retail prescriptions), in fact, the problem might be getting worse.
The researchers noted that the details surrounding these hundreds of thousands of overdoses are unknown. The medical data used for the analysis did not include full toxicology reports that would reveal drug-drug interactions.
Steve - shocking numbers, but not surprising. This piece appeared in Scientific American, but could hardly be found anywhere else in mainstream media. Shocking, but not surprising either.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Cancer Protective Effect of Fruits and Vegetables May Be Modest at Best
An analysis of dietary data from more than 400,000 men and women found only a weak association between high fruit and vegetable intake and reduced overall cancer risk, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. It is widely believed that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of cancer. In 1990, the World Health Association recommended eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day to prevent cancer and other diseases. But many studies since then have not been able to confirm a definitive association between fruit and vegetable intake and cancer risk.
To address the issue, Paolo Boffetta, M.D., M.P.H., of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and colleagues analyzed data from the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), which included 142,605 men and 335,873 women recruited for the study between 1992 and 2000. The participants were from 23 centers in ten Western European countries--Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Detailed information on their dietary habit and lifestyle variables was obtained. After a median follow-up of 8.7 years, over 30,000 participants were diagnosed with cancer. The authors found a small inverse association between high intake of fruits and vegetables and reduced overall cancer risk. Vegetable consumption also afforded a modest benefit but was restricted to women. Heavy drinkers who ate many fruits and vegetables had a somewhat reduced risk, but only for cancers caused by smoking and alcohol.
The authors caution against attributing any risk reduction to diet and they conclude that any cancer protective effect of these foods is likely to be modest, at best. "In this population, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables was also associated with other lifestyle variables, such as lower intake of alcohol, never-smoking, short duration of tobacco smoking, and higher level of physical activity, which may have contributed to a lower cancer risk," they write. In an accompanying editorial, Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., of the Harvard School of Public Health, notes that "this study strongly confirms" the findings of other prospective studies that high intake of fruits and vegetables has little or no effect in reducing the incidence of cancer, although it has been shown to affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. He suggests that future research investigate the potential cancer-reducing benefits of specific fruits and vegetables and also study the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption at earlier periods of life.
Bonnie - this study is ridiculous and is riddled with confounding variables, such as: how much gluten was consumed? How much dairy was consumed? How much sugar was consumed? If people were consuming these on a consistent basis, eating fruits and veggies would not help significantly. Willet should know this.
To address the issue, Paolo Boffetta, M.D., M.P.H., of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and colleagues analyzed data from the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), which included 142,605 men and 335,873 women recruited for the study between 1992 and 2000. The participants were from 23 centers in ten Western European countries--Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Detailed information on their dietary habit and lifestyle variables was obtained. After a median follow-up of 8.7 years, over 30,000 participants were diagnosed with cancer. The authors found a small inverse association between high intake of fruits and vegetables and reduced overall cancer risk. Vegetable consumption also afforded a modest benefit but was restricted to women. Heavy drinkers who ate many fruits and vegetables had a somewhat reduced risk, but only for cancers caused by smoking and alcohol.
The authors caution against attributing any risk reduction to diet and they conclude that any cancer protective effect of these foods is likely to be modest, at best. "In this population, a higher intake of fruits and vegetables was also associated with other lifestyle variables, such as lower intake of alcohol, never-smoking, short duration of tobacco smoking, and higher level of physical activity, which may have contributed to a lower cancer risk," they write. In an accompanying editorial, Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., of the Harvard School of Public Health, notes that "this study strongly confirms" the findings of other prospective studies that high intake of fruits and vegetables has little or no effect in reducing the incidence of cancer, although it has been shown to affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. He suggests that future research investigate the potential cancer-reducing benefits of specific fruits and vegetables and also study the effects of fruit and vegetable consumption at earlier periods of life.
Bonnie - this study is ridiculous and is riddled with confounding variables, such as: how much gluten was consumed? How much dairy was consumed? How much sugar was consumed? If people were consuming these on a consistent basis, eating fruits and veggies would not help significantly. Willet should know this.
Walking can lower women's stroke risk
Women can lower their stroke risk by lacing up their sneakers and walking, a new study suggests. Women who said they walked briskly had a 37% lower risk of stroke than those who didn't walk. Women who reported walking at least two hours a week at any pace had a 30% lower risk, according to a study published in the journal Stroke.
Check, Please: When the menu is a minefield
Bonnie - I could not help but think of some of my clients when reading this.
By Paula Whyman
Special to The Washington Post
Got PB&J?
Check.
Twizzlers?
Check.
It might sound like I'm heading out on a picnic with the kids, but no. I'm heading to Citronelle for dinner. A year ago, I had to give up all dairy products, along with some other foods, to keep from getting sick. Now, I approach dining out like I'm about to be dropped by helicopter into a desolate wilderness and forced to survive on my own wits. And Twizzlers. Instead of Man vs. Wild, it's Man (er, Woman) vs. Menu.
You can read the rest of the article here.
Is the Natural & Organic Industry Pushing Too Much Processed Food?
Carlotta Mast
Nutrition Business Journal
Processed food has become synonymous with the Western diet—and, although their products are generally healthier than the conventional potato chips and toaster pastries sold to Americans, natural & organic food companies are playing a part in enabling U.S. consumers to easily choose packaged options laden with fat, sugar and salt over healthier fresh foods.
According to an April 4 New York Times article, Americans consume 31% more packaged food than fresh food and much more processed food than people from nearly every other country in the world. The average American eats a total of 787 pounds of packaged foods, such as frozen meals, condiments, soups and baked goods, while consuming only 602 pounds of fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts, beans, meat, poultry and fish. On average, Spain, France and Mexico also each consume more packaged than fresh food per capita. In comparison, the average Chinese citizen eats 1,034 pounds of fresh foods and 116 pounds of packaged foods.
Of course, eating a diet made up predominantly of what celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has termed “processed crap” often leads to obesity and a cascade of serious, long-term health maladies, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. “Processed foods contain large amounts of fat, salt and sugar, and Americans have become addicted to them,” T. Colin Campbell, a nutritionist at Cornell University, told the New York Times. “There is a lot of money tied up in the [packaged food] industry because it is profitable for companies to make these foods.” Americans also gravitate toward processed food because it is convenient and fits into a non-stop lifestyle that is spent in the car or in front of the computer or TV.
The natural & organic food industry—like the overall U.S. food industry—is all about packaged convenience. I was amazed at the number of products designed to help people consume more antioxidants and other nutrients associated with fruits and vegetables without having to actually eat a fresh fruit or vegetable.
Although most of the natural & organic products sold in the United States are much healthier than their conventional counterparts, the industry is still guilty of peddling food and beverage products that are contributing to—rather than helping to prevent—America’s health crisis. This was a point Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey lamented last summer when he acknowledged that his company now sells “a bunch of junk”—or in other words, food that, while natural or organic, is still loaded with fat, sugar and salt.
Whole Foods’ new campaign to “Retake Our Plates!”—which is devoted to encouraging food system reform and educating consumers on how to make healthier food choices—is certainly a step in the right direction. But this and other natural food retailers and really the entire natural & organic industry must do more to clean up the products they are selling to American consumers. And, at some point, rather than spending oodles of money to position highly processed food as being more nutritious, wouldn’t it be better to simply encourage people to enjoy the taste and goodness of fresh food?
As more consumers wise up to the fact that they are what they eat, those companies and retailers that can provide truly healthy alternatives that incorporate fresh over processed whenever possible will be in a good position to boost their bottom lines while helping the United States cope with its ballooning health crisis.
Steve - well said Carlotta.
Nutrition Business Journal
Processed food has become synonymous with the Western diet—and, although their products are generally healthier than the conventional potato chips and toaster pastries sold to Americans, natural & organic food companies are playing a part in enabling U.S. consumers to easily choose packaged options laden with fat, sugar and salt over healthier fresh foods.
According to an April 4 New York Times article, Americans consume 31% more packaged food than fresh food and much more processed food than people from nearly every other country in the world. The average American eats a total of 787 pounds of packaged foods, such as frozen meals, condiments, soups and baked goods, while consuming only 602 pounds of fresh vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts, beans, meat, poultry and fish. On average, Spain, France and Mexico also each consume more packaged than fresh food per capita. In comparison, the average Chinese citizen eats 1,034 pounds of fresh foods and 116 pounds of packaged foods.
Of course, eating a diet made up predominantly of what celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has termed “processed crap” often leads to obesity and a cascade of serious, long-term health maladies, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. “Processed foods contain large amounts of fat, salt and sugar, and Americans have become addicted to them,” T. Colin Campbell, a nutritionist at Cornell University, told the New York Times. “There is a lot of money tied up in the [packaged food] industry because it is profitable for companies to make these foods.” Americans also gravitate toward processed food because it is convenient and fits into a non-stop lifestyle that is spent in the car or in front of the computer or TV.
The natural & organic food industry—like the overall U.S. food industry—is all about packaged convenience. I was amazed at the number of products designed to help people consume more antioxidants and other nutrients associated with fruits and vegetables without having to actually eat a fresh fruit or vegetable.
Although most of the natural & organic products sold in the United States are much healthier than their conventional counterparts, the industry is still guilty of peddling food and beverage products that are contributing to—rather than helping to prevent—America’s health crisis. This was a point Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey lamented last summer when he acknowledged that his company now sells “a bunch of junk”—or in other words, food that, while natural or organic, is still loaded with fat, sugar and salt.
Whole Foods’ new campaign to “Retake Our Plates!”—which is devoted to encouraging food system reform and educating consumers on how to make healthier food choices—is certainly a step in the right direction. But this and other natural food retailers and really the entire natural & organic industry must do more to clean up the products they are selling to American consumers. And, at some point, rather than spending oodles of money to position highly processed food as being more nutritious, wouldn’t it be better to simply encourage people to enjoy the taste and goodness of fresh food?
As more consumers wise up to the fact that they are what they eat, those companies and retailers that can provide truly healthy alternatives that incorporate fresh over processed whenever possible will be in a good position to boost their bottom lines while helping the United States cope with its ballooning health crisis.
Steve - well said Carlotta.
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