Pomegranates here to stay.

Courtesy of the Associated Press

Until recently, America's pomegranate lovers could indulge their passion for its ruby red seeds for less than half the year. Now, the trendy fresh fruit that's packed with health benefits will be available in the United States year-round.

"I've seen fads for all kinds of fruit, like kiwi and blueberries, but not like this — it just keeps growing and won't peak," said Kevin Day, a pomegranate expert at the University of California, Davis.

Pomegranates — about the size of an apple, with a thick, reddish skin and hundreds of seeds embedded in tough, white pulp — grow in temperate climates in the fall and winter. U.S. domestic supply comes largely from California's San Joaquin Valley, augmented by imports from Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Greece and Mexico.

In the past, fresh pomegranates disappeared from U.S. stores in spring and summer. While the fruit thrives in the Southern Hemisphere and India, those countries had not exported it in large quantities until last week.

It's not just the seeds that are popular. Annual sales of pomegranate juice sold by California-based POM have risen from $12 million a year in 2003 to more than $100 million.

In the past two years, "pomegranates have exploded in consumption as the public has found out about the health benefits," said Dorn Wenninger, vice president of the international division of importer S. Katzman Produce.

Steve - unlike acai, mangosteen, and the other hyped super fruits that are all the rage right now, pomegranate will outlast them all.

Sweet Leaf Stevia to self-label as GRAS

Arizona-based Wisdom Natural Brands has self-affirmed its version of stevia - Sweet Leaf - as being generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and said the ingredient would be available in a soda or food product by year's end.

Wisdom Natural Brands chief executive officer and founder, Jim May, said at least one major beverage manufacturer had shown strong interest in Sweet Leaf.

In the meantime it would be available at retail level as a table-top sweetener that would be labeled as a sweetener not a dietary supplement as has been the case in the past.

This was significant because for the first time stevia would be sold alongside other sweeteners and not among dietary supplements on store shelves.

"We have produced 40,000-50,000 units that will be on the shelf across the US in a week," May said.
Wisdom Natural Brands had completed a review of available science on March 5, which had prompted it to make the self-affirmed GRAS announcement.

"We had third-party, former-FDA analysts assess the science and so feel confident about the is GRAS affirmation," he said. "We would have liked to delay the announcement but there is a war of attention happening right now with Coke and Cargill's announcement so we felt we should go ahead with this now."

Coca-Cola and Cargill recently published science backing their ingredient Truvia but have yet to bring it to market although a launch looks imminent.

May said Sweet Leaf-branded, table-top sweetener products would be on shelves next week, and all existing Wisdom Brands sweeteners marketed as dietary supplements would be phased out except in export markets.

But Daniel Fabricant, PhD, science and regulatory affairs vice president at the Washington DC-based Natural Products Association (NPA), said Wisdom Brands was pursuing a risky strategy by pursuing incorporation into the "food matrix" without FDA GRAS approval.

May said Wisdom Natural Brands had given up waiting for such approval after first submitting a GRAS application in 1995 that included 900 studies demonstrating stevia's safety.

"Of course a company can go ahead and incorporate the ingredient into different foods without FDA approval but if the FDA cracks down on them it can be a public relations disaster," Fabricant said.

This happened in 2007 with a tea product called Celestial Seasonings the FDA determined was not labeled clearly enough as a dietary supplement, and which required re-labeling with the words 'dietary supplement' appearing more prominently.

But the fact the product remained on market in the form of a tea, highlights a regulatory grey area that allows products containing stevia to be labeled as dietary supplements when they are clearly being consumed in the manner of foods.

Although Coke/Cargill's science relates only to their own proprietary version of stevia, the science around the ingredient's safety is growing to the point where it is going to be increasingly difficult for FDA to refuse it, especially as consumer demand for natural low-calorie sweeteners grows.

Steve - it is pretty obvious that they want to get their brand on store shelves before Coke and Cargill do. Sweet Leaf is a brand we recommended.

Mercury teeth fillings may harm some: FDA

Silver-colored metal dental fillings contain mercury that may cause health problems in pregnant women, children and fetuses, the Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday after settling a related lawsuit. As part of the settlement with several consumer advocacy groups, the FDA agreed to alert consumers about the potential risks on its website and to issue a more specific rule next year for fillings that contain mercury, FDA spokeswoman Peper Long said. Millions of Americans have the fillings, or amalgams, to patch cavities in their teeth. "Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses," the FDA said in a notice on its Web site. "Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner," the agency said.

The FDA said it did not recommend that people who currently have mercury fillings get them removed. The FDA must issue the new rules in July 2009, Long said. Such a rule could impact makers of metal fillings, which include Dentsply International Inc and Danaher Corp unit Kerr. The new rule will give the agency "special controls (that) can provide reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the product," Long said. The lawsuit settlement was reached on Monday with several advocacy groups, including Moms Against Mercury, which had sought to have mercury fillings removed from the U.S. market.

While the FDA previously said various studies showed no harm from mercury fillings, some consumer groups contend the fillings can trigger a range of health problems such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. In 2006, an FDA advisory panel of outside experts said most people would not be harmed by them, but said the agency needed more information. Mercury has been linked to brain and kidney damage at certain levels. Amalgams contain half mercury and half a combination of other metals. Charles Brown, a lawyer for one of the groups called Consumers for Dental Choice, said the agency's move represented an about-face. "Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA's claims that no science exists that amalgam is unsafe," he said in a statement.

Bonnie - sooner or later, the truth comes out. Most of the time, unfortunately, it is later, and in this case, much later! I have been trumpeting the removal of dental amalgams for well over a decade. Mercury is a lethal toxin, period.

Breast cancer patients deficient in vitamin D

Women who had a vitamin D deficiency when they were diagnosed with breast cancer were 94% more likely to have their cancer metastasize and 73% more likely to die within 10 years.

The team also found that only 24% of the women in its study had what are normally considered adequate levels of vitamin D at the time of the diagnosis.

The study represents "the first time that vitamin D has been linked to breast cancer progression," said Dr. Pamela Goodwin of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, who led the study.

The results are "very provocative," said Dr. Joanne Mortimer, a breast cancer specialist at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, who was not involved in the study.

"There is some evidence that some of the drugs we use to treat breast cancer, such as aromatase inhibitors, need vitamin D to be activated and metabolized."

Some women who take the drugs get joint aches, Mortimer said, and when they are put on vitamin D, "they get better."

The study was released by the American Society for Clinical Oncology.

Separately, a team from UC San Diego reported Thursday in the Breast Journal that global breast cancer incidence was linked to the amount of sunlight received annually. The skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

Dietary supplements show promise in cancer fight

By Dr. Patrick Massey, Columnist
Daily Herald

One bone of contention between traditional and nontraditional medicine is whether vitamins and dietary supplements can prevent cancer.

Many proponents of the nontraditional arena suggest that they can, while traditional medicine takes the position that diet is an adequate source of vitamins and micronutrients in preventing cancer.

Although epidemiologic studies strongly suggest that people with higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants tend to have a lower risk of developing cancer, prospective studies with dietary supplements have been lacking, usually due to lack of funding.

Several years ago, I predicted that as these prospective studies were done, we would learn that supplementation prevents cancer. The main reason for this is because the American diet is so deficient in vitamins and micronutrients.

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the incidence of reflux esophagitis. Reflux is a medical condition in which the acid in the stomach is released into the throat. Ultimately, chronic reflux can result in the development of a scar-tissue-like condition called Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus is a precursor for esophageal cancer. The usual treatment is medication that limits the production of stomach acid. Although this medical approach seems to be effective, the question is whether the use of dietary supplements in vitamins further reduces the risk of developing esophageal cancer. The answer is yes.

In a recent study, conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle, 339 men and women with Barrett's esophagus were prospectively followed over a five-year period. During the study, 37 participants developed esophageal cancer, while an additional 76 participants developed significant precancerous lesions.

The participants were divided into two groups - those who took vitamins and dietary supplements on a daily basis and those who did not take vitamins and dietary supplements. Participants who consumed at least one multivitamin, 250 mg of vitamin C and 180 mg of vitamin E per day had a 25 to 30 percent lower risk of developing esophageal cancer, the researchers found.

The root of most cancer is chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation results in oxidation (or rusting) of DNA and important biochemicals in the cell. Oxidation is very damaging and directly related to the development of cancer.

The human body has a number of exquisite mechanisms for dealing with inflammation and oxidation. One of the mainstays for fighting oxidation is antioxidants, made either by the body or consumed in food.

Over the past 50 years, our stress-based lifestyles have significantly increased the risk of chronic inflammation. At the same time, dietary antioxidant levels have dropped almost 50 percent.

Taking vitamins and dietary supplements, in reasonable amounts, is increasingly supported by good medical research.

Patrick B. Massey, M.D., Ph.D., is medical director for alternative and complementary medicine for Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.

MD explains why osteoporosis drugs can make your bones weak and brittle

According to Dr. Susan Lark, MD, osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates (Fosomax, Actonel, Boniva) work by disabling osteoclasts. Bone is always renewing itself by osteoclasts breaking down old bone and osteoblasts building new bone. If the drugs block the osteoclasts from breaking down old bone, the osteoblasts do not build new bone. So one is left with dense bone, but it is old, weak, and brittle. This is not what one wants as one ages.

Recent research has shown that these drugs cause necrosis (death) of the jaw bone. Why the jaw? It regenerates itself faster than any other bone in the body. So it makes sense that adverse bone changes would show there first. It has been ten years since the introduction of osteoporosis drugs, so it would not be surprise us if necrosis shows up in places other than the jaw over the next ten years.

Dr. Lark goes onto to mention a successful therapy that she has used for brittle bones. It is called Electromagnetic Therapy (EMT) and is commonly used in hospitals to heal broken bones. It involves sending a mild electrical current to weakened bones. When applied, it creates the same electrical impulses that are created in your bones when you are doing high intensity, weight-bearing exercise.

Survey of Medical Schools Is Critical of Perks

Courtesy of the NY Times

Most medical schools in the United States fail to police adequately the money, gifts and free drug samples that pharmaceutical companies routinely shower on doctors and trainees, according to a ranking by the American Medical Student Association. Only 7 of the 150 medical schools included in the rankings received a grade of A while 14 were given a B. Sixty got a failing grade, and the student association found that 28 schools, or nearly one in five, were in the midst of revising their conflict-of-interest policies. “These policies are incredibly important to protect the educational experience students have at school and the quality of the education they’re getting,” said Dr. Brian Hurley, president of the student association. Schools that shield students from marketing messages will produce doctors who provide better care to patients, Dr. Hurley said. "Attention to how students evaluate policies in fields that are of substantial importance to the future of the students.”

Steve - this should not be a surprise to anybody. It is no different than shoe companies wooing junior high school basketball players. Big Pharma wants to ingratiate itself with the up and coming medical talent.

Mediterranean diet also protects against diabetes

The Mediterranean diet, which is famously beneficial for the cardiovascular system, also helps protect against diabetes, according to a paper published Thursday by the British Medical Journal. Researchers at the University of Navarra in northern Spain recruited 13,753 people with graduate-level education between December 1999 and November 2007 and who had no history of diabetes when they were enrolled. Their health and dietary habits were then tracked in detail over the following months and years. During the follow-up period -- an average of 4.4 years over the range of participants -- 103 people became diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, with a large preponderance of cases among those who did not follow the basics of the Med diet. Those who adhered to the diet most strictly enjoyed a relative reduction of 83 percent in the risk of diabetes. Intriguingly, many people in this group also had the biggest accumulation of risk factors for the disease -- they were older, were fatter, had a family history of diabetes, more sedentary lifestyle or were ex-smokers. But they appear to have been shielded by the diet, the authors say.

Steve - well, the well-researched benefits of a Mediterranean diet is now one of the worst kept secrets in nutrition. If you have been unaware of it until now, start taking advantage of it!

Whole Foods Red Flags.

Can it be? Unfortunately, yes. As the years have gone by, it seems that Whole Foods Markets have allowed more questionable ingredients into their private label products as well as other brands. While they are still the unquestioned leader in clean food, you still have to read labels!

Here is a list of the most egregious ingredients we have found in many of their products. We know there are others. Feel free to email us any others you have found that are not on this list. Note: make sure to look on the labels of all of their prepared foods as well as packaged.

• Textured Vegetable Protein (MSG derivative)
• Sodium Phosphate (preservative)
• Autolyzed Yeast Extract (MSG derivative)
• Cornstarch
  
• Dextrose
  

Vitamin D levels should be multiplied by ten for children

Raising current vitamin D levels from 200 International Units (IU) to 2,000 IU could boost bone health amongst children and have long-term health benefits.

Only children given the equivalent of 2,000 IUs a day of vitamin D3 increased their blood levels of the vitamin to the level considered optimal for adults, according to results of a placebo-controlled study to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

"In children, similarly to adults, the mean 25(OH)D response to each 100 IU of additional oral vitamin D3 is approximately 1 ng/mL (2.5 nmol/L). Therefore, in children with a serum 25(OH)D concentration below 20 ng/mL (less than 50 nmol/L), a vitamin D dose equivalent to 2000 IU per day, preferably as vitamin D3 as opposed to vitamin D2, would be an advisable replacement dose.

"The high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D worldwide across all age groups, the fact that many diseases of adulthood are rooted in the pediatric age group, and the safety data available to-date render it quite compelling to modify the current recommendations regarding adequate vitamin D intake not only for adults but also for children," researchers concluded.

Both the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommend an adequate daily intake of 200 IUs of vitamin D for children.

Bonnie - this is why we for children often recommend a multi that contains vitamin D and Cod Liver Oil to enhance what is already in vitamin D-enriched foods.

FDA proposes new drug label system for pregnant women

Women and their doctors may soon have better information about the safety of drugs taken during pregnancy and breastfeeding.The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday proposed replacing a 30-year-old system for classifying drugs in favor of labels that provide far more detailed information about a medication's risks and benefits.

More than 90% of nursing mothers take medication during the first week after delivery. People often mistakenly assume all the drugs in one category are equally safe, says Harvard Medical School professor Michael Greene, who led an advisory committee for the FDA about the change. Women take an average of three to five medications during pregnancy. Because half of the nation's six million pregnancies are unplanned, many women take medications before they realize they are pregnant.

The FDA hopes to begin rolling out new labels "as soon as possible," although approving each new change may take some time.

Bonnie - it is not surprising that our infant death rate is so high. Twenty years ago, the March of Dimes recommended no drugs during pregnancy unless the benefits far outweighed the risks.

Low-carb diets work for overweight diabetics

Overweight people with type 2 diabetes can keep their weight and blood sugar under control over the long term by following a low-carbohydrate diet, Swedish researchers report.

The participants in the study limited their carbohydrate intake to 20 percent of total calories. The most significant effect of this low-carb diet is the absence of hunger. The consequent reduction in food intake allows the body to use its own stores of fat for fuel, which results in weight reduction.

Moreover, avoiding starch-rich bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, and breakfast cereals minimizes the glucose spikes that make it necessary for people with diabetes to take insulin.

Nielsen and colleagues had previously reported superior weight loss and glucose control over a 22-month period among 16 obese patients with diabetes who followed a low-carbohydrate diet compared with 15 similar patients following a diet containing 55 to 60 percent of energy from carbohydrates.

In their current study, in the BioMed Central journal Nutrition and Metabolism, researchers reported 44 months of follow up data.

"Of the 16 patients, five have retained or reduced bodyweight since the 22 month point and all but one have lower weight at 44 months than at start," the investigators report. Furthermore, glucose levels dropped soon after starting the diet and have stayed down over the 44 month period.

"Advice to obese patients with type 2 diabetes to follow a 20% carbohydrate diet with some caloric restriction has a lasting effect on bodyweight and glycemic control," the investigators conclude.

Bonnie - while a small number of subjects, the results should not be surprising. While this is an extremely low percentage of carbohydrates for one's diet, it may be prudent to implement in obese or overweight diabetics.

New MRI technique could catch cancer early

Courtesy of Reuters

A new imaging technique that relies on naturally occurring baking soda in the body could help pinpoint cancer earlier and quickly gauge if drugs to kill tumors are working, British researchers said on Wednesday.

The non-invasive method uses magnetic resonance imaging to measure changes in pH -- or acidity -- in tissue that is often the hallmark of cancer and other conditions such as heart disease and strokes, said Kevin Brindle of the University of Cambridge, who led the study.

Currently there are no safe ways to measure pH levels in humans but doing so is important because tumors, for example, are far more acidic than surrounding tissue.

"You are imaging not just tissue structure but tissue function," said Brindle, whose study is published in the journal Nature. "We wanted to measure tissue pH, which is a surrogate for disease."

The researchers injected mice with a tagged form of bicarbonate -- an alkali more commonly seen in baking soda -- that occurs naturally in the body and balances acidity, Brindle said.

They used MRI to see how much of the tagged bicarbonate was converted into carbon dioxide within the tumor. In more acidic tumors, more bicarbonate is converted into carbon dioxide.

The researchers measured pH levels using an emerging technique called dynamic nuclear polarization that boosts MRI sensitivity more than 10,000 times.

The next step is testing the technique in humans in early stage clinical trials expected to start in 2009, he added in a telephone interview.

Bonnie - while this technique has only been used on mice so far, it is so significant in explaining how an overacidic host can be the cause of myriad health issues. I think the path these researchers are on is brilliant. This should be a lesson to those of us in the know that we need to do everything we can to create an acid/alkaline balance in our bodies.

Kids using melatonin

Courtesy of USA Today

Parents who have tried melatonin say the pill has been nothing short of miraculous in getting their children to sleep. It's a trend that is occurring despite doctors' general reluctance to endorse melatonin as a sleeping aid for healthy children. "We have seen tremendous growth of the use of melatonin by parents," says Susan Zafarlotfi, clinical director of the Institute for Sleep-Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. "Melatonin is very useful for some teens who cannot get to sleep." Zafarlotfi says occasional use of melatonin for children is fine as long as the dosage does not exceed 3 milligrams. She does not recommend giving it to kids younger than 10.

Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, helps regulate the body's sleep-wake cycle, and its production is determined by light and dark. When darkness falls, the gland produces more melatonin, which promotes sleep. After reviewing numerous studies, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2005 concluded that melatonin supplements are safe if used for days or weeks. The studies on children have been small and only focusing on those with attention deficit disorders, and there are no reports on the long-term effects of melatonin in children.

This is not a treatment for the healthy child who just doesn't want to go to bed or the child with occasional trouble falling asleep," says Marcia Buck, clinical pharmacy specialist at the University of Virginia Children's Hospital in Charlottesville.

Bonnie - I err on the side of caution with melatonin. There is no doubt that melatonin is effective. However, it is a hormone. Unless that hormone level is out of range (which can be easily be detected with a salivary test), I would never recommend it long-term, especially on children. More often than not, there are underlying reasons why the child is not sleeping. I always opt for getting to the root of the cause.

Vitamin D levels should be increased for children

Raising current vitamin D levels from 200 International Units (IU) to 2,000 IU could boost bone health amongst children and have long-term health benefits, says new research.

Only children given the equivalent of 2,000 IUs a day of vitamin D3 increased their blood levels of the vitamin to the level considered optimal for adults, according to results of a placebo-controlled study to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Both the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommend an adequate daily intake of 200 IUs of vitamin D for children.

Reports in prestigious journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have called for raises to the recommendations.

Because of the low dietary amounts, and lack of sunshine in northern climates, some estimates claim that as much as 60 per cent of northern populations may be vitamin D deficient.

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Vitamin D deficiency in childhood can show up later as broken bones or a weakened immune system prone to disease. Two out of five U.S. children aged 8 months to 2 years who took part in a 380-patient study at Children's Hospital Boston had less-than-optimal blood levels of vitamin D.

The main risk factors were not drinking enough fortified milk, not taking vitamins and being overweight, said the report published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Lead researcher Catherine Gordon of Children's Hospital Boston said the 40 percent deficiency rate "is higher than expected in a country that has vitamin D fortified milk."

The study also found that 6 percent of the children fed fortified formula were vitamin D deficient. The researchers said this raised questions about whether the fortification was sufficient.

Bonnie - this is why we often recommend a multi with vitamin D and Cod Liver Oil in prenatal/pregnant women, nursing mothers, and in young children to enhance what is already in the fortified milk, milk substitutes, and fish.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Highlights - May

• Nutritional deficiencies are very common in gastric bypass patients despite supplementation with the standard multivitamin preparation. Therefore, careful follow-up is indicated to detect and treat those deficiencies. Bonnie - it is inexcusable that studies and data have not already determined whether injections/sublingual supplements are necessary.
  
  
• Consumption of supplemental doses of turmeric can significantly increase urinary oxalate levels, thereby increasing risk of kidney stone formation in susceptible individuals.
  
  
• High glycemic index, load carbohydrates are associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk among overweight women and women with large waist circumference.
  
  
• There is no association between dietary fat intake and prostate cancer risk.
  
  
• A positive association exists between dietary acrylamide and renal cell (kidney) cancer risk.
  
  
• A higher intake of flavanoids, dietary components with anticarcinogenic activities, may be associated with lower non-Hodgkins lymphoma risk. Bonnie - Quercetin, citrus bioflavanoids, coffee, tea are great examples. I am also finding that undiagnosed celiac is becoming a major cause of this NHL.
  
  
• Based upon a male runner subject study, the risk of gout is lower in men who are more physically active, maintain ideal body weight, and consume diets enriched in fruit and limited in meat and alcohol.
  
  
• Long-term intake of cereal foods with differing insulin responses may be a factor that modulates the inflammatory status in individuals with metabolic syndrome. For example, rye bread generates a lower insulin response than does wheat bread, even thought the glucose response remains unchanged. Modification of carbohydrate intake by consuming cereal products that elicit a low insulin response can lower inflammation expression, even in the absence of weight loss.
  
  
• Special Insert: Protein Summit 2007
• Elevated protein intake may represent an effective and practical weight-loss strategy for increased satiety, increase thermogenesis (energy expenditure), and increase fat-free body mass.
  
  
• Optimal protein intake for bone health is likely higher than current recommended intakes, particularly in the elderly. Concerns about protein on acid production are minor. Concern should be on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption to increase alkalinity.
  
  
• High protein, reduced carbohydrate diets have positive effects on individuals exhibiting atherogenic dyslipidemia of metabolic syndrome and glycemic imbalance.
  
  
• The USDA Dietary Guidelines did not address the issue of protein, much less its role in optimal health. It should have received a much higher priority.
  

Whitaker on Cholesterol

There were some interesting comments from Dr. Julian Whitaker in his June issue of Health & Healing. For those of you who don't know, Dr. Whitaker is a wellness pioneer. In the newsletter, he questions if cholesterol really matters. According to Whitaker:

• High cholesterol is not a reliable sign of an impending heart attack.

• Does not recommend statins because except for a very limited number of people, there is no evidence that they protect against heart attack or premature death. If you are over 65, there is no benefit at all even if your cholesterol goes down.

• Numbers Needed to Treat (NNT) - describes the number of patients who would need to be treated with a medical therapy in order to prevent one bad outcome. Experts consider an NNT over 50 to be "worse than a lottery ticket." The statin Lipitor is 100. That would mean that 100 people must be treated with Lipitor in order for just one heart attack to be prevented.

• Statins are riddled with side effects.

• Inflammation, not high cholesterol, is the primary cause of heart disease.

Steve - do these comments sound familiar? The NNT was something we had not heard about before.

Best and worst of conventional produce

Steve - we usually publish this every few years for updates. While we always suggest organic produce, we emphatically suggest staying away from the most heavily pesticide-laden produce.

Highest in Pesticides
Peaches
Apples
Sweet bell peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes (imported)
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes

Lowest in Pesticides
Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn 9frozen)
Pineapples
Mangos
Sweet Peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Kiwis
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Eggplants

As wth everything else, organic labeling can be confusing

The USDA Organic Seal is used voluntarily by producers whose products meet the federal requirements for "100 percent organic" or "Organic" for labeling to provide assurance of organic integrity. Find below a breakdown of how certain labeling terms are defined.

"100 Percent Organic"
Products must contain only organically produced ingredients, but may contain added water and salt. These products may use the green USDA Organic seal.

"Organic"
Products must consist of at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients. These products may also use the organic seal.

"Made with Organic Ingredients"
Products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients may use this phrase and list up to three of the organic ingredients or food groups on the primary display panel. The USDA Seal may not be used anywhere on the package.

"Free Range" or "Free Roaming"
Poultry must have been allowed outdoor access. Note that certain farmers will limit the space their poultry can roam.

"Natural"
Products must contain no artificial ingredients or added color, and should only be minimally processed (the raw form of the product cannot be fundamentally altered).

"No Hormones" (Pork or Poultry)
Hormones are not allowed at all in raising hogs and poultry, so this label can be misleading. It would be like saying that apples are now cholesterol-free. Therefore, the claim "no hormones added" cannot be used on the labels of these items unless it is followed by the line "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones."

"No Hormones" (Beef)
Producers must provide documentation that says no hormones were used in the animal's lifetime.

"No Antibiotics" (Red Meat & Poultry)
Producers must provide documentation that says no antibiotics were used in the animal's lifetime.

Bonnie - I get questions all the time about labels. The aforementioned is a great reason why I always say to be an educated consumer. Priority number one is to read the labels. The second priority is to know what the labels mean!

Breast-Feeding Protects Against Arthritis

Courtesy of the NY Times

A Swedish study suggests yet another health advantage of breast-feeding, this time for the mother: it reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers compared 136 women with rheumatoid arthritis with 544 healthy women of similar age. After controlling for factors including smoking and education level, they found that women who breast-fed for 1 to 12 months reduced their risk of arthritis by 25 percent, and that those who breast-fed for more than a year cut their risk in half. Although the mechanism is not clear, the scientists write that the protective effect may come from long-term changes in the mother’s immune system induced by breast-feeding. The study appeared online May 13 in The Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.