Month: August 2006

“Juicers” like Jack LaLanne have been saying it for years… drinking natural juice is healthy! Now a study suggests that drinking juice may help ward off Alzheimer’s Disease.

Juices ‘may cut Alzheimer’s risk’

Drinking fruit and vegetable juices frequently may significantly cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests. US researchers followed almost 2,000 people for up to 10 years – providing a powerful set of results. They found the risk was 76% lower for those who drank juice more than three times a week, compared to those who drank it less than once a week. The study appears in the American Journal of Medicine. Alzheimer’s is linked to the accumulation of clumps of beta-amyloid protein in the brain. There is some evidence to suggest that this process may be controlled by the chemical hydrogen peroxide. Various studies have suggested that polyphenols – chemicals available in many foods – might disrupt these processes and provide some protection against Alzheimer’s disease by neutralising the effect of damaging compounds called free radicals. Fruit and vegetable juices are particularly rich in polyphenols.”

This headline is a “no brainer” yet it is amazing how many people ignore this simple truth. Our “Western Diet” consisting of very high sugar and carbohydrate foods, usually highly processed, and the fact that natural fiber is not present in these foods, contributes to over-production of insulin by the body, and supression of leptin (the hormone that normally tells the body when it is appropriate to stop eating.)

Childhood Obesity Caused By ‘Toxic Environment’ Of Western Diets, Study Says

“A UCSF researcher has determined that a key reason for the epidemic of pediatric obesity, now the most commonly diagnosed childhood ailment, is that high-calorie, low-fiber Western diets promote hormonal imbalances that encourage children to overeat… Diseases that once were only seen in adults, like type 2 diabetes, now are occurring in increasing numbers in children, according to Lustig. Overweight children tend to become overweight adults, which also puts them at greater risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Children who are obese also are socially ostracized and teased, putting them at risk for depression and other psychiatric conditions, he adds. ‘Our current Western food environment has become highly insulinogenic,’ Lustig says, ‘as demonstrated by its increased energy density, high-fat content, high glycemic index, increased fructose composition, decreased fiber, and decreased dairy content. In particular, fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin,’ he adds. Lustig says that it has long been known that the hormone insulin acts on the brain to encourage eating through two separate mechanisms. First, it blocks the signals that travel from the body’s fat stores to the brain by suppressing the effectiveness of the hormone leptin, resulting in increased food intake and decreased activity. Second, insulin promotes the signal that seeks the reward of eating carried by the chemical dopamine, which makes a person want to eat to get the pleasurable dopamine ‘rush.’ Calorie intake and expenditure normally are regulated by leptin, Lustig says. When leptin is functioning properly it ‘increases physical activity, decreases appetite, and increases feelings of well-being.’ Conversely, when leptin is suppressed, feelings of well-being and activity decrease and appetite increases — a state called ‘leptin resistance.'”

This phenomenon explains the epidemic of obesity and begs the question, “When will we leave high sugar, processed foods on the shelves and start eating a high fiber (through natural vegetables) and lowered carbohydrate diet?”

It is not here yet, but cloned beef is “in the cards.” The idea is that if you have a great piece of steak, and are really happy with it, why not clone another cow from that steak, and have a great steak again? Apparently only 1 in 8000 cows “taste great!” It sounds like science fiction, but we getting very close to science fact.

Cloned Beef: It’s What’s For Dinner

“What if you could carve off a chunk of the most succulent slab of steak you’ve ever eaten, clone a bull from it, then produce weeks of identically delectable dinners? Irina Polejaeva, chief embryologist at ViaGen, a livestock-cloning lab in Austin, Texas, aims to bring cloned beef to the American dinner table within the next few years. Since 2005, ViaGen has cloned half a dozen cows from strips of beef, a procedure that enables the company to test the quality of the meat before bringing it back to life. Clones would head to a breeder, and their offspring would go into a chain of feedlots, slaughterhouses and, finally, your burger. But first, the Food and Drug Administration must rule on the safety of cloned meat, a decision that could make or break the most controversial idea in the food industry since the transgenic tomato.”

My question is, with the introduction of hormones and other chemicals in our current meat supply causing untold effects on consumers, how will we know what effects cloned meat will have on those same consumers? And once we know, will it be too late? Keep mine natural and organic, thanks!

Got problems with ants? No worries! Just use aspartame (also sold under the brand name of “Nutrasweet”)! What? You are consuming that yourself? Maybe you should re-think that…

Got an Ant Problem? Use Aspartame

“For all the dire health problems associated with aspartame — the worst of them being cancer — the original ‘anything-but-sugar’ substitute may have an ideal purpose to exist, not as a food additive, but an ant poison. Already aware of aspartame’s origins as a toxic chemical, a health conscious consumer with an ant problem emptied one packet of aspartame in the corner of each of her bathrooms two years ago. The ‘sweet’ solution worked brilliantly, as she’s seen no signs of carpenter ants crawling around for the past year. Aspartame may be just the thing for getting rid of fire ants (impervious to many poisons) too, although this solution takes a bit more effort. Initially, fire ants ignored their aspartame treat until a light rain moistened it. After the rain, however, the fire ants came back with a vengeance, taking the aspartame back to the mound by the hundreds. Within two days, any evidence of fire ants existed at all, save for an empty mound, vanished. No mystery aspartame works like a pesticide, as the asparctic acid contained in this toxic product is a well-documented excitotoxin that cause specific brain cells to become excessively excited to the point they quickly die, just as both kinds of ants did.”

Makes you think, hummmmm?

I had severe acne as a teenager. And, I know that I would have done ANYTHING to get rid of it. Today, acne is no problem for me… and I am much older and have many different perspectives on long term health effects than I did as a teenager. So, it is even more upsetting to me that a major acne treatment – Accutane, has serious side effects. Why? Because I know that teens and their parents are likely to overlook the long term side effects for the “short term” benefits!

Accutane linked to heart, liver risk

“Accutane, the powerful acne drug already known to cause birth defects, seems to raise the risk for potential heart and liver problems more than doctors had expected, according to a new study. The findings came from lab tests on 13,772 patients taking the popular acne drug and underscore the need to closely monitor people taking isotretinoin, which is sold as Accutane and in three generic versions. Abnormal results for cholesterol and liver function were more common than expected. While those conditions can lead to problems over the long term, abnormal lab tests don’t necessarily mean patients will develop heart or liver problems, said study co-author Dr. Lee Zane of the University of California, San Francisco… Most dermatologists already knew the drug also could increase levels of cholesterol, liver enzymes and blood fats called triglycerides that can raise the risk of heart disease. But the new study found higher than expected percentages of patients developing these abnormal lab results.”

Can you say, “Insane?!” Imagine treating meat with a combination of spray-on viruses as a “food additive?” Now imagine the FDA approving it! Note the last paragraph of the article I have in the link:

“Prior to issuing its approval, the FDA was concerned that the virus preparation might contain toxic residues associated with the bacteria. Tests found no residues present, however. In small quantities, such residues would be unlikely to cause any health problems, the FDA said.” (Emphasis mine.)

FDA Oks Spray-On Virus Additives for Meat

“In small quantities, such residues would be unlikely to cause any health problems???” In small quantities poison might not kill you, but it would not be healthy to eat it! This is the kind of insane viewpoint that drives me nuts! I trust that AT LEAST they will require some notifcation of meats treated in this way, so we can avoid the contamination by choice. However, I wouldn’t count on that! Whoever uses this kind of thing should be run out of the “food business” on a rail! Give me a break! (Can you tell that this one has “pushed my buttons?”)

If nothing else, consider that we have a delicate balance of “good” bacteria in the small intestine to aid in digestion… what if this artificially introduced combination of six bacteriophages, which the article says are parasitic viruses that destroy bacteria, kill our internal, beneficial bacteria? It is not like the allopathic community (and by extension, food researchers) have ever shown much interest in making sure that the gut was properly populated with probiotics!

What connection could a lack of sleep have with weight gain? It seems a new study has shown a correlation between the two. One theory is that a lack of sleep retards your “non-exercise associated thermogenesis” or NEAT. In other words, you may be so tired that you “fidget” less during the day!

Not enough sleep associated with weight gain

“Women who fail to get enough shut-eye each night risk gaining weight, a Cleveland-based researcher reported at a medical conference in San Diego today. In a long-term study of middle-aged women, those who slept 5 hours or less each night were 32 percent more likely to gain a significant amount of weight (adding 33 pounds or more) and 15 percent more likely to become obese during 16 years of follow-up than women who slept 7 hours each night. This level of weight gain — 15 kg, or 33 pounds — is ‘very clinically significant in terms of risk of diabetes and heart disease,’ Dr. Sanjay Patel of Case Western Reserve University told Reuters Health.”

The exact reason for this correlation is not known, but the theories are interesting!

“All in all, it seems that diet and exercise are not accounting for the weight gain in women who sleep less, Patel concluded. It’s possible that sleeping less may affect changes in a person’s basal metabolic rate — the number of calories burned when at rest, Patel said. Another possible contributor to weight regulation that’s come to light recently is called ‘non-exercise associated thermogenesis’ or NEAT, which refers to involuntary activity such as fidgeting or standing instead of sitting. It may be, Patel said, that if people who sleep less, also move around or ‘fidget’ less.”

I put out the link to the latest edition of the Traditional Naturopath Podcast, but we had a minor technical problem that has been resolved. It is NOW ready for you to listen! Thanks for your patience!

The Traditional Naturopath Podcast – 7 – (08/19/06)
Click on the “Play” button (the triangle pointing to the right) below to play it as Streaming Audio.

Download MP3
(Right-Click on the Link Above and Save)

Show Notes:
Update on Abraham Cherrix’s court case to defend his freedom to choose a treatment for his cancer. A Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment is very effective against Diabetes, Berberine has amazing effects! Yellow “veggies” are good for your eyes! Chemotherapy side effects may be worse than first thought. Study: most common Prostate Cancer treatments no better than doing nothing. Hospitals are a hot bed for drug resistant bacteria, BMI is a poor indicator for heart health in older patients.