7 Myths of Health and Wellness
SEVEN MYTHS OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS
By Dr. Randy Russell, B.S., D.C. Welcome and thank you for taking the time to discover what true health involves. It is my personal goal to provide you some “eye-opening” information that could very possibly change your life. Being a health care provider in private practice for over 20 years and the past seven years as a consultant to well over 1500 natural health offices throughout the country, I have had a unique opportunity to explore the many and varied health options that are out there. I have found what I believe to be the best choice and will let you read the following information and discover for yourself what I mean. The journey to wellness is shall we? Webster’s dictionary has several definitions. The first one I liked a lot. “The quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as a result of deliberate effort.” That word effort. It must take some work to be well, I thought. It doesn’t just “happen” as a result of taking some vitamin pill. Then I read the second definition. “An approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life, as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases.” Wait a minute. What does the Medical Profession claim? They say that they emphasize prevention of illness. Then I realized that their “method” is to “manage” diseases with various medications to such an extent that today, the average American over 50 is on 8 different medications to manage their disorders. So isn’t that treating disease? Yep. Thought so. The next definition brought me closer to what I wanted to know. “The condition of good physical and mental health, especially when maintained by proper diet, exercise and habits.” Now I get it. This wellness condition has to be maintained somehow. And good health habits including diet and exercise are needed as well. But what kind of diet I thought? Isn’t the food we eat every day enough? What about that word “fortified”. I noticed a lot of the labels on our food say that. Then I wondered why our food needs to be strengthened? Isn’t food healthy enough to begin with? Maybe not. Finally, I read further in Websters and learned that wellness is “the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively sought goal” – in other words a lifestyle that promotes wellness. So now I see that wellness is a journey that involves a goal and would require a certain kind of lifestyle. And don’t forget that it must be maintained in some fashion too. Okay, but where do I go from here. What are the 7 myths? And, more importantly, how do I attain a Lifestyle MYTH # 1: A PLATE OF FOOD IS ALL THE NUTRITION YOU NEED. Where did I hear that before? The medical profession has promoted that for years. I decided to do some research on this. What I discovered shocked me. In my younger days, I had studied food science at the University of California at Davis. This was one of the top agricultural schools in the country. It was there that I learned about the importance of soil. And how a tiny seed, matures into a plant, and then gets full grown, 2 harvested, and finally ends up in our grocery stores. What does the soil do? Well, everything, basically. You see, a good soil has all the minerals and organic matter that not only supports the crop that is growing there, but is capable of transferring these minerals and nutrients into the plant so that when we eat it, we also get these nutrients. What goes on under the ground that you don’t see is amazing. Earthworms work to maintain a balance of the soil and are necessary for healthy soil. (I remember as a child hunting for “night crawlers” so I could go fishing the next day) Today, however, our commercial farm practices have driven out or killed the earthworms. Heavy use of fertilizers and insecticides are the poisons that eliminate them. Then I discovered another practice that affects our soil. Continuous cropping. Back in the “old” days, a farmer would “rotate” his crops - planting corn in one field, turnips in the other, and then the next season, switching to another crop in the corn field so that the soil would not get depleted of certain nutrients if the same crop was planted there year after year. Today’s commercial farming practices keep the same crop growing year after year, and the result has been devastation of the nutrients in the soil. To prove this point, take a look at this excerpt from a government study first written in 1936, later published in 1942. UNITED STATES SENATE DOCUMENT #264 74 Senate Document 264 was written in 1936 and submitted as part of Congressional Investigation into U.S. farming practices. The leading authorities of the day had been sounding the alarm that depleted soils were causing a significant decline in the nation’s health, evidenced by a steady increase in degenerative diseases. But when Congress saw the price tag on repairing the nation’s farm and range soils, they swept their own investigation under the carpet. General Printing Office Washington, D.C. June 1936 Yes, that was over 70 years ago. Is there any slightest chance that we are better off today? I doubt it. Recent research now shows to what extent our farm soils are depleted. So you may be wondering why the vegetables grown commercially look so healthy in the produce section of the store. Three reasons. Or, rather, 3 main ingredients – Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. You see all that is needed to keep your lawn green and healthy looking are these ingredients in proper balance. In other words, fertilizer. Same for commercial farms. (Organic farming uses different practices ... more on that later) But looks CAN be deceiving. What are some of the essential nutrients the body needs? Let’s find out. These nutrients are only obtained from our diet, because our body cannot make them: 21 Minerals 13 Vitamins 3 ` 8 Amino Acids 2 Essential Fatty Acids Our modern American diet is far from providing optimal nutrition. As a nation, we are overfed, but seriously under-nourished. We consume many excess calories and most have little or no nutritional value. In fact, over half of the calories in the typical American diet come from processed and refined foods, from which much of the mineral, vitamin, essential fatty acid and fiber content have been removed. Nutrient deficiencies are widespread in our society. This is because our food growing, manufacturing and preparation industry revolves around convenience and profits rather than health. And why you may ask is our diet nutrient deficient? Yes, you guessed it. It is because our soils are nutrient deficient. There is an important relationship between soil, plants and human health. Soil quality can vary sharply in nutrients from city to city, state to state and country to country. The quality of food grown is directly proportional to the quality of the soil it comes from. A quick review of the following chart shows dramatically how convt (conventional) farming compares to organic farming in mineral content. (Chart courtesy of Dr.Gabriella Juris http:www.spatrade.com/articles/archive/ds799- 3.html) Mineral Content of Foods Organically Grown vs. Conventional (Milliequivalents per 100 grams. Dry weight Trace Elements Parts per million) Calcium Magnesium Potassium Sodium Manganese Iron Copper Snap Beans 1. Organic 40.50 60.00 99.70 8.60 60.00 227.00 69.00 2. Convt. 15.50 14.80 29.10 0.00 2.00 10.00 3.00 Cabbage 1. Organic 60.00 43.60 148.30 20.40 13.00 94.00 48.00 2. Convt. 17.50 15.60 53.70 0.80 2.00 20.00 0.40 Lettuce 1. Organic 71.00 49.30 176.50 12.20 169.00 516.00 66.00 2. Convt. 16.00 13.10 53.70 0.00 1.00 9.00 3.00 Tomatoes 1. Organic 23.00 59.20 148.30 6.50 68.00 1938.00 53.00 2. Convt. 4.50 4.50 58.60 0.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 Spinach 1. Organic 96.00 203.90 257.00 69.50 117.00 1584.00 32.00 2. Convt. 47.50 46.90 84.00 0.80 1.00 19.00 0.50 In addition, USDA nutrition information reveals that between 1973 and 1997, for every vegetable grown commercially in the US, every single nutrient that can be measured in 4 each category of vegetable has undergone huge declines. Cabbage, carrots, cauliflower and onions and a long list of others showed a 53% drop in calcium, a 48% decline in riboflavin, a 35% drop in thiamine, and a 29% decrease in niacin. Chromium is also a trace mineral, vital to cell metabolism when it comes to processing carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It works as a preventative to Diabetes (which is escalating in epidemic proportions now) by aiding the sugars that are broken down and transporting them into the cells for energy. Normally an abundance of this mineral would be found in our soils or whole grains, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes – but processing of foods and the depletion of our soils has taken most of this important nutrient out of our diet. We know that Diabetes is related to obesity, but is it possible that the bankruptcy in nutritional foods today is also a cause? Many health authorities would agree. How does organic farming compare to conventional farming. Let’s see. This form of agriculture avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, and livestock feed additives. As much as possible, organic farmers rely on crop rotation, crop residues, animal manures and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and tillage which is loosening the soil by mechanical methods. This action provides several benefits. It supplies plants the nutrients they need and controls weeds and reduces attack by insects and other pests. Health Risks Organic farms use few pesticides although they are often allowed to use naturally derived ones. On the other hand, conventional farming uses large quantities of pesticides through techniques such as crop dusting (aircraft flying low to spray the crops). You may not be aware that conventional pesticides have recently been linked to Parkinson's disease with a high degree of statistical certainty. Studies have found a substantial link ranging from a 70% increased risk to double the risk of Parkinson's over a lifetime. Two long term studies have targeted two pesticides – Paraquat and Dieldrin, which are not allowed under organic farming. (For more information on these chemicals go to the CDC – Centers for Disease Control web site: CDC site, simply “search” for Dieldrin and information on this pesticide will be available. Organic advocates state that natural pesticides are a last resort, while growing healthier, disease-resistant plants, using cover crops and crop rotation, and encouraging beneficial insects and birds are the primary methods of pest control. The most common organic pesticides, accepted for restricted use by most organic standards, include Bt, Pyrethrum, and Rotenone. Some organic pesticides, such as Rotenone have high toxicity to fish and aquatic creatures with some toxicity to mammals including humans. In summary, then, even organic farming may cause us to ingest toxic chemicals and put us at risk for health problems. Is there any way to escape all these impurities? Probably not. There is, 5 however, a way to rid your body of these impurities using nutritional cleansing systems, and perhaps lessen the effect these have on our health. (More on that later) Right now, however, organic farming is at a crossroads. Despite the growth in the organic food market over the last decade, the future of the small, independent farmer, organic or otherwise, is as much in jeopardy now as it has been in recent decades. The local infrastructure to support small farmers is all but non-existent in most developed nations - the current food distribution system favors high-volume production, and large farming operations. What is commonly known as "organic farming" may change quite dramatically in the coming few years. We will have to wait and see. Should the all the amino acids, vitamins and minerals necessary to prevent disease and promote optimum health? Of course. So we have learned so far that the plate of food myth is just that, a myth. Besides food, we need water, don’t we? And that leads us to: MYTH #2: TAP WATER IS JUST AS GOOD AS THOSE FANCY BOTTLED WATERS. Where does tap water come from? Local rivers and streams mainly. And when you discover as I did in reading: our ground water is now contaminated. But contaminated with what, you may ask? Well, just about everything but the kitchen sink. In his book he cites a 2004 United States Geological Survey report documenting how prescription drugs, steroids, antibiotics, pesticides and other synthetic chemicals are being found at alarming levels everywhere during stream and groundwater testing. Furthermore, they stated that our nations water treatment plants are simply too unsophisticated to remove synthetic chemicals before water is recycled back into the environment. Even your neighbor, who is taking Prozac daily to treat their depression, ends up not fully metabolizing this drug and a small amount or a partially undigested capsule is excreted into the toilet. Follow that water to the treatment plant and you will discover giant screens that “filter” out, among other things, undigested capsules of prescriptions and non- prescriptions and the end result as found by our government - the treated water makes its way back into our environment and into our bodies. Another study by the US Geological Survey described by Randall Fitzgerald noted that since 2000, over fifty-four million people consume Prozac, and more than half of all streams and rivers tested by the their team showed residues of this antidepressant drug, which is affecting growth and reproduction in clams, mussels, and fish. In some streams the exposed fish were dying prematurely while others were growthstunted or mutated. 6 Should the wellness lifestyle include a healthy source of purified water? Of course. But how much is enough? Authorities suggest ½ your body weight in ounces daily is the minimum. Does that 6 pack of coke count? No. Coke, Tea, and alcohol actually cause excretion of water by the body. Authorities state that for each glass of these drinks, your body requires 2 glasses of water to make up the damage in loss of water to the cells of the body. Why is water so important? Well, next to oxygen, it is the most essential ingredient we need to survive. Water truly is everywhere, yet most of us take it for granted. Water makes up more than two thirds of the weight of the human body, and without it, humans would die in a few days. The human brain is made up of 95% water. Blood is 82% and the lungs 90%. A mere 2% drop in our body’s water supply can trigger signs of dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. An estimated have mild, chronic dehydration. Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, just as a car cannot run without gas and oil. In fact, all the cell and organ functions made up in our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning. • • • • through perspiration. • and thereby eliminating waste thus detoxifying the body. • In addition to the daily maintenance of our bodies, water also plays a key role in the prevention of disease. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can decrease the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and it can potentially even reduce the risk of breast cancer. So what is the best source of water? Research by Dr. Harper, D.O. found that Aquafina water is the best when you are considering purchasing bottled water. It has the lowest amount of dissolved solids and the best taste. But, when you check this out, you find that it is produced and bottled by the Pepsi Cola Company. Certainly it is purified; however, the source of the water initially is from city water plants. Bottled water is a big business, making millions of dollars daily. When you investigate more closely, you will find that some water companies exaggerate by clever pictures and ads that the water comes from natural streams or glacial peaks. Read the fine print carefully and you may discover that the water comes from a local source, not what looks pretty on the picture. If you want to 7 take a look at a web site that debunks the bottle water craze and have a few laughs, then go to: You can also filter water yourself with simple sink mounted purifiers, or go to the extreme as I have done and purchase an alkalizing water purifier system that not only removes chlorine and many other impurities, it also uses a special filter that hospitals use for filtering blood, so it removes most every chemical from the city water supply that is in there. Why might water that is more alkaline be important? Many chronic and degenerative diseases are linked to a more acidic diet, according to current theory. Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline, or 7.35 - 7.45. (pH is a term that identifies how much hydrogen ion is present.) Below or above this range means symptoms and disease. A pH of 7.0 is neutral. A pH below 7.0 is acidic. A pH above 7.0 is alkaline. An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals. If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur. An acidic balance will: decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decreases the body’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease its ability to detoxify heavy metals and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death. The reason acidosis (an acidic condition of the body) is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical American diet. We eat far more acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy and far too little of alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables and many fruits. Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and carbonated soft drinks. We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Splenda, Sweet 'N Low, Equal, and Aspartame which is a poison (can convert to formaldehyde). One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle. To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods. And every day you should consume at least ½ your weight in ounces of purified drinking water, preferably alkaline water. So, is tap water just as good as those bottled waters? The answer is NO! 8 The impurities, and foods that promote more of an alkaline chemistry internally for the body. What about food that has been genetically altered or irradiated? Is that safe? Well, that leads us to myth #3: MYTH #3: IRRADIATED FOODS ARE SAFE, ACCORDING TO OUR FDA. Let’s take a look. It turns out that irradiated food has caused a myriad of health problems in laboratory animals (and people in a few studies), including chromosomal damage, immune and reproductive problems, kidney damage, tumors, internal bleeding, low birth weight, and nutritional muscular dystrophy. Wow! Why are foods irradiated you may ask? Mainly to neutralize insects and microorganisms, but this process further destroys vitamins and other essential nutrients too. Irradiation leads to the formation of Unique Radiolytic Products which means that strange chemical compounds form as a result of irradiation of foods. Furthermore, they have not been identified or studied for their potential harm to humans. Again, I repeat, not studied. Can’t the EPA or FDA step in? Not really. According to a report from the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is failing to protect people from tens of thousands of toxic chemicals. Chemical companies have provided health impact data to the EPA for only about 15% of chemicals introduced over the past 30 years. That means that the chemicals we consume have not been analyzed or reported. No data = no research. Doesn’t the EPA study the safety of these processes? Apparently not. The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 allows chemicals to be sold and used unless they are proven to be a risk. The EPA doesn’t conduct its own safety tests but relies on research conducted by the manufacturers. That means the companies that irradiate the foods are supposed to provide the safety testing and send that data to the EPA. Do they do that? We may never know. What we do know is that irradiated food products are free radicals, which set off chain reactions in the body that destroy antioxidants, tear apart cell membranes, and body more susceptible to cancer breakdown, and other serious health problems. What else can irradiation do? Let’s see. Irradiation can spawn mutant forms of making them more difficult to kill. Irradiation destroys vitamins percent of vitamin A in chicken and 86 percent of vitamin B in oats. In some foods, irradiation can actually intensify the vitamin and nutrient loss caused by cooking. 9 Irradiation can lead to the formation of carcinogens (cancer causing chemicals) and other toxic chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, octane, and butane and methyl propane in certain foods. Irradiation can corrupt the flavor, texture and other physical properties of certain foods, leading to meat that smells like a wet dog and onions that turn brown. Irradiation botulism at bay, as well as the microorganisms that create the aromas that tell us when food has gone bad. That isn’t good. What if you cannot tell that the food has spoiled by smell? You get sick. Since radioactive material is to be used for food irradiation, let’s see what some experts have to say: “There are potentially serious concerns about the issues of waste disposal, engineering safety, transport of radioactive material, production of new isotopes, handling by poorly trained personnel, and others we haven't even thought of yet. “ (Isotopes are different forms an element can take when radioactive processes are applied) Sheldon Margen, M.D. Professor Emeritus University of California, Berkeley “I am opposed to food irradiation because it is clear that this process increases the levels of mutagens (agents that cause mutation) and carcinogens in the food. The inevitable consequence of this is that in two to five decades in the future, the incidence of cancer will increase from what we see now, in direct proportion to the amounts of irradiated food consumed. Thus, food irradiation becomes very expensive both in terms of human lives, as well as health care costs.” George L. Tritsch, Ph.D. Roswell Park Cancer Institute Buffalo, NY It is distressing to me that despite all the studies, many favorable and many unfavorable, the FDA utilized only five safety studies. I looked in detail at two of those studies. Each raises considerable question. In one, the irradiated food was obtained from some other group and we are never actually given any data to show that the food was irradiated properly or even irradiated at all. Additionally, the authors note an increase in abnormalities in dogs at autopsy and then seem to feel that the abnormalities they found were meaningless and should be ignored. In the other study from England, in the group receiving the food irradiated most, there 10 were increased deaths in the offspring and this is completely ignored even though the authors say there is no explanation for it. To me, it is somewhat amazing that these are listed as two of the five studies that are considered impeccable enough to be evaluated for safety. Those studies have considerable imperfections. For the FDA to selectively choose the five is, I believe, improper.” Donald B. Louria, MD University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey So the myth that irradiated foods are safe is FALSE! The range fed beef or poultry with no antibiotics or hormones. If irradiated foods are not safe, what about genetically altered foods? Are they safe? That leads us to: MYTH #4: GENETICALLY ALTERED FOODS ARE DEEMED SAFE BY THE FDA. Ok, let’s talk about genes. First, these are the components of DNA. Yes, you have heard of that because this structure is the blue print for all living forms. They are the capabilities of an organism. It is constituted by chains of so called instructions of the master program. There is an identical set of this master program in every cell. For example a corn plant has about a billion cells, each with a set of this master program. In different parts of the plant different parts of the program are active, giving rise to different structures like leaves, the stem and the root. So what is GE (genetic engineering), also called gene modification (GM) . Basically, this is the manipulation of the master program. Genes from other, usually totally unrelated species are inserted in the genetic "master program". Genes from fish, scorpions, bacteria and viruses have been inserted into food plants in genetic engineering projects. And, science has a totally incomplete understanding on the outcomes and ramifications that this process can produce. Furthermore, Genetic Engineering is based on an incorrect theory that has been proven wrong. The theory was that one gene carries one property. This is not so. The effect of a gene is dependent on its location and its interaction with other genes. Therefore, 11 surprises including, in the worst case, the appearance of harmful substances in the food. In spite of this inevitable unpredictability, the GE foods on the market have not been tested carefully enough so as to detect unexpected harmful substances. That is right- you heard me- not tested. There is our FDA again, blindly doing their job. Now why aren’t they doing their job, you may ask? Well, it turns out that profits are the motive. Genetic Engineering allows companies to “patent” their food product since they produced it in a laboratory. So the “corn” they produce can be sold and other competitors cannot copy it .It is all about the money. Follow the money. And when you do, you see huge corporations bribing the FDA to turn their backs on any reliable research, or suppressing any of the harmful results that have been identified. What is at stake is billions of dollars of profit for these corporations. Greed and the so called “solution for world hunger” is the banner they wave to gain support of their programs. They claim that the hungry of the world can be saved with Genetic Engineering of foods. A claim that so far has been unproven. Read further for just a few of the harmful effects of GE foods: • foods. • • unpredictable. It may therefore generate unexpected harmful substances in GE food. • detect such substances. • food. • and they are not required to carry labels. What GE foods are on the market? Applications for marketing a rapidly increasing number of GE foods are being submitted to governmental agencies. The numbers already on the market vary from country to country. NOTE: All these crops and plants and all the products derived from them may, in the worst case contain some unexpected, undetected harmful substance. The most common genetically engineered foods in the world are presently: • cooking without specification of its source). Soy is very common in processed foods, 12 bakery, meat products and pet food. Look out for the ingredients: is also common in that it comes from GE sources, as a large part of soy is genetically engineered today. Soy is also used as animal feed. If feed contains a harmful substance, it may appear in considerably higher concentrations in the meat than in the feed. • Flakes, corn oil, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch, corn meal corn-based foods. Any of these products derived from corn may, in the worst case, contain some unexpected and undetected harmful substance generated by genetic engineering. Corn is also used widely as animal feed. • "lean" butter substitutes. It is also used extensively in baking. In addition, the following GE vegetables, crops and plants have been approved for commercial use in the US by the end of 2005 (which was the latest update by January 10, 2007): • • • • • • • • • • • • In the United States, GE foods are now common on the market. Because labeling is not required in the US, it is difficult to avoid these foods in this country unless one only eats organically grown foods. Still think GE foods are safe? Probably not! Myth #4 is FALSE. 13 A or modified. Choose instead organic sources for the foods you eat wherever possible. Now you may be wondering if there are advantages to using artificial sweeteners that we see so often promoted. Are they safe? Do they really work to help you lose weight? Recent studies show the average American consumes over 50 pounds of artificial sweeteners per year, often in the form of snacks and sodas. Let’s take a look at the next myth: MYTH #5: ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT AND ARE SAFE. You have probably noticed that a lot of soft drinks are “diet.” But, what does that mean? Usually, these drinks contain sweeteners other than sugar. They are promoted in such a way that the marketing lures you into thinking that you will not gain weight. But will you? Maybe not. Let’s examine some of America’s favorite choices: SUGAR: diabetes, which will lead to heart disease, renal disease, peripheral vascular disease, diabetic retinitis (blindness), diabetic peripheral neuropathy and the list goes on and on. (Even so, next to aspartame, sugar looks almost attractive!) SUCRALOSE: chlorine is added to sugar! Ever spilled chlorine bleach on your skin? No wonder that research by the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center showed that years of sucralose use can lead to serious compromise of the immune system and neurological disorders. Research on Sucralose has found that it contributes to enlargement of the liver and kidneys, shrinking of the thymus gland (plays a role in immunity and disease fighting), atrophy of the lymph, decreased red blood cell count, decreased fetal body weights and diarrhea, just to name a few. This is not a healthy choice. SACCHARINE: saccharine as much of a cancer threat to humans. But face it, saccharine tastes like the chemical experiment it is. Enough said. XYLITOL: doesn't spike blood sugar. On the down side, it gives some folks the trots (loose bowels). 14 ASPARTAME: How safe is it? First, let’s look at how it got developed. It was first discovered as an ulcer drug, not a sweetener. That is right, you got it, an ULCER DRUG. A chemist named James Schlatter, working for G.D. Searle Company, was testing an ulcer drug and invented Aspartame. It was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for us in carbonated beverages in 1983. You may not have noticed this, but every diet drink you have consumed with Aspartame, you were giving yourself a dose of medication. Over the years, there has been lots of controversy over its safety, and the Monsanto Corporation bought G.D. Searle and made that company, and NutraSweet separate subsidiaries. There are over consumption. That’s right. Over 92 ! It defies logic as to how such a dangerous chemical can still be on the market. But it is. Aspartame dissolves into solution and can therefore travel throughout the body and deposit within any tissue. The body digests aspartame unlike saccharin, which does not break down within humans. The multitude of aspartame side effects is indicative to your genetic individuality and physical weaknesses. It is important to put two and two together, nonetheless, and identify which side effects aspartame is creating within you if you are consuming products that contain it. . According to FDA research, many reactions such as seizures and death have been disclosed. Here are a few of the 90 different and documented symptoms listed in a 1994 Department of Health and Human Services report: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, vision problems, rapid heart rate, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, vertigo, memory loss and joint pain. What forms does it take? You may not realize this, but it has many aliases: it is found as NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. Check the following products that you may be purchasing - these have Aspartame too: - instant breakfasts - breath mints - cereals - sugar-free chewing gum - cocoa mixes - coffee beverages - frozen desserts - gelatin desserts 15 - juice beverages - laxatives - multivitamins - milk drinks - pharmaceuticals and supplements- shake mixes - soft drinks - tabletop sweeteners - tea beverages - instant teas and coffees - topping mixes - wine coolers - yogurt Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods. Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the US Food and Drug annually. Yet it is still on the market. Even if you were to risk the side effects for its calorie-free weight loss claims, is now showing that aspartame can actually contribute to obesity. That’s right. Consuming it can cause you to gain weight. One of its ingredients, the amino acid phenylalanine, actually blocks serotonin, (an important neuro transmitter chemical the brain needs) Serotonin has a role in controlling cravings. The effect on your body may be that you now crave the high-carbohydrate, processed foods that sabotage your intention to eat healthier foods. Another factor often overlooked is the action of Cortisol in the body. You may be wondering what the relationship is to diets and production of this hormone. Well, according to research done by Stephen Talbott, PH.D. and author of “ during periods of chronic stress, such as sodas and drinks, the rising cortisol levels (due to stress) signal the fat cells of the body to store as much fat as possible. And, Cortisol signals fat cells to hold onto their stores of fat for as long as possible, and not release it. Wow. Does that mean that if I am dieting and under stress, that my body will prevent me from losing weight? Yes, most definitely. STEVIA - The Healthy Sweetener: An extraordinarily sweet herb, Stevia is 200 - 300 times sweeter than sugar - and yet, it's also You may not know that Stevia is a member of the chrysanthemum family (closely related to chamomile and tarragon). It has been used for centuries by the Indians of South America (where it grows) and in Japan for the past 30 years. When looking for stevia in your health food store, you will find it in the supplement section because stevia has not 16 been approved by the FDA as a sweetener. It has been approved as a dietary supplement, however. Stevia has been tested in human and animal studies around the world with no negative side effects. Ironically, over 10,000 aspartame complaints have been filed with the FDA, yet it is still on the market. Go figure. In summary, you may now want to know what other artificial sweeteners you can safely use. My recommendation is NOT to use any chemical sweeteners at all, but merely use natural sugars or Stevia. The reason I advocate avoiding all artificial sweeteners and substitutes is that they have NO food value, trick the body into thinking it is eating something sweet, and they have by-products of harmful toxic side effects. Most also have the added negative of preventing your body from losing weight even though they claim to support weight loss. And, speaking about diets for a moment, I implore you not to ride the diet “Roller Coaster”. Why? Because it really doesn't matter what type of diet you try, any short-term diet for weight loss inevitably leads to weight gain. Whether it's the Atkins diet, the Zone diet, the Beverly Hills diet or the Grapefruit diet, once you've lost the weight you were trying to lose, you'll stop the "diet" and go right back to eating the way you used to that made you gain the weight and guess what happens? You gain back all the weight you lost along with a few more "insurance pounds". The next diet, of course, produces the same result and hence the yo-yo diet syndrome. This is one of the quickest ways to gain weight. Rather than dieting, we need to permanently change our eating habits and behavior. In addition, modern medicine has led us to the “take a pill or cut it out mentality” for almost every health symptom. We need to realize that the body is the miracle, and it has the best pharmacy known to man. What we need to do is feed it the right ingredients, and replenish it with nutrition and learn how to cleanse to remove impurities. Therefore, MYTH # 5 IS FALSE. The containing ASPARTAME and instead of dieting, we CAN LOSE WEIGHT, by cleansing and replenishing the body with the nutrients it needs to repair damage and build healthy cells So the next question I often get asked is can my family doctor advise me on matters of nutrition and health? Well, that leads us to, you guessed it: MYTH #6: MD’S ARE FULLY TRAINED AND KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT NUTRITION AND HOW TO PRESCRIBE IT TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH. 17 Let’s explore this subject for a moment, shall we? First, I want to fully state that medical care in this country is one of the top-ranked in the world. We have Mayo Clinic, Stanford Medical Center, and John’s Hopkins, just to name a few. I am certainly in support of our medical system and Doctors who serve us in emergency rooms and save many lives. In fact many of the world’s top physicians work and live in the U.S. You would think we would be in the top 10 of the world’s healthiest countries, wouldn’t you? So why does our country rank so low? Where is the U.S. you may ask? Well, we are just ahead of Slovenia. Slovenia? You ask. Yes. Here is the ranking based on the World Health Organization’s report of 2007: 1 France 2 Italy 3 San Marino 4 Andorra 5 Malta 6 Singapore 7 Spain 8 Oman 9 Austria 10 Japan 11 Norway 12 Portugal 13 Monaco 14 Greece 15 Iceland 16 Luxembourg 17 Netherlands 18 United Kingdom 19 Ireland 20 Switzerland 21 Belgium 22 Colombia 23 Sweden 24 Cyprus 25 Germany 26 Saudi Arabia 27 United Arab Emirates 28 Israel 29 Morocco 30 Canada 31 Finland 32 Australia 33 Chile 34 Denmark 18 35 Dominica 36 Costa Rica 37 United States of America 38 Slovenia 39 Cuba 40 Brunei 41 New Zealand 42 Bahrain 43 Croatia 44 Qatar 45 Kuwait 46 Barbados 47 Thailand 48 Czech Republic 49 Malaysia 50 Poland Let’s take a look at the medical training our doctors get. Medical school requires over 4000 hours of classroom training in a variety of subjects – Pathology, Diagnosis, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Physiology, Anatomy, Biochemistry, Genetics, Public Health, Neurology, and many more. If you noticed, the subject of Nutrition isn’t listed. That is because they have approximately that to a year of study of Pharmacology courses. You heard right. Just 3 days, according to Dr. Becky Natrajan, MD. Put another way, it is only 25 hours out of 4000 hours of training. She also mentions in a CD she produced called “Pain Management for the Health Care Professional” that the medical students (while attending school) are frequently provided 5 star restaurant dinners and plied to attend them as a way for the pharmaceutical representatives to establish a future relationship when the young MD’s when they graduate and enter private practice. Of course, these dinners are sponsored and paid for by (you guessed it) Big Pharma – the drug companies. These starving students (no pun intended) get the royal treatment and later, in private practice, depend on these pharmaceutical reps to inform them on the latest drugs Big Pharma has created, and the FDA has approved. Naturally, when the reps call on these doctors at their offices, some may feel obligated to listen and of course, prescribe. (Remember all those nice 5 star dinners we bought you) This may shock you, but what goes on in the name of health care in our country (or rather Disease Care, as I prefer to call it) is ludicrous. Their definition of wellness is “managing” the patient on 4-8 different drugs so that the person can maintain some semblance of health. That is right; the average person over 50 is usually on a multitude of drugs. Recent statistics of Seniors admitted to hospitals revealed that each was on an average of 9 different medications! These were for management of many disorders, including High Blood Pressure, Insomnia, Digestive Disorders, Depression, High Cholesterol, restless leg syndrome and many more. This is wellness care in America, and look at how we are ranked. Just barely ahead of CUBA! Something is wrong with this picture? Don’t you agree? 19 Can we rely on our Medical System to provide us good nutritional advice? Probably not. The doctors have learned well how to prescribe drugs – not nutrition. Is there perhaps a conflict of interest between nutrition and Big Pharma? If you answered yes, then you are right. In fact, just for the record, it is a basic law that only a drug can claim to cure or relieve the effects of any health disorder or disease. Any nutritional supplement or health food cannot make such claims. I guess you can’t tell people that eating oranges (Vitamin C) will prevent Scurvy. If you did, you would be violating the law. In fact, the odd thing is, that before you attempt any diet or exercise program, you are strongly advised to consult your primary care physician first. In most cases, there are strict policies and guidelines that require it. Again, I repeat that the body is the miracle, and that disease can be precipitated by poor diet, lack of nutrition and a host of other factors – many of which we can control to our advantage. So, what is the answer to our question about myth #6? MYTH #6 IS FALSE. The W physicians. In fact, the best way to approach them is to tell them that you have studied the nutritional and cleansing program you would like to use, and request that your doctor monitor you on it. A good physician will honor your request. Now we need to examine the final myth, and this one I have saved for last because it is the most important of all. It is also the most controversial. MYTH #7 FAD DIETS ARE HEALTHY WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH AND LOSE WEIGHT. Let’s begin by studying a major health problem in America. The problem of Obesity. The United States is in a true health crisis. We are more overweight than ever before, and this has brought about more sickness than ever before. The Journal of American Medical Association reports that obesity, poor physical activity and resultant associated illnesses are overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death. In the year 2000, obesity and inactivity caused 400,000 deaths – more than 16% of all deaths that year. Tobacco related deaths were 18.1%. That same year, obesity cost America over 117 billion dollars. So America often turns to fad diets. But experts warn us that these have a yo-yo effect on your body. They are truly not the answer for long-term health or weight management. Most of these quick fix plans do not address internal health or nutritional replenishment. Furthermore, fad diets place stress on your body and earlier you will recall that increased stress produces more cortisol by the body, which results in more fat storage, than fat breakdown? Remember? Most fad diets leave you with continued cravings and don’t 20 enforce good eating habits. None address cleansing the body. They primarily focus on weight loss that is nutritionally restrictive. When you compare cleansing and replenishing, you see the differences. Would you want to give your body more nutrient-rich protein, carbohydrates, fats and minerals? Of course. Can this lead to weight management stability? Yes. This is really the long term lifestyle approach for the best internal health. Imagine your body flooded with high grade nutrients that fuel the body. Impurities are removed so you can focus on quality of life and longevity with more energy. With a unique tool – nutritional cleansing – the to can train your body to do this. How long would that take? Not long, really. According to Dr. Becky Natrajan, 90 days is a very reasonable amount of time to help the body begin to address any chronic imbalances that may have been harming vital organs and cells. During this period of time, you will experience behavior modifications that steer you to better food choices and decreased cravings for junk foods. In 90 days, your mental clarity will improve and energy levels can soar. In 90 days, you will notice that high grade nutrients and the cleanse process will help you decrease the effects of aging. During the 90 days, you digestive tract will improve in function and it will absorb nutrients better. A healthier liver will utilize nutrients more efficiently and manufacture healthy brain chemicals to facilitate better brain chemistry and improve mood. Imagine, you are just 90 days away from a lifetime of energy, weight management, better sleep patterns, and overall improved clarity. Imagine 90 days that can change your life forever! Instead of targeting weight loss, my advice is to focus on achieving overall internal health and balancing the body. As you have learned already, wellness does involve a change in lifestyle. And, true long term weight loss is achievable if you practice fueling the body with the right nutrients, get plenty of water, and engage in daily physical activity. And, most importantly, aid your body to cleanse impurities that have been accumulated from the pesticides, herbicides, petrochemicals, heavy metals, food additives, synthetic drugs and many other toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis. Sometimes we cannot avoid all the harmful chemicals our body is exposed to daily. That is why periodic cleansing makes perfect sense. We truly live in a very toxic world – sometimes referred to as a toxic waste dump. We have filters to clean our air. We have filters to clean our spas and pools. We have filters to clean our furnace. The question is, what are you doing about your internal filters? That is what cleansing will address – releasing stored waste from the liver, the lymphatic system, the intestinal tract, and the body’s cells. And here are some of the benefits of cleansing: Strengthen The Immune System Healthier Liver supports metabolism and burns fat Support Healthy Brain Chemistry Restore Antioxidants in the body Reduce Stress Improve absorption of Essential Nutrients 21 Aid Digestion Have Healthier Cells with Ionic Minerals Have better Support of Organs Feel Better and Lose Weight Eliminate Unhealthy Cravings Build Muscle Restore Normal Sugar Levels Have more beautiful skin Have more energy Slow down aging effects Have more Balanced Hormones Have Increased desire to Exercise Click on This short 6 minute video will amaze you! And finally, what if I told you that all the above would cost you less than $5 per day, and replace between 30 and over 60 meals per month, depending on which program you choose. The system I am describing to you can do that. Most people spend about $5 per meal and when you eat at a fast food restaurant, it can add up to much more. Consider a healthy lifestyle that you can choose and simply transfer the $5 you already spend for a healthier choice. It can be that simple. So are fad diets the way to go? Not in my opinion. I say Myth #7 is FALSE! A system of gentle nutritional cleansing of the liver, intestines, lymphatic’s and other cells of the body while replenishing the body with essential nutrition so that normal weight can be attained and maintained. In summary, then, a organically if possible, with minimal or no pesticides, so that the nutrients they provide can be assimilated by our body. We need to consume a minimum of 50% of our body weight in ounces of fresh and pure water daily. We need to avoid irradiated and genetically altered foods. We should use Stevia instead of those artificial sweeteners which are so plentiful in the foods we buy today. And finally, we should strive to keep our weight in a normal range and BMI (Body Mass Index) while avoiding the fad diets and diet pills that are advertised so often and use nutritional cleansing as a tool to stay healthy and remove impurities.. The wellness lifestyle can be achieved but it does take some effort. The system I mentioned above can make your journey easier to attain and maintain. In conclusion, I want to acknowledge you for reading and confronting what I have researched and written here. Having this knowledge is important. What is more important is what you now do with that knowledge. You now have more responsibility to take better care of yourself. If, in reading these myths, your viewpoint has been changed, then I have accomplished my goal. I urge you, however, to take the next step. Visit 22 http://wellnesssolutionsnow.com and contact me. I will help you begin that journey. You will be glad you did. Also, please feel free to copy or send this eBook to friends and family. All I ask is that you not alter the content. © 2007 Disclaimer: Any advice regarding wellness solutions is not a substitute for seeking medical attention, and is not intended to diagnose, cure, or treat any disease. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider 23 with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health program.
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