10 Foods for an Einstein Brain

To boost your mental power and speed up your memory recall, include these foods in your diet:

1. Eggs Eggs contain choline which is essential for boosting memory. They are also an important source of cholesterol which is the building block of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain so having very low cholesterol can be just as damaging as high cholesterol. You only obtain 20% cholesterol from your diet so 2 eggs a day for 5 days won't raise your cholesterol that much. Buy organic, not just free range! Best eaten with a runny yolk either boiled or poached - yum!

2. Bananas Our brains need potassium to help keep them alert, B vitamins to nourish the nerves and magnesium to keep us calm and relaxed. The perfect post-workout snack or try a banana smoothie for a fast nutritious breakfast.

3. Walnuts Full of Omega 3 oils for brain and nervous system development - just take a look at a whole walnut kernel - remind you of something...

4. Blueberries We've all heard how blueberries are antioxidant superfoods, rich in flavonoids, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and macular degeneration. However, new research at the Harvard Medical School found that those who ate blueberries experienced slower cognitive decline by up to 2.5 years.

5. Oily Fish Oily fish like sardines, salmon, mackerel contain Omega 3 oils and good quality protein which are both essential for brain development and function. Unfortunately our seas are so polluted nowadays that it is essential to source smaller fish to avoid heavy metal accumulation such as mercury. Avoid larger fish: tuna, swordfish, flake (shark), marlin, catfish, orange roughy (deep sea perch). 

6. Coconut The common myth that coconut oil is bad for you has been widely dispelled by current research advocating the numerous health benefits of coconuts. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids which are heat-resistant so it is the safest oil for cooking as it doesn't turn into harmful hydrogenated fat that elicit damaging free radicals that attack brain and body cells.

7. Avocado Good oils like vitamin E and Omega 3 oils make this creamy fruit a delicious addition to any salad or smoothie - antioxidant and nourishing for brains all round!

8. Spinach Popeye may have looked all muscle but he obviously had some brains too. Spinach is rich in iron to improve energy and concentration levels as well as antioxidants to prevent ageing of the brain.

9. Almonds New research has found 30gm daily of raw nuts including almonds boosts serotonin levels, making you feel happier and decreasing hunger. Source: Journal of Proteome Research

10. Water A lack of water is the number 1 trigger for fatigue with a mere 2% drop in body water triggering fuzzy short-term memory problems, trouble with basic mathematics and difficulty focusing on the computer screen. Keep a jug of water on your desk or carry a bottle with you - the Elixir of Life!

Artificial Sweeteners And Weight Gain

In the 1980s, the San Antonio Heart Study examined consumers of artificially sweetened drinks who gained about 8kg/year and had greater rises in the body mass index than the controls. The weight gain correlated with dosage.
Artificial sweeteners, as they are 200 times sweeter than normal sugar, encourage sugar craving and sugar dependence. Repeated exposure trains flavour preferences.

Add Fizz to Your Forehand

In a new study, tennis players were given bicarbonate soda and another group a placebo. The bicarb group showed no loss of skill level whereas the placebo group experienced significant skill losses. It all comes down to the alkalizing effect of the bicarb, which counteracts the muscle tiring that comes from the buildup of lactic acid when you exercise. However, long-term excessive bicarb soda intake can cause problems for your blood pressure and stomach. If you want to alkalise your body in a sustainable way, eat plenty of vegetables, especially greens.

Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Fructose Fuels Gout

Gout is caused by excess uric acid levels in your body forming needle-like crystals that deposit in your feet, causing pain and potential immobility. Over the past three decades there has been a 250 per cent increase in the rates of gout, which has been linked to an increased consumption of fructose-rich drinks such as soft drinks and orange juice. Women who had one 180mL serving of soft drink per day were 74 per cent more likely to develop gout than women who consumed one per month or less. Women who had 180mL of orange juice per day were 41 per cent more likely to develop gout.

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

BEET for BRAINS

A new study showed that after having beetroot juice there was an increase in blood flow to white matter in the frontal lobes of the brains. These are the areas of the brain associated with dementia and loss of other mental functions. The reason beetroot juice has this effect is its high nitrate content. In your mouth, good bacteria convert nitrate to nitrite and nitrites help open up blood vessels in your body.

Source: Nitric Oxide: Biology and Biochemistry

The "Sleep Mistake" Which Boosts Your Risk of Cancer

There’s growing concern among experts that the proliferation of glowing gadgets like computers may fool your brain into thinking that it’s still daytime after the sun has gone down, which can disturb sleep patterns and exacerbate insomnia.

Such concerns are not new – Thomas Edison may have created these problems when he invented the light bulb. But the problem has grown worse thanks to the popularity of Apple’s new slate computer, the iPad.

Many consumers use and iPad to read at night, and paper books or e-book readers like the Amazon Kindle, which does not emit its own light, the iPad’s screen shines light directly into your eyes from a relatively close distance.

According to CNN: “What makes the iPad & laptops more likely to disrupt sleep patterns than, say, a television sitting across the bedroom or a lamp that illuminates a paper book, is that these shoot far less light straight into the eye, researchers said.”

When light receptors in your eyes are triggered, they signal your brain to ‘stay awake’. To do that, your brain stops secreting melatonin, which is both a hormone and a potent antioxidant against cancer.

Normally, your brain starts secreting melatonin around 9 or 10 pm, which makes you sleepy. These regularly occurring secretions thus help regulate your sleep cycle. However, if you regularly trick your brain into altering this cycle, sleep disturbances are not far behind. It can even create a state of permanent “jet leg”.

Alcohol conscious choices tips

• There are big differences in the types of alcohol you consume. For example, a cocktail can often contain between 2-5 standard drinks. A healthier option is to monitor and limit your amount of standard drinks throughout an event.
• It is not just the alcohol but also what you mix with it. A humble cocktail can often contain between 68-340 calories per drink just for the alcohol. Now imagine if it contained lemonade, cream and other goodies…
• Hydrate, hydrate and then hydrate some more. Hydration is calculated based on a person’s weight—i.e. 30ml per kg body weight. Then, additional re-hydration is required for every glass of coffee, tea, alcohol or soft drink drunk. When you add this all together some time people need to drink as much as 3.5L per day. The old rule of one alcoholic drink followed by a glass of water in between is a good general recommendation. Remember—most hangovers are often simply caused by dehydration.
• Replenish what is lost. Alcohol depletes our reserves of key vitamins and minerals. The most important group that are lost are B vitamins. A quick tip is to take a B complex before you head out and then an additional one during the night. It reduces the incidence of hangovers markedly, provides valuable nutrients for your liver so it can process the alcohol and keeps your mood (and your wits) positive so helps you have a better night. Food sources are tricky as the alcohol is likely to destroy them through digestion so supplementation is the most realistic.
• Protect your liver. Another important prescription is the wonderful herbal medicine called St Mary's Thistle (Silybum marianum). Taking this herb before the big night can make a huge impact on your recovery and your enjoyment of the evening - well worth investing! Additionally, it helps to protect our liver in the long term so reduces long term effects and damage.
• It's too late, the big night is over already...The best approach is to hydrate with pure water and obviously be gentle with your body. Expecting it to run a marathon is simply stupid; expecting your poor and overworked liver to process a 'fry up' is also a bad idea.
• Extract taken from The Food Coach Newsletter: www.thefoodcoach.com.au
  

Green Smoothies

You’ve heard the saying “eat your leafy greens”? Well, here they are, all blended up and ready to drink in a glass.

To create a green smoothie I use as a green base, spinach, parsley, mint and basil. It’s important to rotate the green base, so sometimes I use carrot tops, bok choy, beetroot leaves, purple leaf lettuce, broccoli, spinach, chard, or kale. Then for flavor to make it palatable I add what ever fruits I have in the house – apples, pineapple, banana, lime, watermelon, coconut, rockmelon, avocado etc. Then finally to liquify it you need to add 2 glasses of water. One important thing you need is a very powerful blender. Not all blenders have a high enough rev count to break this down into a drink.

Leafy greens are full of minerals and nutrients like folic acid, niacin, vit A, B, C, D, E & K. They are high in calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc & selenium.

By blending the greens and not juicing them we are ingesting high levels of fibre. This fibre acts as a giant sponge, soaking up lots of toxins in the alimentary canal, cleansing the body.

The green smoothie is very alkalising for the body. Acidity has been found to contribute to the development of cancers and many other serious ailments. It’s been proven that leafy greens have very high pH levels, which is essential for a balanced alkalised body.

Extract taken from: Effortless Meditation Newsletter www.effortlessmeditation.com.au

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has had many significant supporters. In 400 BC Hippocrates was known to use it as a health tonic. American soldiers were said to have found it useful in combating scurvy, indigestion and pneumonia.

Since then numerous studies have been done on apple cider vinegar with suggested cures for indigestion allergies, sinus infections, acne, high cholesterol, flu, chronic fatigue, candida, acid reflux, sore throats, contact dermatitis, arthritis, and gout. Apple Cider Vinegar also breaks down fat and is widely used to lose weight. It has also been reported that a daily dose of apple cider vinegar in water has high blood pressure under control in two weeks!

Apple cider vinegar also alkalises your body and balances your pH levels. Drink 1tsp-1tb in a glass of water before your meal or use it on salads as a dressing. Use organic unfiltered apple cider vinegars.

Extract taken from Effortless Meditation Newsletter: www.effortlessmeditation.com.au

Tai Chi Lowered Blood Pressure in 85 % of Trials

The 2,000-year-old Chinese practice of tai chi is a branch of Qigong – exercises that harness the qi (life energy).

Tai chi has been linked to numerous health benefits, including improvements in the quality of life of breast cancer patients and Parkinson’s sufferers. It has shown promise in treating sleep problems and high blood pressure.

According to U.S. News & World Report:

“…In 85 % of trials, tai chi lowered blood pressure. Other studies have shown it to reduce blood levels of B-type natriuretic peptide, a precursor of heart failure, and to maintain bone density in postmenopausal women.”

Eating Healthy on a Tight Budget

One of the greatest misconceptions out there is that processed, pre-packaged foods are less expensive that raw, whole foods. But more often than not this is simply not true.

Cooking from scratch is usually far more cost effective in the long run, particularly if you stop throwing away the left-overs.

A 2008 report authored by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Water Management Institute found that half of the food produced worldwide is wasted!

To prevent unnecessary waste:

• Plan ahead. If you plan your meals in advance, you can buy only what you need at the store.
• Buy proper portions.
• Learn to store your food so that it stays fresh.
• Learn recipes for tasty leftover meals.

The British website Love Food Hate Waste can help you calculate portions, and provides a variety of time- and money-saving tips, recipes, and much more.

Aside from the actual sticker price of the food, cooking from scratch using fresh, whole (preferably organic) ingredients will provide you with far superior nutrition, rather than empty calories.

Keep in mind that the money you think you’re saving today by stocking up on cheap, denatured, processed foods will end up costing an arm and a leg later on, when your health fails and the medical bills start rolling in…

The Amazing Ant-Aging Discovery

You may be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple change of diet that switches on your “youth” gene.

Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into aging, has discovered that carbohydrates directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.

She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.

As the Daily Mail reports, research confirms that insulin-like growth factor is intricately linked to various cancers, and that “raised insulin levels, triggered by high carbohydrate-consumption, could be what connects many of our big killers.”

Your diet can over-ride genetic predispositions to disease, and this research further strengthens those claims, as the two key genes in question can be turned on or off as a consequence of eating carbohydrates.

This results from two primary conditions:

1. Excessive amounts of sugar/grains and processed foods, combined with
   
2. Insufficient exercise

Source: http://articles.mercola.com

Finally, Proof that Cancer is a Man-Made Disease

A study of ancient bodies has determined that cancer is a man-made disease, one fueled by the excesses. Tumors turn out to be extremely rare until very recent times, when pollution and poor diet became issues.

Despite examining tissue from hundreds of Egyptian mummies, researchers confirmed only one case of cancer.

According to the Daily Mail:

“Dismissing the argument that the ancient Egyptians didn’t live long enough to develop cancer, the researchers pointed out that other age-related disease such as hardening of the arteries and brittle bones did occur…

Fossil evidence of cancer is also sparse, with scientific literature providing a few dozen, mostly disputed, examples in animal fossil.”

According to the latest statistics compiled by the American Heart Association, cancer surpasses heart disease as the top killer among Americans between the ages of 45 to 74. Environmental/lifestyle factors are increasingly being pinpointed as the culprits, such as:

• Pesticide- and other chemical exposures
• Pharmaceutical drugs
• Processed & artificial foods (plus the chemicals in the packaging)
• Wireless technologies, dirty electricity, and medical diagnostic radiation exposure
• Obesity, stress, and poor sleeping habits
• Lack of sunshine exposure and use of sunscreens

This is not an all-inclusive list, of course, but as the research into the health of our ancient ancestors shows, cancer is not a “natural” disease, and genetics are not a primary factor.

Source: Daily Mail (October 15, 2010), Cancer (September 1977; 40(3): 1358-1362)

New Warnings About the Hazards of Mobile Phones

Holding a cell phone against your ear, or putting it in your pocket, may be hazardous to your health. Apple says your iPhone should come no closer than 5/8 of an inch; BlackBerry recommends about an inch.

The longest study of mobile phone radiation has just been completed. It cost more than $30 million (funded in part by the mobile phone industry) to carry out, and involved nearly 50 scientists from 13 countries, along with more than 14,000 people.

Statistics show that, over all, there has not been a general increase in the incidence of brain cancer since cell phones arrived – but the average hides that fact that brain cancer has increased in the 20-to-29 age group while dropping for the older population.

According to the New York Times:

“The largest study of cell phone use and brain cancer has been the Interphone International Case Control Study… The authors included some disturbing data in an appendix available only online. These showed that subjects who used a cell phone 10 or more years doubled the risk of developing brain gliomas, a type of tumor.”

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal investigates various methods of cutting down the radiation your mobile phone produces. However, they say the most effective one may be the simplest – keep the phone away from your head and body.

Source: New York Times (November 13, 2010), Wall Street Journal (October 5, 2010)

Olive Oil During Pregnancy Reduces Wheezing

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and using olive oil for cooking/dressing salads during pregnancy were both significantly associated with less wheezing during the first year of the infant's life.
Other factors remained associated with wheezing: male gender, day care attendance, maternal asthma, maternal smoking during pregnancy, infant eczema and mould stains on the household walls.
Source: Castro-Rodriguez JA, Garcia-Marcos L, Sanchez-Solis M et al. Pediatr Pulmonol 2010; 45(4): 395-402

Midlife High Blood Pressure & Dementia Later in Life

Analysis suggests that 17 % of late-life dementia cases are attributable to midlife systolic blood pressure levels between 120 and 140 mm Hg.
Source: Launer LJ, Hughes T, Yu B et al. Hypertension 2010; 55(6): 1352-1359

10 Organic Foods That Are Worth the Money

1. Peaches/Nectarines: very highly sprayed due to problems with fruit flies, mould, etc.

2. Apples: more pesticides are found on apples than are found on any other fruit or vegetable – a grand total of 36

3. Capsicum/Sweet Bell Pepper: 3^rd on list of pesticide load after peaches & apples

4. Celery: 4^th on list for pesticide load & cannot be washed off very well

5. Baby Foods: an infant’s immune system is less developed than an adult’s so is more vulnerable to damage

6. Dairy: dairy cows eat grains that are heavily treated with chemicals as well as given antibiotics. These are passed into the milk and stored in the dairy fat.

7. Grapes: imported grapes get treated with numerous chemicals. Grapes are also, whether organic or not, especially high in fructose which elevates blood sugars rapidly

8. Spinach/Lettuce/Kale: the chemicals used to treat green leafies may cause cancer or interfere with hormone production

9. Strawberries

10. Green beans: there are over 60 pesticides that are registered for use on green beans

Source: Environmental Working Group

Stress Increases Mortality & Chronic Diseases

High cortisol level is known to be associated with osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, susceptibility to infections and depression but may protect against chronic obstructive lung disease.
Source: Schoorlemmer, RMM. Relationships between cortisol level, mortality and chronic diseases in older persons. Clinical Endocrinology. Volume 71, Issue 6, pages 779-786, December 2009

A Simple, Inexpensive Trick to Cure a Cold

The most common way cold viruses are spread is not from being around coughing or sneezing, or walking barefoot in the rain, but rather from hand-to-hand contact. For instance, someone with a cold blows their nose then shakes your hand or touches surfaces that you also touch.
However, the key to remember is that just being exposed to a cold virus does not have to mean that you'll catch a cold. If your immune system is operating at its peak, it should actually be quite easy for you to fend off the virus without ever getting sick.
Common contributing factors are:

• eating too much sugar and too much white flour products
  
• not getting enough rest
• using insufficient strategies to address emotional stressors in your life
• Vitamins D & C deficiency

Myself and my clients have had remarkable results in curing colds and flu within 12 to 14 hours when administering a few drops of 3 % hydrogen peroxide into each ear. Your will hear some bubbling, which is completely normal, but no pain.
Wait until the bubbling subsides (usually 3-5 minutes), then drain onto a tissue and repeat with the other ear. A bottle of hydrogen peroxide in 3% solution is available at any chemist for a couple of dollars or less. It is simply amazing how many people respond to this simple, inexpensive treatment.

Early Childhood Television Exposure

A study in Canada studied 5-month-old infants and their families with follow-up at 17, 29, 41 and 53 months, to estimate the influence of early childhood television exposure on academic, psychological & lifestyle characteristics in grade 4 (10 years of age).

Every additional hour of television exposure at 29 months corresponded to:

• 7 % & 6 % decreases in classroom engagement & achievement in mathematics
• 10 % increases in victimization by classmates
• 13 % decreases in time spent doing weekend physical activity
• 9 % decreases in activities involving physical effort
• Higher consumption of soft drinks & snacks

Hepatitis B Vaccination For Your Baby's Health

3 Hepatitis B Vaccinations are part of the standard government-recommended childhood vaccination schedule, with the first dose given at 12 hours of age in most hospitals.

But Hepatitis B is a primarily blood-transmitted disease associated with risky lifestyle choices such as unprotected sex with multiple partners & intravenous drug use involving sharing needles – it is NOT primarily a “children’s disease.”

As Dr. Jane Orient of the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons testified to Congress:

“For most children, the risk of a serious vaccine reaction may be 100 times greater than the risk of hepatitis B.”

There are more reports of serious adverse reactions in children than there are cases of childhood hepatitis B and, despite what you may hear in the media, reactions can be serious.

In 2008, French authorities launched a criminal investigation of two vaccine company managers (from GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur) for failing to disclose dangerous side effects of their Hepatitis B vaccines.

According to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System in USA, there were 36,788 officially reported adverse reactions to Hepatitis B vaccines between 1992 and 2005. Of these, 14,800 were serious enough to cause hospitalization, life-threatening health events or permanent disabilities.

And 781 people died following Hepatitis B vaccination.

According to a study in the UK, Hepatitis B vaccines may increase risks for developing multiple sclerosis 3x.

In New Zealand, the incidence of type 1 Diabetes rose by 60 % among children following a mass Hepatitis B immunization campaign.

A study published in Annals of Epidemiology (Sep 2009) found that giving Hepatitis B vaccine to infant boys increased the risk for an autism spectrum disorder 3x.

In the journal Neurology (2009), another study revealed that children who received a particular Hepatitis B vaccine were more likely to develop “central nervous system inflammatory demyelination” than children who did not receive the vaccine.

Pet Chip Implicated in Cancer

Pharmaceutical giant Merck is being sued over claims that its HomeAgain pet microchip caused cancer in a cat. Two years after the chip was implanted, the cat developed a cancerous tumor at the implant site. The tumor was removed surgically, and the microchip was found embedded in the tumor.

In 2007, Dr. Katherine Albrecht released an in-depth analysis of animal studies involving microchip implants & found a “clear causal link between microchip implants & cancer in mice & rats,” as well as an association with cancer in dogs.

The reason why this is an important issue is that many predict there will be a massive push by government authorities to microchip humans. Not only will this be a mistake for privacy reasons, but it appears that there are also serious health consequences.

Fortunately, our pets are serving as canaries for this health challenge & providing us with an early warning alert as to what would happen if we choose to get these microchips.

Multivitamin & Lower Heart Attack Risk in Women

An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Sept, 2010) reports an association between multivitamin use and a reduced risk of myocardial infarction in older women.

Using a multivitamin along with other supplements was associated with a 30 % lower risk and use for at least five years was linked to a 41 % lower risk of myocardial infarction compared to nonusers.

They attribute the vitamins’ protective benefit to their antioxidant properties, which retard atherosclerosis via free radical scavenging, and the ability of B vitamins to lower homocysteine levels. Minerals, e.g. Magnesium, inhibit insulin resistance, decrease vascular tone and prevent pro-inflammatory changes & endothelial dysfunction.

Women Are Dying From Hormone Therapy: Why Is It Still Available & Recommended?

Big Pharma is still pushing its hormone therapy for women, despite the fact that it increases women’s risk of cancer and other health problems.

Pharma’s lucrative estrogen plus progestin combo is already known to increase the chance of getting breast cancer by 26 %. But an article in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows hormone therapy also increases the chance of dying from breast cancer, as follow ups are conducted on women who took it.

In fact hormone therapy, already indicted for causing delays in breast cancer diagnosis by increasing breast density (& increasing lung cancer deaths) is now so dangerous that Peter B. Bach of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, who wrote an accompanying JAMA editorial, told the New York Times that even the recommendation to take “the lowest possible doses for the shortest possible time” is now questionable. Perhaps like prescribing the fewest and lowest tar cigarettes as possible.

Hormone therapy is also linked to asthma, lupus, scleroderma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, urinary incontinence, hearing loss, cataracts, gout, joint degeneration, dementia, stroke, blood clots, malignant melanoma, & 5 other kinds of cancer according to medical journal reports.

Given over 5,000 lawsuits in USA brought by women with hormone therapy-caused breast cancer, why is it still on the market? Why is it being tested (with tax dollars) to extend the franchise into a new generation of women? And why is it still presented to women as a “choice”? As in We Warned You.

Bee Pollen Superfood

Bee Pollen is a power-packed Superfood providing high levels of energy and stamina. It contains vitamin A, B, C, and E, calcium, magnesium, iron & potassium, to name a few of its minerals. It contains up to four times as much protein as beef and eggs per 100 grams. Its most outstanding benefits include more stamina, energy and endurance, and over time, regular consumption of bee pollen will help alleviate many different health problems, slow down ageing and improve your quality of life.

You can take these granules as they are on a spoon, sprinkle them in salads or add them to smoothies

The Worst Cooking Oils of All

Polyunsaturated fats are the absolute WORST oils to use when cooking because these omega-6-rich oils are highly susceptible to heat damage.

• Corn
• Soy
• Safflower
• Sunflower
• Canola

Damaged omega-6 fats or trans-fats are disastrous to your health, and are responsible for far more health problems than saturated fats ever were by clogging your arteries & raising LDL cholesterol.

This is formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening.

There is no safe level of trans-fat consumption. Use pure virgin coconut oil for cooking which is stable at high temperature.

New Warning About Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is a good monounsaturated fat that is also well-known for its health benefits. It’s a staple in healthy diets such as Mediterranean-style diets.

However, it’s important to realize it is not good for cooking. It should really only be used cold, typically drizzled on salads and other food.

Due to its chemical structure and a large amount of unsaturated fats, cooking makes extra-virgin olive oil very susceptible to oxidative damage. Even when used cold, it’s still extremely perishable! Any time the oil is exposed to air and/or light, it oxides.

Consuming spoiled oil (of any kind) will likely do more harm than good.

To help protect extra virgin olive oil from oxidation, squeeze capsule of vitamin E oil into the bottle.

Kellogg's Froot Loops

This cereal contains 23 ingredients including:

Butylated hydroxytoluene: A common food preservative, BHT is also used as an antioxidant additive in jet fuel, rubber & electrical transformer oil. There has been some controversy surrounding its use in foods and it is prohibited as a food additive in Britain. The US Food and Drug Administration has stated that there needs to be further research into the possibility that BHT could react with other ingested substances and become toxic.

Red No. 40: Allura red, a popular colouring agent, is not just used in foods but also in cosmetics & drugs. Artificial colours have been widely blamed for causing hyperactivity in children. Last year, Britain banned Allura red and five other food colours.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Oct 30-31, 2010, p. 24)

Dangers of Commercial Sunscreen and How To Protect Ourselves Naturally

Organizations like The Environmental Working Group have identified the following common sunscreen ingredients as being potentially harmful to human health:

• Octocrylene
• PABA
• Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
• Benzophenone-3
• 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
• Homosalate

The vast majority of synthetic chemicals found in sunscreen lotions can potentially damage your skin by increasing the number of free radicals that are generated throughout the many layers of your skin & those substances then have the potential to damage the DNA in your cells, and if allowed to create ongoing damage, can contribute to the development of skin cancer.

Use clothing and a hat that provide protection against UV rays. Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors on extremely hot days and when the sun feels hottest - usually between 10am - 4 pm. Use a natural sunscreen that relies on natural physical (not chemical) blockers and other all-natural ingredients to protect your skin against sun damage. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Oxide are both mineral compounds that act as physical blockers that prevent UV-A & UV-B rays, but are not nano-fine enough to potentially get absorbed into your bloodstream.

GE Wheat in Australia - Coming To a Store Near You!

Australia is at risk of becoming the first country in the world to Allow GE wheat, creating a major threat to farmers, consumers and to Australia’s future food security.

Wheat is Australia’s most important crop, bringing $5 billion into our economy each year. Monsanto and other chemical companies failed to commercialize GE wheat in North America. Now they have a stranglehold over Australia’s wheat infrastructure.

In June and July this year, the federal government approved over 1,300 different types of GE wheat for trials across the country. If GE wheat is commercialized, farmers face legal and financial risks of cross-contamination, either in the field or in grain silos.

We know that GE plants operate differently in the field than they do in the lab, with unpredictable impacts on our environment. We also know GE consumption by animals is linked with allergic reactions, organ damage and reduced fertility. But the real problem is there has been no testing on humans. We are all in the dark about the safety of GE food.

Bill Clinton's Heart Disease & Weight Loss Diet

Bill Clinton recently made news headlines, not with his politics but with his shrunken waistline. On diet made up of beans, legumes, vegetables and fruit, he said he lost 24 pounds in time for his daughter Chelsea’s wedding. But he was most impressed in how his whole metabolism has changed. He understood his previous by-pass operations did not give him the security of his heart disease not returning.

Chelsea who allegedly had a wedding cake free of gluten & sugar must have inspired her father who used to love fast food (& was public about it) to make this change.

The doctors he referred to are Dr. Dean Ornish & Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.

Wholesome plant based diet and healthy lifestyle is a lot more effective, not just for reversing heart diseases, but most other chronic diseases. These doctors also said how this kind of diet promotes a better sex life which I am sure gets people’s attention! (Remember Morgan Spurlock from Supersize Me who became impotent half way through his McDonald’s experience?)

Source: www.integrative-living.com & www.edition.cnn.com

One of the Worst Parenting Mistakes You Can Make

No matter how physically active a child is, time spent in front of the computer or television screen is associated with psychological problems.

The study found that > 2 hours a day in front of a TV or computer was associated with more emotional and behavioral difficulties.

Source: Pediatrics (Oct 11, 2010)

Quinoa and Its Benefits for Health

Quinoa is a grain which has been cultivated for thousands of years in the mountains of the Andes. Its nutritional value is superior to the other grains. It protects cell membranes and it has positive results in brain neuronal functions in particular.

Source: Nutrition facts and functional potential of quinoa (Sept 2, 2010), Department of Food Engineering, Universidad de La Serena, Chile

“Folate-Fortified” Babies Are Less Hyperactive…

A study carried out over 10 years showed that low folate levels in early pregnancy were associated with a higher prevalence of behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and inattention in children and other peer problems.

Source: www.fondation-louisbonduelle.org

Monsanto Finally Reaping Its Just Desserts

Monsanto, the giant biotechnology agriculture company that created genetically modified corn, soybeans and herbicides, isn’t riding so high this year in the stocks department, as news comes in that its products aren’t working like they’d hoped.

According to the New York Times

• Monsanto’s newest genetically modified product, SmartStax corn, provides no greater yields than older products, despite being more expensive
• Weeds are growing resistant to Monsanto’s Roundup
• The Justice Department is investigating Monsanto for possible antitrust violations

Already, shares of Monsanto’s stock have fallen 42 % since January, and earnings for the fiscal year are expected to be well under projections.

This company represents one of the biggest threats to your future health, and that of the planet.

Canada Declares BPA Toxic

Last week, the government of Canada formally declared bisphenol A (BPA) to be a toxic substance. The USA & Australia still denies it.

This comes after Canada’s first national physical study on BPA revealed that 91 % of Canadians have the chemical in their bodies, with teenagers having the highest concentrations.

There are serious health risks from exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical BPA. As a result, there have been nationwide efforts to ban it from food and beverage containers as well as in children’s dental products.

Animal tests show that BPA, a plastics hardener that is also a synthetic oestrogen, can cause reproductive and behavioral abnormalities and lower intellectual ability, and sets the stage for cancers, obesity, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.

About Breakfast Psychology...

It seems that our own estimation of the calories we ingest can highly influence our mood and body-image satisfaction. In the study the cereal breakfast was perceived to be lower in calories and that it allowed the participants to be more satiated, happier, more relaxed and more satisfied about weight and body compared to the muffin breakfast. Moreover, fibre and micronutrient daily intakes were superior in women having the cereal breakfast.
Source: School of Natural Sciences & Psychology, UK, 13 Oct 2010

Heart Attack Risk Affected by Type of Carbohydrates

A Danish study showed that the risk of myocardial infarction was reduced by 22 % for a replacement of saturated fatty acids by low GI carbohydrates (most fresh fruit and green vegetables, legumes, cereals...) but increased by 33 % for a replacement by high GI carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, chips, crisps or baked potato, confectionery, chocolate bars, watermelon).
Source: Am J Clin Nutr, 2010, vol. 91, No 6, pp. 1764-1768

Magnesium Reduces Diabetes Risk

A new study out of the University of North Carolina found the people with the highest magnesium intake were 50 % less likely to develop diabetes.

The study also revealed that as magnesium intake increased, inflammation levels decreased, as did insulin resistance.
Source: Reuters, September 24, 2010
Diabetes Care, August 31, 2010

1/2 tsp of Cinnamon Daily Helps Diabetes & High Blood Pressure

A 12-week London study was recently conducted involving 58 type 2 diabetics with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels over 7 %. Hemoglobin A1c is a marker for long-term glycemic control in diabetics.

After 12 weeks on 2g of cinnamon per day, study subjects had significantly lower HbA1c levels, as well as significantly reduced blood pressures (systolic & diastolic).
Source: Diabetic Medicine: A Journal of the British Diabetic Association, October 2010

Genetically Modified Food in Baby Formula

Greenpeace testing has discovered untested GM, including DNA from antibiotic resistant genes, in leading brands of formula for infants in Australia.

The brands are S-26 Soy, made by the giant pharma company Pfizer and Karicare Food Thickener, marketed at babies with reflux.

Genetically modified products have never been proven safe for babies to eat. Neither of the infant food products that tested positive for GM carry a GM warning label. This means that parents are currently feeding their babies GM, including DNA from antibiotic resistant marker genes, without knowing it.

Fish Oil Prevents Breast Cancer

An article on www.foodconsumer.org reports that eating oily fish or taking fish oil supplements often may help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

The article cites a study published in the July 2010 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The study led by Brasky T.M. and colleagues from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, Washington, found that consumption of fish oil was correlated with a 32% reduced risk of breast cancer.

It is essential, however, that your fish oil is sourced only from the finest raw materials, that are screened for heavy metals, dioxins, PCBs, and contain therapeutic amounts of the active ingredients, EPA & DHA.

Risk of Fatal Bowel Problem With Rotavirus Vaccine

The Food and Drug Administration said preliminary results from a study in Mexico involving GlaxoSmithKline's Rotarix vaccine suggest an increased risk of a serious bowel problem that could be fatal.

The safety of Rotarix and RotaTeq, a similar vaccine made by Merck, have carefully been tracked by regulators since another vaccine by then drug-maker Wyeth was pulled off the market in 1999 after it was linked to an increased rate of intussusception. Intussusception is a twisting or obstruction of the intestine that can be fatal.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, September 22, 2010

Diabetes Drug Banned in Europe for Causing 83,000 Heart Attacks

Avandia, the Type 2 Diabetes drug, hit the market in 1999 and quickly became a blockbuster drug. By 2006 its annual revenue in USA was $3.2 billion. By 2009, sales had dropped to $1.2 billion following a damning study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2007, which linked Avandia to a 43% increased risk of heart attack and a 64% higher risk of cardiovascular death than patients treated with other methods.

A September 23, 2010 article in the NEJM announced that, finally, the US FDA has stepped forward and decided on regulatory action for Avandia, a diabetes drug that last year claimed 1,354 lives as a result of cardiac-associated problems in USA.

British regulators have ruled that GlaxoSmithKline’s diabetes drug Avandia could lead to heart attacks or strokes, and benefits no longer outweigh the risks and removed it from the market. However, it is still available in Australia!!

Evidence linking Avandia to an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke has been building since 2007, and GSK has agreed to pay $460 million in damages to settle about 10,000 lawsuits in USA linking its use to patients suffering serious medical setbacks.

The drug in question here, rosiglitazone, is sold under the names of Avandia, Avandamet and Avaglim. Avandia alone is used by 2 million people worldwide.

The only thing rosiglitazone drugs like Avandia do is to help lower blood glucose, which has virtually no influence on the long-term damage due to Type 2 Diabetes. Most of the damage is caused by elevated insulin levels, which can be remedied with an optimal diet and exercise program.

GlaxoSmithKline, the manufacturer of Avandia, hid damaging information about the drug for over ten years, as it would adversely affect their sales. Between 1999 and 2007, Avandia is estimated to have caused 83,000 unnecessary heart attacks. This is 20,000 more deaths than Merck caused when they sold Vioxx which has now been recalled worldwide.

If you, or anyone you know, is still taking this drug, warn them of this danger.

Book Review: The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge

The discovery of neuroplasticity, that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains, even into old age, is the most important breakthrough in our understanding of the brain in 400 years. Dr. Norman Doidge introduces principles we can all use to overcome brain limitations and explores the profound brain implications of the changing brain in an immensely moving book that will permanently alter the way we look at human possibility and human nature.

Book Review: Knockout by Suzanne Somers

In KNOCKOUT, Suzanne Somers has interviewed doctors and medical professionals using everything from alternative to integrative to conventional methods to combat cancer. Whichever path you choose, this is a must-have resource to navigate the life and death world of cancer and increase your odds of survival, plus vital information on how to prevent what will soon become the world's No.1 killer. Suzanne Somers was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and now wants to share her cancer story to help others.

Economic Report Finds Complementary Medicine Could Ease Health Budget

A study into the cost effectiveness of complementary medicine in Australia has found the nation could potentially save millions of dollars in healthcare costs without compromising patient outcomes if complementary medicine is more widely used.

The research conducted by Access Economics for the National Institute of Complementary Medicine at the University of Western Sydney examined the cost effectiveness of selected complementary medicine treatments.

The study found taking fish oil supplements was a highly cost effective intervention to prevent heart disease for those who already had a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Clinical trials have shown St John’s wort is an effective as standard drug treatments for mild-moderate depression.

Acupuncture for chronic non-specific low back pain as a complement to standard care resulted in significantly better pain outcomes compared to standard care alone.

Several clinical trials have shown Phytodolor, a herbal treatment for osteoarthritis, can help some osteoarthritis patients manage pain and control inflammation.

Complementary medicines could defray the high costs of modern health care by offering better disease prevention and more effective management of chronic conditions.

Dangers of Non-stick (Teflon) Cookware

The dangers of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are becoming increasingly evident. The most common sources of these chemicals include:

• non-stick cookware
• microwave popcorn bags
• packaging for greasy foods
• stain-proof clothing
• carpet and fabric protectors
• flame retardants, and products that contain them

Although it may be quite difficult to eliminate all sources of these toxins since they are so pervasive, at least ged rid of your non-stick cookware, considering you use your pots and pans to cook almost every day of the week.

Studies have shown that PFC's can cause:

• infertility (Human Reproduction Journal, 2009)
• Thyroid disease (Environmental Health Perspectives Journal, May 2010)
• cancer (liver, pancreas, testicles and mammary glands in rats) and has been associated with increases in prostate cancer in PFOA plant workers
• immune system problems - several studies by scientists in Sweden indicate that PFC's have an adverse effect on your immune system
• increased LDL cholesterol levels (Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, Sept 2010)

Children and teens who have high blood levels of chemicals used in the production of non-stick cookware may be more likely to have elevated LDL cholesterol levels and have been associated with cancer.
Source: Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine (September 2010)

Coconut Oil Reduces Alzheimer's Disease

With Alzheimer's disease, certain brain cells may have difficulty utilizing glucose (made from the carbohydrates we eat), the brain's principal source of energy. Without fuel, these precious neurons may begin to die. There is an alternative energy source for brain cells - fats known as ketones. If deprived of carbohydrates, the body produces ketones naturally.

Another way to produce ketones is by consuming oils that have medium-chain triglycerides. When MCT oil is digested, the liver converts it into ketones. In the first few weeks of life, ketones provide about 25 % of the energy newborn babies need to survive.

MCT oil derived from coconut oil at a dose of 20 grams (about 20 ml or 4 teaspoons), according to the latest research, not only protects against the incidence of Alzheimer's, but may actually reverse it. Moreover, this is also a potential treatment for Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), drug-resistant epilepsy, brittle type I diabetes, and type II (insulin-resistant) diabetes.

Make sure you buy non-hydrogenated (no trans-fat) virgin organic coconut oil available from health food stores.
Source: ANH-USA (October 5, 2010)

Chemicals in Indoor Swimming Pools Increase Cancer Risk

A new study is the first to provide a comprehensive characterization of the effects of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in an indoor pool environment. It found that swimming in indoor chlorinated pools for 40 minutes may induce DNA damage that can lead to cancer.

Previous studies have found an association between DBPs in drinking water and bladder cancer.
Source: Environmental Health Perspectives (September 12,2010)