News regarding traditional wisdom and native diets regarding nutrition.
Myth Buster: Olive Oil is One of the Safest Oils for Frying and Cooking
One of the most common myths perpetrated on the Internet is that while olive oil is healthy, it should not be used for cooking or frying. The belief is that somehow the high heat used in cooking or frying makes olive oil unhealthy. However, this belief is not consistent with historical uses of olive oil in Mediterranean cuisine, nor with a wide body of published research. Olive oil is not only safe for cooking, but it is recommended by scientists and olive oil experts for high temperature frying! The notion that extra virgin olive oil should never be heated or used for cooking is not supported by research.
Butter Consumption Reaches a 40-Year High
Butter consumption in the US has hit a 40-year high, largely resulting from a shift in consumer preferences away from processed foods. Between 1920 and 1960, Americans’ butter consumption declined by over 75 percent, yet heart disease went from a relatively unknown condition to the number one killer. Butter, especially raw butter from grass-fed cows, is rich in beneficial nutrients including vitamins, trace minerals, CLA, and beneficial fats. Butter produced from CAFO milk is inferior nutritionally as it comes from cows fed almost entirely GE grain, some fattened up with additional sugar from GE sugar beets and cottonseed. Buying dairy products from reputable local farmers will allow you to enjoy butter without supporting the inhumane conditions too common at factory farms.
Big Pharma Study: USDA Dietary Guidelines on Fats are Wrong
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine made waves through the mainstream media. In a stunning meta-analysis of the relationship between dietary fats and heart disease that included over 600,000 people, the researchers came to the following conclusion: "Current evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats." This conclusion flies in direct contrast to the USDA dietary guidelines, which recommends polyunsaturated fats (think corn and soybean oils) as healthy, and saturated fats as unhealthy (think dairy, animal fat, and coconut oil) in terms of cardiovascular health.
The War Against Butter is Over: Butter Won
It is no surprise that one of the world's largest margarine producers has come out and admitted that they have been wrong about butter all along, and that it is indeed healthier than margarine. This is not a suddenly new found concern about the health of consumers, but a marketing reality as sales of margarine continue to plummet while sales of butter skyrocket. So don't expect them to start offering healthy whole foods anytime soon. Their solution is simply to add some of the "real" stuff into the fake stuff. And that real butter will more than likely come from milk produced in large CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations).
The Deadly Consequences of Replacing Saturated Fats with Polyunsaturated Fats in the American Diet
Our #1 top read news story from 2013 was: Sweden Becomes First Western Nation to Reject Low-fat Diet Dogma in Favor of Low-carb High-fat Nutrition. As we reported last year, Sweden became the first Western nation to develop national dietary guidelines that reject the popular low-fat diet dogma in favor of low-carb high-fat nutrition advice. The switch in dietary advice followed the publication of a two year study by the independent Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment. The committee reviewed 16,000 studies published through May 31, 2013. Now, top Swiss researchers, led by Dr. Uffe Ravnskov, have urged the National Cholesterol Education Program, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association in the United States to follow their lead, and reverse years of dangerous and harmful dietary advice that has led to an increase in the consumption of refined carbohydrates and Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats in place of saturated fats. They have published their comments in the April 2014 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings. So will American health "experts" reverse their dietary advice?
Sauerkraut: Anti-cancer Fermented Food that Restores Gut Flora
Sauerkraut can be an important part of diets designed for healing cancer. Sauerkraut is a German word that simply means sour white cabbage. Lacto-fermented cabbage has a long history of providing benefits for many different health conditions, and now it is proving to be beneficial for cancer. Cabbage, by itself, offers a number of health benefits, but the fermentation process increases the bioavailability of nutrients rendering sauerkraut even more nutritious than the original cabbage. Sauerkraut should be considered a super food for cancer prevention, and be included as a part of diets designed to treat cancer.
Top 8 Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a member of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables. Cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, and may boost both your heart and brain health. Eating cauliflower will provide your body with impressive amounts of vitamin C, vitamin k, beta-carotene, and much more while supporting healthy digestion and detoxification.
Abandoning Traditional Fats for Processed Vegetable Oils Has Led to Declining Health
Three decades ago, the food available was mostly fresh and grown locally. Today, the majority of foods served, whether at home, in school or in restaurants, are highly processed foods, filled with sugars, harmful processed fats, and chemical additives. During that same time, obesity rates have skyrocketed, and one in five American deaths are now associated with obesity. Obesity-related deaths include those from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, liver disease, cancer, dementia, and depression, as nearly all have metabolic dysfunction as a common underlying factor. Unfortunately, the healthiest fats, including animal fats and coconut oil, both of which are saturated, have been long portrayed as a heart attack waiting to happen. Meanwhile, harmful hydrogenated vegetable oils such as corn and canola oil have been touted as “healthful” alternatives. Ditto for margarine. Boy, did they get this wrong. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
How Avocado Can Help with Weight Management
Cutting down or eliminating refined carbs is one of the best and easiest ways to normalize your weight and support your health, but when you cut down on non-vegetable carbs, you need to increase your intake of healthy fats. Avocados are an excellent source. They're especially rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat that is easily burned for energy, which you need more of once you start to remove those carbs. Improved weight management is in fact one of the health benefits of avocado consumption, according to recent research, and its high-fat, low-sugar content is part and parcel of this effect.
How Eating Processed Food Made the World Sick and Fat
Processed foods encourage weight gain and chronic disease because they’re high in sugar, fructose, refined carbohydrates, and artificial ingredients, and low in nutrients and fiber. Processed foods are addictive and designed to make you overeat; they also encourage excessive food cravings, leading to weight gain. Eating processed foods promotes insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, which are hallmarks of most chronic and/or serious diseases. The solution to improving your health and losing weight is often as simple as swapping processed foods for REAL FOOD.
In Europe you can Purchase Fresh Raw Milk from Vending Machines
This Country Has America Beat When It Comes to Handling Raw Milk - Illegal in many states, unpasteurized dairy is sold out of vending machines in Slovenia.
How Much Cancer-Causing 4-MeI May Be in Your Soda?
Caramel color, which is widely used in brown soft drinks, may cause cancer due to 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI), a chemical byproduct formed when certain types of caramel coloring are manufactured. 4-MeI has been found to cause cancer in animals and the International Agency for Research on Cancer declared it to be “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. A Consumer Reports study found levels of 4-MeI in soft drinks at levels that exceed those requiring a cancer warning label. Caramel color may be listed on labels as “artificial flavor” or “caramel color”.
California Legalized Selling Food Made At Home And Created Over A Thousand Local Businesses
Since January 2013 after the passage of California bill AB 1616 allowing homemade food to be sold legally, over 1,200 homemade food businesses have been approved in the State of California.
Ketogenic Diet Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Numerous Aging Markers
A high-fat low-carb ketogenic diet can optimize your metabolism. Numerous studies have shown that lowering your caloric intake may slow down aging, help prevent age-related chronic diseases, and extend your life. As you age, your levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides tend to gradually creep upward. A 2010 study examined the effects of a high-fat diet on typical markers of aging. Study participants were given a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with adequate protein, and the results were health improvements across the board. Serum leptin decreased by an average of eight percent, insulin by 48 percent, fasting glucose by 40 percent, triglycerides by nearly eight percent, and free T3 (thyroid hormone) by almost six percent.
Prebiotic in Wheat Bran Boosts and Feeds Gut Bifidobacteria
Research from European and American scientists are confirming that wheat bran contains a special prebiotic fiber called arabinoxylan oligosaccharides which boost bifidobacteria content within the gut, and helps relieve numerous gastrointestinal issues. This isn’t the first study to find prebiotics in wheat bran. In fact several clinical studies have found this over the past few years. This probiotic issue is also an important aspect related to some of the negative health issues related to gluten consumption. When our probiotic colonies are low, our ability to break down the various components of not only the bran but the gluten. Gluten and gliadin proteins are contained in the germ, endosperm and bran of wheat. As shown in the research, when our probiotic colonies are reduced, our gut’s ability to consume/degrade these complex molecules is diminished.
Ketogenic Diet Can be used to Control Seizures
A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet called 'ketogenic diet' could be used to control seizures in epilepsy patients. According to a latest study, there is a direct link between metabolism in brain cells and their ability to transmit signals. The research by scientists at McGill University and the University of Zurich shows that metabolism can control "the processes that inhibits brain activity" seen in people with epilepsy. The study team wanted to know why putting children with epilepsy on high-fat and low-carb diet is effective in controlling seizures. Other researchers had previously assumed that metabolism and signalling in brain cells are un-related processes. However, the current study shows that both the pathways are connected. The ketogenic diet lost its popularity post-1950s after anticonvulsant drugs hit the market. But, these drugs carry many side-effects and also don't work in about 20 percent of the patients. The current study might offer a different approach on controlling the condition.
Six Amazing Health Benefits of Eating Beets
Beets contain a variety of unique health-boosting nutrients that you may not be getting elsewhere
Sweet Potatoes: A Tasty Treat for Your Health
A substantial amount of research has proven that these naturally-sweet root vegetables possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and disease-fighting components. Orange-colored sweet potatoes owe their appearance to the carotenoid beta-carotene. Carotenoids are natural pigments responsible for the colorful appearances of some fruits and vegetables. As an antioxidant, beta-carotene can help ward off free radicals that damage cells through oxidation, which can speed up aging and make you vulnerable against chronic diseases. This antioxidant can help support your immune system, as well as lower your risk of heart disease and cancer. Beta-carotene can be converted into retinol or vitamin A by your body, and vitamin A contributes to optimal eye health and vision. While taking vitamin A in large doses can be toxic, receiving it from beta-carotene is considered safe due to your body’s ability to regulate its vitamin A production. Sweet potatoes can also contribute to skin health. Vitamin A, which is a natural anti-inflammatory, can help get rid of acne-causing bacteria. Purple sweet potatoes, on the other hand, contain anthocyanins, another type of natural pigments. Anthocyanins are associated with reduced cancer risk. Studies show they help suppress stomach, colon, lung, and breast cancer cell proliferation. They also prevent blood clots by stopping platelets from clumping together – a function that may help fight heart disease.
The Nutrition Monopoly Is Beginning to Crumble
When it comes to nutrition, it is very important that you have the right to freedom of choice and information. Unfortunately, organizations such as the American Dietetic Association (now calling itself the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics or AND) are threatening your freedom of choice about health and nutrition. The AND has pushed state laws to block almost anyone, except their registered dietitians (RDs), from legally giving nutritional advice. Their mission is to censor the broader nutrition community, which includes many well trained and educated practitioners, such as clinical nutritionists, pharmacists, naturopathic doctors and traditional naturopaths, acupuncturists, herbalists, nurses, mental health professionals, homeopaths, personal trainers, and the like. All across the U.S., however, this nutritional monopoly is beginning to crumble, especially at the state level.
Study: Intermittent Fasting and Ketogenic Diet Effective in Cancer Therapy
One of the truly exciting new frontiers in nutrition therapy is the study of the high-fat low-carb ketogenic diet, especially in relation to preventing and curing cancer. The ketogenic diet as a therapeutic diet is not new. It has been around at least since the 1920s, when researchers at John Hopkins discovered that the diet could cure some children from epileptic seizures where drugs had failed. In 2013 we published a few stories highlighting new research showing the ketogenic diet's value to cancer patients. Many of these studies are looking at not only the ketogenic diet, but also the concept of intermittent fasting or calorie restriction. These are beneficial aspects to study, as generally they cannot be mimicked by drugs. There are indications that the way the ketogenic diet produces "ketones", or the "ketogenic effect", is being studied in order to produce pharmaceutical products (drugs or vaccines) that can mimic the same effect. With years of experience now documented in using the ketogenic diet with children suffering from seizures, one of the most common complaints is that the diet is difficult to adhere to, as the child has to abstain from refined carbohydrates and typical childhood sweets such as cakes and candies. The reasoning is that a drug would make life more bearable instead of following such a strict diet. I am very encouraged by this recent study, published in January 2014, looking at the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting as an adjunct nutritional therapy to be administered to cancer patients undergoing standard radiation therapy in cancer treatment. The study provides "dietary interventions" to be used along side "radiotherapy". Therefore this is not really a study that lends itself to developing more pharmaceutical drugs. However, will physicians in the allopathic medical field seriously consider rigorous diet therapy? Of course, there are plenty of cancer therapies that are effective and non-toxic, but they are not covered by insurance companies in the U.S., and most of them are not approved by the FDA, so one must go south of the border into Mexico or travel to another country to receive the best non-toxic cancer therapies.