We are a sick society. According to the Center for Disease Control we, as a society, are sicker now than at anytime in man’s history.

How do you feel about that fact? It sickens me. With all the miracles of modern medicine and science we are sicker now than at anytime in our history. That just doesn’t make sense. There is no legitimate reason why this should be.

We have been conditioned to do many things that are not in our best interest. We eat junk food, drink beverages that are not good for the body. We pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land where we grow our food. I just read that each year over 300,000 people die from side effects of prescription drugs.

Many of the buildings we work in have been labeled sick because of the air pollution inside them. Many of our homes are so toxic our children spend their growth years with one illness after another.

I sometimes feel like screaming in the street that it doe not have to be this way. We need to remember who we are and take proactive control over our health and our lives.

We are Divine beings and as such we create our reality. We make ourselves sick and we can cure ourselves. I know it is not that simple, but we have the power to live healthy productive lives.

We are conditioned that sickness is a part of life. That as we grow older we can expect to have illnesses.  Well let me tell you that this is not true.

How healthy you are starts with your attitude. How do you feel about yourself? Dig deep and be honest. What emotions are you holding on to from the past, even as far back as childhood? What do you believe about health and wellness?

All of that affects your health. I will not tell you that it is easy to be healthy but if you are not proactive about your health you will more often than not experience sickness and dis-ease. You health has to be a priority to maintain your health.

Many people have the mistaken idea that to be healthy they only have to work on their physical bodies. They only have to eat healthy and exercise. But, as we mentioned yesterday, health means the total you; mind, body, and soul.

Everything must be in balance. We must use the tools available to us, that work for us. What works for one may not work for another.

There is a revolution taking place in personal health. Each day more and more people are waking up and realizing that to ruin their health is not worth all the money and power in the world.

A few week ago I came across a new tool in the quest to maintain and improve personal health. This week I want to share that tool with my readers. It has to do with using Zero field energy to help facilitate healing. Here is the link for you to see for yourself what I am talking about: Zero Field Energy

TODAY’S TIP: If you have an illness take the time to research and find out what will help you return to a healthy state.

What have you done today to improve your health?

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Fasting can be used to improve health, however one should be careful and know what they are doing before attempting to fast for the purpose of healing. Here is information about healing fasts.

Can Fasting Cure Your Illness? By Jane Aslett

Fasting is an ancient practice that has cured hundreds of debilitating diseases and conditions. Could it be the answer you are looking for to cure your cancer, diabetes, lower back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure, sinusitis or any other condition that plagues you? When you think about it – what is the first instinct when you don’t feel well? What was it your Mother told you to do when you didn’t feel well? Go to bed, rest and don’t eat.

According to many more knowledgeable people than me, fasting should be your first treatment when you discover a medical problem. The healing process will be much faster and more effective when you abstain from solid food… Make it easy for your digestive tract. With the growing interest in natural healing and health care, the technique of fasting, as a safe and effective method of detoxifying the body, is being rediscovered.

Fasting has existed since the beginning of life on earth and has been used as a religious ritual as well as for preventing and curing diseases. Fasting is a way of purifying the body of a wide variety of pollutants, pollutants that are so rife in our atmosphere today that we can’t avoid them. Regular fasting will improve the capacity and ability of the body to make full use of the food eaten.

Because of the overload on the body from processing food day after day, with the environmental pollutants contributing to this workload, the body is not always able to cleanse itself efficiently. With the digestive and cleansing systems on full throttle with never a rest, it may be unable to rid itself of all the stored toxins, waste products, body acids, excess proteins and fat deposits that have accumulated. This, over time, can lead to cancer and other innumerable diseases.

Fasting will enable the digestive system to rest, detoxify and heal.

How and When should I Fast?

An Extended Fast? An extended fast would normally be for somewhere between 3 and 40 days in length. This could be something you do only once in your life, or a few times. An extended fast would be used to heal an illness or disease, for weight loss, spiritual awakening or to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

Intermittent fasting? This is something you would do just for a day, once a week for a given period, or it could mean just skipping a meal.

There are several methods that can be used for successful fasting, but whatever method you use, just be sure to have a clear intention of why you are doing it. Read up all you can about fasting so you can determine if it is the right thing for you.

When you embark on a fasting program, it is a good idea to have a ‘fasting buddy’ – someone who can support you and share the process. It won’t be easy, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t do it alone, seek help.

Read how others have done it – you will find some helpful stories here.

Jane Aslett has a down to earth, commonsense understanding of the importance of good nutrition and sensible lifestyle decisions to allow us to experience wellness. She believes that although it takes a constant and deliberate effort to stay healthy and to achieve total well-being, by making some life-style changes where necessary, it is possible to experience ‘true wellness’. A desire to help people make the right decisions in taking control of their own health and wellbeing inspired her to set up her website http://www.wellness-decisions.com which addresses many of the issues that we have to cope with, particularly as we age. She’d love you to subscribe to her FREE monthly Newsletter Choose Wellness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_Aslett

TODAY’S TIP: consider incorporating a fasting program into your lifestyle. It will help to maintain your health and well-being.

Are you learning something new about fasting?

I hope you have gained more awareness about some of the foods you have been eating. Healthy eating not only means eating healthy foods, but also not eating unhealthy foods.

Many aspects of our society have become ruled by greed. Some corporations are more concerned with their bottom line than with public safety. The FDA and other branches of government, which are supposed to be safeguarding our foods, have basically sold out to industry.

We have fallen behind in the regulation of some areas of our society. We allow things that have been outlawed in some European countries. We permit some things to be sold in the mainstream of our society that have not been properly tested because it is more profitable.

When we have incidents where certain processes and medicines have caused harm they are covered up. The courts are full of lawsuits against corporations that have marketed products that have cause harm to the public, some even though they knew of the dangers before hand.

When we take the time to educate ourselves about what is going on in our food industry we realize that there is only one thing for us to do. We must become proactive in deciding what foods we will consume.

We realize that our government agencies and our industries will not necessarily do all they can to protect us. Many out of ignorance, but some deliberate.

We can no longer ignore what is happening around us. We as a society are sicker now than at any time in man’s history. One of the biggest contributing factor is our diet. Not only are there things in our food that is killing us but we also overeat.

If you are not eating as you know you should, stop making excuses and start to make the changes that will improve your health and well-being. You don’t have to make major changes right away. Start with small incremental changes.

Start reading labels and regularly read materials that will further your education about nutrition and healthy eating habits.

Plan your meals weekly. This will help to keep the discipline necessary to ensure you are eating a healthy diet. Have you ever come home with no plans for dinner and just throw something together? This is a part of the problem. You are less likely to have a balanced meal when you cook whatever is available.

TODAY’S TIP: The best diet plan is to eat 4 or 5 meals a day at 3 or 4 hour intervals. Eat small portions; 3 meals and 1 or two snacks, healthy snacks.

Have you learned anything?

Today I offer more information about food additives which may be harmful. The article is a little longer than usual, but worth the read.

What Everybody Ought to Know About Food Additives By Christine Farlow

Every day we are bombarded with information about food products that are healthy, all natural, have no artificial ingredients, no preservatives, low fat, no fat, no cholesterol, sugar free, vitamin fortified and provide 100% of your daily vitamin requirements. Are these foods as healthy as the advertising tries to make us believe they are?

Let’s look at the facts. There are more than 3000 different chemicals added to our food. The company that wants to produce the chemicals or use the chemicals in the foods they produce usually does the testing for safety. Safety testing has only been done for individual additives, not for combinations of additives. Nobody knows the effects of the many different additives used in the thousands of different combinations. To make matters worse, because of political pressure, the FDA allows manufacturers to add small amounts of cancer-causing substances to our food. So, not only are many of our foods not healthy, they’re unsafe.

The FDA has even approved, as safe, additives it has known to be unsafe. Take, for example, Olestra, the fat substitute which was approved by the FDA over the objections of many leading food scientists. Olestra can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramping and may even contribute to cancer, heart disease and blindness. Foods containing Olestra must have a warning label on the package.

Then there’s the artificial sweetener aspartame, also known as Nutrasweet. Aspartame was approved and claimed safe by a specially appointed FDA Commissioner after his own Board of Inquiry that investigated aspartame claimed it unsafe. Aspartame can cause birth defects, central nervous system disturbances, menstrual difficulties, brain damage in phenylketonurics, seizures, death and a long list of other reactions too numerous to mention. It may cause irreversible health damage over the long term.

Fats are another story. A certain amount of the right kind of fat is necessary for your nervous system, your immune system, the formation of cell membranes, and the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins. The problem is that over 90% of the food produced today contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, which contributes to heart disease, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, non-insulin dependent diabetes and cancer. Research even shows an association between attention deficit disorder and hydrogenated oils.

The next time you grocery shop, look at the label of every item before you buy. Unless you already buy all organic and natural foods, almost every item you pick up will contain hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Instead, choose products that say no hydrogenated oils. Use raw organic butter instead of margarine, and extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or flaxseed oil (flaxseed oil should never be heated).

If you’re eating more chicken, turkey and fish, because it’s healthier, you may be surprised to learn that sliced chicken and turkey from the deli contains nitrites. And nitrites cause cancer. Nitrites are found in almost all processed meats, including luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausages and bacon. Then there’s tuna, a healthy choice if it only contains tuna and water and is only eaten occasionally. But, most tuna contains broth or hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which contain MSG. And MSG is not required to be listed on the label because it is an ingredient in the broth, not directly added to the tuna. This is the way food manufacturers hide MSG in the food they produce. And hidden MSG can be a very serious problem to those who are sensitive to it. MSG can cause a wide variety of symptoms including migraines, numbness and tingling, asthma, seizures, diarrhea, panic attacks and heart problems.

Other sources of hidden MSG include autolyzed yeast, boullion, stock, malt extract, malt flavoring, barley malt, maltodextrin, natural flavors, pectin, seasonings, carrageenan, soy sauce, soy protein, whey protein, anything enzyme modified, fermented, protein fortified, or ultrapasteurized, fast foods, chips, condiments, salad dressings, lunch meats, sausages and soups. In fact, most processed foods contain MSG according to Kathleen Schwartz of the nonprofit group NoMSG.

So, buyer beware! Even if the label says “all natural ingredients” and “no preservatives,” the product could contain harmful additives. So, how do you know which foods are really safe to eat? You need to read the labels and know how to interpret the information on the label.

Here’s a few hints on what to eat and what to avoid: Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, good quality protein and healthy fats. Avoid these additives:
Aspartame or Nutrasweet
Saccharin
MSG and Free Glutamates
Artificial colorings
Nitrites and Nitrates
Caffeine
BHA and BHT
Brominated vegetable oil or BVO
Olestra or Olean
Sulfites

Here’s a general rule of thumb: If the list of ingredients is long, there are probably a lot of chemical additives in the product, and you’re risking your health by eating it. If the list of ingredients is short, it may or may not have harmful additives in it, so you need to read the label carefully before you purchase it.

Dr. Christine Farlow has made it easy for you to identify which additives are harmful and which are not. In her handy pocket-sized book, FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper’s Guide To What’s Safe & What’s Not, now in its 2004 revised edition, she classifies 800 commonly used food additives according to safety, whether they may cause allergic reactions and if they are Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA. In just seconds, you can find out if an additive in the food you’re buying is harmful to your health. It’s clear, concise and easy to use. Make this book your constant grocery shopping companion and you’ll never again wonder about the safety of the ingredients listed on the package. You’ll know.

Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. is a chiropractor, nutritionist and author. She has helped thousands improve their health through nutrition. For more information on food additives and healthy eating, visit http://www.healthyeatingadvisor.com. Contact Dr. Farlow at dr.cfarlow@healthyeatingadvisor.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Farlow

TODAY’S TIP: Read the labels on the food you buy. If you don’t know what an ingredient is, put it back on the shelve.

When is the last time you read the labels?

Many people think that drinking diet drinks will help them lose weight. Often while drinking these diet drinks they gain weight. Here is an article on the possible dangers of sugarless diet drink.

Lose Weight Naturally – The Untold Dangers of Nutrasweet By Dr. William Berkowitz

If you knew of an FDA approved and natural product, wouldn’t you assume it was safe to eat? Maybe not, if that product was NutraSweet. How about its ability to help you lose weight naturally? Wouldn’t you think that if it were an artificial sweetener that it would help you lose weight? Not really, some experts are saying. Yet there are millions of us who use aspartame, also known as NutraSweet, on a daily basis.

NutraSweet is found in a number of products, including sugar-free gum, cereal, instant breakfast, ice creams, juices, laxatives, yoghurt, tea, whipped topping, shake mixes, some milk products and a variety of tabletop sweeteners. NutraSweet is everywhere, especially in that low calorie soda you’re drinking.

Whether or not you can lose weight naturally consuming NutraSweet, you need to know that its FDA approval was tainted and that there are likely toxic components to the sweetener that are harmful to you. In addition, it is believed to actually increase the appetite. What you may not know is that 85 percent of complaints received by the FDA are related to problems incurred with the use of this sweetener.

Some of the risks associated with using NutraSweet include birth defects in infants, including mental retardation. It appears to be associated with brain cancer as well with research on rats supporting this statement. In fact, in the middle of the 1970s, it was found that those who manufactured aspartame falsified their data by cutting out brain tumors from rates and putting them, cancer free, back into the mix. They apparently didn’t include those animals that died in the study.

NutraSweet has been related to those who are developing diabetes. Rather than lose weight naturally, the individual who consume the artificial sweetener are getting fatter and are developing diabetes as a result. In addition, NutraSweet interferes with a diabetic’s ability to respond to oral anti-diabetic agents. It also seems to contribute to diabetic complications, like diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy and cataracts.

In one study on NutraSweet, those with mood disorders developed more serious symptoms on aspartame or NutraSweet. The study needed to be stopped early because of the seriousness of the findings. It was concluded that aspartame should not be used by those with mood disorders like bipolar disorder or depression. Some patients indicated that they felt “poisoned” by aspartame. Other studies link aspartame to low serotonin levels, a common cause of mood disorders.

Seizures seem to be triggered by aspartame or NutraSweet. There was a study out of MIT that looked at eighty people who ate NutraSweet and then got seizures. Many magazines related to aviation have published stories on the dangers of drinking or eating aspartame and the dangers of seizures in pilots. There have been pilots who have reported having grand mal seizures while flying-all due to consuming NutraSweet.

There is a general lack of awareness by US persons, trying to lose weight naturally but consuming this hazardous product instead. Unless you read a specific article, you assume that aspartame is safe and believe it will help you lose weight. You don’t realize how easily a pharmaceutical company can get a product approved by the FDA through the use of bad studies and bribes.

Several have looked at how aspartame got approved and have found many irregularities. Even today, the FDA is doing nothing to protect us from the dangers of this product. NutraSweet is currently being sold in more than seventy countries.

In order to learn how to lose weight naturally and begin your own natural weight loss program, download your very own free copy of “An Experts Guide to Weight Loss – 7 Red Hot Secrets to Turbo Charge Your Metabolism and Boost Your Weight Loss” by clicking the link below.

Get access to Dr. Berkowitz’s FREE “Experts Guide to Weight Loss – 7 Red Hot Secrets To TurboCharge Your Metabolism And Boost Your Weight Loss”. Learn the 7 secrets to boost your weight loss.
Click here to download your FREE copy of the “Experts Guide to Weight Loss” at [http://RapidNaturalWeightLoss.com/]

Frustrated by the confusion in the Weight Loss marketplace, through his research Dr. Bill developed a Weight Loss program founded on the Laws of Human Physiology.

He has also developed a companion Exercise Program that turns up the metabolism in just minutes a day. Click on this link to download your FREE copy of the “Experts Guide to Weight Loss – 7 Red Hot Secrets to Weight Loss” [http://RapidNaturalWeightLoss.com/]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._William_Berkowitz

TODAY’S TIP: For more information on NutraSweet and Aspartame visit the websites: http://www.dorway.com and http://www.dorway.org.

When is the last time you drank a diet soda?

As I mentioned yesterday some of the things in our food is believed to be harmful. Here is an article which talks about some of those things.

4 Food Additives to Avoid By Ruthan Brodsky

If you have ever purchased a bag of low calorie candy you will be dumbfounded after looking at the list of ingredients. We all want to keep our calories down, we want our food to taste good, but we have no idea about all those chemicals we are putting in our digestive system.

Sodium Nitrate and Nitrate.

If you become distended when you eat hotdogs or baloney it is a very good indication that there are nitrates in the product. Nitrates are preservatives added to processed meat products such as ham, and lunch meats. They prevent the growth of bacteria and give the meat a healthy looking pink hue which can be deceptive at times. These compounds become cancer causing agents called nitrosamines in the stomach. Nitrosamines are among the most powerful carcinogens known and even small amounts can cause cancer. Nitrates are considered dangerous by the FDA but they are not banned because they do prevent botulism. Side effects include headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and for me, a distended stomach. Health food stores offer a variety of nitrate/nitrate free meats.

BHA and BHT

The longer names for these preservatives are butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene preserve many foods. They also increase the risk of cancer and accumulate in body tissue causing liver enlargement. Animal studies link BHA with cancer. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers BHA to be considered as a carcinogen but they do not block its use. The additives are important to the food industry because they block the process of oil going rancid which can happen when oil is exposed to light. These additives are associated with changing moods, and they affect sleep and appetite. They have also been associated with liver and kidney damage, behavioral problems, and fetal abnormalities.

MSG

MSG is associated with Asian cooking but food companies and restaurant cooks use the additive in everything. Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, is an amino acid used as a flavor enhance in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. Using MSG allows cooks or companies in processed foods, to reduce the amount of real ingredients in their foods such as the chicken in chicken soup. MSG reduces costs.

Since 1960 the use of MSG has caused some concern when it was discovered that large amounts of MSG fed to infant mice destroyed nerve cells in the brain. This research forced baby food companies to stop adding MSG to their products. Even so, MSG may be hidden in infant formula, low fat milk, candy, drinks, over the counter medications, as a finder, as filler for nutritional supplements, and in prescription drugs.

Children are more sensitive to MSG than adults. Neonatal exposure to MSG can cause a permanent reduction in the secretion of growth hormone. Other reactions, by both children and adults, include headaches, nausea, weakness, wheezing, changes in heart rate, and difficulty breathing.

The following ingredients on a label also indicated MSG:
•    Hydrolyzed protein, soy or any type;
•    utolyzed yeast;
•    Monosodium glutamate;
•    Free glutamate;
•    Yeast extract;
•    Caseinate.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are a combination of chemicals that make foods tast2 sweeter without the sugar calorie. Most of these have side effects and their chemical breakdown in the body may be harmful. If this were not enough, when artificial sweeteners are combined with other food additives, like artificial colors, they can have a more potent effect on your nerve cells. For instance, in a research project a few years ago, the application of a specific additive alone stopped mouse nerve cells from growing and also interfered with proper signaling systems. When the artificial color yellow and aspartame were combined, the effect on the nerve cells was seven times greater,

Interestingly, there is an increasing number of products that are low in calories but more people are getting fatter. How can this be? It happens that when you eat something sweet but do not take in the calories, your body will crave more calories than if you had eaten real sugar. That means the more artificially sweetened anything you eat the more weight you are likely to gain because you will crave more sweet foods. Besides, most of the foods that contain artificial sweeteners are of poor nutritional value causing your body to starve itself if that is all you are eating. You are still hungry all the time because your body is not getting the nutrients it needs.

Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is one of the sweeteners frequently researched. It is found in low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes and soft drinks. It comes in individual packages used in place of sugar and has been the focus of hundreds of studies. Conclusions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization, say the additive is safe. However, the Center for Science in the Public Interest gave it a very low ranking in a review of food additives suggesting there may be a link with aspartame and cancer but more research needs to be done.

If you define food additives as a substance not normally consumed as a food itself and not an ingredient of the food, then we humans have been adding additives to our food for centuries just by adding salt. Most of us tolerate these food additives and many of the artificial additives. However, some are considered toxic and may even be carcinogenic. To be on the safe side, consider reducing the amount of food additives and artificial sweeteners you include in your diet.

Ruthan Brodsky specializes in health and business topics targeted to the baby boomer population. As an author, copywriter, speaker and coach she is highly regarded for her ability to take a complicated subject and make it understood by the non medical and non technical reader. I invite you to claim her short report, 15 Steps to Challenge Your Brain at http://www.secretstohealthandaging.com/welcome

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ruthan_Brodsky

TODAY’S TIP: Treat your body as a temple, the temple of your soul. Remember you only have one.

How do you think about the food you eat?

Hope you had a great Easter. Easter was one of my favorite holidays growing up because of two things. First, just before Easter each year I used to get a new suit. The suit was for church on Easter day.  We had to look our best. The other thing was the ham for Easter dinner.

My Mother was a single parent with limited resources, so the food on holidays was a real treat. The food was always Delicious and wholesome.

That was many years ago. Have you read the labels on our holiday foods lately. In both our turkeys and hams you will see listed, sodium nitrate and/or nitrite.

As far as I am concerned all that needs to be in turkeys and hams is turkey and ham. Why are there nitrates in them? When they first started using them it was because of the lack of proper refrigeration.These are chemicals which are recognized as carcinogens.

We now have modern refrigeration, so why do they still add them to our meats? The answer is simple, money. It is no longer necessary and you can find meats without them. You may have to look for a specialty store but it is worth it. Besides not having sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite in the meats, they taste better. They taste like meats should taste.

Of course they tell you that there is not enough in them to harm you. But, could this be one of the contributing factors for the appalling state of our society’s health? There has been at least one reported death from sodium nitrate.

Of course, this death was accidental, sodium nitrate looks like salt and was mistaken for salt and put on food which resulted in death. But, this does show the potential hazards.

There are over 3,000 chemicals in our foods. Many are recognized carcinogens. We Are told there is not enough of any one of them present in food to cause us harm. But, what of long term ingestion or combination’s of chemicals. These have not been studied by the government or the industry.

There was a study done some years back by an independent food safety advocate organization that showed when certain of these chemicals were combined the toxicity was increased by over 1000%.

Just because the government says something is alright you should be proactive about what you eat. Take the time to educate yourself about what is in our food and eat accordingly.

There are somethings in our food that has been banned in some European countries. What does that say about us?

This week is devoted to the food we eat.

TODAY’S TIP: Notice what is being talked about with regard to our food chain. Make sure the food you put in your mouth is safe.

Are you poisoning yourself slowly?

There is a lot of discussion these days about the harm that sugar can do to our bodies. Today I present another article by Howard Jamison on a natural sweetener that can replace sugar.

Stevia a Natural Sweetener by Howard Jamison

If you are looking for a sugar substitute without all the dangers of aspartame, then ‘stevia’ may be your answer.

Stevia is usually in a powder that comes from the leaf of the plant which is native to South America. It is commonly known as sweetleaf, sugarleaf or simply stevia. It has been used for hundreds of years as an alternative sweetener. It is sweeter than sugar and has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar. Different brands will have different tastes.

The FDA banned the importation of stevia as a food sweetener in 1991 and therefore it could only be sold as a “nutritional supplement”. It was rumored that a big soft drink company did not want stevia on the market because it would take a cut into the sales of aspartame and the company had somehow convinced the FDA to ban stevia.

Stevia is available at most health food stores and it is widely used in Japan with no adverse effects. According to scientists it has been reported to be safe for human consumption and it has little effect on blood sugar levels. This is something that has been well known in many parts of the world where it has not been banned.

Some of the benefits of stevia are listed below:
It does not affect blood sugar levels which can help those with hypoglycemia or Type 2 diabetes.
It is helpful in weight loss management because it contains no calories and reduces the craving for sweets and fatty foods.
Improved digestion observed.
May help lower blood pressure.
There are no known allergies to stevia sweeteners.

Jeffrey Goettenmoeller, author of “Growing and Using Stevia” and “Stevia Sweet Recipes” is quoted as follows: “Stevia has undergone numerous toxicity tests. None of these tests have shown any harmful effects. Few substances can make this claim. The real test, though, was centuries of continuous use by natives of South America. In addition, thousands of tons of stevia extracts have been consumed over the last 20 years in many countries with no harmful effects reported.”

A renowned scientist, Daniel Mowrey, MD has done extensive research and reports:
“More elaborate safety tests were performed by the Japanese during their evaluation of stevia as a possible sweetening agent. Few substances have ever yielded such consistently negative results in toxicity trials as have stevia. Almost every toxicity test imaginable has been performed on stevia extract [concentrate] or stevioside at one time or another. The results are always negative. No abnormalities in weight change, food intake, cell or membrane characteristics, enzyme and substrate utilization, or chromosome characteristics. No cancer, no birth defects, no acute and no chronic untoward effects. Nothing.”

In another report, Rob McCaleb, President of the Herb Research Foundation sees the irony in the ongoing FDA stevia (which he calls ‘this embattled herb’) saga. On his website, a report on the Foundation tells that stevia has been under FDA import alert since 1991, but “actually, according to the HRF, numerous scientists, and tens of millions of consumers throughout the world, especially in Japan, the herb is safe.”

As Mr. McCaleb notes that IF the real point is ‘just’ about sweetness and stevia has the potential to become a very popular non-caloric sweetener, than what would happen to all the other products currently on the market?

Well, guess what? In December 2008, the FDA gave a “no objection” approval for GRAS (“generally regarded as safe”) status to Truvia (developed by Cargill and The Coca-Cola Company) and PureVia (developed by PepsiCo and the Whole Earth Sweetener Company, a subsidiary of Merisant), both of which are extracted from the Stevia plant. Numerous products are now appearing in the marketplace with these ingredients.

Even though it is not the whole stevia leaf, this looks like a positive action for consumers as the sweeteners will definitely be safer than aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal) and other artificial sweeteners.

About the Author: Howard has a strong interest in alternative and integrative health methods. His research has revealed that a person’s eating habits and lifestyle can have a dramatic affect on their health. Howard has extensive background in video production and has conducted numerous video interviews with professionals in the alternative health field.

For more information visit the following websites:
AlternativeHealthZone.com
HowardJamison.com

TODAY’S TIP: If you use sugar seriously consider finding a alternative sweetener. Stevia  is a very good substitute, another is Agave.

Do you have a sweet tooth?

Today we will continue on the theme of food safety.  I present another guest article on the basis for food safety.

A Beginner’s Guide to Food Safety by C S Lewis

Have you ever watched a little kid drop his sucker on the ground, pick it up, and then continue licking away? It doesn’t matter to that little kid that there could be dirt or germs on his lollipop, because he picked it up in less than five seconds; the child believes it is still safe. Many grown adults also believe this urban myth, commonly referred to as the “Five-Second Rule.”

This food myth is completely inaccurate and must not be believed when it comes to proper food safety. Exercising good judgment with regards to food preparation is extremely important for our health. There are many actions we can take to improve our health through our food safety habits, including not eating or using food that has touched the floor, preparing eggs properly and handling produce carefully.

The comforting “Five-Second Rule” that many have adopted in our culture, is an odd, but reassuring thought because it allows us the ability to undo the small mistake of losing something we were about to eat, as long as we move quick enough. We have embraced this “rule” because it serves as a remedy for our regret after we dropped the last cookie or that tender piece of meat. Unfortunately, it does not matter how fast we can move to grab that piece of food, because we will never be quicker than bacteria.

Viruses and bacteria are present virtually everywhere, especially in kitchens. They cling to items upon contact; even a brief, millisecond encounter is enough time for bacteria to grab onto the new host and settle in.

In addition to not eating food right after it has touched the floor, it is also imperative that we cook and handle our food appropriately. Eggs are among one of the most commonly eaten yet improperly prepared foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that egg-associated illness caused by bacteria, called Salmonella, is a serious public health issue. Individuals infected with Salmonella may suffer short term or chronic arthritis, mild to severe gastrointestinal illness, and possibly death.

In order to avoid the chances of food borne illness, fresh eggs should be carefully handled. Even egg shells that appear to be clean and without cracks may actually contain Salmonella, possibly resulting in intestinal infections. Consumers play a large role in the prevention of this illness. The most efficient approach to preventing egg-related illness is to be aware of the safe ways to buy, handle, store and cook eggs, or food containing eggs. This is why the FDA has actually required that all egg cartons have a statement on the packaging that reads, “Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly”.

While reaching proper temperatures for the safety of eggs is important, fruits and vegetables have a different set of standards by which to abide. Harmful bacteria that might have been present in the soil or water where the fruit of vegetable was grown may come in contact with the fresh produce and contaminate it. In addition to becoming contaminated during growth, fresh produce may become tainted after harvesting, perhaps during preparation or storage. When you buy fresh produce, look for produce without bruises or that does not look damaged. If you like to buy freshly cut produce, like half watermelons, or a bag of mixed lettuce, choose only items that have been refrigerated or are surrounded by ice. It is also a wise idea to package fresh fruits and vegetables separately from poultry, seafood, or meat products when bagging items to take home from the market.

The FDA has put in place many guidelines for food producers, resulting in stricter standards for the manufacture of food products. However, it is ultimately up to the consumer to practice proper food safet habits. By choosing not to follow the contemporary wisdom of the “Five-Second Rule,” but following the guidelines for cooking our eggs thoroughly and selecting safe produce, we can rest assured we have taken several steps in the right direction when it comes to food safety.

About the Author
Courtney Lewis is the manager of Sweetly You where you can find uniquely scented lotion and build custom bath & body gifts.

TODAY’S TIP: Always wash produce, even organic produce. You can buy a produce wash or make one yourself, I use food grade peroxide and vinegar.

Is your food clean?

Yesterday I mentioned that I did not drink cow’s milk. Today I present an article which will explain some of the reasons I do not drink cow’s milk. The article is a little scientific but you will get the idea.

Residues in Milk by george M isaknder

Farm land milk often contain antibiotic residues derived from a long cycle of drug dumping into waste bins which turn its way into waste land fills . Drug residues as leftovers into our streets and back gardens are washed away by rain; and end up into runaway rivers and other water sources. The effluents soak into earth, and seeps through the fast growing grass, other herbs and other plants, eventually end up into grazing domestic herds.

This presented a real problem, and has its deleterious effects in health. In spite of the fact that grazers tend to evade grass lands of suspects and near landfills. In one study, nine aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin, spectinomycin, neomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, destomycin A, apramycin, and tobramycin in milk by LC/MS/MS were extracted and identified from lactating cows treated for clinical. mastitis with two intramammary infusions of kanamycin.

In another, method using chromatography electron spray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) analysis, chloramphenicol has been found in milk powder shelved and ready for retailer disposition and eventual selling.

It is worthy to note that rivers contaminated with estrogenic effluents from waste water treatment works, impacts negatively on the reproductive capabilities of both animal and human beings. Again, traces of which have been invariably in milk beverages.

In recent decades, chemical food safety issues that have been the center of media attention include the presence of agrochemicals., veterinary drug residues, natural toxins (e.g. mycotoxins and marine toxins), heat produced toxins (e.g. acrylamide, heterocyclic aromatic. amines and furan), heavy metals (e.g. lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium), and industrial chemicals (e.g. benzene, perchlorate and melamine) in food and feed.

Due to the global nature of the food supply and advances in analytical capabilities, chemical contaminants will continue to be an area of concern for regulatory agencies, the food industry and consumers in the future.

However, considerable advances have been made over the past century in understanding the chemical hazards in food concerns of chronic ingestion of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic from residues remaining on crops and ways for assessing and managing these risks, leached from the soil into plants, and ending up both in crops as well as milk.

The common methods of pasteurization, removal of fat and protein from unpasteurized milk, and addition of long-life free radicals scavengers did not in any way annul or decrease the residues in milk, nor did it increase its healthy claim.

About the Author
Borne (1942) Education: BSC(1964),MSc(1966), PHD(1970) Univ Khatoum Assoc Prof(1980), Prof(1984) Research Associate UNSW, Kensington, Australia

TODAY’S TIP: Keep informed about what is going on in our food chain. Companies are continually cutting corners, often at the risk of the consumer.

Are you sure your food is safe?