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There is no shortage of real health myths that can, and do, have a massive impact on tens of thousands if not millions of people. Here is my list of the top 12 health myths:

1: Cardio is One of the Best Types of Exercise

In recent years, researchers have begun to realize that conventional cardio, such as jogging, is not all it’s been cracked up to be, and that you can actually improve your health and increase fat burning by making slight modifications to your cardio routine.

The problem is that traditional cardio only works on the slow twitch muscle fibers in your red muscle, completely ignoring your white muscle super-fast twitch fibers.

“Peak 8” refers to peak exercises done once or twice a week, in which you raise your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold for 20 to 30 seconds, followed by a 90-second recovery period.

To perform these properly you will want to get very close to, if not exceed, your maximum heart rate by the last interval. Your maximum heart rate is calculated as 220 minus your age. You will need a heart rate monitor to measure this as it is nearly impossible to accurately measure your heart rate manually when it is above 150.

Researchers have found that interval cardio produces a unique metabolic response that is in large part responsible for its superior benefits. Intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin and within your muscles. The resulting increase in fat oxidation is thought to drive the increased weight loss.

It is also the only type of exercise that will increase growth hormone levels. This becomes especially important after the age of 30, when growth hormones steadily decline. It is much safer and far less expensive to have your body make growth hormone naturally though Peak 8 type exercises than inject it like many athletes do to the tune of $1500 per month.

2: Vaccines are Safe and Effective and Prevent Disease

I completely understand that for many this issue is not debatable as they believe that vaccines are one of the greatest gifts to public health in the history of civilization.

If you believe that, then let me encourage you to open your mind and explore other views held by many well respected physicians, scientists, clinicians and pro-vaccine safety educators.

You might want to review the article Read This Before Vaccinating for Anything, to help you start your exploration process.

When it comes to vaccines, there are three primary questions that need to be considered.

1. First, is the vaccine in question safe?
2. Secondly, does it effectively prevent disease?
3. And third, which vaccines can safely and effectively be given together or in close succession?

Unfortunately, these issues have not been sufficiently studied for most vaccines, and those vaccines that have been studied frequently show that they are either unsafe or ineffective, or both!

Pro-vaccine-safety educators have long been saying that vaccines can over-stimulate your child’s immune system, sometimes causing the very disease it’s designed to protect against, or worse. And, when several vaccines are administered together, or in close succession, their interaction may completely overwhelm your child’s developing immune system.

This is one of the primary problems with vaccines in general – their detrimental impact on your body’s primary, natural defense against ALL disease.

Now consider that if your child is vaccinated according to the CDC’s recommended schedule, by the time your child starts kindergarten he or she will have received 48 doses of 14 vaccines. Of these, 36 doses will be given during the first 18 months of life – a time when your child’s body and brain is undergoing massive development!

Public health officials have NEVER proven that it is indeed safe to inject this volume of vaccines into infants. What’s more, they cannot explain why, concurrent with an increasing number of vaccinations, there has been an explosion of neurological and immune system disorders in American children.

This issue covers so much ground, it’s impossible to even try to summarize the many hazards and the lack of efficiency data for all the vaccines currently being given, in this article.

For more information please visit our vaccine section at http://vaccines.mercola.com/

3: Fluoride in Your Water Lowers Your Risk of Cavities

The theory behind the introduction of fluoride in your water supply initially seems beneficial – to reduce the incidence of dental caries in children. However, the health dangers of fluoride are so numerous; they far outweigh any benefit to your teeth, and that’s IF water fluoridation actually did what its claimed to do.

Today, even promoters of fluoridation concede that the major benefits are only from topical applications; fluoride works from the outside of the tooth, not from inside of your body, so why swallow it?

Statistics tell us that water fluoridation is ineffective for preventing caries. There is practically no difference in tooth decay between fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries, and no difference between states that have a high- or low percentage of their water fluoridated.

Meanwhile, fluoride can cause significant harm, from dental fluorosis to thyroid damage to reduced IQ… and much more.

I’ve joined forces with the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) to help end water fluoridation poisoning in Canada and the United States.

For more about the dangers of fluoride, and information about how to get involved in this campaign, please see this recent article, which also includes an excellent interview with Dr. Paul Connett, who created FAN and is one of the foremost experts on this topic.

4: GMOs Crops are Safe, Well Tested and Economically Beneficial

GMOs may be the greatest health disaster in the American diet. Within 9 years of their introduction in 1996, multiple chronic illnesses jumped from 7 percent to 13 percent of the population, food allergies doubled in less time, and many other ailments have exponentially increased with the introduction of GM foods.

Millions may already be suffering health problems caused by genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their diet. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has already urged doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients, citing studies that show how GMOs cause disorders such as vital organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system problems, accelerated aging, infertility, and dysfunctional regulation of insulin and cholesterol.

But not only are GM foods a health disaster, they also pose a significant environmental threat, and industry promises of financial benefits have turned out to be false as well.

For a quick introduction, I recommend reading the article 10 Reasons to Avoid Genetically Modified Foods, which delves into everything from the health problems associated with eating GM foods to the evidence against GM crops as a sustainable, economically and environmentally viable alternative to traditional farming.

5: Sun Causes Skin Cancer

There are many misconceptions about melanoma – the most dangerous type of skin cancer that accounts for more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. But despite all the bad press linking sun exposure to skin cancer, there’s almost no evidence at all to support that stance. There is, however, plenty of evidence to the contrary.

Over the years, several studies have already confirmed that appropriate sun exposure actually helps prevent skin cancer. In fact, melanoma occurrence has been found to decrease with greater sun exposure, and can be increased by sunscreens.

In my interview with vitamin D expert Dr. Robert Heaney, he explains how the conventional recommendations are in fact causing the very health problem they claim to prevent.

How does sunlight prevent, rather than cause, skin cancer?

In short, it’s the vitamin D formed in your skin from exposure to sunlight that provides this built in cancer protection.

The vitamin D goes directly to genes in your skin that help prevent the types of abnormalities that ultraviolet light causes. Unfortunately, if you follow the conventional recommendation to avoid sun exposure or always use sunscreen, your skin will not make any vitamin D, leaving you without this built-in cancer protection.

Statistics confirm the truth of these findings, as melanoma rates have increased right along with sun avoidance and increased use of sunscreens. If avoiding the sun actually was the answer, then melanoma rates should have decreased exponentially over the past couple of decades…

Instead, sun avoidance and the excessive use of sun screen are actually the two primary reasons for the rise in melanoma.

6: Saturated Fat Causes Heart Disease

As recently as 2002, the “expert” Food & Nutrition Board issued the following misguided statement, which epitomizes this myth:

“Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol have no known beneficial role in preventing chronic disease and are not required at any level in the diet.”

This dangerous recommendation, which arose from an unproven hypothesis from the mid-1950s, has been harming your health and that of your loved ones for about 40 years now.

The truth is, saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances, without which your body cannot function optimally.

They also act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.

In fact, saturated is the preferred fuel for your heart!

For more information about saturated fats and the essential role they play in maintaining your health, please read my previous article The Truth About Saturated Fat.

7: Artificial Sweeteners are Safe, Well Tested and Help Promote Weight Loss

Most people use artificial sweeteners to lose weight. The amazing irony is that nearly all the studies that have carefully analyzed their effectiveness show that those who use artificial sweeteners actually gain more weight than those who consume caloric sweeteners.

In 2005, data gathered from the 25-year long San Antonio Heart Study showed that drinking diet soft drinks increased the likelihood of serious weight gain – far more so than regular soda. On average, each diet soft drink the participants consumed per day increased their risk of becoming overweight by 65 percent within the next seven to eight years, and made them 41 percent more likely to become obese.

The reasons for this ironic reality are still being investigated, but there are several potential causes, including:

• Sweet taste alone appears to increase hunger, regardless of caloric content.
• Artificial sweeteners appear to simply perpetuate a craving for sweets, and overall sugar consumption is therefore not reduced—leading to further problems controlling your weight.
• Artificial sweeteners may disrupt your body’s natural ability to “count calories,” as evidenced in studies such as this 2004 study at Purdue University, which found that rats fed artificially sweetened liquids ate more high-calorie food than rats fed high-caloric sweetened liquids.

In the end, the research tells us that artificial sweeteners are NOT a dieter’s best friend, because contrary to what the marketing campaigns claim, low- or no-calorie artificial sweeteners are more likely to help you pack on the pounds than shed them.

There are also a large number of health dangers associated with artificial sweeteners and aspartame in particular. I’ve started compiling a growing list of studies pertaining to health problems associated with aspartame, which you can find here. If you’re still on the fence, I highly recommend reviewing these studies for yourself so that you can make an educated decision.

For more information on aspartame, the worst artificial sweetener, please see my aspartame video.

8: Soy is a Health Food

The meteoric rise of soy as a “health food” is a perfect example of how a brilliant marketing strategy can fool millions. But make no mistake about it, unfermented soy products are NOT healthful additions to your diet.

If you find this recommendation startling then I would encourage you to review my Why Soy Can Damage Your Health, which contains links to dozens of articles on the topic, and a video I recently did.

On the contrary, thousands of studies have linked unfermented soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders and infertility—even cancer and heart disease.

Not only that, but more than 90 percent of American soy crops are genetically modified, which carries its own set of health risks.

Here is a sampling of the detrimental health effects that have been linked to soy consumption:

• Breast cancer
• Brain damage
• Infant abnormalities
• Thyroid disorders
• Kidney stones
• Immune system impairment
• Severe, potentially fatal food allergies
• Impaired fertility
• Danger during pregnancy and nursing

I am not opposed to all soy, however. Organic and, most importantly, properly fermented soy does have great health benefits. Examples of such healthful fermented soy products include tempeh, miso and natto.

9: Whole Grains are Good for Everyone

The use of whole-grains is an easy subject to get confused on especially for those who have a passion for nutrition, as for the longest time we were told the fiber in whole grains is highly beneficial.

Unfortunately ALL grains, including whole-grain and organic varieties, can elevate your insulin levels, which can increase your risk of disease.

It has been my experience that more than 85 percent of Americans have trouble controlling their insulin levels — especially those who have the following conditions:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Protein metabolic types
• Overweight

In addition, sub-clinical gluten intolerance is far more common than you might think, which can also wreak havoc with your health.

As a general rule, I strongly recommend eliminating grains as well as sugars from your diet, especially if you have any of the above conditions that are related to insulin resistance. The higher your insulin levels and the more prominent your signs of insulin overload are, the more ambitious your grain elimination needs to be.

If you are one of the fortunate ones without insulin resistance and of normal body weight, then grains are fine, especially whole grains. It is wise to continue to monitor your grain consumption and your health as life is dynamic and constantly changing. What might be fine when you are 25 or 30 could become a major problem at 40 when your growth hormone and level of exercise is different.

10: All Plant Based Supplements are as Good as Animal Supplements

The primary example here is that of omega-3’s. It’s very important to realize that not all omega-3 fats are the same, and that the type and source of your omega-3 will make a big difference in the health benefits it provides.

There are three types of omega-3 fats:

1. DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid)
2. EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)
3. ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid)

Many people do not realize that most of the well-known health benefits associated with omega-3 fats – such as mental health, stronger bones and heart health — are linked to the animal-based omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA), not the plant-based omega-3 fat (ALA).

ALA, which is the type of omega-3 found in flaxseed and nuts, is converted into EPA and DHA in your body, but only at a very low ratio.

So even if you eat large amounts of ALA, your body can only convert a relatively small amount into EPA and DHA, and only when sufficient enzymes are present.

This does not mean plant-based omega-3 fats are intrinsically harmful or that they should be avoided, only that you ideally want to include an animal-based form as well. Personally, I regularly include omega-3 (ALA) plant-based foods, like flax and hemp, in my diet, but these are always combined with animal-based omega-3 fats.

But in order to reap its most important health benefits, your omega-3 needs to be from an animal source. For more information on this topic, please read through my previous article, Are You Getting the Right Type of Omega-3 Fats?

11: Milk Does Your Body Good

Can milk do your body good?

Yes, if it’s RAW.

Unfortunately, this myth insists that conventional pasteurized milk has health benefits, which is far from true. Conventional health agencies also refuse to address the real dangers of the growth hormones and antibiotics found in conventional milk.

Please understand that I do not recommend drinking pasteurized milk of any kind, including organic, because once milk has been pasteurized its physical structure is changed in a way that can actually cause allergies and immune problems.

Important enzymes like lactase are destroyed, which causes many people to not be able to digest milk. Additionally, vitamins (such as A, C, B6 and B12) are diminished and fragile milk proteins are radically transformed from health nurturing to unnatural amino acid configurations that can actually worsen your health.

The eradication of beneficial bacteria through the pasteurization process also ends up promoting pathogens rather than protecting you from them.

The healthy alternative to pasteurized milk is raw milk, which is an outstanding source of nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus, vitamins and enzymes, and it is, in my estimation, one of the finest sources of calcium available.

For more details please watch the interview I did with Mark McAfee, who is the owner of Organic Pastures, the largest organic dairy in the US.

12: Low-Fat Diets are Healthy

The low-fat myth may have done more harm to the health of millions than any other dietary recommendation. Again, just as the recommendations to avoid sunshine has increased melanoma rates, the low-fat craze led to increased consumption of trans-fats, which we now know increases your risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

To end the confusion, it’s very important to realize that eating fat will not make you fat!

The primary cause of excess weight and all the chronic diseases associated with it, is actually the consumption of too much sugar — especially fructose, but also all sorts of grains, which rapidly convert to sugar in your body.

If only the low-fat craze had been a low-sugar craze… then we wouldn’t have nearly as much chronic disease as we have today.

For an explanation of why and how a low-fat diet can create the very health problems it’s claimed to prevent, please see this previous article.

By Dr. Mercola
Source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar……

Soy. It is found in seemingly every prepared and processed food item available on the market. Whether it is soy protein, soybean oil, or soy lecithin, soy derivatives have become an almost universal additive in American food products. Commonly thought to be a healthy, protein-dense food, the soybean has been touted as a wonder victual capable of feeding the planet and stopping world hunger. Truth is, unfermented soy is one of the most harmful, toxic substances to ever become so predominant in the food chain.

The History of Soy

Historically, ancient farmers planted soybeans in order to infuse their soil with nutrients such as nitrogen; their food crops benefited from the enriched soil that the soy plants provided. Typically attributed with Asian diets, soy has always played a minor role in eastern fare and, when consumed, it is done so fermented from a whole bean.

The traditional Japanese diet, for instance, includes over 100 biologically-unique foods per week with soy products accounting for only a few items. In Pearl Buck’s 1931 bestselling Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Good Earth, she writes of Wang Lung, a Chinese subsistence farmer who rises to power in pre-revolutionary China because of his and his wife’s hard work and determination. Raised in China herself, Buck’s story contains scant mention of soy consumption as part of the typical Chinese diet.

Ancient pictographs from the Chinese Chou Dynasty period also confirm that soy was traditionally not used as food but as a crop-rotating plant that served to replenish the planting soil with nutrients. Throughout the centuries, it gradually gained popularity in various fermented forms.

Only in recent decades has corporate soy production become commonplace, ushered in by gales of misinformation claiming it as a health food in all its processed forms. Even in Asian countries, 90% of soy consumption involves processed, unfermented soy products much like the ones consumed in America.

What’s So Bad About Soy?

Soybeans naturally contain a host of anti-nutrients and toxins, including trypsin inhibitors, hemaglutinin, phytic acid, and phytoestrogens.

The potent trypsin inhibitors present in soy significantly curtail protein absorption, causing abdominal distress due to hampered absorption of crucial nutrients and amino acids. Animals fed diets that contained large amounts of trypsin inhibitors developed pancreatic problems including cancer.

Hemaglutinin is a substance that is responsible for causing red blood cells to clump together and form clots. Both trypsin inhibitors and hemaglutinin have been deemed “growth depressant substances” for their contributions in stunting essential bodily functions.

Phytic acid, or phytates, is another nutrient absorption inhibitor that deters the uptake of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Present in the bran of seeds, phytic acid will offset the intake of nutrients by stopping their absorption within the intestinal track, leading to severe mineral deficiencies. Zinc, the “intelligence mineral”, is the one most completely blocked by soy phytates. Soy has also been shown to have the highest phytic acid content of any other grain or legume ever studied.

Phytoestrogens are chemical compounds found in some plants that mimic the estrogen hormone. Soy products are particularly rich in isoflavone phytoestrogens which are capable of significantly disrupting human hormonal balance, particularly in men. A study conducted by Harvard University revealed a definitive correlation between soy consumption and low sperm counts in men, indicating that high soy consumption can instigate reproductive harm and suppress testosterone levels.

Genetic Engineering

To add insult to injury, the GMO Compass database records that as of 2008, 92% of soy crops in the U.S. are genetically-modified varieties. GMOs are continually shown in independent studies to cause serious harm in the human body, a frightening prospect when considering that soy derivatives are found in virtually every processed food product.

One of the most prevalent culprits is soy lecithin, an emulsifier that is added to processed foods to stabilize the ingredients with one another. Soybean oil is another popular additive found in all kinds of foods from mayonnaise and salad dressings to cakes and breads. Besides the fact that they are soy-based and highly prevalent, these ingredients are most often derived from GMO soybeans.

Even organic products may contain GMO soy lecithin since this particular ingredient falls outside the realm of organic requirements, a controversial loophole that many have taken charge to have changed. Most organic products specify non-GMO soy lecithin, but it is always important to investigate and verify.

Eat Soy Sparingly, and Only Organic

The proper way to eat soy is whole, organic, fermented, and sparingly. Soy milk, tofu, soy nuts, and other popular food items are essentially toxic due to the inherent toxic properties of unfermented soy. Many of these products are also highly processed and genetically-modified.

Soy formulas are inadequate and potentially dangerous for babies as they do not contain the vibrant array of vital nutrients found in the mother’s breast milk. Many doctors affirm that soy formulas lack essential fatty acids (EFAs), cholesterol, immunoglobulins, and other nutrients necessary for proper cognitive and neural development in the child. As it turns out, many babies are allergic to the highly-processed proteins and ingredients in infant formula.

For adults, soy products like miso, tamari, and shoyu that have been properly fermented are not only delicious but healthy when used in various food preparations. Fermentation eliminates virtually all of the anti-nutrients and toxins present in raw soybeans. Tempeh is another whole fermented soy food that is high in protein and dietary fiber, making it a pertinent vegetarian meal option.

Small amounts of fermented, organic soy foods in conjunction with a diverse, whole foods diet will serve the body well. Rather than consume inordinate amounts of chemically-processed soy as is becoming typical in the American diet, particularly among vegetarians, soy should be shrouded among an array of complete food items—preferably as a condiment and always fermented.

Ethan Huff is a freelance writer and health enthusiast who loves exploring the vast world of natural foods and health, digging deep to get to the truth. He runs an online health publication of his own at

http://wholesomeherald.blogspot.com.

Soy. It is found in seemingly every prepared and processed food item available on the market. Whether it is soy protein, soybean oil, or soy lecithin, soy derivatives have become an almost universal additive in American food products. Commonly thought to be a healthy, protein-dense food, the soybean has been touted as a wonder victual capable of feeding the planet and stopping world hunger. Truth is, unfermented soy is one of the most harmful, toxic substances to ever become so predominant in the food chain.

The History of Soy
Historically, ancient farmers planted soybeans in order to infuse their soil with nutrients such as nitrogen; their food crops benefited from the enriched soil that the soy plants provided. Typically attributed with Asian diets, soy has always played a minor role in eastern fare and, when consumed, it is done so fermented from a whole bean.

The traditional Japanese diet, for instance, includes over 100 biologically-unique foods per week with soy products accounting for only a few items. In Pearl Buck’s 1931 bestselling Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Good Earth, she writes of Wang Lung, a Chinese subsistence farmer who rises to power in pre-revolutionary China because of he and his wife’s hard work and determination . Raised in China herself, Buck’s story contains scant mention of soy consumption as part of the typical Chinese diet.

Ancient pictographs from the Chinese Chou Dynasty period also confirm that soy was traditionally not used as food but as a crop-rotating plant that served to replenish the planting soil with nutrients. Throughout the centuries, it gradually gained popularity in various fermented forms.

Only in recent decades has corporate soy production become commonplace, ushered in by gales of misinformation claiming it as a health food in all its processed forms. Even in Asian countries, 90% of soy consumption involves processed, unfermented soy products much like the ones consumed in America.

What’s So Bad About Soy?
Soybeans naturally contain a host of anti-nutrients and toxins, including trypsin inhibitors, hemaglutinin, phytic acid, and phytoestrogens.

The potent trypsin inhibitors present in soy significantly curtail protein absorption, causing abdominal distress due to hampered absorption of crucial nutrients and amino acids. Animals fed diets that contained large amounts of trypsin inhibitors developed pancreatic problems including cancer.

Hemaglutinin is a substance that is responsible for causing red blood cells to clump together and form clots. Both trypsin inhibitors and hemaglutinin have been deemed “growth depressant substances” for their contributions in stunting essential bodily functions.

Phytic acid, or phytates, is another nutrient absorption inhibitor that deters the uptake of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Present in the bran of seeds, phytic acid will offset the intake of nutrients by stopping their absorption within the intestinal track, leading to severe mineral deficiencies. Zinc, the “intelligence mineral”, is the one most completely blocked by soy phytates. Soy has also been shown to have the highest phytic acid content of any other grain or legume ever studied.

Phytoestrogens are chemical compounds found in some plants that mimic the estrogen hormone. Soy products are particularly rich in isoflavone phytoestrogens which are capable of significantly disrupting human hormonal balance, particularly in men. A study conducted by Harvard University revealed a definitive correlation between soy consumption and low sperm counts in men, indicating that high soy consumption can instigate reproductive harm and suppress testosterone levels.

Genetic Engineering
To add insult to injury, the GMO Compass database records that as of 2008, 92% of soy crops in the U.S. are genetically modified varieties. GMOs are continually shown in independent studies to cause serious harm in the human body, a frightening prospect when considering that soy derivatives are found in virtually every processed food product.

One of the most prevalent culprits is soy lecithin, an emulsifier that is added to processed foods to stabilize the ingredients with one another. Soybean oil is another popular additive found in all kinds of foods from mayonnaise and salad dressings to cakes and breads. Besides the fact that they are soy-based and highly prevalent, these ingredients are most often derived from GMO soybeans.

Even organic products may contain GMO soy lecithin since this particular ingredient falls outside the realm of organic requirements, a controversial loophole that many have taken charge to have changed. Most organic products specify non-GMO soy lecithin but it is always important to investigate and verify.

Eat Soy Sparingly, and Only Organic
The proper way to eat soy is whole, organic, fermented, and sparingly. Soy milk, tofu, soy nuts, and other popular food items are essentially toxic due to the inherent toxic properties of unfermented soy. Many of these products are also highly processed and genetically-modified.

Soy formulas are inadequate and potentially dangerous for babies as they do not contain the vibrant array of vital nutrients found in the mother’s breast milk. Many doctors affirm that soy formulas lack essential fatty acids (EFAs), cholesterol, immunoglobulins, and other nutrients necessary for proper cognitive and neural development in the child. As it turns out, many babies are allergic to the highly-processed proteins and ingredients in infant formula.

For adults, soy products like miso, tamari, and shoyu that have been properly fermented are not only delicious but healthy when used in various food preparations. Fermentation eliminates virtually all of the anti-nutrients and toxins present in raw soybeans. Tempeh is another whole fermented soy food that is high in protein and dietary fiber, making it a pertinent vegetarian meal option.

Small amounts of fermented, organic soy foods in conjunction with a diverse, whole foods diet will serve the body well. Rather than consume inordinate amounts of chemically-processed soy as is becoming typical in the American diet, particularly among vegetarians, soy should be shrouded among an array of complete food items - preferably as a condiment and always fermented.

Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/0…

Genetically modified (GM) soy accounts for 91 percent of soybeans planted in the US and is rapidly growing throughout the world [1]. The dangerous biotech created science behind the introduction of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) is rapidly mounting and can no longer be ignored by scientists or the public. The biotech propaganda of increasing crop yield and ending world hunger have been proven false, and attempts to skew the simple fact that the sole reasoning for the mass introduction of untested, toxic and dangerous GMOs into our plants, soil, animals and genes is to increase profits at any expense for the large multinational biotech companies.

Transgenic or GM soy is created by haphazardly blasting a gene into the soybean that allows the bean to be resistant to the cytotoxic effects of Roundup (glyphosate). Farmers are able to dose their entire soybean fields with glyphosate and only kill the weeds. But, wouldn’t it make sense that if something kills anything (including weeds) it also would be killing human cells? Also, what health effects are evident from consuming soybeans which have been genetically altered with a promoter virus to ensure the gene slips past the immune system of the plant?

Monsanto created Roundup in the 1970’s to kill weeds and has since catapulted this product to be the world’s number one selling herbicide. Before the patent on Roundup was set to expire in 2000, Monsanto needed a surefire way to keep the profits of Roundup from bottoming out. Monsanto quickly began purchasing the majority of the world’s seed companies while simultaneously creating GMOs that farmers needed to sign contractual agreements to only use Roundup. Subsequently, revenue from Roundup never dropped and in fact topped more than $4 billion in 2008, up 59% from 2007 [2].

GM-soy is estimated to be present in up to 70% of all food products found in US supermarkets, including cereals, breads, soymilk, pasta and most meat (as animals are fed GM-soy feed). Although Monsanto has consistently relied on industry-funded data to declare the safety of GM-soy and glyphosate, objective research published in peer-reviewed journals tells another story.

Toxicity of Glyphosate

A recently published study by Italian researchers [3] examined the toxicity of four popular glyphosate based herbicide formulations on human placental cells, kidney cells, embryonic cells and neonate umbilical cord cells and surprisingly found total cell death of each of these cells within 24 hours. The researchers reported several mechanisms by which the herbicides caused the cells to die including: cell membrane rupture and damage, mitochondrial damage and cell asphyxia. Following these findings, the researchers tested G, AMPA and POEA by themselves and concluded that, “It is very clear that if G, POEA, or AMPA has a small toxic effect on embryonic cells alone at low levels, the combination of two of them at the same final concentration is significantly deleterious”.

Although previous researchers have proposed that the supposed “inert ingredients” alter the role of cell membrane disruptors in fish, amphibians, microorganisms [4] and plants [5], independent of G, this study is the first of its kind to report similar findings in human cells. The researchers concluded that, “the proprietary mixtures available on the market could cause cell damage and even death around residual levels to be expected, especially in food and feed derived from R [Roundup] formulation-treated crops” which are pervasive in GM-soya.

Furthermore, a recent study presently being prepared for publication by embryologists and biologists in Argentina found that glyphosate induced malformations in amphibian embryos [6]. Reduced head size, genetic alterations in the central nervous system, an increase in the death of cells that help form the skull, and deformed cartilage were effects that were repeatedly found in the laboratory experiments, said lead researcher, Carrasco. Carrasco explained that in the first phase of the experiment, amphibian embryos were submerged in a solution of herbicide diluted in water in a proportion that was 1,500 times weaker than that used today on genetically modified soybeans. The embryos subsequently suffered head deformations. In the second stage, embryonic cells were injected with glyphosate diluted with water, alone. The deleterious impact was multiplied, showing that the active ingredient accounts for the toxicity, rather than the additives, Carrasco said.

“One should be able to suppose, with certainty, that the same thing that happens to amphibian embryos can happen to humans,” said Carrasco, whose team of specialists in biology, biochemistry and genetics has been working on the study for 15 months. The researchers concluded that, “It is clear that glyphosate is not innocuous and that it does not degrade or break down, but accumulates in cells”.

Dangers of GM-Soy

In addition to the toxicity of glyphosate, several animal studies have found several health issues directly related to the consumption of GM-soybean. Rabbits fed GM-soy were found to have altered enzymatic activity in their livers as well as a higher metabolic activity [7]. Microscopic analyses of the livers of mice fed Roundup Ready soybeans revealed altered gene expression and structural and functional changes [8]. Much of these changes reversed after the mice diet was switched to non-GM soy, indicating that GM soy was the culprit.

Molecular geneticist Michael Antoniou, Ph.D., described that the findings “are not random and must reflect some ‘insult’ on the liver by the GM soy.” Antoniou, who does human gene therapy research in King’s College London, said that although the long-term consequences of the GM soy diet are not known, it “could lead to liver damage and consequently general toxemia” [9].

A study presented in December of 2005 by Dr. Ermakova found that rats fed a GM-soy flour diet had 56 percent of their offspring die at birth compared to only 8 percent in the control group [10]. Ermakova (2005) also reported that, “From the data it is evident, that 36% of the pups from the GM soya group weighed less than 20 g, in comparison with the 6% in the positive control group, and with the 6.7% found in the traditional soya supplemented diet group. Study of pups’ organs mass showed that the organs of small pups from GM group were tiny in comparison with the same of other groups except the brain mass. This fact indicated that the pups from the GM group were the same age as others, but changes were occurred with the development of internal organs” [10]. Furthermore, Ermakova found that the male rats who were fed GM soy had their testicles change color from normal pink to dark blue.

Researchers also found that the cells in the pancreatic cells of mice fed Roundup Ready soy had profound changes and produced significantly less digestive enzymes [11]. Furthermore, mice fed GM soy were found to have altered young sperm [12] and even the embryos of GM fed parent mice had significant changes in their DNA [13]. Clearly, GMOs are either an arrogant blend of controlling life through food or an insidious plot for population control.

Source: http://www.naturalnews.com/026334.html

Myth: Use of soy as a food dates back many thousands of years.

Truth: Soy was first used as a food during the late Chou dynasty (1134-246 BC), only after the Chinese learned to ferment soy beans to make foods like tempeh, natto and tamari.

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Myth: Asians consume large amounts of soy foods.

Truth: Average consumption of soy foods in Japan and China is 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons) per day. Asians consume soy foods in small amounts as a condiment, and not as a replacement for animal foods.

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Myth: Modern soy foods confer the same health benefits as traditionally fermented soy foods.

Truth: Most modern soy foods are not fermented to neutralize toxins in soybeans, and are processed in a way that denatures proteins and increases levels of carcinogens.

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Myth: Soy foods provide complete protein.

Truth: Like all legumes, soy beans are deficient in sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine. In addition, modern processing denatures fragile lysine.

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Myth: Fermented soy foods can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets.

Truth: The compound that resembles vitamin B12 in soy cannot be used by the human body; in fact, soy foods cause the body to require more B12.

———————————

Myth: Soy formula is safe for infants.

Truth: Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body’s requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys.

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Myth: Soy foods can prevent osteoporosis.

Truth: Soy foods can cause deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, both needed for healthy bones. Calcium from bone broths and vitamin D from seafood, lard and organ meats prevent osteoporosis in Asian countries—not soy foods.

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Myth: Modern soy foods protect against many types of cancer.

Truth: A British government report concluded that there is little evidence that soy foods protect against breast cancer or any other forms of cancer. In fact, soy foods may result in an increased risk of cancer.

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Myth: Soy foods protect against heart disease.

Truth: In some people, consumption of soy foods will lower cholesterol, but there is no evidence that lowering cholesterol improves one’s risk of having heart disease.

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Myth: Soy estrogens (isoflavones) are good for you.

Truth: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters. At dietary levels, they can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Eating as little as 30 grams (about 4 tablespoons) of soy per day can result in hypothyroidism with symptoms of lethargy, constipation, weight gain and fatigue.

———————————

Myth: Soy foods are safe and beneficial for women to use in their postmenopausal years.

Truth: Soy foods can stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors and cause thyroid problems. Low thyroid function is associated with difficulties in menopause.

———————————

Myth: Phytoestrogens in soy foods can enhance mental ability.

Truth: A recent study found that women with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood had the lowest levels of cognitive function; In Japanese Americans tofu consumption in mid-life is associated with the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease in later life.

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Myth: Soy isoflavones and soy protein isolate have GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Truth: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) recently withdrew its application to the FDA for GRAS status for soy isoflavones following an outpouring of protest from the scientific community. The FDA never approved GRAS status for soy protein isolate because of concern regarding the presence of toxins and carcinogens in processed soy.

———————————

Myth: Soy foods are good for your sex life.

Truth: Numerous animal studies show that soy foods cause infertility in animals. Soy consumption enhances hair growth in middle-aged men, indicating lowered testosterone levels. Japanese housewives feed tofu to their husbands frequently when they want to reduce his virility.

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Myth: Soy beans are good for the environment.

Truth: Most soy beans grown in the US are genetically engineered to allow farmers to use large amounts of herbicides.

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Myth: Soy beans are good for developing nations.

Truth: In third world countries, soybeans replace traditional crops and transfer the value-added of processing from the local population to multinational corporations.

www.westonaprice.org

One of the most common questions I’m asked concerns my recommendations for milk or milk alternatives. My answer on this question has evolved over the years, so today, I’ll share my latest preferences for milk and milk-like beverages.

Thumbs down: Soy milk

A few years ago, I recommended soy milk as a natural alternative to cow’s milk. But since then, far better alternatives have emerged (see below). Also, more information has appeared regarding the environmental impact of soybean farming (the Amazon rainforest is being devastated by clear cutting to create soybean agricultural lands) as well as the frightening fact that most soybeans grown today are genetically modified (GMO) varieties.

On top of this, most popular soy milk brands (I won’t name names, but these are likely the ones in your grocery store) have been bought out by big, profit-seeking food and beverage corporations, and as a result, they’ve been sugared up and made nutritionally inferior. Check the ingredients on “plain” soy milk the next time you’re at the store: It’s loaded with sugar!

Without question, most soy milk has become too mainstream, too sugary and too much controlled by the same food and beverage giants that are still manufacturing and marketing other products that promote degenerative disease. Because of these reasons, I no longer recommend soy milk (unless you make it yourself or get it from a small, truly natural company).

Thumbs down: Processed cow’s milk

I’m also not thrilled about processed milk from cows. By “processed,” I mean homogenized and pasteurized. The pasteurization kills all the beneficial microorganisms, and homogenization artificially modifies dairy fats in a way that ultimately harms the human cardiovascular system when consumed. Processed “mainstream” milk is also taken from dairy cows pumped up with antibiotics, rBGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) and usually treated very poorly in terms of ethics. Even the popular brands showing happy cows and claiming to be organic are under intense fire by the Organic Consumers Association (www.OrganicConsumers.org) for exploiting certain loopholes that allow non-organic cows to be suddenly considered “organic” on the day they’re giving milk.

Processed cow’s milk is bad for your health and bad for the cows who give it. It’s great for corporate profits, however, and that’s why milk continues to be so heavily marketed as a nutritional beverage. They’ve even managed to so strongly influence the USDA that the latest dietary recommendations by this government agency essentially recommend that everyone should drink more milk. And it’s no surprise that infant formula manufacturers have, for decades, tried to convince nutritionally ignorant mothers that cow’s milk is better for their baby than human breast milk. (An odd idea, isn’t it?)

Thumbs up: Raw milk

Over the last two years, I’ve become a proponent of raw milk (especially raw fermented milk, see below). Raw goat’s milk is my personal recommendation, but even raw cow’s milk has merit. What’s so good about raw milk? Because it’s not homogenized or pasteurized, it’s nutritionally superior to dead, cooked milk. Raw milk seems to be far easier to digest, and it contains living bacteria cultures that enhance digestion and even soothe the digestive tract.

It’s no surprise, then, that raw milk is under attack by both federal regulators and some members of the processed milk industry. They don’t want people to find a “superior” milk that isn’t as profitable to sell (because it has reduced shelf life), so they’re trying to destroy the raw milk market and limit consumer choice to processed, dead milk. (The same is true in the almond industry, where the Almond Board of California is now trying to irradiate all almonds grown in the state, yet have them labeled as “raw” even when they’re dead.)

This attack on raw milk is dressed up to look like a public safety concern. Raw milk is dangerous, regulators claim, because the live cultures might get contaminated with unfriendly bacteria and harm someone. The preferred alternative, it seems, is to kill all the food so that it harms everyone equally.

In terms of choosing raw milk, the typical choices are raw cow’s milk and raw goat’s milk. Raw goat’s milk is more compatible with human nutritional needs (and is especially beneficial to infants when mother’s milk isn’t available), but it has a stronger taste that not everyone enjoys. I encourage you to try both raw goat’s milk and raw cow’s milk, then decide what you like best. The proteins in the goat’s milk are, no doubt, easier for humans to digest.

Thumbs way up: Fermented raw milk

The best dairy beverage for your health is, in my opinion, fermented raw milk. If you take raw milk and inoculate it with bacterial cultures, then let it sit for a day or two, you end up with a living, predigested, nutritionally superior beverage that’s so packed with life it’s actually fizzy (carbonated due to the off-gassing of bacteria) when you make it yourself at home.

One form of this fermented milk is called Kefir. It’s an incredible beverage when you make it yourself. The store-bought kefir just isn’t the same because it’s usually dead, flat and pasteurized. But home-made kefir is something else entirely! It’s alive, energetic and completely natural.

I was recently treated to some kefir made from raw goat’s milk by a raw foods chef in Tucson — a man I hope to feature on NewsTarget videos later this year. He makes kefir in jars on his kitchen countertop, using a kefir culture that’s been passed down from one raw foodist to another for years… maybe even decades. It contained no sweeteners or additives of any kind; just raw goat’s milk cultured with bacteria. After drinking it, I noticed an immediate energetic difference, and in the days that followed, I was amazed at the therapeutic effect on my digestive and eliminative processes. Since then, I’ve really upped my intake of fermented foods in general.

Store-bought kefir is tricky. Definitely avoid non-organic kefir of any kind, and I strongly recommend that even when you buy organic kefir, avoid products made with added sugars. This is a fermented beverage, not ice cream. Don’t think it’s supposed to taste like a milkshake. It’s a slightly bitter beverage when you drink it plain, but that’s what kefir is supposed to be.

Thumbs way up: Raw almond milk

Another current favorite at my house is raw almond milk. It’s made from raw, soaked almonds, water, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt. I’ve posted a video on how to make this yourself using a Vita-Mix. (Click here to see the video.)

Raw almond milk is both delicious and nutritious. While it doesn’t have the protein content of animal milk, it’s rich in plant-based fats and various anti-cancer phytonutrients. Once you make a batch, you’ll need to drink it within a day or two, since it tends to sour very quickly (it’s alive, raw and nutritious, obviously), but I’ve found that you can preserve it in the refrigerator for several days longer by adding a couple of drops of food-grade hydrogen peroxide.

Many raw food proponents are now drinking a combination of raw almond milk and raw goat’s milk kefir. That’s a combination I’m enjoying, too. It’s good to have a balance of both plant and animal-based milks, but only if they’re from ethically treated, naturally raised animals who are not exposed to antibiotics, toxic chemicals or conventional veterinary care (which is all based on chemicals, just like human health care).

Mike’s Milk Matrix
Okay, here’s the low down on milk products and milk alternatives as I see it:

Soy milk: Not recommended. Too many GMO soybeans, bad environmental impact and some possible undesirable estrogen effects. The isoflavones are good for preventing cancer, however.

Processed cow’s milk: It’s just gross. Homogenized, pasteurized, milked from unhealthy cows and containing alarmingly high levels of pus, this liquid is nothing less than frightening. Flee it.

Raw cow’s milk (organic): This is an acceptable dairy beverage. If it’s from healthy cows treated with kindness and good nutrition, this raw beverage is far better than processed cow’s milk.

Row goat’s milk (organic): Even better than raw cow’s milk, since the goat’s milk is easier to digest and more compatible with human nutritional needs.

Fermented milk from cows or goats (organic Kefir): A great choice! It’s alive, nutritious and great for digestive health. Make it yourself for best results. If you buy it, avoid the sugared-up kefir products in the store.

Raw almond milk: A top choice for vegans, one of my favorite beverages. Make it yourself with raw almonds, water a nut milk bag and a blender. Click here to see my almond milk recipe video.

Enjoy!

Mike Adams

NewsTarget.com

I can’t think of one single smooth or clever way to introduce the shear and utter importance of the following nutritional concepts. Marketing and PR in this country, and society as a whole, have done an incredibly awesome job of convincing consumers like you and I that this “Age of Processed Food & Pharmaceuticals” we are currently in, is harmless to us. We have been brainwashed by a lifetime-long onslaught of propaganda. This propaganda, which programs us from birth on, reaches us via TV, magazines, radio, billboards, internet, movies, etc. By using techniques that dehumanize, generalize, emotionally charge, stall, distract, maximize, minimize, and LIE; these giant corporations make millions, billions, and trillions of dollars annually, and they do it quite effortlessly.

We as the “general public” are at an unbelievable disadvantage. Millions of dollars are spent to research the most efficient and scientific methods of “trickery” to use on us all! This includes research on taste, color, economic class, racial/ethnic ties, sex appeal, perception…you get the idea. How can we compete? Unfortunately, many simply believe that since an MD on TV said a product is healthy, or safe, or harmless…that it must indeed be. As you might expect, this could not be further from the truth.

We must be made aware of the fact that there is little money to be made in the use of natural remedies; regardless of how beneficial they are. Why would industry and conventional medicine subscribe to such a notion? After all, they generate over a trillion dollars annually (the most profitable in America), by prescribing drugs and diagnostic and surgical techniques! If we learned how to take care of ourselves, there would be no money for them to make!

So one might ask, “Why aren’t doctors more interested or knowledgeable about nutrition?” The answers here are simple. The average medical school provides only a handful of hours in nutritional education. Medical doctors are trained to “treat,” not to “prevent,” and thus focus only on the “medical model” not wellness. This is because there is a reduction in liability of risk when “usual and customary” procedures are followed. But perhaps the ultimate reason - Insurance doesn’t cover nutritional guidance. So the story of their education goes:
 Anatomy—->Physiology—->Pharmacology.

The purpose of this article is simply the advancement of truth. The reality of the current health situation of this country is not a good one; we are “on the fence and teetering.” Disease and sickness are running rampant, and the processed food and pharmaceutical industries have much to do with it. The only people with the power enough to change knowledge and perception for the betterment of all, are ourselves of course. In the following pages some of the most common food products to be avoided at all costs will be the topic of discussion. If we all can manage to reduce and eliminate these from our lives, we will all be one step closer to a happier, healthier existence, as well as beating those corporate monsters at their own game.

1. Sugar

It’s no mystery, sugar, particularly refined sugar, is bad for you. What you may not be aware of is just how bad it truly is. Some government officials have even stepped up and proclaimed that if they’d known decades ago just how terribly damaging sugar was to our health (it has been labeled by some experts to be as addictive and destructive as heroin), that the substance would have been treated and regulated as if it were a controlled substance!

Within the body, sugar creates drastic spikes in insulin. High levels of insulin promotes fat storage, as well as the prevention of fat being burned as fuel. Over time, these chronic high levels of insulin promote insulin resistance (IR) because the body is trying to protect itself from the toxic effects of high insulin. Now, what’s the problem with IR? The problem is that insulin’s primary function was never to solely control blood sugar. Controlling blood sugar is now simply a primary trivial side effect of insulin, due to our society’s obsession with carbohydrates. More importantly, insulin is in charge of the storage of nutrients such as protein, magnesium, vitamins, etc.; as well as functioning as an anabolic hormone - a muscle builder! (This is, of course, so key, as muscle is the key to an increase in the metabolism, as well as fat burning.) The point is, when one develops IR, that individual is ultimately becoming resistant to all of the other life-sustaining functions of insulin (just a few of which were listed above). Hence, the chronic diseases of aging may be soon to follow (I.E. cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, cancer). It is also important to note that a pregnant woman who has eaten herself into IR will pass it on to her child.

Sugar has many other damaging effects. Sugar suppresses the immune system, and research has shown that just one teaspoon of sugar can suppress the immune system for up to 4 hours! Imagine the devastating effects on the health and development of children when taking into consideration that the average 12 ounce can of soda has 17 teaspoons of sugar! Coke itself has 41 grams of sugar per can. Sugar’s dark resume goes on and on… (1)

• Sugar can upset the body’s mineral balance.
• Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties, and crankiness, (ADD).
• Sugar can cause drowsiness, and decreased activity.
• Sugar can adversely affect children’s school grades.
• Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
• Sugar can weaken eyesight.
• Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
• Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
• Sugar increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
• Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.
• Sugar can cause kidney damage.
• Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDL’s).
• Sugar can elevate harmful cholesterol (LDL’s).
• Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium.
• Sugar may lead to breast cancer, as well as cancer of the ovaries, prostate, rectum, and colon.
• Sugar encourages the overgrowth of candida albicans fungus in the digestive tract.

2. Flour & Processed Carbs

Processed flours are similar to refined sugars in their negative effects on the body and are absolutely nothing like nature intended. Because of this, they are something to completely avoid, reason being as follows. A wheat grain kernel has three layers: the outer bran where most of the fiber is, the middle endosperm where the starch (carbs) is, and the inner germ where the many nutrients and essential fatty acids are found. In order for a wheat grain to be healthy for consumption, all three of these components must be in tact. This is where the nightmare of processing comes into the picture. Where as flour originally was milled with stone keeping these three vital components together, today’s methods are seriously inferior. Today’s industry’s high-speed steel roller mills eject the germ and bran - the most nutritious part of the grain - leaving nothing but the starch, essentially nothing but sugar. What’s worse, even whole wheat flour is compromised by the high temperatures of these mills reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit destroying the vital nutrients and rendering them useless.

It is important to keep in mind that our ancestors ate grains in their whole, unprocessed state. Nature’s carbs (I.E. sugars, grains, etc.) come from whole food sources and therefore were naturally linked with their corresponding vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, fats, and fibers. These components are the body’s health-building and digestion-regulating elements. Refined carbs (I.E. sugar, breakfast cereal, pasta, breads, chips, crackers, soda, juice, candy, etc.) are devoid of these essential elements to vitality. Thus, consumption of these “empty” or “negative” calories requires the body to give up its own stores of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes for proper metabolization. Essentially, you’re left with nothing but starch - sugar.

3. Grains

The “Paleolithic Concept” is an item to consider concerning grain consumption. According to Crayhon, because the human genome has changed relatively little in the past 40,000 years since the appearance of behaviorally modern humans, our nutritional requirements remain almost identical to those requirements which were originally selected for stone age humans living before the advent of agriculture.(11) In terms of evolution, since the organized farming and nurturing of grains is thought to have began as few as 10,000 years ago, this has created a situation where our “digestive machinery” simply hasn’t had enough time to “evolve” to be able to process them safely and efficiently.

Grains contain phytic acid. In the digestive tract, phytic acid joins with calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, and zinc; and thus blocks their absorption. Hence, grains are essentially mineral blockers. Research has also shown some whole grains to contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion as well. It is for this reason that grains must be soaked or sprouted before eating them. Sprouting is a process that neutralizes phytates and enzyme inhibitors, in essence beginning the digestive process before consumption, so that all the nutrients are more available to the body. Below, Fallon explains the sprouting process.(13)

Fill a mason jar one-third of the way with any grain or seed. Add filtered water to the top of the jar and screw on the top with its screen insert. Allow the seeds to soak overnight and pour off the water. Rinse the seeds well - you can do this without removing the top. Invert the jar and let sit at an angle so it can drain, and to allow air to circulate. These seeds should be rinsed every few hours, or at least twice a day. In one to four days the sprouts will be ready. Move the sprouts to another container and move them to the refrigerator.

An allergic reaction to the protein Gluten (a protein found in many popular grains such as wheat), is called Gluten Sensitivity (GS) and/or Celiac Disease (CD). GS and CD have been found to be at the root of a proportion of cases of cancer, auto-immune disorders, neurological and psychiatric conditions, and liver disease, as well as being associated with back pain and chronic fatigue. The implication is that the heavily wheat-based western diet (i.e. bread, cereals, pastries, pastas, etc.), is actually making millions of people ill! It is estimated that in the American public, 1.8 million adults and some 300,000 children have undiagnosed CD. (NOTE: These are considered to be low estimates.) The immune reaction to Gluten that damages the gut in CD can also cause problems almost anywhere else in the body. Signs of GS and CD are:

• Upper respiratory tract problems: allergies, etc.
• Symptoms of nutrient malabsorbtion: anemia, fatigue,
  osteoporosis, etc.
• Bowel complaints: diarrhea, constipation, bloating, etc.
• Autoimmune problems: rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, etc.
• Behavior problems: depression, ADD, etc.

4. Soy

Soy got its beginning as an industrial waste product. To put it simply, after multi-million dollar figures spent on advertising and intense lobbying to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 74 percent of US consumers now believe soy products are healthy.(26) Another brilliant example of the effects of PR and marketing on the public’s perception of healthy eating! From an evolutionary standpoint, soy was originally only consumed by a few cultures. These cultures consumed it in conservative quantities with specific techniques for preparation. Now however, it’s being pushed as the “next best thing.”

The reality of the situation is that soy has been strongly linked to thyroid disorders, kidney stones, weakened immune systems, and powerful food allergies. Soy has been found to contain phytates and enzyme inhibitors such as those found in unsprouted grains, as well as haemagglutin which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen uptake and growth. But perhaps the most dangerous of soy’s downfalls is that it contains high levels of phytoestrogens (the plant form of estrogen) that can indeed mimic the effects of actual human female estrogen! This has been linked to increased risk of breast cancer. Research has shown just two glasses of soy milk a day for one month are enough of this chemical to change a woman’s menstrual cycle. Feeding soy to infants is even more devastating. It has been found that infants fed exclusively on soy formula are ingesting FIVE birth control pills, worth of estrogen daily!

To top it all off, soybeans, like most non-organic agriculture, are grown for the numbers; massive quantities must be grown to make a profit. This means the heavy use of pesticides, herbicides, and quite often, genetically modified (GM) plants (the effects of which we will only know in the future).

Research has shown that sprouted forms of soy such as tempeh, miso, natto, and soybean sprouts are the only forms that can be consumed with some health benefits. This means avoiding all processed forms—soy milk, soy burgers, soy ice cream, soy cheese, and all of the other trendy junk foods!

5. Protein Supplements

Whey protein (bars, powders, shakes, etc.), like soy, was originally an industrial waste product. Its processing involves extremely high temperatures, which render the product nutritionally void. The vitamins, minerals, and any other nutrients added back in are synthetic and potentially toxic. In essence it’s dead. Exposure to this processed “food product,” just as previously noted with flour and processed carbs, forces the body to tap into its own reserves of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes just to process and eliminate what your body perceives as “garbage.” Whey can also seriously dehydrate its consumers as the average powder form of this product will absorb many times its own weight in water. To get your protein - Eat Real Meat!

6. Hydrogenated, Trans and Man-Made Fats

Yet again, the largely popular margarines, shortenings and hydrogenated “health” products widely available today represent the power and success of PR and marketing over what should be common sense. These man-made fats are literally everywhere. You can find them in virtually all wrapped, boxed or bagged processed foods such as crackers, cookies, pastries, diet/nutrition/and energy bars, etc. Start reading labels, and you’ll be in for a shock.

When hydrogenation occurs to a fatty acid chain, the actual molecular structure of the fat changes to something rarely found in nature: the “trans” fat. This is bad news for you and me as most of these man-made “fake” fats are extremely toxic to the body. The problem is that your body cannot tell the difference between these fake fats and the real thing, so it ingests them as though they were the real thing. Because of the molecular reconfiguration of the fake fat molecule, these trans fats wreak havoc and disrupt normal metabolic activity in the cell.

Research has also shown that some partially-hydrogenated fats made from vegetable oils actually prevent utilization of essential fatty acids which, in turn, can cause a host of problems including sexual dysfunction, increased blood cholesterol, and paralysis to the immune system. Consumption of hydrogenated fats is also strongly correlated with the development of cancers, atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, low birth weight in babies, birth defects, decreased visual acuity, sterility, difficulty in lactation, and bone and connective tissue problems.

Olestra

Olestra, or what many of you may know by its marketed name “Olean,” is the latest craze in the fat-fearer’s world. This man-made fat was recently rejected in Canada, leaving the US as the only country in the entire world where it is allowed. Olestra/Olean, a product of Procter & Gamble, is added to chip and snack products by many companies. If you were to view Olestra under a microscope, you would observe that its molecular make-up is closer to that of plastic than of food. This is a danger. Problems associated with even minimal consumption of Olestra/Olean (as little as one ounce at a time!) include decreased absorption and blood levels of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin E as well as carotenoids and significant increases in GI (gastrointestinal) symptoms (i.e., diarrhea, loose stools, etc.) as well as dehydration. These can, in turn, contribute to increased risk of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

Genuine saturated fats, particularly those from organically fed free-range animal proteins, are essential to health and development and should not be feared. Saturated fat plays a role in cell membrane integrity and maintenance of bone integrity as well as the maintenance of heart, liver and immune system health—just to name a few.

7. Processed/Refined Salt

Most of the bad rap which salt receives is due to its processing. Typical refined table salt is highly processed, utilizing various chemicals and extremely high temperatures which strip it of all the valuable trace minerals naturally occurring in sea salt. Salt refiners use chemicals, including aluminum compounds, to dry the salt. Once processed, the natural iodine which has been destroyed and is no longer present must be replaced and is done so with potassium iodide—a potentially toxic form of iodine. Bleaching agents are also used to give the appearance of purity. What’s left is not salt at all but merely sodium-chloride, an empty by-product of the original.

Naturally occurring unrefined sea salt is somewhat moist and grey in color. This vital compound contains up to 14% of nearly 80 trace minerals vital to life, as well as naturally occurring iodine. [You can get quality sea salt at your local co-op.]

8. Processed Milk and Dairy

Simply put, what we have been told about the milk and dairy on our shelves is wrong. Worse yet, it’s causing health problems. Pasteurization is a good thing, right? Wrong. The modern milking machine and stainless steel tank, along with efficient packaging and distribution, make pasteurization totally unnecessary for the purposes of sanitation (13). Pasteurization is not even a sure bet to cleanliness. If one were to research all of the past decade’s salmonella outbreaks from milk, it would be discovered that they all came from pasteurized milk. This is because pasteurization destroys all of the positive bacteria and helpful organisms which protect it against pathogens, leaving it defenseless!

Pasteurization exposes milk to very high temperatures. This exposure renders the milk’s amino acids, vitamins, calcium, and many other minerals/trace minerals virtually useless and unavailable to the body. There is now also evidence that the heating process alters the milk sugar (lactose) making it more available to the body, suggesting the strong link between avid processed milk drinkers and diabetes.

Finally, pasteurization destroys all of milk’s natural enzymes. These enzymes were there originally to help the body assimilate all of the vitamins, minerals and nutrients previously mentioned, including calcium. This is the reason why you can drink all the processed milk you want and not only still develop osteoporosis but perhaps encourage it.

Homogenization is no help either. This is the process which forces fat particles through tiny strainers under great pressure so as to make them small enough that they remain suspended, and thus, do not rise to the top. Because homogenized fats are much more susceptible to rancidity and oxidation, they have recently been linked to heart disease. Homogenization has also been found to cause incomplete protein digestion in the small intestine, leading to milk allergy and intolerance.

The same can be said for virtually all processed dairy products (i.e., cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, etc.). Many of them are packed with other chemicals such as emulsifiers, extenders, phosphates, and hydrogenated oils and should be completely avoided as well. If you eat dairy, eat it organic and/or raw or not at all.

9. Additives and Flavor Enhancers

Look at the labels of the processed foods in your home (i.e., boxed, bagged, canned, pouched, etc.). How many of the ingredients can you pronounce, let alone comprehend their function and the repercussions of consuming them? We should certainly not be so trustworthy with our health and well-being by simply putting blind trust into the hands of food companies. After all, it’s not really food, hence the term “food product.”

Interestingly, some scientists working for these food product companies have identified 51 different elements that must be present in any given form of food to satisfy the appetite center of our brains. Knowing this, scientists employed by major food companies not only selectively remove one or many of these items, but will also purposefully add things like salt and sugar, which are known to stimulate the appetite (5). This gives a whole new meaning and level of understanding to the phrase, “Betcha’ can’t eat just one!”

Aspartame

The FDA’s approval of this chemical has been labeled by experts as troubling at best; and, unfortunately, the public is dealing with the repercussions. Aspartame breaks down into wood-alcohol (methanol), which is essentially embalming fluid, at just over 100 degrees in the human body. “Diet” products (i.e., Nutra-sweet, Equal, sodas, chewing gums, diet drinks, sugar free snacks/drinks, diet foods, supplement bars/powders, etc.) containing the chemical sweetener aspartame can have multiple neurotoxic, metabolic, allergenic and carcinogenic effects (35). Some of these are: the initiation or aggravation of diabetes mellitus, hypoglycemia, convulsions, headache, depression, other psychiatric states, hyperthyroidism, hypertension, arthritis, the simulation of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, lupus erythematosus and carpal tunnel syndrome—to name only a few. This stuff is no joke. Also, “diet” sodas containing aspartame have recently been found to cause weight gain in many individuals due to the fact that this chemical’s powerful effects on the brain alter communication with the liver, ultimately causing potentially serious blood sugar problems.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

This chemical can be found in products with powerful flavors (i.e., chips, crackers, snack foods, spices, etc.). Like aspartame, MSG is a powerful neural toxin. This is evidenced as far back as 1966. It is estimated that at least 25% of the population have serious reactions to MSG consumption. Some of these reactions may include severe neurotoxicity, seizures and brain lesions.

Splenda

Splenda, or Sucralose, may be one of man’s worst inventions to date (next to aspartame). Splenda is a man-made combination of sugar and chlorine, otherwise know as a Chlorocarbon. Chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic and reproductive damage and up to 40% shrinkage of the thymus, a gland that is the very foundation of our immune system. Sucralose also causes swelling of the liver and kidneys and calcification of the kidneys (19).

A good rule of thumb is, “If you can’t pronounce the ingredient’s name, and/or you’ve no idea what it is, don’t eat it.”

10. Tap Water

Tap water, depending on where you live, may contain any number of countless toxins. The two most prolific are fluoride and chlorine.
 
Fluoride

Research has distinctly shown that more people suffer from fluoride poisoning every year than any other form of poisoning! The popular understanding is that fluoride was added to tap water for its claimed benefits for teeth. The fact of the matter is, tooth decay is caused by a systemic problem concerning internal body chemistry, not a superficial one as believed by many. Teeth decay because the body’s ideal ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the blood becomes skewed. This is primarily caused by the consumption of refined carbs and sugar. This is important to be aware of because it exposes how useless a topical solution such as fluoride truly is to tooth decay.

Fluoride accumulates in bones, making them more susceptible to fracture, as well as accumulating in the pineal gland, which could lower the production of melatonin. Recent research has discovered a possible link between fluoride and arthritis as well as hypothyroidism. Fluoride has also been found to increase the uptake of aluminum into the brain as well as inhibiting antibodies from forming in the blood. This essentially confuses the immune system and can lead to tumor development. To top it all off, this chemical has also been found to damage the dental enamel of children!

From an ethical standpoint, fluoridating the water supply is essentially forcing a universal medication on the public with absolutely no informed consent from that public. As Dr. Peter Mansfield stated, “No physician in his right senses would prescribe for a person he has never met, whose medical history he does not know, a substance which is intended to create bodily change, with the advice: ‘Take as much as you like, but you will take it for the rest of your life because some children suffer from tooth decay.’ It is a preposterous notion.”

Chlorine

Drinking chlorinated water is like waging a war on the inside of your body every day. It has been placed in water to kill any unwanted organisms. But once it enters the body, how does the chlorine know what organisms are bad and should be killed and which organisms are good and should be left alone? The answer, of course, is that it does not. This is a problem as chlorine destroys the positive bacteria in the human gut, disrupting the delicate balance between the positive and negative bacteria that is so vital to many life-sustaining and health-giving processes. Chlorine has also been shown to drastically increase one’s risk to several different types of cancer as well as serious birth defects.

To avoid the harmful effects of fluoride and chlorine, a reverse osmosis filtration system is the ticket. At minimum, experts recommend some sort of carbon filter system (i.e., PuR). Another fine solution is to purchase high quality bottled waters such as Fiji and Evian.

11. Caffeine

If coffee were introduced to the FDA today as a drug, it would not receive approval. It is best to avoid everything that contains caffeine including coffee, sodas, tea, decongestants, energy/fat-burning pills, aspirin, diuretics and chocolate. This is because research has shown that caffeine severely disrupts the delicate blood sugar regulation mechanism within the body (i.e., adrenals, liver and pancreas). It also has a serious diuretic (dehydrating) effect on the body. This can lead to chronic fatigue, depression, allergies, behavioral issues, insomnia, dizziness, cancer, bone loss, mental disorders and birth defects.

12. Alcohol

Alcohol is a simple sugar, negative and empty in any other nutrients. When ingested, it places incredible stress on the detoxification system of the body (i.e., liver, etc.). Alcohol, particularly red wine, is one of the primary causes of gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation. GI inflammation leads to “leaky gut” syndrome, allowing toxic substances to pass into the body’s tissues. This, in turn, can result in the development of the chronic diseases of aging (i.e., heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, low back and joint pain, etc.). If that’s not enough, alcohol, particularly when consumed near or at meal times, serves as a blocking agent, prohibiting the absorption of several vitamins and minerals (7). So, when one stops to consider that 90% of all disease begins in the colon, this puts a new meaning to the word “moderation.”

13. Irradiated Food (i.e., “Cold Pasteurization”)

“Let’s say I invited you over for turkey dinner and told you that before cooking the meal I’d be using my new food sanitizer. My new sanitizer happens to deliver 450,000 RADS of radiation, which is about 150 million times more radiation than the standard chest X-ray. The radiation source will be cobalt (Co-60) or possibly caesium (Cs-137), the remains of spent military nuclear fuel. And if you get too close to my new machine, you could get one hell of a tan. Now, how excited would you be about tasting my turkey?” (Taken from “How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!” (7; Paul Chek)

Sounds insane, does it not? It is, and yet it’s a reality. The US government has decided once again to volunteer its public for a grand science experiment, this time involving nuclear waste. The use of this waste, according to the US Department of Energy (DOE), provides a convenient method of reducing disposal costs of spent nuclear fuels from the civilian and military sectors by providing a commercial market for them.

Posted on the health web site, www.Mercola.com, Dr. Joseph Mercola lists these top 10 reasons for opposing food irradiation:

1. In legalizing food irradiation, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not determine a level of radiation to which food can be exposed and still be safe for human consumption, which federal law requires.
2. In legalizing food irradiation, the FDA relied on laboratory research that did not meet modern scientific protocols, which federal law requires.
3. Research dating to the 1950s has revealed a wide range of problems in animals that ate irradiated food, including premature death, a rare form of cancer, reproductive dysfunction, chromosomal abnormalities, liver damage, low weight gain and vitamin deficiencies.
4. Irradiation masks and encourages filthy conditions in slaughterhouses and food processing plants. Irradiation can kill most bacteria in food, but it does nothing to remove the feces, urine, pus and vomit that often contaminate beef, pork, chicken and other meat. Irradiation will not kill the pathogen that causes mad cow disease.
5. Irradiation destroys vitamins, essential fatty acids and other nutrients in food - sometimes significantly. The process destroys 80 percent of vitamin A in eggs, but the FDA nonetheless legalized irradiation of these products.
6. Irradiation can change the flavor, odor and texture of food - sometimes disgustingly so. Pork can turn red, beef can smell like a wet dog, fruit and vegetables can become mushy and eggs can lose their color, become runny and ruin recipes.
7. Irradiation disrupts the chemical composition of everything in its path, not just harmful bacteria, which the food industry often asserts. Scores of new chemicals called “radiolytic products” are formed by irradiation - chemicals that do not naturally occur in food and that the FDA has never studied for safety.
8. The World Health Organization (WHO) did not follow its own recommendation to study the toxicity of radiolytic products formed in high-dose irradiated food before proposing in November 2000 that the international irradiation dose limit - equal to 330 million chest X-rays - be removed.
9. Soon, some irradiation plants may use cesium-137, a highly radioactive waste material left over from the production of nuclear weapons. This material is dangerous and unstable. In 1988, a cesium-137 leak near Atlanta led to a $30 million, taxpayer-funded cleanup.
10. Because it increases the shelf life of food and is used in large centralized facilities, irradiation encourages globalization and consolidation of the food production, distribution and retailing industries. These trends have already forced multitudes of family farmers and ranchers out of business, reduced the diversity of products in the marketplace, disrupted local economies in developing nations and put American farmers and ranchers at a great economic disadvantage.

It would be very wise to make sure you’re not consuming irradiated foods by asking store/restaurant managers and owners if they sell or use them.

“The bottom line is that irradiation will not make food cleaner. It merely masks unhygienic slaughtering and processing practices, while corrupting nutritional integrity.” - Dr. Joseph Mercola

14. Genetically Modified/Engineered (GM/GE) Food

The PR smoke screen surrounding GM foods was to claim that they are necessary to grow more food and to end world hunger, when the reality is that GM foods actually have lower yields per acre than natural crops. The grand design comes into focus when you do the research and realize that almost all GM foods have been created by the sellers of herbicides and pesticides so that those plants can withstand greater amounts of herbicides and pesticides(31,33), hence creating a better market for them!

One of the big problems with this very powerful technology is that the mechanisms by which it works or doesn’t work are not even understood by the scientists themselves!(7) Unfortunately, the enormous financial upside of producing GM/GE foods seems to be the primary motivation, rather than “ending world hunger” as these companies’ hired PR firms would claim. Hence, the rush and lack of proper and adequate research.

In 1999, Dr. Arpad Pusztia conducted a famous study on GM/GE potatoes. After disclosing the hazards of consuming these foods to the press, the government immediately cut his funding, and he was promptly fired.

A few of the many dangers of GM/GE foods include:

1. The production of toxins and poisons as a result of switching and splicing genes to create and affect too many variables to account for.
2. The creation of powerful food allergies (some possibly fatal) created by the genes of unknown allergens (such as nuts) being bound to otherwise harmless foods.
3. Food quality is often times very low in health-giving nutrients.
4. The chances of antibiotic resistance increases exponentially due to the intentional splicing of genes of certain foods with ARMs (Antibiotic Resistant Markers).
5. There is also a correlating increase in pesticide and herbicide (poisons) use and residues, because GM/GE plants are developed to be able to tolerate higher doses of them.

Several other risks related to these foods are: genetic pollution from GM/GE crops via rain, wind, birds and insect pollinators; a decrease in soil microorganisms, needed insects and fertility; the creation of new “super weeds,” “super pests,” viruses and bacteria; socioeconomic hazards to small farm operations losing out to the monstrous corporations; and ethical concerns with the development and mistreatment of GM/GE animal species.

“If you look at the simple principle of genetic modification it spells ecological disaster. There are no ways of quantifying the risks…. The solution is simply to ban the use of genetic modification in food.” - Dr. Harash Narang, microbiologist and senior research associate at the University of Leeds

15. Microwaved Food

An Oklahoma lawsuit in 1991 involved a woman who had hip surgery. She died from this surgery, and it was later blamed on the blood transfusion she received. It was found that the blood had been warmed in a microwave. This altered the blood’s properties, turning it toxic and therefore killing the woman.

In 1992, the famous scientist Dr. Hans Hertel was convicted by the Swiss government for “interfering with commerce” when he published his research on the many dangers of microwaves. The creation of this ridiculous charge was heavily influenced by the “Swiss Association of Dealers for Electro-Apparatuses for Households and Industry.” Not until 1998 was the decision reversed, being declared a “violation of Hertel’s rights.”

Stemming from Hertel’s important research, Wayne and Newell have summarized the top 10 reasons to avoid the use - and even ownership - of microwave ovens:(40)

1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term or permanent brain damage by “shorting out” electrical impulses in the brain (de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue).
2. The human body cannot metabolize (break down) the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4. The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual (long term or permanent) within the human body.
5. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6. The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7. Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths (tumors). This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10. Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability and a decrease of intelligence.

16. Nitrates & Nitrites

These two additives are used in cured meats like bacon, ham, beef jerky, salami, luncheon meats, sausages, bologna, frankfurters, meat spreads and smoked fish. Both of these cancer causing chemicals are added to improve color and taste. Research has shown that children who consistently eat foods containing these poisons have a ten times higher than normal risk of developing leukemia. If you’re buying and consuming these highly processed “meats,” it would be wise to read their labels and avoid these two toxins.

17. Non-Organic Food

Certified organic produce combined with free range, grass fed, certified organic animal meats are ideal in implementing any plan for health and vitality. By law, certified organic food may not contain any added chemicals (i.e., herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, flavor enhancers, additives, irradiation, genetic modification/engineering, hydrogenation, preservatives or any other toxins). Foods labeled as “organically grown” should be avoided. This means that the land used to grow these crops is currently going through a three year detoxification period required by law - in order to eventually be labeled legally as certified organic. Do not be fooled by the “natural” labeling on many foods. This means nothing, as all of the above listed poisons can and will be present in foods labeled this way.

However, it may not be realistic for some to switch to a 100% organic diet (i.e., financially, logistically, etc.). Yet, it is realistic to make an attempt at incorporating at least a few organic foods into a weekly regimen. This will up the demand for organic food and create more opportunities for other producers. Organic food/farming is not only superior in its health benefits for humans, it is also superior in its health benefits for the environment! Organic farming replenishes and purifies the land, rather than depleting and polluting it as conventional methods do. This is very important because there are now more than 10,000 chemical toxins (such as those listed above) put on our non-organic foods today! These toxins cause every type of ailment and complication in the human body that one could fathom. Many of these are getting blamed on chance, genetics or circumstances “out of our control,” so as to negate the ultimate responsibility of the producers of these toxins and place it onto the victim.

Conclusion

If all of this seems confusing, the next time you take a trip to the supermarket, preferably an organic one, remember: If it wasn’t living and growing 10,000 years ago, don’t eat it! If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it! If you have no idea what it actually is, don’t eat it! If it was never actually alive, don’t eat it! If it has been cooked or processed beyond recognition, don’t eat it!

Whole foods are the key to health. There are no “pasta trees” or “Snack Wells cows” in the world. It’s very simple. We all must learn to be more critical of incoming information from so-called nutrition experts. We all must take the responsibility of learning more about our earthly vehicle - the body - much more seriously. We all must learn how to shop as well as cook. Be healthy.

By Noah Hittner, BS, CHEK-NLC, PES, RTS, CPT

References & Recommended Reading:

1. Alive: Canadian Journal of Health and Nutrition. June 2001.
2. Appleton, N. PhD. “78 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
3. Batmanghelidj, PhD. (1997). Your Body’s Many Cries for Water.
4. Brasco, J. Md. “Low Grain and Carbohydrate Diets Treat Hypoglycemia, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, and Nearly ALL Chronic Illness.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
5. Chek, P. (2002). Under the Veil of Deception. C.H.E.K Institute.
6. Chek, P. Optimal Health and Fitness Through Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching. NLC-Level II certification course manual, A C.H.E.K Institute Publication and Production, 2003.
7. Chek, P. (2004). How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! C.H.E.K Institute.
8. Chek, P. “Your Are What You Eat.” (Parts 1-3) Personal Training on the Net. Online. www.ptonthenet.com, Internet. 2003.
9. Cohen, (1998). Milk, The Deadly Poison.
10. Connett, Paul PhD. “The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
11. Crayhon, R. MS.“The Paleolithic Diet and Its Modern Implications.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
12. Cummins, R. “Hazards of Genetically Engineered foods and Crops: Why We Need A Global Moratorium.” Motion Magazine. Aug. 29, 1999.
13. Fallon, S. (2001) Nourishing Traditions.
14. Flatten Your Abs Forever by Paul Chek. Video Cassette. C.H.E.K Institute, 2000.
15. Food Irradiation: An FDA Report. FDA Papers, Oct. 1968.
16. The Guardian. “Dangerous Grains.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
17. Hittner, N. “Sleep, Water, & Food - Three Books To Make You Smarter Than Your Doctor!” Personal Training on the Net. Online. www.ptonthenet.com, Internet. 2003.
18. Hittner, N. “Want Abs?” (Parts 1 & 2) Personal Training on the Net. Online. www.ptonthenet.com, Internet. 2003.
19. Hull, Dr. J. “12 Questions You Need to have Answered Before You Eat Splenda.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2004.
20. International Journal of Radiation Biology, 1970; 18: 201-216.
21. Journal of Nutrition, 1959; 69: 18-21.
22. Journal of Nutrition 1997; 127: 1636S-1645S.
23. The Lancet, Volume 353 29, May 1999.
24. Mercola, Dr. J. “Canada Rejects Olestra, leaving the USA the Only One ‘Holding the Bag.’” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
25. Mercola, Dr. J. “Lower Your Grains & Lower your Insulin Levels! A Novel Way To Treat Hypoglycemia.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
26. Mercola, Dr. J. “Soy: Is it Healthy, or is it Harmful?” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2004.
27. Mercola, Dr. J. (2003). The No Grains Diet.
28. Mercola, Dr. J. “What You Never Expected to Hear About Water Fluoridation.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2003.
29. Mercola, Dr. J.; Droege, R. “Do You Microwave Your Food? You’re Zapping Away Nutrients and Risking Your Health.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2004.
30. Online: Public Citizen, www.citizen.org
31. O’Shea, Dr. T. “The Doors Of Perception: Why Americans Will Believe Almost Anything.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
32. Price, W.A.(1997). Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. 6th Ed.
33. Rampton, S., & Stauber, J. (2002). Trust Us, We’re Experts!
34. Rivera, R. & Deutche, RD (1998). Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making You Fat.
35. Roberts, H.J. MD.“Aspartame Disease: An FDA Approved Epidemic.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2004.
36. Rosedale, R. MD.“Insulin and Its Metabolic Effects.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
37. Ross, J. (2000). The Diet Cure.
38. Thiessen, Dr. D. “The Awful Truth About Eating Grains.” Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.
39. US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration. Olestra: final rule. Federal Register. January 30, 1996; 61:3152-3154
40. Wayne, A; Newell, L. “The Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking.” Online. www.ecclesia.org, Internet. 2000.
41. Wiley, TS; Formby, PhD. (2000). Lights Out.
42. Williams, R. J.(1998). Biochemical Individuality. 2nd Ed.
43. Wolcott, W; Fahey, T. (2000). The Metabolic Typing Diet.
44. Wolcott, W. “To Succeed at Any Diet, You Must Know Your Metabolic Type.” (Parts 1 &2) Online. www.mercola.com, Internet. 2002.

© Copyright Noah Hittner 2004 All rights reserved