Cancer Video

This video sheds a new light on the subject of cancer. Most of society believes that cancer is a disease that happens at random or for genetic reasons. As many national health practitioners have known for many years, cancer does not happen by chance, it is caused be a lack of a nutrient or a toxicity of some kind. Even people who already have cancer can overcome it through proper nutrition and supplementation. Though we now know more than what is covered in this video, it does provide some important basic information about cancer.

Wellness Revolution Video

This is an excellent video from best selling author Paul Zane Pilzer, who wrote The Wellness Revolution, a great book that I would recommend. As the video says, feel free to contact me for more information.

Superfoods That Can Help Prevent Disease

The health food community has known for a long time the benefits of certain fruits and vegetables in improving health and preventing disease. The old saying "you are what you eat" is especially true in today's world, and unfortunately, this means there are a lot of people whose bodies are not getting enough of the nutrients they need and the result of this is the tremendous rise in disease and obesity in America. Several foods that are well known for the antioxidant properties are:

Apples. According to "SuperFoods Lifestyle" author Dr. Steven Pratt, different varieties of apples have different phytonutrients, but they all have tons of antioxidants, including flavonoids and other polyphenols, and fiber.

Avocados. Avacados are packed with good fats that are excellent for your skin, eyes and brain. These fats are necessary in our diet and have been shown to lower bad cholesterol. They also contain large amounts of fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate and antioxidants up the ante.

Beans. Some are better than others, but in general, beans are packed with lean protein and fiber. They have a lot of potassium, B vitamins, and antioxidants.

Blueberries. The best of the berries, blueberries contain antioxidants like anthocyanins and other polyphenols, and carotenoids. They are low in calories, high in flavor and vitamin rich. All berries are great for antioxidants, but blueberries are the Rolls Royce of berries.

Dark chocolate. In moderation, a high quality dark chocolate is full of flavonoids, a potent antioxidant. Only dark chocolate has this, and the higher the cocoa content the better. Try to look for organic with at least 65% cocoa.

Kiwis. Who knew? Kiwis have as much potassium as bananas and as much vitamin C as citrus fruit. You can even eat the skin for antioxidants.

Oats. Oats give you fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium and other minerals, and phytonutrients, including antioxidants. Their cholesterol-lowering powers are well known, and all that fiber is also believed to help stabilize blood sugar. Oats' combination of nutrients appears to have more healthy effects than if each nutrient were consumed separately -- which seems to be true of all whole grains. And, they're inexpensive. The best way to eat oats is to soak old fashioned whole oats in cool water for about 30 minutes and eat cool without cooking. Oats prepared this way taste great with frozen or fresh berries.

Spinach. What doesn't spinach have? It's loaded with lutein (great for eyes) and many other carotenoids, which are healthful antioxidants; plus other antioxidants like coenzyme Q, in serious doses; plus several B vitamins plus C and E; plus iron and other minerals; plus betaine, a vitamin-like nutrient research suggests is good for your heart. And with almost no calories, you can eat as much as you want. Also good for similar reasons: kale, chard and other dark leafy greens.

Walnuts. All nuts have been rehabbed as good-for-you foods, for their healthy fats and micronutrients. A few go a long way, though, as they are calorie bombs. Walnuts' main claim to stardom are their omega-3 fatty acids, which fight heart disease. Other goodies: plant sterols, which lower cholesterol, and lots of antioxidants.

Yogurt. Nutritionist Jo Ann Hattner says if she could pick only two superfoods, they would be yogurt and tea, because their health-giving attributes have been known for centuries. Yogurt's claim to fame is live cultures, also called probiotics or beneficial bacteria. They are what turns milk into yogurt (but some commercial yogurts are heated to kill the cultures after they do their work, so be sure to read the label). In your gut, they fight bad bacteria, aid digestion, help metabolize food and generally tune your system up. Yogurt also is a good source of calcium and protein.

The medical community is finally starting to pick up on how beneficial whole foods can be for you. In this recent article, scientists suggest that eating watercress daily can help reduce the risk of cancer. What a surprise! Who knew that if we ate a balanced diet containing a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and drank enough pure filtered water, we could reduce our risk of cancer.

Important and Useful Produce Information

You know those annoying little stickers that you have to pull off of your fruit before you can eat it? Those stickers can also be an easy way to tell how your produce was grown. Each fruit has a four of five digit Price Look-up (or PLU) code that is given based on how it was grown. Produce that is conventionally grown has a four-digit PLU code and generally begins with a three or four. Organically grown produce has a five-digit code and begins with a nine. Genetically modified produce has a five digit code as well, but the first number is an eight.

For example, the PLU for a conventionally grown banana is 4011; an organic banana is coded 94011; and a genetically modified banana is 84011.

This is an easy way to tell how your produce was grown while you are grocery shopping. In general, it is wise to avoid genetically modified produce (beginning with an eight). If organic produce is not available, conventionally grown produce (four-digit code) would be the next best option. If a fruit or vegetable is labeled as organic, it has to meet the standards laid out by the National Organic Program:

By definition, food that is certified organic must be free from all genetically modified organisms, produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers, and come from an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth promoters or other drugs. Labeling of organic food is voluntary, but all foods that claim to be organic, must meet the guidelines set forth by the USDA.

Read a related article here.

Wal Mart Mislabeling Organic Foods

It is hard enough to eat an organic or even semi-organic diet in today's world, but it may have gotten a little more difficult thanks to Wal-Mart. The Cornucopia Institute, a company that supports sustainable farming, has accused Wal-Mart of mislabeling some organic foods. Wal-Mart offers many varieties of organic foods and labels them with green signs. The Cornucopia Institute said that of the "dozens of stores" in five states that it visited, there were labeling violations in almost every store.
Read the full story here.

Genetically Modified Foods

In the past few years, the USDA has approved many genetically modified crops, and many feel that this approval was made prematurely. Many of the foods we see in grocery stores now may be GE crops and we might not even know it. While this movement to approve the GE crops seems to be picking up momentum, this is finally a victory for those who question the safety of such crops. Read the article here.
Here is a list of genetically engineered crops.
Find out more about GE crops and for more information about the genetic engineering process here.

Hilarious Parody Video

This hilarious video is a parody of our drug obsessed culture. It is funny, but sadly true. Feel free to send this link on to your friends for a little comic relief. Click on the picture to view video.