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Some foods naturally contain disease-fighting, health promoting properties, while others contain elements that may hinder your health goals. Find out information that may surprise you with these helpful food facts. |
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Learning God's Healthy way to a better Life!
100+ Nutrition Facts About 25 Well-Known Foods
Miracle Leaves May Protect Against Liver Damage
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in anti-oxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research due to be published in the Society of Chemical Industry’s (SCI) Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
Indigineous to the mountainous regions of China and Russia, sea buckthorn has been shown to be rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids and essential fatty acids. The leaves are also used to make a tea.
In a clinically controlled study, scientists looked at whether the leaves had any protective effects by testing a group of rats, some of whom were given the leaf extract before being administered with a liver damage agent, carbon tetrachloride (CCI4).
Six groups were looked at in all – group 1 was given a daily dose of saline for 5 days; group 2 received saline for 4 days and on the 5th day was given CCI4; group 3 was given a daily dose of silymarin for 5 days followed by a single dose of CCI4; groups 4, 5 and 6 were given 50, 100 and 200mg of sea buckthorn leaf extract respectively for five days followed by a single dose of CCI4 on the 5th day.
The results showed that the leaf extract appeared to confer a protective mechanism on the liver – the rats given CCI4 minus the leaf extract had sustained significant liver damage compared to the control group that did not receive CCI4. In comparison, liver damage was severely restricted in the rats given leaf extract at 100mg and 200mg and CCI4.
Diet and Exercise Can Delay Diabetes
Drinking less alcohol, eating more vegetables and exercising can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes, researchers said on Friday in a study showing that lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Diet and exercise reduced the incidence of diabetes by about 43 percent over 20 years among 577 high-risk Chinese adults, the researchers reported in the journal Lancet. More....
Drinking water can hurt babies under 6 months
Sucking reflexes can put them at risk for water intoxication, say doctors
Babies younger than six months old should never be given water to drink, physicians at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore remind parents. Consuming too much water can put babies at risk of a potentially life-threatening condition known as water intoxication.
"Even when they're very tiny, they have an intact thirst reflex or a drive to drink," Dr. Jennifer Anders, a pediatric emergency physician at the center, told Reuters Health. "When they have that thirst and they want to drink, the fluid they need to drink more of is their breast milk or formula." More....
Taking the Upper Hand: Is There Really a Connection Between Type 1 Diabetes and Left-Handedness?
For decades, scientists have postulated that left-handedness is associated with autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. This theory was recently brought to the attention of Diabetes Health by Joan Hoover, our patient advocate adviser, who found that many of the children with diabetes she came across in her work were left-handed. Studies, however, have yielded conflicting results, rendering the validity of this theory controversial. More....
When Fat Makes You Healthy:
Scientists were surprised to discover that some kinds of fat might actually be beneficial. They knew that belly fat was exerting negative effects, but were amazed to find that fat under the skin was producing a good effect.
22 May 2008
It has long been known that type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity, particularly fat inside the belly. Now, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have found that fat from other areas of the body can actually reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity.
In a study published in the May issue of Cell Metabolism, a team lead by C. Ronald Kahn, M.D., found that subcutaneous fat—fat below the skin (usually in the hips and thighs)—is associated with reduced insulin levels and improved insulin sensitivity.
Kahn says that fat in the belly increases the risk of diabetes and mortality and it has been suggested that obesity in subcutaneous areas, often the hips and thighs, might decrease such risks.
His study concludes that fat under the skin is intrinsically different from visceral fat (belly fat or fat packed in between organs) and may produce substances that can improve glucose metabolism.
“The surprising thing was that it wasn’t where the fat was located,” Kahn said. “It was the kind of fat that was the most important variable. Even more surprising, it wasn’t that belly fat was exerting negative effects, but that fat under the skin was producing a good effect. Animals with more of this kind of fat didn’t gain as much weight as they aged, had better insulin sensitivity, lower insulin levels, and were improved all around.”
In addition, Kahn noted that a class of diabetes drugs called thiazolidines (ACTOS, Avandia) may cause patients to gain weight in the subcutaneous area, yet also improve insulin sensitivity.
Kahn said it is possible that fat underneath the skin may be producing certain hormones, known as adipokines, that produce beneficial effects on metabolism. These effects may offset the negative effects produced by belly fat.
Source: Joslin Diabetes Center
Hot Tub Therapy May Have Benefits
Lowers BGs, But Is It Safe?
Daniel Trecroci
22 May 2008
22 May 2008
This article was originally published in Diabetes Health in November, 1999.
Is it possible that a dip in the hot tub can cause a dip in the blood sugars? According to a pilot study that appeared in the September 16 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), "hot tub therapy" helped a group of type 2s reduce their blood sugars, lose weight and improve sleep patterns.
Philip L. Hooper, MD, of the McKee Medical Center in Loveland, Colorado, studied five type 2 men and three type 2 women, ages 43 to 68. The patients had been suffering from diabetes from three to 14 years. More....
Bible Trivia:
| Quiz: Foods of the Bible | |
| As the recipes from "The Church Supper Cookbook" reveal, Christian eating has come a long way since Jesus's time. Early Christians didn't munch on church potluck standards like cheese strata and scripture cake, but food is still an important part of the Bible. Test your knowledge of foods in the Bible with this quiz. Plus: Share your favorite recipes. | |
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Q1. Which New Testament figure was said to eat locusts and honey?
1. Peter |
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Q2. Which of these fruits is not mentioned in the Bible?
1. Fig |
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Q3. What did Jesus distribute at the feeding of the five thousand?
1. Bread and wine |
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Q4. In Luke's gospel, what did Jesus eat after his resurrection?
1. Broiled fish |
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Q5. Which nutis mentioned in Genesis?
1. Pistachio |
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Q6. At Cana, the wine Jesus created from water was:
1. Sold to wine merchants |
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Q7. Why did Jesus' disciples get in trouble for picking and eating grain one day?
1. It wasn't kosher |
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Q8. Who was the first farmer mentioned in the Bible?
1. Adam |
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Answers: John the Baptist
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Disease and Sanitation rules found in the Bible:
DISEASES
III JOHN 2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
EXODUS 15:26 "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statues, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee."
- This promise was given to the Israelites when Moses led them out of Egypt. God proceeded to give Moses a number of commandments, which form part of our Bible today. Because these divinely given medical directions were altogether different from those in the Papyrus Ebers (Egyptian royal court remedies). From the record we discover that Moses had so much faith in God's regulations that he did not incorporate a single current medical misconception into the inspired instructions.
LEVITICUS 13:46 "All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be."
Early in the Middle Ages the dreaded disease leprosy had killed countless millions of people; and later the Black Death took another sixty million. Not until the physicians of the day gave up leadership to the church was the plague brought under control. The church took as its guiding principle the concept of contagion as embodied in the Old Testament, Leviticus.
DEUTERONOMY 23:12,13 "You shall set off a place outside the camp and, when you go out; and you shall have an implement among your equipment, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your refuse."
- Up to the close of the eighteenth century, hygienic provisions, even in the great capitals, were quite primitive. It was the rule for excrement to be dumped into the streets which were unpaved and filthy. Powerful stenches gripped villages and cities. It was a heyday for flies as they bred in the filth and spread intestinal diseases that killed millions. Diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever could have easily been controlled by following God's provision in Deuteronomy. A medical historian writes that this directive is "certainly a primitive measure, but an effective one, which indicates advanced ideas of sanitation."
NUMBERS 19:11-22 "He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days. ... Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord. That person shall be cut off from Israel. He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him. ... The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean..."
If physicians would have only followed the above instructions early in history many lives would have been saved. It was not until 1847, when Dr. Semmelweis wrote a book about handwashing and changing clothes after doing autopsies and surgeries before going to the next patient. When his rules were followed mortality dropped by 80 percent.
Many centuries before Semmelweis, however, God gave to Moses detailed instructions on the safest method for cleansing the hands after handling the infected living. Proper modern method for washing hands is "The hands should be vigorously lathered and rubbed together for at least 15 seconds under a moderate-sized stream of water..
The scriptural method specified not merely washing in a basin, but repeated washing in running water with time intervals allowed for drying and exposure to sun to kill bacteria not washed off. The soap used is even more remarkable. It was made by burning together in a fire the following: a young cow, cedar wood, hyssop branches, and scarlet wool. The washing solution contained an irritant, cedar-wood oil, that would encourage scrubbing; an antiseptic, hyssop oil, that would kill bacteria and fungi; and a scrubbing element, wool fibers, that would dislodge the bacteria. Even today, hospitals often use a similar granular soap because it is difficult to remove granular soap from the hands in less than 15 seconds.
How can circumcision of the male prevent cancer in women?
- A number of studies have borne out the fact that freedom from cancer of the cervix was not due to factors such as race or food or environment, but wholly to circumcision.
- If the tight, unretractable foreskin is not removed, proper cleansing can not be readily performed. As a result many virulent bacteria, including the cancer-producing Smegma bacillus, can grow profusely. During sexual intercourse these bacteria are deposited on the cervix of theuterus, but if the mucous membrane of the cervix is intact, little harm results. However, if lacerations exist, as they frequently do after childbirth, these bacteria can cause considerable irritation. Since any part of the body which is subjected to irritation is susceptible to cancer, it is perfectly understandable why cervical cancer is likely to develop in women whose mates are not circumcised. These bacteria not only produce cancer in women, but also irritate the male organ and may cause cancer of the penis. The extreme rarity of penile cancer in circumcised men is shown by the fact that in 1955 only the fourth case in medical history was reported. Thus we can say that circumcision is an almost perfect prophylaxis against this deadly cancer.
- And to add to this protection from cervical injury, the Lord also commanded the people of Israel to not have sexual intercourse during a woman's monthly menses and right after childbirth. Both are times when the cervix is soft, open, and susceptible to injury and infections.
- LEVITICUS 12:1-5 "Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying 'Speak to the children of Israel, saying If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity
- she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days.... But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.'"
- Not only does the practice of circumcision, God ordered Abraham to institute four thousand years ago, save lives by preventing cancer; but there is another remarkably unique fact about the matter of circumcision. After many years of research and studies, it was found that newborn babies don't manufacture vitamin K (an important blood-clotting element) in their intestinal tract until the fifth to the seventh day. It is clear that the first safe day to perform circumcision would be the eighth day, the very day that Jehovah commanded Abraham to circumcise Isaac. A second element which is also necessary for the normal clotting of blood is prothrombin. Pediatric textbooks reveal that on the eighth day, prothrombin levels skyrockets to 110 per cent. It then levels off to 100 per cent. It appears that an eight- day-old baby has more available prothrombin than on any other day in its entire life. Thus one observes that from a consideration of vitamin K and prothrombin determinations the perfect day to perform a circumcision is the eighth day. Abraham did not pick the eighth day after many centuries of trial-and-error experiments. Neither he nor any of his company from the ancient city of Ur in the Chaldees had ever been circumcised.It was a day picked by the Creator of vitamin K.
- If the tight, unretractable foreskin is not removed, proper cleansing can not be readily performed. As a result many virulent bacteria, including the cancer-producing Smegma bacillus, can grow profusely. During sexual intercourse these bacteria are deposited on the cervix of theuterus, but if the mucous membrane of the cervix is intact, little harm results. However, if lacerations exist, as they frequently do after childbirth, these bacteria can cause considerable irritation. Since any part of the body which is subjected to irritation is susceptible to cancer, it is perfectly understandable why cervical cancer is likely to develop in women whose mates are not circumcised. These bacteria not only produce cancer in women, but also irritate the male organ and may cause cancer of the penis. The extreme rarity of penile cancer in circumcised men is shown by the fact that in 1955 only the fourth case in medical history was reported. Thus we can say that circumcision is an almost perfect prophylaxis against this deadly cancer.
Follow God’s direction for good health, long life, and happiness.
The 10 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
Want to do your body a world of good? It's as easy as expanding your grocery list
Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.
Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription. More.........
1. Beets....Daily Glass of Wine Could Aid Liver
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine are challenging conventional thinking with a study showing that modest wine consumption, defined as one glass a day, may not only be safe for the liver, but may actually decrease the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
The study, which appears in the June 2008 issue of the journal Hepatology, showed that for individuals who reported drinking up to one glass of wine per day, as compared to no alcohol consumption, the risk of liver disease due to NAFLD was cut in half. In contrast, compared with wine drinkers, individuals who reported modest consumption of beer or liquor had over four (4) times the odds of having suspected NAFLD.
NAFLD is the most common liver disease in the United States, affecting over 40 million adults. Previous research has shown that as many as five percent of adults with NAFLD will develop cirrhosis. The major risk factors for NAFLD are similar to many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease—obesity, diabetes, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. Multiple studies have shown that modest alcohol consumption may reduce the risk for heart disease. However, recommendations for modest alcohol consumption in individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease have overlooked that these same people are also at an increased risk for NAFLD. Thus, there exists a dilemma as to whether modest alcohol consumption for the heart is safe in regards to the liver. The UC San Diego investigators sought to clarify this important question.
“The results of this study present a paradigm shift, suggesting that modest wine consumption may not only be safe for the liver but may actually decrease the prevalence of NAFLD. The odds of having suspected NAFLD based upon abnormal liver blood tests was reduced by 50 percent in individuals who drank one glass of wine a day,” said Jeffrey Schwimmer, M.D., associate professor of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego School of Medicine and Director, Fatty Liver Clinic at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. The result remained constant, even after adjusting for age, sex, race, education, income, diet, physical activity, body mass index, and other markers of health status.
Research did not provide any support for drinking larger amounts. “We want to emphasize that people at risk for alcohol abuse should not consider consuming wine or any other alcoholic beverage,” said Schwimmer, who also pointed out that, although this is the first study to address this important dilemma, the findings do not address those who already have liver disease and should not be drinking alcohol at all.
“Because this effect was only seen with wine, not in beer or liquor, further studies will be needed to determine whether the benefits seen were due to the alcohol or non-alcohol components of wine,” added Schwimmer.
source: newsmax.com
Instead of reducing the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, low-salt diets are Bad For you
Instead of reducing the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, low-salt diets may not be heart-healthy at all and may actually significantly increase the risk of death.
Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University examined data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) which included the medical records of 8,700 adults who were representative of the national population. All were over the age of 30, and none were on a low-salt diet. More....
Herbal Medicine Kills Pancreatic Cells
An herb used in traditional medicine by many Middle Eastern countries may help in the fight against pancreatic cancer, one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed the cells by enhancing the process of programmed cell death. More....
HORSE PEE or Natural Human Hormones? Which Should You Use?
Don't Laugh! If the drug companies and Uncle Sam get their way, it will be HORSE PEE!
Natural Hormones Versus Synthetic
The controversy between Natural hormones and Synthetic hormones is everywhere these days in the media, magazines, even in your doctor’s office.
But what is all the fuss about?
What is the real difference between natural and synthetic?
The first thing to realize is that when we say ‘natural’ hormone, we mean that the hormone is chemically identical to the hormone we produce in our body. It is the chemical structure of the hormone, and not its actual source, that determines it to be natural or synthetic.
For instance, natural progesterone made in a lab is identical to the progesterone made in your body therefore it can be considered natural.
The natural estrogens extracted from wild yams and soybeans are also identical to those made by your body. Although plants do not actually make ‘human’ hormones, there are some plants that make compounds that have very similar hormonal effect. These are generally known as phyto-hormones (or ‘plant-based’ hormones) and are easily purchased over the counter.
On the other hand, a ‘synthetic’ hormone is one with a slightly different chemical makeup from the ones found in the body, not necessarily meaning ‘created in a lab.’
Basically, it comes down to this if a hormone is found in nature or created in a lab and it is chemically identical to the hormone in your body, it is legally and technically considered natural. If it started out natural but then the structure changed (such as a lab using natural progesterone as a basis to create Provera™), then that makes it a synthetic hormone.
And here’s a news flash the closest to ‘natural’ hormone on the market is Premarin™, which is made from PREGNANT MARE URINE!!!!!
But here’s the shocker by the time the horse’s urine is altered in the lab, it isn’t even natural to the horse!
Why even create something this revolting? Well, that’s actually pretty easy to answer drug companies have to make their synthetic hormones if they want to patent it and make massive amounts of money! A natural substance can’t be patented.
No patent no ‘cash cow.’
Some women ask, “why all the fuss about synthetic?
I don’t care if it’s horse urine as long as it stops these hot flashes!!!” Well, if horse urine doesn’t bother you, the side effects should!
There have been increasingly frequent complaints of breast tenderness, weight gain, breakthrough bleeding, insomnia, fluid retention, depression, and even more recently, increase in risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and pulmonary embolism.
Still not convinced?
Well, last year the NIH (National Institute of Health) abruptly stopped their major study of synthetic hormone replacement therapy after results showed an increase in the risks listed above.
Even the FDA sent out a notice (featured in the New York Times on January 9, 2003) ordering warning labels on ALL synthetic estrogens. The warning states that the drugs may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, strokes, blood clots, and heart attacks. It also stated that they believed the risks did not outweigh the minor benefits of the hormones.
Most of the side effects result from the fact that synthetic hormones are not chemically identical to the natural hormones in your body. Trust me, your body can tell the difference!
The facts are in, trust your body. Trust yourself because it’s your health so take charge and be educated!!
Click on this Link for unbelievable story on Fight brewing over Horse Pee and your government at work!Warning: Using a mobile phone while pregnant can seriously damage your baby
Study of 13,000 children exposes link between use of handsets and later behavioural problems
AP
Scientists found that mothers who did use the handsets were 54 per cent more likely to have children with behavioural problems and that the likelihood increased with the amount of potential exposure to the radiation
HMOs block key brand-name medicines to make big bucks, report says
HMOs block key brand-name medicines to make big bucks, report says
Single-source drugs are brand-name products with a unique chemical form that are sold by one manufacturer and have no less expensive generic equivalent.
Sunday, May 18th 2008, 4:00 AM
HMOs are blocking patients from getting critical single-source drugs - like Lipitor and Celebrex - to boost company profits, a new report charges.
Single-source drugs are brand-name products with a unique chemical form that are sold by one manufacturer and have no less expensive generic equivalent. More....
'I've fallen asleep and I can't get up!'
You’re lying in bed, just starting to wake up, when you realize you can’t move. Your chest is heavy — like somebody’s sitting on it — and you’re overwhelmed with a feeling of dread.
Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you see something move. It’s a spider. No, two spiders. No three, four, a dozen or more. They’re big as walnuts and slowly crawling up the bed posts of your bed and onto the blankets, scuttling ever closer towards your paralyzed body.
Sound like a cross between “Fear Factor” and “The Twilight Zone?”
More.....
Common Chemicals Linked to Obesity
Their studies of mice showed animals exposed to even tiny amounts of the chemicals during development were fatter when they grew older compared with mice not exposed to the compounds, they told the 2008 European Congress on Obesity.More....
Environmental Factors May Trigger Arthritis
"Psoriatic arthritis can be considered as a 'disease within a disease'," Dr. Ian N. Bruce, of the University of Manchester, UK, and colleagues write. Psoriatic arthritis is "inflammatory arthritis on a background of pre-existing or future development of psoriasis."More....
Chewing Gum Infused with Type 2 Medicine?
Glucose-controlling metformin, the generic drug that is the first medication that many newly diagnosed type 2s take, could soon be available in a chewing gum.
Glucose-controlling metformin, the generic drug that is the first medication for many newly diagnosed type 2s, could soon be available in a chewing gum.
That’s the hope held by Massachusetts-based Generex Biotechnology Corporation, which has announced that it is ready to test its proprietary metformin chewing gum product, MetControl™, on 36 volunteer patients. In the study, Generex will compare the speed and efficacy of MetControl to that of immediate-release metformin tablets.
Metformin is the most prescribed drug for type 2 patients. Nevertheless, many people with diabetes avoid using it because of its gastrointestinal side effects, large pill size and bitter taste. These factors are especially off-putting to the increasing number of children being diagnosed with type 2.
Generex believes that the delivery of metformin in a good-tasting chewing gum will make the drug more acceptable to these patients and thereby increase adherence with diabetes therapy.
Because metformin is safe, well known and well established, the company does not anticipate taking as long to come to market with MetControl as it would with a product containing a new active compound. Such products typically must undergo stringent testing that can last years.
Air Pollution Linked to Deep Vein Thrombosis
Exposure to particulate air pollution—very small particles of solid and liquid chemicals that come from burning fossil fuels and other sources—has been linked to the increased risk of developing or dying from heart disease and stroke, according to background information in the article. Recent studies have suggested this relationship may result at least in part from the effects of particulate air pollution on blood clotting. More...
Lignans' prostate cancer protection gets study boost
13-May-2008 - The lignan metabolite enterolactone may prevent the spread of prostate cancer by acting at the genetic level, suggests new research that deepens our understanding of the topic.
An in vitro study, led by Mark McCann from AgResearch Grasslands in New Zealand, reports that enterolactone beneficially regulated several key genes, producing important effects on programmed cell death of prostate cancer cells.
McCann, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Ulster, Belfast City Hospital, Cork Institute of Technology, and the University of Reading, reports the data in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. More...
More Americans are taking prescription medications
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - For the first time, it appears that more than half of all insured Americans are taking prescription medicines regularly for chronic health problems, a study shows.
The most widely used drugs are those to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol - problems often linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
The numbers were gathered last year by Medco Health Solutions Inc., which manages prescription benefits for about one in five Americans.More.....
While One Woman Seeks World's Largest Breasts, Others Seek Relief from Pain of a Big Chest
When Big Breasts Are a Big Pain
Sheyla Hershey has set a new record for something she can't and doesn't want to hide -- the largest breasts in Brazil, and perhaps the world. But is she in for more pain than she bargained for?
(iStockphoto)
After eight surgeries and a gallon of silicone, Hershey's breasts round out to an astonishing 34 FFF -- and she claims she's not done.
In an interview with Fox 26 in Houston, where she traveled for the operation, the 28-year-old Brazilian actress and model said that she would like her breasts to be even bigger.
Unfortunately for Hershey, the state of Texas has limits on the amount of silicone that can be injected into breast implants -- and Dr. Malcolm Roth says this is for good reason.
"We know that the larger the implant the more likely there will be problems down the road," he says. "Maybe she'll be fortunate and not have problems, but those are very, very large breasts.More....
10 Cosmetic Procedures You Should Avoid
A recent report suggests that despite worries over an economic downturn, Americans are still spending money on procedures intended to make them look better. The annual report, issued last week by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, showed that the number of cosmetic procedures performed continued its steady rise last year to a total of nearly 12 million.
Permanent cosmetics technician Julie Wallace injects ink into the lip of her mother Nancy Wallace in Millbrae, Calif., on Thursday, Feb.14, 2008.
(Newscom)"The report tells me Americans are devoted to looking and feeling their best," ASPS president Dr. Richard A. D'Amico said in a statement on the report. "High demand continues for less invasive and relatively less expensive procedures, but there were also promising rebounds in some surgical procedures." More....
Q10 Essential Vitamin found in Tobacco!
If you have been reading the Plain Truth or Your Health Today, you know that we have shown our readers that there are benefits of tobacco that the media and the government do not want you to know about! For example, if your doctor has you on a Statin (Lipitor for example) and not on Q10, he should be arrested! Q10 and statins are mandated in Europe! So guess where most Q10 comes from? Read on for the answer!
Coenzyme Q10 is also known as Coenzyme Q10, ubiquinone-50, ubiquinol-10, and ubidecarerone. It belongs to a class of molecules known as ubiquinones. The different coenzyme molecules consist of a head and a tail, each responsible for specific actions. There are 12 different coenzymes. The number of units on the tail designates the number of a given coenzyme.
Coenzyme Q10 is an essential cofactor involved in the electron transport chain, accepting electrons in both Complex I and Complex II. Without Coenzyme Q10, ATP (energy), could not be made. Coenzyme Q10 is also a potent antioxidant, primarily affecting the mitochondria and cell membranes. Like Vitamin E and Vitamin A, CoQ10 is also a lipid soluble anti-oxidant. This ubiquinone protects the cell membrane and other components of the cell against lipid peroxidation.
Coenzymes occur in the majority of aerobic (oxygen using) bacteria, plants, and animals. Coenzyme Q10 is the most prominent form in humans. It is biosynthesized by the human body in the liver. Interestingly, the pathway used to create Coenzyme Q10 is also the pathway used to make cholesterol.
Coenzyme Q10 is absorbed in the small intestine. Only 40% of ingested Coenzyme Q10 is absorbed and used by the human body. Once it enters the blood the different cholesterol molecules, LDL, HDL, and VLDL, provide carriers for its movement throughout the body. Because it is bound to cholesterol, any unabsorbed Coenzyme Q10 is excreted in the bile.
Coenzyme Q10 is believed to be cardioprotective, cytoprotective, and neuroprotective. It is an anti-oxidant and an important metabolic cofactor for the production of energy.
The main sources of supplemental Coenzyme Q10 are tobacco leaf extracts, and fermented beet and sugar cane. [1] There are no therapeutic dosages of Coenzyme Q10 available from any food source. Additionally, tthe amount of Coenzyme Q10 made by the human body does not meet the dosages for therapeutic value in the treatments of chronic disease.
Coenzyme Q10 is an effective adjunct treatment for various conditions of the cardiovascular system. Its most well recognized and studied uses lie within the conditions of congestive heart failure, hypertension, and angina.
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For individuals with congestive heart failure, Coenzyme Q10 has been shown to increase the quality of life. In study, CoQ10 has yielded improvements in the common symptoms of congestive heart failure such as; cyanosis, edema, breathing abnormalities, enlarged liver, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, sweating, insomnia, vertigo, and arrhythmias. [2] Coenzyme Q10 was also able to increase the exercise capacity in individuals with heart failure. [3]
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Coenzyme Q10 may improves symptoms in patients with high blood pressure, mitral valve prolapse, and angina. Studies have documented reduction in the amounts of medications needed by individuals with those conditions. [4]
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Coenzyme Q10 is also protective against the development of atherosclerosis, by inhibiting the oxidation of LDL [1] and by increasing HDL levels. [5] Coenzyme Q10 has also been shown to reduce the number of cardiac events following a heart attack, including the development of atherosclerosis. [5]
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Coenzyme Q10 may be an effective addition to any cancer treatment protocol. Numerous studies have highlighted its ability to decrease the cardiac toxicity of a popular anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin; also known as Adriamycin. [6] Doxorubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic that is commonly used for leukemia and lymphoma, but is very toxic to heart tissue.
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There are also reports that Coenzyme Q10 may be a useful adjunctive treatment for individuals with breast cancer. However, more studies are needed to confirm this preliminary finding. Coenzyme Q10 can reduce oxidative stress via its anti-oxidant action. It is theorized that by reducing oxidative stress, CoQ10 can protect against cardiovascular and neurological disease; among the many other conditions that may be related to free radical damage and oxidative stress. [7]
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Coenzyme Q10 can be helpful for individuals with early onset Parkinson's disease. It may slow the progression of disease and deterioration of cognitive function. [9] In one particular controlled study, individuals taking Coenzyme Q10 had less disability over time than those not taking Coenzyme Q10. Supplemental CoQ10 was well tolerated with few side effects in very high doses.
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Individuals with Type II diabetes may benefit from taking Coenzyme Q10 as well. Marked improvements in glycemic control caused by CoQ10's ability to positively affecting Hemoglobin A1C levels have been noted. It has also been effective at lowering the blood pressure of individuals with Type II diabetes. [8] However, CoQ10 is not thought to be effective in controlling the glycemic response of those people with Type I diabetes.
-
Coenzyme Q10 can effectively lower blood pressure in both essential hypertension (not caused by another disease) and secondary hypertension (caused by another disease). [10]
-
Coenzyme Q10 may improve exercise performance and recovery. [11] It may be helpful for individuals with high endurance sports activities such as swimming, marathon runners, and cyclists.
-
Topical Coenzyme Q10 can be an effective treatment alone, or in combination with non-surgical therapy for peridontitis. It has been shown to improve symptoms of the disease and reduce the progression. [12] Topical CoQ10 creams are also becoming popular in many cosmetic formulations.
More.............
Keep Your Pets Healthy TOO!
‘People foods’ that can kill your pet
From chocolate to raisins, here’s what not to feed Fido — even if he begs
By Sloan Barnett
TODAYShow.com contributor
updated 4:07 p.m. ET, Fri., May. 9, 2008
It feels good to treat your pet to human food every once in a while. Those puppy-dog eyes are hard to resist as they watch you eat and try to convince you that they are starving! It makes you want to give them a taste of everything you eat. But beware: Giving in to those eyes and giving dogs human foods can actually harm them.
In 2007, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls. Most cases of animal poisoning were caused by common human foods and household items.
Many foods we enjoy can be dangerous to animals. It's best to stick to pet food and a diet recommended by your vet. Here are a few of the most toxic foods that can harm your pet:
Firefighters Face Higher Cancer Risks
A new study suggests that firefighters face higher-than-average risks of several types of cancer, adding to evidence that the job carries hazards beyond the fires themselves.
A number of studies have found that firefighters have elevated cancer rates, though they have not always been consistent in the specific types of cancer.
In the current study, researchers found that professional firefighters had higher-than-expected rates of colon cancer and brain cancer. There was also evidence, albeit weaker, that they had elevated risks of bladder and kidney cancers, as well as Hodgkin's lymphoma.More.....
Breast-Feeding May Boost IQ
 |
Children who were breast-fed exclusively for the first three months of life or longer scored nearly six points higher on IQ tests at the age of 6 than children who weren't breast-fed exclusively, a new study has found.
The finding buttresses previous research that has suggested that children and adults who were breast-fed as infants scored better on IQ tests and other measures of cognitive development, such as thinking, learning and memory, the study authors said.
"Long and exclusive breast-feeding makes kids smarter," said lead researcher Dr. Michael S. Kramer, of McGill University and the Montreal Children's Hospital, in Canada.
Read More...Booze, veggies may ward off prostate woes
Men who want to avoid developing the benign but bothersome prostate enlargement that typically accompanies aging should cut their intake of fat and red meat, eat more vegetables and have a couple of drinks a day, a new study suggests.
As many as half of 50-year-old men have benign prostate hyperplasia, which causes frequent and sometimes painful urination, while up to 80 per cent of 70-year-olds have the condition, Dr. Alan R. Kristal of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and colleagues note in their report.
The only established risk factor for BPH that people can do something about is obesity, particularly in the abdominal region.
A highball sits on a bar. Researchers find that men who had two or more alcoholic beverages daily were 33 per cent less likely to develop BPH than teetotalers. Richard Arless Jr/Montreal Gazette To investigate whether dietary changes could be beneficial as well, Kristal and his team followed 4,770 initially BPH-free men for seven years, during which time 876 developed the condition.
Men who had two or more alcoholic beverages daily were 33 per cent less likely to develop BPH than teetotalers, the researchers found, while those who consumed at least four servings of vegetables daily were at 32 per cent lower risk than those who ate fewer than one serving per day.
Red meat increased the likelihood of BPH, but only in men who ate it every day. Men who ate the most fat were 31 per cent more likely to develop BPH, while the highest consumers of protein actually cut their risk by 15 per cent.
The protein finding "doesn't mean go out and eat lean meat, it means go out and find lean sources of protein, which can be quite diverse," Kristal told Reuters Health, pointing to beans and vegetable proteins as two possibilities.
© The Windsor Star 2008
Cure Tooth Decay
Germs and Cavities
Are germs really the cause of cavities? Modern dentistry would have us believe that bacteria's are the cause of tooth decay. If this is true, then the only way we are empowered to stop tooth decay, is to stop the bacteria. Yet stopping bacteria is unrealistic, since they are everywhere, billions of them.
Germs seem to be blamed from everything from foot fungus, to cold's, to dental plaque. Dental plaque, caused by germs, is supposed to be the basis of tooth deterioration, and gum deterioration.
Read More...UPDATE on DAIRY FARMER!
UDDERLY RIDICULOUS
Farmer fined $4,000 for dealing raw milk
Feds SWAT raid hauls away 'illegal' products, equipment
Posted: May 05, 2008
8:29 pm Eastern
Farmer fined $4,000 for dealing raw milk
Feds SWAT raid hauls away 'illegal' products, equipment
Posted: May 05, 2008
8:29 pm Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
 |
A Pennsylvania farmer has been fined $4,000 for dealing in raw milk in violation of the state's bureaucracy that demands he hold a permit to sell his natural products to friends and neighbors.
A rally protesting the governmental action against Mt. Holly Springs farmer Mark Nolt drew more than 100 people today outside the courthouse, where a magistrate threw out one count filed against him but pronounced a guilty decision and $1,000 fine on each of four other counts.
WND reported earlier on the SWAT team-like raid on Nolt's farm, the government's confiscation of tens of thousands of dollars worth of his products as well as pieces of machinery he used for his milk handling and sales.More......
POISON IN OUR FOOD
Fluoride: Miracle drug or toxic-waste killer?
Safety debate over public water treatments heats up with release of shocking new studies
Posted: May 05, 2008
9:20 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
WASHINGTON – From Pennsylvania to Nebraska and from Europe to New Zealand, there is growing and fierce opposition to plans to fluoridate public drinking water, fueled by a battery of shocking new studies that seriously question a practice routine among U.S. municipalities for nearly the last 50 years.
Safety debate over public water treatments heats up with release of shocking new studies
Posted: May 05, 2008
9:20 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
 Water treatment plant |
- In Clearfield, Pa., the municipal authority asked the state Department of Environmental Protection for permission to stop adding fluoride to its water. But before city officials got an answer, they got a lawsuit threat from the Pennsylvania Dental Association, which promised not only an injunction against any plans to stop adding the chemical to drinking supplies but litigation against the individual board members who approved the action. The city backed down and continues to fluoridate water. More......
Weed Killers Tied to Brain Cancer
Women whose jobs regularly expose them to weed killers may have a higher-than-normal risk of a particular form of brain cancer, results of a U.S. study suggest.
Researchers found that among more than 1,400 U.S. adults with and without brain cancer, there was no overall link between the disease and on-the-job exposure to pesticides or herbicides -- chemicals used to kill plants, usually weeds.More......
RAW MILK UNDER ATTACK by BIG BROTHER!
UDDERLY RIDICULOUS
Feds launch 'Gestapo raid' over raw milk
Rally planned for farmer whose dairy swept by government
Posted: May 04, 2008
9:24 pm Eastern
More......
Feds launch 'Gestapo raid' over raw milk
Rally planned for farmer whose dairy swept by government
Posted: May 04, 2008
9:24 pm Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
|
A rally has been set for tomorrow in front of the magistrate's office in Mt. Holly, Pa., in support of a Mennonite farmer who has brought the wrath of the government on himself for selling raw milk and other products – an act government prosecutors say violates a number of regulations.
That's when the next court hearing is scheduled for Mark Nolt, a Pennsylvania farmer who turned in his state permit to sell raw milk because it didn't allow for the sale of the other products he offered.
"They swooped in ... like a bunch of Vikings, handcuffed me and stole $30,000 worth of my milk, cheese and butter," he told the New York Daily News.
Too Much Healthy Eating Is As Bad For Children As Too Much Junk
It is no surprise that children love junk food. Its makers go to great lengths to make sure that their offerings deliver a full-on, unsubtle assault on taste buds, with plenty of salt or sugar to create the sense that it is “tasty”.
But a significant proportion of our nation's children are worryingly chubby and heading for potential obesity problems in later life, it seems that others are suffering from “muesli belt malnutrition”: the overzealous application of “healthy eating” rules imposed on their daily food intake. A recent study warns us that too much fibre and too little fat can lead to vitamin deficiencies and stunts growth in the under-fives. More..
Vitamin K2
In 1945, Dr. Weston Price, the pioneer of nutritional epidemiology, published a revised edition of his masterwork, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, including a new chapter called 'A New Vitamin-Like Activator.' Price described his experiments with a fat-soluble substance vital to healthy bones and teeth found in the butter of cows raised on grass. The grass-fed butter was remarkably effective in curing a number of chronic conditions, including tooth decay, rickets, and seizures. It was even more powerful when combined with cod liver oil. Price called the magic ingredient Activator X.
Some 60 years later, researchers have identified Activator X. It is vitamin K2, a fat-soluble vitamin essential for optimal dental, skeletal, and cardiovascular health. Vitamin K2 has an interesting role: it puts calcium where it belongs (in the bones and teeth) and keeps it away from the places it doesn't belong, such as the arteries, where plaques calcify. Vitamin K2 is essential for healthy development and growth in children. Its effects are subtle: though K2 makes bones dense and strong, it also prevents premature calcification of the cartilaginous parts of bones, the soft parts which allow your baby's bones to grow.
Vitamin K2 can be made in the body from vitamin K1, which is found in green vegetables, but ideally your diet will contain ample sources of K2 itself. Animals who eat grass use K1 to make K2 and thus they are the best dietary source. Get your K2 from the butter, organ meats, and fat of animals raised on grass. A reliable sign of K2 is the rich yellow color of butter from cows on grass; K2's precursor is related to beta carotene. (If you prefer a supplement, you can also buy K2-rich butter oil. Some bacteria also make K2, and you'll find that kind of K2 in fermented foods such as natto, a Japanese soy food.)
Now we know what Price could only surmise: why traditional people went to so much trouble to get fatty meats, organ meats, and grass-fed butter - the 'high vitamin' foods, as Price called them.
K2 is an interesting fellow among vitamins. K2 is made in your reproductive organs. Sperm contains a protein that relies on K2. There is a lot of K2 in your pancreas, brain, and saliva, where it builds healthy enamel and protects you from tooth decay. K2 deficiency (good name for a band) causes fatigue and lethargy in lab animals. K2 prevents heart disease by inhibiting inflammation and calcification of the arteries.
Do you need more K2? If you're vegan or vegetarian or trying to conceive, you probably do. Foods rich in K2 were the heart of fertility diets Price studied. Recall that Price found the combination of cod liver oil and K2 butter powerfully effective. That's because cod liver oil is rich in vitamins A and D, which have several synergetic relationships with K2. In plain language, that means A, D, and K2 work together to build bones, among other vital tasks. A and D are less effective without K2 and vice versa.
If it's bone health you're after, consider one more virtue of traditional diets: saturated fat. You need saturated fat to lay down minerals (such as calcium) in your bones. Studies show that polyunsaturated fats (soybean oil) depress mineralization while saturated fats (butter and palm oil) stimulate bone density. That's why I don't drink skim milk and cannot recommend it, especially for women who are concerned about osteoporosis.
If you're worried about the effects of natural saturated fats on your heart, fear not. The net effect of these traditional fats, such as butter, is to raise HDL. On the virtues of HDL, the National Cholesterol Education Program is clear: 'the higher, the better.' New evidence suggests that LDL is not the villain either, but a repair molecule sent to damaged arteries to fix them.
You might instead choose to avoid the new, 'trans fat-free' non-butter, vegetable-oil based 'buttery' spreads. (I grimace as I type the hype, consoling myself that imitation of traditional foods is the sincerest form of flattery.) Now that trans-fats are known killers, Big Food brings you a new process for making industrial soy bean oil spreadable, because they know how much you want your butter.
How do they do it? By scrambling the fatty acids in a process called interesterification. It appears we won't have to wait 60 years to discover that these fats are not good for you, either. In a recent study by K.C. Hayes, interesterified fats lowered HDL (that's bad), depressed insulin (that's bad), and raised blood sugar (also bad). Compared to what? Good question. Compared to palm oil - yes, the highly saturated tropical fat they taught you to fear.
Remember the rule: if your great-grandmother ate it, it's probably OK.
Turning to Kosher Cuts
As various health scares raise fears about the food supply, more consumers are viewing the strictly prepared meats as a safer alternative.
Americans are snapping up kosher food products across the country, prompted by health concerns and a belief that kosher meats and poultry — prepared under strict Jewish dietary laws — are a safer choice amid fears of mad cow disease and bacterial contamination.
Kosher laws are stricter than U.S. Department of Agriculture standards when it comes to the health of animals that can be eaten. They prohibit, for example, using cows with broken bones or animals that are visibly sick. The laws strictly dictate how the animals are fed, killed and processed.
Harry Geedey, marketing vice president for Empire Kosher Poultry Inc., the nation's largest kosher poultry producer, said the religious requirements "add another level of safety" to the meat supply. After USDA inspectors at Empire's Pennsylvania plant finish their work, rabbis "trained in veterinary science" and kosher law perform additional inspections, rejecting "about three times more than what the USDA does," Geedey said.
The number of health-conscious consumers who seek out kosher products has been steadily rising. The market has received an extra boost from several food scares, including beef contaminated with deadly E. coli bacteria and December's discovery of a cow in Washington state infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, food industry executives and local butchers say.
Manes Wiezel, the founder of Los Angeles-based City Glatt Inc., a wholesale distributor of "glatt kosher" meats (processed at the strictest level of kosher), has noticed a steady and significant increase in sales. Because the U.S. Jewish population is holding steady, he and others in the kosher industry attribute the extra demand to buyers who are not motivated by religion but by health and food safety concerns.
Among local butchers, Herschel Berengut, the owner of G&K Kosher Meat Market in Los Angeles, said non-Jewish Filipinos and African Americans recently became first-time customers after seeking confirmation that kosher meat is more rigorously inspected than regular meat.
Like organic meat and poultry, kosher meats and poultry are hormone-free.
Joseph Azizi, a co-owner of Santa MonicaKosher Market in West Los Angeles, said the meat scare had brought new Latino and Japanese customers from the surrounding neighborhood. He said sales had risen about 30% recently, noting that the regional supermarket labor strike, which has sent some people in search of new places to shop, was another possible factor in the upswing in business.
After reports of mad cow disease in Washington, Azizi hoisted a yellow and red banner above the storefront that reads: "Don't Get 'Mad' Get Kosher / Kosher Meat Is Safe." That sign reassured some existing customers and brought in non-Jewish customers along with non-kosher Jews.
Because kosher dietary laws prohibit the mixing of meat and milk products, kosher food labeling is particularly rigorous. Foods are categorized as meat, dairy or pareve — a neutral category containing neither meat nor dairy. The meticulous labeling has helped drive a steady 15% annual growth in the U.S. market for kosher products, according to market research firms that monitor the kosher food industry. Among the buyers: vegetarians who know that certified products don't contain hidden meat products; people with lactose intolerance who must avoid hidden milk products; Muslims, Hindus and Seventh-day Adventists whose dietary prohibitions overlap with kosher laws; and the growing group of Americans choosing kosher foods as a more healthful alternative.
National supermarket chains, which sell roughly three-fourths of the nation's kosher products, are increasing their kosher offerings to meet this growing demand.
Menachem Lubinsky, editor of Kosher Today, a New York-based newsletter, said the number of certified kosher products had soared from 16,000 in 1977 to 80,000 today, including such well-known food items as Oreo cookies. He said about a third of all supermarket items were certified kosher. In 2003, kosher foods comprised about $170 billion of the $500 billion in U.S. food sales.
"Our non-Jewish customers are seeing the health benefits," said Terry O'Neil, a spokesman for Ralphs Grocery Co. in Compton, which has kosher butchers in eight of its stores, with plans to add more. "As we've expanded the departments to a lot of new stores, we've seen an increase in the cross-section of our customers purchasing kosher."
Rabbi Eliezer Eidlitz, director of the Kosher Information Bureau in North Hollywood, has noticed the change among people who sign up for supermarket tours that his organization sponsors. The tour groups, which used to cater almost exclusively to Orthodox Jews, now include a lot of people who are not Jewish.
Strict dietary laws govern certification
To be certified kosher, animals must be raised, killed and processed according to strict Jewish dietary law. Symbols of kosher certification include the letter K, often in combination with other symbols, or a U surrounded by a circle. The word "pareve" on a label means that the food contains neither meat nor dairy products.
Kosher poultry cannot show any signs of being pecked, sick or injured. The birds are killed with a slit to the neck, allowing the blood to drain out. They're never plunged into hot water (a theoretical source of bacterial contamination), but are washed in cold water before being soaked, salted and washed again. Experts in the koshering process say the extensive use of salt helps kill bacteria.
To be kosher, cows must be younger than 30 months. Dairy cows are never used. Kosher laws preclude using a stun gun or a bullet to the brain, which could scatter brain and nerve tissue (a source of mad cow disease). The animal must be hand-slaughtered by slitting its neck. Religious inspectors look for signs of broken bones, disease or scarred or punctured organs, which disqualify the animal. Downer cattle are never used, and about only 40% of healthy cattle qualify as kosher. Meat can be taken from only the forequarters; it is then soaked and salted to draw out the blood.
— Jane E. Allen, Times Staff Writer
Americans are snapping up kosher food products across the country, prompted by health concerns and a belief that kosher meats and poultry — prepared under strict Jewish dietary laws — are a safer choice amid fears of mad cow disease and bacterial contamination.
Kosher laws are stricter than U.S. Department of Agriculture standards when it comes to the health of animals that can be eaten. They prohibit, for example, using cows with broken bones or animals that are visibly sick. The laws strictly dictate how the animals are fed, killed and processed.
Harry Geedey, marketing vice president for Empire Kosher Poultry Inc., the nation's largest kosher poultry producer, said the religious requirements "add another level of safety" to the meat supply. After USDA inspectors at Empire's Pennsylvania plant finish their work, rabbis "trained in veterinary science" and kosher law perform additional inspections, rejecting "about three times more than what the USDA does," Geedey said.
The number of health-conscious consumers who seek out kosher products has been steadily rising. The market has received an extra boost from several food scares, including beef contaminated with deadly E. coli bacteria and December's discovery of a cow in Washington state infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, food industry executives and local butchers say.
Manes Wiezel, the founder of Los Angeles-based City Glatt Inc., a wholesale distributor of "glatt kosher" meats (processed at the strictest level of kosher), has noticed a steady and significant increase in sales. Because the U.S. Jewish population is holding steady, he and others in the kosher industry attribute the extra demand to buyers who are not motivated by religion but by health and food safety concerns.
Among local butchers, Herschel Berengut, the owner of G&K Kosher Meat Market in Los Angeles, said non-Jewish Filipinos and African Americans recently became first-time customers after seeking confirmation that kosher meat is more rigorously inspected than regular meat.
Like organic meat and poultry, kosher meats and poultry are hormone-free.
Joseph Azizi, a co-owner of Santa MonicaKosher Market in West Los Angeles, said the meat scare had brought new Latino and Japanese customers from the surrounding neighborhood. He said sales had risen about 30% recently, noting that the regional supermarket labor strike, which has sent some people in search of new places to shop, was another possible factor in the upswing in business.
After reports of mad cow disease in Washington, Azizi hoisted a yellow and red banner above the storefront that reads: "Don't Get 'Mad' Get Kosher / Kosher Meat Is Safe." That sign reassured some existing customers and brought in non-Jewish customers along with non-kosher Jews.
Because kosher dietary laws prohibit the mixing of meat and milk products, kosher food labeling is particularly rigorous. Foods are categorized as meat, dairy or pareve — a neutral category containing neither meat nor dairy. The meticulous labeling has helped drive a steady 15% annual growth in the U.S. market for kosher products, according to market research firms that monitor the kosher food industry. Among the buyers: vegetarians who know that certified products don't contain hidden meat products; people with lactose intolerance who must avoid hidden milk products; Muslims, Hindus and Seventh-day Adventists whose dietary prohibitions overlap with kosher laws; and the growing group of Americans choosing kosher foods as a more healthful alternative.
National supermarket chains, which sell roughly three-fourths of the nation's kosher products, are increasing their kosher offerings to meet this growing demand.
Menachem Lubinsky, editor of Kosher Today, a New York-based newsletter, said the number of certified kosher products had soared from 16,000 in 1977 to 80,000 today, including such well-known food items as Oreo cookies. He said about a third of all supermarket items were certified kosher. In 2003, kosher foods comprised about $170 billion of the $500 billion in U.S. food sales.
"Our non-Jewish customers are seeing the health benefits," said Terry O'Neil, a spokesman for Ralphs Grocery Co. in Compton, which has kosher butchers in eight of its stores, with plans to add more. "As we've expanded the departments to a lot of new stores, we've seen an increase in the cross-section of our customers purchasing kosher."
Rabbi Eliezer Eidlitz, director of the Kosher Information Bureau in North Hollywood, has noticed the change among people who sign up for supermarket tours that his organization sponsors. The tour groups, which used to cater almost exclusively to Orthodox Jews, now include a lot of people who are not Jewish.
Strict dietary laws govern certification
To be certified kosher, animals must be raised, killed and processed according to strict Jewish dietary law. Symbols of kosher certification include the letter K, often in combination with other symbols, or a U surrounded by a circle. The word "pareve" on a label means that the food contains neither meat nor dairy products.
Kosher poultry cannot show any signs of being pecked, sick or injured. The birds are killed with a slit to the neck, allowing the blood to drain out. They're never plunged into hot water (a theoretical source of bacterial contamination), but are washed in cold water before being soaked, salted and washed again. Experts in the koshering process say the extensive use of salt helps kill bacteria.
To be kosher, cows must be younger than 30 months. Dairy cows are never used. Kosher laws preclude using a stun gun or a bullet to the brain, which could scatter brain and nerve tissue (a source of mad cow disease). The animal must be hand-slaughtered by slitting its neck. Religious inspectors look for signs of broken bones, disease or scarred or punctured organs, which disqualify the animal. Downer cattle are never used, and about only 40% of healthy cattle qualify as kosher. Meat can be taken from only the forequarters; it is then soaked and salted to draw out the blood.
— Jane E. Allen, Times Staff Writer
Eating Five Tomatoes a Day Protects Against Sunburn
Getting protection from summer’s damaging sun could be as simple as eating foods made with tomato sauce. Researchers at Manchester and Newcastle universities in the United Kingdom found that eating five tomatoes a day helped protect against both sunburn and premature aging.Read More.........
What Causes Heart Attacks? Cholestrol? Smoking? You may be surprised
Sally Fallon
The "big" picture is more complex than simple cause and effect. In a multi-year British study involving several thousand men, half were asked to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in their diets, to stop smoking and to increase the amounts of unsaturated oils such as margarine and vegetable oils. After one year, those on the "good" diet had 100 percent more deaths than those on the "bad" diet, in spite of the fact that those men on the "bad" diet continued to smoke.2 In a study of Indians from Bombay and Punjab, researchers found that those from Punjab had one-fifth the number of heart attacks even though they smoked eight times more cigarettes.3 And while smoking was widespread at the turn of the century, myocardial infarction was not. This suggests that there may be factors in traditional diets that protect against the negative effects of smoking. It also raises the question of whether additives now used in cigarette paper and filters and changes in the curing process itself have exacerbated the harmful effects of cigarette use.Read More.........
Sunlight and Melanoma - A Surprise!
Sunlight may be the best thing for melanoma. That's right, in spite of what you've been reading, the sun doesn't cause melanoma, in fact, it's actually good for you, as many studies have indicated.Read More.........
Cheese Making
While cheese making is theoretically a science, we also need to appreciate that it is an art. Often cheese making instructions often appear simple, but there are skills and sensitivities which must be developed for successful cheese making. I strongly suggest that you master the following projects in sequence before you progress to more difficult cheeses. As an avid homesteader, I strive to keep the ingredients for these recipes relatively easily obtained from your local supermarket and to use the equipment commonly found in the kitchen.Read More.........
Arsenic in baby rice is a cancer risk, say scientists
Arsenic levels in rice-based baby foods are high enough to put children eating them at risk of a range of cancers, according to scientists who have carried out a survey of arsenic levels in three common brands. They calculate that a baby eating the food with the highest arsenic content would receive around six times the maximum arsenic dose allowable under regulations governing arsenic in water.
While the Food Standards Agency says that there is no danger to infants, the scientists would like regulations to be updated. They argue that limits on arsenic in food are out of date and do not take into account recent scientific studies showing that chronic exposure to the element can contribute to lung and bladder cancer, for example. At present, most rice in UK baby foods comes from Europe, but the scientists said it would be better to use rice from low-arsenic regions, such as parts of the Indian subcontinent, California or from Cádiz and Seville in Spain. More........
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