Eating to Prevent Disease

Announcement

2010-04-24T09:55:00.002+08:00

This is Grace, the daughter of neo.nate. My family and I regret to inform you that my father passed away on April 19, 2010. Thank you for taking an interest in his blog and his writings - it was one of the things that kept him going during his retirement. We miss him very much. RIP Dad.

Food: Cheaper than Medicine

2009-06-14T10:39:00.001+08:00

Medicine before WWII

The author-physician Lewis Thomas remarkably described in his 1983 book, The Youngest Science, the practice of medicine before the Second World War. There were only five effective medicines available: morphine for pain, quinine for malaria, insulin for diabetes, digitalis for heart disease and aspirin for inflammation and very little was known of their mode of action. For almost all other ailments, there was nothing available but nostrums and comforting words.

At that time, despite a well-founded science of physiology, we were still ignorant about the human body or the host–parasite relationship it had with other organisms. Wise physicians knew that letting nature take its course without intervention would often allow natural self-regulation to make the cure. They were not averse to claiming credit for their skill when this happened.

An Editorial 25 Years Ago

Another clinical stimulus to basic research has been the growing realization that much of the world’s burden of illness is behavior-related. The Centers for Disease Control have estimated that about half the mortality from the ten leading causes of death in the United States is strongly linked to long-term patterns of behavior (life-style).Such known behavioral risk factors as cigarette smoking, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, use of illicit drugs, certain dietary habits, insufficient exercise, reckless driving, and maladaptive responses to stress are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and cancers as well as accidental disabilities and other disorders. Science Magazine Editorial, 2 December 1983

A doctor speaks on diet and cancer

The extensive research published in the last decade alone proves that what you eat can have a profound effect on your protection against cancer. It's a little-known fact that nutrition is barely taught in med schools, where the solution to most problems is a drug. And doctors don't trust patients to make lifestyle changes. I recall a conversation with a fellow physician at a conference after I spoke on the importance of a healthy diet in fighting disease. "You may be right, but people don't want to change," he said. "They just want to take a pill and forget about it."

I spent months researching the healing powers of food before I fully grasped my own natural cancer-fighting potential. I met with a variety of researchers, scoured medical databases, and combed scientific publications. I traveled all over the world and consulted experts from nearly every continent.

In my quest, I discovered that the list of anticancer foods is actually quite long. Some foods block natural bodily processes such as inflammation that fuels cancer growth. Others force cancer cells to die through a process that specialists call apoptosis. Still other foods assist the body in detoxifying cancer-causing toxins or protecting against free radicals. But most of them attack the disease on a variety of fronts. And they do it every day, three times a day, without provoking any side effects. To avoid the disease, it's essential to take advantage of this natural protection, and nurture it.

I've learned that the anticancer diet is the exact opposite of the typical American meal: mostly colorful vegetables and legumes, plus unsaturated fats (olive, canola, or flaxseed oils), garlic, herbs, and spices. Meat and eggs are optional. Through extensive research, I devised a list of the most promising cancer fighters, along with recommendations on how to make the most of their potential. Include at least one, and preferably two, at every meal, to maximize your protection.

Green tea is rich in compounds called polyphenols, including catechins (and particularly EGCG), which reduce the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors. It's also a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier (activating enzymes in the liver that eliminate toxins from the body), and it encourages cancer cell death. In the laboratory, it has even been shown to increase the effect of radiation on cancer cells.

The day is coming where Inventor Thomas Edison predicted: "The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."

Sweet Poison

2008-12-21T12:52:00.002+08:00

Lawmaker wants artificial sweeteners banned

A bill that seeks to ban from the local market the artificial sweeteners that contain food additive aspartame, reportedly dangerous to health has been filed. Rep. Narciso D. Santiago III (Partylist, ARC) said the Nutrasweet, Spoonful and Equal brands are some of the sugar substitutes or sweeteners that contain the food additive aspartame. House Bill 4747 seeks to ban the use of aspartame on food, beverages and drugs such as instant breakfasts, cereals, frozen dessert, gelatin dessert, yogurt, milk drinks, shake mixes, cocoa mixes, beverages such as coffee, tea and juice, soft drinks, table top sweeteners, topping mixes, wine coolers, breath mints, sugar-free chewing gum, multivitamins as well as pharmaceuticals and supplements.

The neophyte legislator, son of Senator Santiago has plenty of concurrence abroad.

Aspartame-Induced Hypertension

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener made of two aminoacids and a methanol molecule that binds them together. The effects of these substances on the human organism are not all positive. The metabolic fate of the constituents of aspartame has been brushed off in the approval process.

Problems are getting more and more serious, with numerous studies finding an increased incidence of cancers and other illness after ingestion of aspartame. So much so that the big soft drink manufacturers are gearing up to getting approval for and using stevia, a plant extract, instead of aspartame.

Another finding: Aspartame seems to be the cause of high blood pressure or hypertension in many of those using it. Written up as a letter to the editor, by Dr H. J. Roberts:

To the Editor: As a constructive comment on the excellent article by Trewet, C. L. and Ernst, [1] on "resistant hypertension", allow me to mention an important factor contributing to hypertension that continues to be overlooked: "diet" products containing aspartame which are being consumed by an estimated two-thirds of the population.

I reported earlier on hypertension in 64 aspartame reactors who were not known to have had an elevated blood pressure prior to using this chemical. [2] Its severity was impressive - e.g., a registered nurse with readings as high as 280/160. The blood pressure in another nurse rose to 240/150. Several patients were studies to rule out pheochromocytoma. The causative role of aspartame products was indicted by 1) the striking improvement or normalization of blood pressure after stopping aspartame, and 2) the prompt recurrence of hypertension following aspartame resumption.

The association of hypertension with the consumption of cola beverages (Diet Coke (TM)) has been confirmed by Winkelmayer et al in a large prospective study of female nurses - but NOT with caffeine consumption. They speculated that "perhaps some other compound contained in soda-type soft drinks .... may be responsible for the increased risk of hypertension."

I have reviewed the likely pharmacologic basis, especially the conversion of phenylalanine (comprising half of the aspartame molecule) to dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine ... all pressor substances. [2] Other aspartame reactors have evidenced peripheral vasomotor features (including the Raynaud phenomenon, [2] and probable pulmonary hypertension. [4]

At the very least, persons with hypertension that resist conventional therapy ought to avoid aspartame products.

H. J. Roberts, MD, FACP, FCCP
Palm Beach Institute for Medical Research, Inc.
West Palm Beach, Florida

References

1. Trewet CL, Ernest ME. Resistant hypertension; identifying causes and optimizing treatment regimens. South Med J 2008; 101-166-173

2. Robert HJ Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic West Palm Beach, Sunshine Sentinel Press, 2001

3. Roberts HJ Aspartame induced dyspnea and pulmonary hypertension. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients 2003: 54-55.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 by: Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D.

http://www.naturalnews.com/024225.html writes:

(NaturalNews) Aspartame, more commonly known as NutraSweet or Equal, is one of the most toxic substances being consumed today. The artificial sweetener, currently used in over 4,000 products worldwide, entertains a sordid past and has been one of the most tested and debated food additives in the history of the FDA. While the manufacturer maintains that aspartame is not a danger to your health, the scientific studies don’t necessarily agree. The FDA has approved the product for mass consumption, in spite of overwhelming evidence that aspartame can have neurotoxic, metabolic, allergenic, fetal and carcinogenic effects. When you question how such a substance has not been banned, one simply needs to look at the billions of dollars generated by the sale of aspartame each year. In light of the staggering number of dollar signs involved, it’s easy to see that the artificial sweetener industry has reached Big Tobacco status. With so much money at stake, the truth suffers almost as much as the health of the consumers, while the shareholders' wealth continues to grow exponentially.

In 1965, James Schlatter, a chemist for G.D. Searle, was developing an anti-ulcer drug when he accidentally stumbled upon aspartame. Made up of aspartic acid (40%), phenylalanine (50%) and methanol (10%), aspartame is 200 times sweeter than natural sugar.

* Aspartic Acid

Aspartate is a neurotransmitter in the brain, facilitating information from one neuron to another. Too much aspartate allows an influx of calcium into the brain cells, triggering an excessive amount of free radicals which kill the cells. Aspartate is referred to as an “excitotoxin” because of the nerve cell damage that it causes. Many chronic illnesses have been attributed to long term excitotoxin exposure, including multiple sclerosis, ALS, memory loss, hormonal problems, hearing loss, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, hypoglycemia, dementia, brain lesions and neuroendocrine disorders.

In 1971, Dr. John Olney, neuroscientist and one of the world’s foremost experts on excitotoxins, informed G.D. Searle that his research had revealed that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice. Searle did not inform the FDA of these findings until after aspartame's approval in 1981. This would prove to be one event in a startling pattern of lies and deception.

* Phenylalanine
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Human testing has shown phenylalanine levels in the blood are increased significantly in those who chronically use aspartame. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of serotonin to decrease, which can lead to depression, schizophrenia and make one more susceptible to seizures.
Studies conducted on rats by G.D. Searle found phenylalanine to be safe for humans. However, Louis J. Elsas, II, M.D., Director of Medical Genetics and Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine told the U.S. Senate in 1987 that, “Normal humans do not metabolize phenylalanine as efficiently as do lower species such as rodents and thus most of the previous studies on aspartame effects on rodents are irrelevant.” Unfortunately, this fell on deaf ears and failed to garner additional testing.

* Methanol
By far, the most controversial ingredient in aspartame is methanol (aka wood alcohol). An EPA assessment of methanol states that it is “considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidated to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic.” This oxidation occurs when methanol reaches 86 degrees F (30 degrees C).

* Formaldehyde
A product broken down from aspartate is a known carcinogen and causes retinal damage, birth defects and interferes with DNA replications.
The EPA recommends a consumption limit of 7.8 mg/day. A 1 Liter aspartame sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol, seven times the EPA limit.
The most common maladies related to methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage and blindness.

The History of Aspartame

In 1973, G.D. Searle submitted aspartame to the FDA for approval as a sweetening agent. Approval was granted in July of 1974 but pulled in December after objections to its safety were filed by neuroscience researcher, John Olney, and consumer attorney, James Turner. Questions regarding G.D. Searle’s research practices were subsequently raised and an FDA investigation was launched.
It is important to note that of the 164 studies that were conducted, 74 of them had industry related sponsorship and 90 were funded without any industry money. Of the 90 non-industry sponsored studies, 83 (92%) identified one of more problems with aspartame.
In 1976, an FDA task force investigation revealed numerous faults in G.D. Searle’s studies. FDA Toxicologist and Task Force member, Dr. Adrian Gross stated, “They [G.D. Searle] lied and they didn’t submit the real nature of their observations because, had they done that, it is more likely that a great number of these studies would have been rejected for adequacy. What Searle did, they took great pains to camouflage these shortcomings of the study... For instance, animals would develop tumors while they were under study. Well, they would remove these tumors from the animals.” In July 1976 the FDA created another task force, headed by Jerome Bressler, to investigate the discrepancies in three studies in particular.
In 1977, a Grand Jury investigation into Searle’s violation of the law was launched, headed by U.S. Attorney William Conlon. Conlon failed to follow through and the statute of limitations ran out. 15 months later, Conlon accepted a job with the law firm representing G.D. Searle in the investigation.
In August of 1977, the Bressler Report was released, citing a myriad of lies and inconsistencies with Searle’s studies. Senior Scientist on the FDA's task force, Jacqueline Verrett, testified in front of the U.S. Senate, “It would appear that the safety of aspartame and its breakdown products has still not been satisfactorily determines, since the flaws cited in these three studies were also present in all of the other studies submitted by Searle.” Due to these findings, a Public Board of Inquiry (PBOI) was launched.
In 1980, the PBOI voted unanimously to reject the use of aspartame until additional studies on its potential to cause brain tumors could be done.
In January of 1981, G.D. Searle reapplied for approval, submitting new studies with its application. In March, a 5 member FDA panel of scientists reviewed the PBOI’s findings. The panel referred to the brain tumor data as “worrisome” and could not recommend approval. In July of 1981, FDA Commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr. overruled the PBOI and approved aspartame for dry foods use, ignoring the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 348) which states that a food additive should not be approved if tests are inconclusive.
In October 1982, Searle petitioned the FDA for approval to use aspartame in soft drinks and children’s vitamins. The FDA approved the use in soft drinks in 1983. Shortly after approval, Commissioner Hayes left the FDA under charges of improprieties and was hired as a consultant for G.D. Searle’s PR Firm, Burson Marstellar.

In July of 1983, both Woodrow Monte, Director of the Science and Nutrition Laboratory at Arizona State University and James Turner, Esq. filed petitions objecting to the approval of aspartame based on possible serious adverse side effects from chronic intake of aspartame. In November, the FDA denied the petitions “because public interest did not require it.”
In 1985, G.D. Searle was bought out by Monsanto, creating the NutraSweet Company as a separate subsidiary from G.D. Searle. 14,400,000 lbs. of aspartame were consumed in the U.S. that same year.
In 1996, the FDA removed all restrictions on aspartame and authorized its use in all products, including heated and baked goods. This was done in spite of the fact that aspartame breaks down into formaldehyde above 86 degrees F.
Today, aspartame accounts for over 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. How sweet it is? A few of the 90 different documented symptoms include: headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss and joint pain. Which one are you ready for?

For more information on the history of aspartame, check out (www.dorway.com/enclosur.html) .
More than ever, people are consuming large amounts of sugar as part of their daily diet. But in excess, sugar can take its toll. Eating large amounts of sugar adds extra calories, which can cause weight gain. So many people opt for artificial sweeteners — also referred to as sugar substitutes or low-calorie sweeteners — as a way to enjoy their favorite foods without as many calories.

What are artificial sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are chemicals or natural compounds that offer the sweetness of sugar without as many calories. Because the substitutes are much sweeter than sugar, it takes a much smaller quantity to create the same sweetness. Products made with artificial sweeteners have a much lower calorie count than do those made with sugar. Artificial sweeteners are often used as part of a weight-loss plan or as a means to control weight gain.

People with diabetes may use artificial sweeteners because they make food taste sweet without raising blood sugar levels. But keep in mind that if you do have diabetes, some foods containing artificial sweeteners, such as sugar-free yogurt, can still affect your blood sugar level due to other carbohydrates or proteins in the food. Some foods labeled "sugar-free" — such as sugar-free cookies and chocolates — may contain sweeteners, such as sorbitol or mannitol, which contain calories and can affect your blood sugar level. Some sugar-free products may also contain flour, which will raise blood sugar levels. Also, remember that foods containing sugar substitutes may also contain calories that may undermine your ability to lose weight and control blood sugar.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

An article in Mayoclinic “Artificial sweeteners: A safe alternative to sugar?”

advises Find out the benefits and potential pitfalls of using artificial sweeteners.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/artificial-sweeteners/MY00073

http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_turns_tissues_to_plastic.htm article

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2007/09/26/aspartame_triggers_psychiatric_disorders.htm

Betty Martini comments to the BBC upon an article titled "Drug firms 'inventing diseases":

Perhaps the best way to say this is pharmaceutical and chemical firms are causing more diseases, and then making drugs to treat the problems they caused, which then interact. Searle was the original manufacturer of aspartame. The phenylalanine in aspartame lowers the seizure threshold and depletes serotonin. Lowered serotonin triggers psychiatric and behavioral problems and insomnia. So Searle made a drug for sleep.

Aspartame hardens the synovial fluids and along with the toxic breakdown of the poison causes agonizing joint pain many times called fibromyalgia. Dr. H. J. Roberts calls fibromyalgia a diagnostic junk bucket. So Searle made Celebrex, a horrible drug, for joint pain, which interacts with aspartame. Aspartame damages the mitochondria and therefore interacts with all drugs, the reason so many die from drug interaction no doubt.

Aspartame also is notorious in triggering restless leg. As to menopause, it is of interest that for years women took Premarin to be more vibrant. All of a sudden articles wrote that women were complaining that now they were experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome from the drug. Aspartame destroys the immune system and causes chronic fatigue, and it interacts with hormones big time. A University of Florida study years ago showed that if you omitted aspartame chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia disappeared.

Aspartame can trigger irritable bowel syndrome as well. Just look at the medical text: Aspartame Disease: An Ignored Epidemic, www.sunsentpress.com by H. J. Roberts, M.D. It's all there, all of these diseases and the mechanism by which aspartame can trigger them.

So yes I would turn this around and say that pharmaceutical firms are causing these diseases and then making drugs to treat them. And that doesn't work with aspartame victims because the drugs interact and aggravate the problem.

As an example, aspartame is pushed on diabetics by the professional organizations and front groups who are funded by the manufacturers. Yet, aspartame can precipitate diabetes, aggravates and simulates diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy and destroys the optic nerve. It also interacts with insulin. So we have an epidemic of diabetes. The free methyl alcohol in aspartame converts to formaldehyde and formic acid and destroys the optic nerve, so look at all the laser surgery to treat the eye problems aspartame triggers.

After being on the market for over two decades research into scientific peer reviewed studies and funding reveals that 92 per cent of independent studies show the problems that aspartame can cause. Only studies funded and controlled by industry ever said it was safe. Searle originally did all sorts of things to try and prove a deadly excitoneurotoxic carcinogenic drug showed safety, and got caught. As the FDA audit shows they were even excising brain tumors from rats and then putting them back in the study. When they died they would resurrect them on paper. So the FDA asked for the indictment of Searle under Title 18, Section 1001, fraud. But the pharmaceutical industry is very powerful with bottomless checkbooks, and they bought the U.S. Prosecutors because they knew it was an open and shut case. Prosecutors Skinner and Conlon hired on with Searle's defense team and the statute of limitations expired. But still the FDA would not approve this poison so Don Rumsfeld said he would call in his markers and get it approved regardless of their refusal and regardless of the fact that it is a deadly poison. Here James Turner, Washington DC Attorney who tried along with Dr. John Olney to prevent approval, explains how Rumsfeld did this deadly deed: A clip from Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World (www.amazon.com) : Here is a promo to the film.

Now that the Ramazzini Study in Italy, peer reviewed by 7 world experts, has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt the same thing the FDA found, that aspartame is a multipotential carcinogen, efforts have been made to fabricate a study to rebut it. A multifood form 16 pages long with 56 questions completed a decade ago, was claimed to be an aspartame cancer study. Aspartame was only mentioned once when asked if you drank coffee and tea, and if not to skip to number 27 and tell us if you use vitamins. The aspartame manufacturers admit to this toxin being in 6000 products, yet on this form there were no questions about whether you used any of them or whether you took them for years, since only 12 months was the time limit. As Dr. Ralph Walton said, if you did a 12 month study on whether smoking caused cancer you would conclude that smoking does not cause cancer. If these elderly people who filled out the form, and even could remember what they took in the last 12 months, checked they used regular soda pop again they would not be counted as using aspartame. Yet in l995 they could have been using Fresca or Tab, both with aspartame.

Then front groups like the Calorie Control Council tout this as showing aspartame is safe. The American Dietetics Assn is just as bad, often called Monsanto's media flacks. The experts, of course, immediately exposed this bogus study. You will note that Dr. Russell Blaylock comments on the Ramazzini Study as well as this new bogus study. And Dr. Roberts not only comments, but his peer reviewed journal article about 15 years ago exposed the aspartame lymphoma link. The Ramazzini study showed aspartame causes lymphoma, leukemia, kidney cancer and cancer of the cranial peripheral nerves.

Today, the FDA is simply an extension of industry and has given their complete loyalty to the pharmaceutical and cancer industry. They find employment at the FDA to be a bureaucrat so they can become a plutocrat. They have absolutely no interest in safe food and drugs and are responsible for approving poisons. As proof of this, while their own records show aspartame to be a chemical poison, and they themselves originally wanted the company indicted, they lie to the public and protect the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. There is a law that says if someone files a Citizens Petition they must answer in 180 days, and not to do so means they have committed a crime. I filed a Citizens Petition to ban aspartame 4 years ago in June, and they refuse to answer saying they have more important things to do. Here is the petition.

The FDA not only protects the pharmaceutical industry but tries to help them take over our vitamins and herbs. The FDA knows without a shadow of a doubt that aspartame damages the cardiac conduction system and causes death. The FDA has this report and others but when the athletes started dropping dead they used ephedra as the cause and banned it. Dr. John Olney is on the Ephedra Council and reviewed the complaints at the FDA. What they had was a comedy to read. In one case a man left his wife and didn't go to church and the cause was given as ephedra. There were some problems, not with natural Ma-Haung, but with the pharmaceutical kind where they synthesized it. Showing you it doesn't matter what the pharmaceutical companies do they left the synthesized drug version on the market and took off the safe Ma-Haung. They removed ephedra because of an athlete who dropped dead in West Palm Beach. An investigation into his diet habits found that he was worried about his fluctuating weight and was going without food for a couple of days and then using nothing but Diet Coke all day sweetened with aspartame. The athlete no doubt was just another aspartame murder. And when Ephedra was put back on the market they only allowed a small amount, so there would be little necessity to use it since the dose would be too low. Recently the FDA bragged on their web site that they had found someone here in Georgia who was selling a little more, and how happy they were to protect the people from this harmless and useful product being used for thousands of years.

In the meantime, millions of people all over the world are dying from neurodegenerative diseases, drug interactions, cancers and birth defects for starters. As I have heard Doctors Roberts and Blaylock say a lot of people in mental hospitals today are simply aspartame victims.

Talking about aspartame murders, Charles Fleming, a basketball playing athlete and body builder, who used aspartame pop and other products with this toxin, died. On the autopsy it showed death from methanol poisoning. It also showed chronic methanol poisoning which showed he had been using it for years. You saw the usual things you would see in an aspartame victim, the fatty liver, pulmonary edema, and cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), and metabolic acidosis. The doctor in the case not knowing what caused the methanol poisoning, and completely unaware that aspartame liberates free methyl alcohol, told his wife Diane to call the police. She did and also took a polygraph test. The police report says the polygraph showed she was truthful. So the police knew Diane had nothing to do with it, and the detective on the case told me personally he would have never allowed her to be indicted but all of a sudden he was promoted and taken off the case. Diane Fleming, a sweet Sunday School teacher lost not only her husband to the aspartame murderers but also her children, her home and her freedom. She was sentenced to 30 and 20 years and now resides in a Virginia prison.

Doctors looking at the autopsy report and realizing Fleming died from aspartame wrote affidavits. The medical examiner, Dr. Marcella Fierro, agreed to talk to Dr. H. J. Roberts about it but cancelled appointments. Then she said she would have a phone conference on a certain date during a meeting for that purpose. At that time she said she wouldn't talk to him because there was no peer reviewed journal article on aspartame and methanol. She said this while holding in her hand the peer reviewed journal article, Aspartame: Methanol and the Public Health by Dr. Woodrow Monte: So we decided to investigate Dr. Fierro and found other cases she had been involved in including the Vince Foster case. The Artificially Sweetened Times published by the Idaho Observer (www.idaho-observer.com) which are distributed to warn the public about aspartame carried the story: "Fleming's chances for post-conviction relief dashed by medical examiner capable of moving bullet wounds for political reasons". She was reported to the Virginia Medical Board, Grievance Committee, by myself and Dr. H. J. Roberts, and they reviewed the case for a long time but allowed Fierro not to be punished. More investigation is needed for Fierro's other links to people like Senator Orrin Hatch who was paid by Monsanto and who prevented aspartame congressional hearings for so long. There were many errors in the two day trial so a powerful habeas was written and for some strange reason was turned down. Now we are asking for help to get this Sunday School teacher and mother of three out of prison, for as the detective on the case said, "Diane Fleming is an innocent woman and never should have been indicted."

As Dr. James Bowen wrote the FDA years ago, the people responsible for putting aspartame on the market and those working to keep it on the market should be criminally prosecuted.

The pharmaceutical industry has lots of influence and power, and they have to have endless checkbooks to keep it. No wonder drugs are so expensive. As one man said, his insurance company would not pay for the second month's of pills because they would cost $2800.00 - 30 pills. The elderly try to get their medication in Canada because living on a set income they can't afford the pharmaceutical company's outrageous fees. So the FDA, industry's handmaiden has worked to prevent consumers from getting them cheaper in Canada. The same pharmaceutical drugs purchased in the US are sent to Canada, and they are sealed, but FDA's excuse is that they are not safe. A burglar would have a better alibi.

So perhaps this title should be turned around to show the real problem. Many of these diseases are created by the aspartame manufacturers using a deadly excitoneurotoxic carcinogen drug that interacts with all drugs and vaccines. Shame on the FDA who has given them their loyalty and sold out the people. As Mr. Horton, Editor of the Lancet said years ago, the FDA endangers the lives of the people by taking money from industry.

When those responsible to solve the problem ARE the problem they should be removed from office and prosecuted like they prosecute innocent health food people selling a little bit of a healthful drug. To show you how industry cares not for the lives of the people when they got ahold of the vitamins in England they added aspartame, even though you swallow them. Then they can sell more of these drugs that interact with the poison. However, you look at it the pharmaceutical and chemical industry - they are guilty. They not only invent disease but create it.

Dr. Betty Martini, D.Hum
Mission Possible International
9270 River Club Parkway
Duluth, Georgia 30097
770 242-2599

Posted by: Betty Martini on April 16, 2006

Aspartame Consumption Again Linked to Degeneration of Brain Neurons states the article in http://www.naturalnews.com/024316.html, Thursday, September 25, 2008 by: David Gutierrez.

(NaturalNews) High intake of the artificial sweetener aspartame may lead to the degeneration of brain cells and various mental disorders, according to a research review conducted by South African scientists from the University of Pretoria and the University of Limpopo and published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
"We propose that excessive aspartame ingestion might be involved in the pathogenesis of certain mental disorders, and also in compromised learning and emotional functioning," the researchers concluded.
The review of prior research found that aspartame, marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, Canderal and Tropicana Slim, leads to both direct and indirect changes in the brain when consumed in high quantities. Among these effects, the chemical can disrupt amino acid metabolism and structure, degrade nucleic acids, and interfere with the function of nerve cells and hormonal systems. It also appears to change the concentration of certain neurotransmitters in the brain.

The researchers also noted that aspartame appears to cause excessive signaling of nerve cells, and nerve cell damage or even death. By disrupting the functioning of the cells' mitochondria, or energy source, aspartame leads to a cascade of effects on the whole system.

In another article, Dr. Woodrow Monte. Ph.D with a 26 year career as Professor at Arizona State University devoted to research and teaching of the composition and safety of foods says: For 25 years I have had serious concerns about the consequences of the consumption of Aspartame. In 1983, I filed the first petition to the US Food and Drug Administration seeking Aspartame’s removal from foods. My 287 page petition, containing copious documentation of published research, was denied without explanation. In 1984, I wrote the first scientific article warning of the methanol produced when Aspartame is consumed. He continues:

“This issue of aspartame safety is embedded in a quagmire of politics. Aspartame’s approval by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was championed, by the former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. At the time of Aspartame’s FDA approval, he was president of the company that invented it and which stood to make considerable financial gain from its manufacture and sales

Fresh fruits and vegetables contain small traces of methanol, but their consumption is not problematic, in that, during fermentation in the gut, they produce a natural substance that stops the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde. In fact, before Aspartame, methanol in the normal human diet came primarily from heat processed plant foods such as canned fruit and vegetables and their juices. While there are unusually high levels of methanol in black currant and tomato juices, these foods are included only occasionally in most diets and, thus, would have little impact on an average person’s methanol intake.

Methanol is only found in natural foods that contain pectin, the glue that holds certain plants together. Fortunately, the bond that holds the methanol to pectin is so strong that it rarely breaks, or breaks only under certain conditions that include fermentation or the high temperatures of the food canning process. Even under these conditions only a small percentage of pectin’s methanol is released. (It is interesting to note that multiple schlerosis (MS) was first documented as a disease at about the time that canning began to flourish in Europe. Further, humans have no enzymes for pectin digestion, thus making pectin consumption rather unlikely to yield much methanol. In contrast, aspartame consumption yields methanol always and readily

See the 1984 article in TheTruthAboutStuff.com for a full discussion of this issue and references for this article.”

WOW! The House is hell-bent railroading CHA-CHA and dragging their feet on the selling of poison?

Season's Greetings

2008-12-21T05:48:00.002+08:00

http://phreetings.com/kq3pcv69

http://phreetings.com/rjuxjz82

http://www.123greetings.com/events/seasons_greetings/wishes/season50.html

Bananas: food or medicine?

2008-11-24T20:20:00.000+08:00

Guests invited to testify in Senate hearings are not always pampered with kindness. One such roughed-up individual was National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales who, sweating under intense grilling pulled out a banana from his clutch bag and started to eat and talk. It was not an act of discourtesy – he was taking his medicine to calm his nerves and lower his blood pressure.

Bananas are unique fruit with unique properties. It has a rare combination of energy value, tissue-building elements, vitamins and minerals, fiber and other essential nutrients. Its convenient natural packing is compact, healthy, easy to carry and use.

Some interesting facts about bananas:

They are the only fruit that actually develop better color, texture, aroma, and sweetness when ripened after harvest. It’s the tiny seeds within the fruit that release a ripening hormone, a mixture of ethylene gas and carbon dioxide.
Bananas are the most potassium-rich food that is available worldwide and year-round.
Bananas make baby boys! Recently researchers confirmed the old wives’ tale that eating bananas is associated with having a boy.

· A banana is undoubtedly a fruit containing the seeds of the plant though since commercially grown banana plants are sterile, the seeds are reduced to little specks. However, the banana plant, though it is called a 'banana-tree' in popular usage, is technically regarded as a herbaceous plant (or 'herb'), not a tree, because the stem does not contain true woody tissue.

There are more than 300 varieties of bananas bred for cultivation
The annual global banana output is 86 million tons
Bananas are the fourth most important staple food in the developing world
Bananas originated in Malaysia

Reduced risk of high blood pressure

Bananas are one of the best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. A medium-sized banana provides 350 mg of potassium. The effectiveness of potassium-rich foods in lowering blood pressure has been demonstrated by a number of studies. The US Food and Drug Administration has allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. According to the FDA, “Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.” Plus, potassium helps your body maintain normal fluid and electrolyte balances in the cells.

Scientists report that natural compounds in bananas act in a manner similar to anti-hypertensive drugs. The team studied six popular banana varieties and found that all had ACE-inhibiting properties, though the ripened bananas had a stronger action than unripe ones. Researchers have reported that blood pressure fell by 10% in people who ate two bananas daily for a week.

Reduced risk of stroke

Scientists suggest that people with a low amount of potassium in their diet may have an increased risk of stroke. A study of 5,600 people aged over 65 found that those with the lowest intake of the potassium were 50% more likely to suffer a stroke. High-potassium foods, like bananas, may lower the risk of stroke, but researchers say that more studies are needed to confirm whether increasing potassium in the diet can prevent strokes.

Restore normal bowel activity

Because the banana is rich in nondigestible fibers (including cellulose, hemicellulose, and alpha-glucans) it can help restore normal bowel activity and help with both constipation and diarrhea. Bananas normalize the colon’s function to absorb large amounts of water for regular bowel movements. Their usefulness is due to their richness in pectin, which is water-absorbent and this gives them a bulk producing ability.

Bananas are an exceptionally rich source of fructooligosaccharide, a compound called a prebiotic because it nourishes probiotic (friendly) bacteria in the colon. These beneficial bacteria produce vitamins and digestive enzymes that improve our ability to absorb nutrients, plus compounds that protect us against unfriendly microorganisms. When fructooligosaccharides are fermented by these friendly bacteria, not only do numbers of probiotic bacteria increase, but so does the body’s ability to absorb calcium. For this reason, ingesting antibiotics harm these beneficial bacteria.

Research published in Digestive Diseases and Sciences underscores just how much bananas can improve nutrient absorption. In this study, 57 babies (5-12 months) with persistent diarrhea of at least 14 days duration were given a week’s treatment with a rice-based diet containing either green banana, apple pectin or the rice diet alone. Treatment with both green banana and apple pectin resulted in a 50% reduction in stool weights, indicating that the babies were absorbing significantly more nutrients.

Protection from ulcers & Heartburn remedy

Bananas have long been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. A flavonoid in the banana, leucocyanidin, has been found to significantly increase the thickness of the mucous membrane layer of the stomach. Since bananas help to neutralize acidity, they are also a great way to get rid of heartburn. In an animal study, a simple mixture of banana and milk significantly suppressed acid secretion.

Protection against neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease)

Researchers at Cornell University investigated the effects of apple, banana, and orange extracts on neuron cells and found that the phenolic phytochemicals of the fruits prevented neurotoxicity on the cells. Among the three fruits, apples contained the highest content of protective antioxidants, followed by bananas then oranges. These results suggest that fresh apples, banana, and orange in our daily diet along with other fruits may protect neuron cells against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity and may play an important role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Perfect Baby food

Bananas are the best solid food to introduce to infants. A mashed ripe banana is an extremely simple and healthy baby food. Potassium, Fiber, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Selenium, Iron, Vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, Niacin, Folate, and Pantothenic Acid. Furthermore, bananas are very easy to digest and rarely cause allergic reactions. Bananas are part of the BRAT diet, a diet many physicians recommend for children recovering from gastrointestinal problems, particularly diarrhea. Recent study found evidence that a higher consumption of bananas and apple juice from concentrate may protect against wheezing in children.

Cholesterol-lowering effect

Animal studies have shown that banana has the potential to lower cholesterol. It was suggested that the dietary fibre component in banana pulp was responsible for its cholesterol-lowering effect. The amount of dietary fibre in banana is relatively constant during banana ripening.

Kidney health

Bananas promote an overall improvement of the functional efficiency of kidneys. Benefits to the kidneys are again due to the high potassium content of bananas. A normal intake of potassium suppresses calcium excretion in the urine and minimizes the risk of kidney stones.

The results of the Swedish population based prospective study (13.4 years) of 61,000 women aged 40-76, show that women eating more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables per month (which translates into 2.5 per day) cut their risk of kidney cancer 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week halved their risk of developing the disease compared to those who did not eat this fruit.

Hang-over

One of the fastest ways to cure hang-over is to make a dairy banana cocktail with milk and honey. Bananas are known to calm an upset stomach and help rehydrate your body. Bananas are rich in the important electrolytes, magnesium and potassium, which are severely depleted during heavy drinking. Banana with the honey builds up the depleted blood sugar levels, providing some energy.

Energy booster

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduces cramping up. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.

Immunity booster

Bananas contain 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin B6, necessary for producing antibodies and red blood cells as well as aiding in the metabolism of fat. In addition, vitamin B6 serves as an immunity booster. So, this fruit strengthens your armor against infectious diseases. With each average-sized banana, you ingest about 15 percent of the RDA for vitamin C, one of the strongest antioxidants.

Depression:

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Bananas are famous for containing potassium, an essential electrolyte that helps regulate blood chemistry (particularly Ph) and improves carbohydrate metabolism by helping the muscles act efficiently. Without potassium (and sodium) your muscles stop firing correctly. Severe loss of sodium can produce really nasty complications all the way up to shock and death. Potassium also prevents the blood’s Ph from becoming too acidic. Bananas are also rich in vitamin B6, which helps metabolize more than 60 proteins and assists in red blood cell production that transports oxygen to muscles and folate in bananas helps concentration and memory.
Two bananas a day (or one with every large meal) offers optimal GI effect (a slippery, soft stool with no mess). What you spend on bananas you will save on toilet paper.
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time! Want a quick shine on your shoes? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit.

Morning Banana Diet

A new diet born on the Internet in Japan

Japanese who are trying to lose weight gather together on internet forums and social networking sites to pick up diet tips and give each other support. Recently, in one of the most popular social networking sites in Japan, the diet musings of a member and contributions of others in the community produced a new and simple diet program that jumped into the mainstream Japanese media and resulted in three books and many magazine articles. This diet was dubbed the Banana Diet.
The diet is relatively simple. For breakfast, eat a raw banana (or bananas) and sip lukewarm water. Eat a normal lunch and dinner while drinking lukewarm water. It's OK to have a sweet midafternoon snack, but otherwise avoid dessert as well as dairy and alcohol. Eat dinner by 8 p.m., go to bed before midnight and exercise if you feel like it. Theories about bananas and weight loss mention the fruit's enzymes and fiber, which may speed digestion.
But nutrition experts are dismissing it as a "fad diet," arguing that if people have lost weight in the short term, it's probably because following the diet means consuming fewer calories.
Banana Market

The Japanese Market
Japan is the biggest market for banana in Asia with total import of 885,140 metric tons valued at US$435.7 million in 1997. The Philippines is the major supplier capturing 73.8% of the Japanese market for bananas. The Latin American country of Ecuador supplied 186,141 tons for a share of 21%.

The Philippine Banana Industry

The Philippines produced 3.56 million tons of bananas in 1998, almost half in Southern Mindanao. Commercial plantings are located in Mindanao where there are about 28,000 hectares of Cavendish bananas being produced for export. While the national average yield is only 10 tons per hectare, the average for Southern Mindanao is almost four times as much.

While in no danger of outright extinction, the most common edible banana cultivar 'Cavendish' (extremely popular in Europe and the Americas) could become unviable for large-scale cultivation in the next 10-20 years. Its predecessor 'Gros Michel' has already suffered this fate. Like almost all bananas, it lacks genetic diversity, which makes it vulnerable to diseases, which threaten both commercial cultivation and the small-scale subsistence farming.

The Philippines exported a total volume of 1.15 million tons of fresh bananas of the cavendish banana type, the variety required by the export market. Another relevant export product processed from banana is the banana chips/crackers. Other export products processed from banana are banana sauce (catsup) and banana flour, meal and powder.

Different ways to eat your Banana:

Breakfast:
Add sliced bananas to cold cereal; make banana pancakes or banana muffins; make a banana and yogurt shake; add bananas to a bowl of mixed fruit; mix with low fat yogurt.
Lunch:
Eat a banana with your lunch; add sliced bananas to a fruit salad; make a banana and peanut butter sandwich.
Snack:
Eat a banana! Make a smoothie with a banana and an energy supplement.

· Dessert:
Top low fat yogurt or low fat ice cream with sliced bananas; make a low fat banana milk shake.

Senate hearing: If invited to the Senate, don’t forget to bring a hand of bananas.

Health of a Nations Food System (The Politics of Food)

2008-10-17T08:49:00.000+08:00

Open Letter to the President-Elect by Michael Pollan: Farmer in Chief

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food...The era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact - so easy to overlook these past few years - that the health of a nation's food system is a critical issue of national security...In the past several months more than 30 nations have experienced food riots, and so far one government has fallen...All this suggests that a political constituency for change is building and not only on the left: lately, conservative voices have also been raised in support of reform. Writing of the movement back to local food economies, traditional foods (and family meals) and more sustainable farming, The American Conservative magazine editorialized last summer that "this is a conservative cause if ever there was one."... We need to wean the American food system off its heavy 20th-century diet of fossil fuel and put it back on a diet of contemporary sunshine...

Read the full letter, printed in the New York Times, here.

Readers' comments:

October 10, 2008 4:34 pm

One essential component of returning to local food production which Michael didn't mention is the need to teach people in our urban/suburban areas and nearby rural areas how to grow food. Our land-grant university agriculture education programs and our cooperative extension services have been crippled by almost 30 years of declining funding, which has particularly impacted research and education on specialty crop production and sustainable farming. The programs in our most urban states (like New England and the Mid-Atlantic) have been particularly impacted. These states have fewer acres in agricultural production (being small in terms of area). By the time the land-grant system was developed (1860-1910) these states had already come to depend more on industry than agriculture, and to mostly grow specialty crops. Also, they already had prestigious universities so support was lacking for the land-grant schools.
If we really want to increase food production near our cities, the president should restore funding for the land-grant schools and the cooperative extension system. This way the university faculty could return to helping farmers and gardeners, rather than having our research programs focused on basic research and commodities for which it is possible to secure competitive grants.
Rebecca Brown
Department of Plant Sciences
University of Rhode Island

— Rebecca, Rhode Island

October 14, 2008 12:39 pm

I couldn't agree more -- the land-grant universities are in fact key to bringing about many of the changes I'm outlining, and the fact is they have been underfinanced to the point where corporations are setting what should be a public agenda for research. In a nutshell, the problem with getting adequate research and development of sustainable growing methods is that there is so little money in it for the companies that sell farmers products. Because the best sustainable agriculture is based more on devising clever processes, like rotations, rather than products, like a new pesticide. Corporations have little incentive to invest in processes, so that is not the focus of the land grants they support. We need a genuinely public research effort or we'll keep going down the path toward high-input farming. The same is true for crop breeding -- when you leave it to the private sector, you get proprietary seed for the biggest commodity crops, and research into real food crops languishes.

— Michael Pollan, Contributing writer, New York Times Magazine

October 11, 2008 8:37 am

Of all the proposals set forth herein, I think the most important is the definition of what actually constitutes "food." When I served as an Americorps member I was on food stamps; for a (harmless) prank on our boss, I once had to go out and buy a bunch of candy. I was low on cash (as one generally is while serving as an Americorps member) and decided to see if I could buy all the candy with my EBT (food stamps) card -- imagine my surprise when I discovered that bags of Tootsie Rolls constituted food!

To put this in greater perspective: food stamps cannot be used to purchase diapers or toilet paper. They can, however, be used to purchase unlimited amounts of candy.

I'm not arguing that food stamps should be extended to cover diapers or toilet paper -- but while those can be necessities in life, Tootsie Rolls most assuredly are not; they never have been, and they never will be. That the government subsidizes, in any way, their being eaten by low-income people is frankly ridiculous.

Michael Pollan for Ag Secretary indeed... here's hoping!

— ihop, cali

October 12, 2008 9:07 am

I am a farmer, a real farmer with a substantial investment in land, equipment, cattle, human capital, etc.

It is fairly obvious that Pollan has not spent any time living the life he writes about and has many of his basic facts wrong. I'll start with cover crops: the main limitation west of the 100th is moisture, especially post harvest, which means post-harvest cover crops simply won't germinate. BTW Zero-till accomplishes the same end; visit one to see how well it works in improving soil quality.

He complains about black fields yet advocates organic farming, which by definition require tillage for weed control ... releasing massive amounts of soil captured carbon. The only topographical relief in our area - where we can see our dog run away for 3 days - are 12 foot high soil blow ridges from the "good ole tillage".

He cites rotating cattle grazing with grain growing. Does he know how extremely difficult it is to establish pasture plants? And then how much more difficult it is to kill those perenial plants to allow an annual grain crop to even grow? Dig out that textbook for basic agronomy information!

And, the best guess is that only ~ 85% of animal droppings on a pasture are recyclable into the soil. Do the math of how long until this "self-sustainability" is no longer there.

How about his comments about food prices. Prices for cereal and large grains, oilseeds, and livestock are currently less than 2/3rds of what they were only 3 months ago; spring wheat is at ~1/3 of it's recent high. If it wasn't for bio-fuels, we would have a price disaster on our hands and Congress would be shelling out billions in price supports.

I could go on, about the myth of monoculture, about etc but I'll stop here - I have a large cowherd to go check, done on an ATV which lets me get it done in less than 1/2 the time as on horse you all want me to use. Then I'll be able to attend church to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving & thanking God for the most significant input by large on our farm: good growing weather.

I suggest that all of you spend some real time with some real farmers but be prepared to do some really hard, back breaking, sweat dripping of your brow work.

— rp, Saskatchewan, Canada

October 12, 2008 12:34 pm

The best health insurance possible is eating and enjoying organic, nutrient dense food. And home-grown food has a supply chain of exactly zero, with CSA and Farmers Market food a close second.

While I'd love to see our leaders move towards support of rational food policies (OK, ANY rational policies), we do not have to wait passively. Can we the people lead the revolution?

This appeals to everyone: Hate intrusive government? Grow your own food. Concerned about global warming and pollution? Grow your own food. Want to connect to the planet? Grow your own food. Looking for a family project better than TV? Grow your own food. Prefer food that actually tastes good and has a known source? Grow your own.

Again, CSA, Farm Stands and Farmers markets are wonderful substitutes. And ask your local grocer to buy and advertise locally sourced food.

Thank you Michael (and Mr Berry!) for your persistent efforts to bring simple common sense back into our lives.

— Robert, Salt Lake City

Meals Ready To Eat

2008-09-22T14:58:00.000+08:00

Because Napoleon believed that armies marched on their stomachs, he offered a prize in 1795 for a practical way of preserving food. The prize was won by a French inventor, Nicholas Appert. What he devised was canning. It was the beginning of the canned food industry of today.

The modern armies of the present rely on preserved food during field operations. For example the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a self-contained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging bought by the United States military for its service-members for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available.

Each meal provides about 1,200 calories (1,200 kcal). They are intended to be eaten for a maximum of 21 days (the assumption is that logistics units can provide superior rations by then), and have a shelf life of three years (depending on storage conditions). MREs must be able to withstand parachute drops from 380 m (1,250 ft), and non-parachute drops of 30 m (100 ft). The packaging is required to maintain a minimum shelf life of three and a half years at 27 °C (80 °F), nine months at 38 °C (100 °F.

Each MRE is labeled: U.S. Government Property. Commercial Resale is Unlawful

The United States military takes care of their fighting men, prompting the question: how does the AFP feed the Philippine Army and Marines fighting the rebels and bandits in Mindanao? Do the backpacks of each trooper carry a kilo or two of uncooked rice and a can or two of sardines and a swiss knife to open the cans? Is there a low rank toady given the honor of platoon chef that cooks the rice in a common pot he carries extra in his pack?

The question is relevant only to the foot soldier, the PN sailors and AirForce flyboys always eat in their messroom.(The term mess does not necessarily refer to the disarray of the facility, rather it is the military parlance meaning eating place.)

BPO Call Centers – bane or boon?

2008-09-07T09:28:00.000+08:00

Many jobless Filipino nurses work in call centers while awaiting employment, the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) said, attributing the problem to a surge in supply of nurses and of salaries in both government and private hospitals that are lower than the pay given to call center agents. Nurses who are applying for employment abroad need at least two-year work experience in 250-bed hospitals. Since there are not enough hospitals to accommodate them all, some nurses were forced to defray P3,500 to pay health facilities in order to get their training and the required credentials. The monthly salary for nurses range from only P6,000 to P8,000 in private hospitals while the public sector offers P10,000, driving the licensed nurses to apply in call centers who pay salaries ranging from P15,000 to 30,000 plus relocation incentives.

In matters of health, the nurses are saved from starvation and potential malnourishment, but are exposed to the BPO syndrome -- Vitamin D sunshine deficiency, disrupted bioclock and sleep deprivation, denied normal social activity stress. Most agents work at night, communicating with overseas clients who are in daylight time zones.

BPO Syndrome
Working after sundown deprives the worker of the benefits of sunlight, the Vitamin D produced by Ultraviolet light (UV-B and UV-A), which is the main source of this vitamin essential to metabolize calcium for bone development. Food sources are inadequate to supply this nutrient. A deliberate exposure to early morning or late afternoon sunlight solves the problem, but must be a habitual regimen.
For most people it is more difficult to sleep during the day. And day sleeping is not as deep as night sleeping so this in turn decreases the ability to perform safely and efficiently. Other factors that may affect day sleeping include noise, light and social commitments. The disrupted Circadian clock (sleep-wake cycle) and the changed meal schedule takes several days for the body to adapt to the new rhythm of the sleep-wake cycle. This demands a new sleep regimen to ensure a healthy 8-hour sleep.

Working at night when the body wants to sleep, and then sleep when the body wants to be awake changes the wake times and disrupts the internal body clock (circadian rhythm).
Nightshift work affects social events that occur mostly during the evening provoking stresses from frustration of normal social activity.
Aside from the social aspect there is the health aspect. According to the New England Journal of Medicine shift workers appear to be at increased risk for peptic ulcer disease, coronary heart disease, insulin resistance, as well as for sleep deprivation, depression, and sleepiness-related accidents.

Certain things that can reduce any of the negative factors of night shift work: get enough good deep sleep (minimum 6 hours); reduce noise and other disturbances; darken bedroom to simulate nighttime; avoid heavy foods, caffeine, alcohol or tobacco (stimulants that may interfere with sleeping); avoid exercise or strenuous activity prior to sleeping (increases adrenaline)

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Reasons for Getting Good Sleep

Knowing that a shortened period of sleep may contribute to various ills, including memory lapses, trouble learning and paying attention, heart disease, obesity, mood problems and a weakened immune system, night shift workers can benefit from these tips. One or two sleepless nights or a bout of insomnia may not be something to worry about, but not getting enough sleep frequently is a concern. Some people do well with six hours, others need nine or more. Experts think seven to nine hours is about right. Some reasons to consider changing current sleep habits.

Learning and memory
Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory. Studies seem to show that people are more insightful or creative in their problem solving after a full sleep.

Weight
A constant lack of sleep may cause weight gain by altering the way the body processes and stores carbohydrates, and by stimulating the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. Excess cortisol has been linked to an increase in abdominal fat. Loss of sleep also reduces levels of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, and increases ghrelin (GRELL-in), an appetite-stimulating hormone — a combination that can encourage eating.

Safety
There’s no evidence that we ever adapt to chronic sleep loss, but sleep "debt" contributes to sleepiness, including “microsleeps,” (seconds-long dips into sleep). These lapses may cause falls, injury and road accidents.

Quality of life
Long- and short-term sleep loss causes irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate and moodiness. Poor sleep affects the ability to work. Sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea are associated with depression.

Heart and lung health
Insomnia and sleep apnea have been linked to high blood pressure and irregular heart beat. Lack of sleep increases stress hormone levels and inflammation, two factors associated with heart attacks.

Immunity
Although not all the facts are clear, scientists have found that sleep deprivation alters the body's immune system, which fights off illness. For example, sleep loss around the time of a flu shot has been shown to reduce the production of flu-fighting antibodies.

Loss Of Sleep, Even For A Single Night, Increases Inflammation In The Body

(September 4, 2008) -- Loss of sleep, even for a few short hours during the night, can prompt one’s immune system to turn against healthy tissue and organs. Losing sleep for even part of one night can trigger the key cellular pathway that produces tissue-damaging inflammation according to new research. The findings suggest a good night’s sleep can ease the risk of both heart disease and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.full story...

Light at night and working the graveyard shift linked to increased risk of breast cancer
SEATTLE — Oct. 16, 2001 — Women who work the graveyard shift may face an up to 60 percent increased risk of breast cancer, according to a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study.
Results of the study, the first population-based investigation of the relationship between breast-cancer risk and exposure to light at night as determined by sleep habits, bedroom lighting and graveyard-shift work, will be published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The NCI funded the study.
Led by Scott Davis, Ph.D., a member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division, the study is one of two independent investigations to be published in JNCI that conclude sleep interruption, especially among women who work the night shift, is linked to a significant increase in breast-cancer risk. Read more

working the graveyard shift
In addition to a little grogginess, people who work the night shift endure a number of consequences.
A study conducted by Scott Davis, University of Washington professor and chairman of Epidemiology, is being done on males who work the night shift. According to Davis, studies observing the effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields, light-at-night and the risk of breast cancer were already being done in the early 1990s. They were the inspiration for the study.
“The exposures were thought to be related to disruption of the normal circadian rhythm and the production of the hormone melatonin at night,” Davis explained. “There was evidence at the time that lower levels of melatonin at night, when it is normally high, could affect the production of reproductive hormones in women, particularly estrogen, and actually increase circulating estrogens. We know from other studies that increased estrogen can increase the risk of breast cancer.”
As a result, Davis decided to delve further into the topic and actually compare the hormone levels of day and night shift workers.
Although the study is still underway, some effects of working the night shift are already clear.
A number of adverse health effects have been reported to be associated with working night shifts.
“These include increased gastrointestinal disorders, increased stress, perhaps an increase in some cardiovascular diseases, perhaps some increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes, and an increase in breast, prostate, colon and endometrial cancer. All of these cancer types are thought to be related to hormone levels,” Davis said.

Shiftwork - health effects
There is a small part of the brain called the ‘circadian clock’, which monitors the amount of light you see, moment by moment. In the evening, when the light starts to wane, your clock notices and prompts a flood of a brain chemical called melatonin, which gives the body the signal to fall asleep. Overnight, melatonin levels remain high. They drop at daybreak and remain low during the day.

During the day, other chemicals (neurotransmitters) – such as noradrenaline and acetylcholine – increase in the body and keep you awake. This system keeps you synchronised through the day–night cycle. Many other functions of the body – including temperature, digestion, heart rate and blood pressure – fluctuate through the day, tuned by the activity of the circadian clock.

This changing rate of activity over each 24-hour period is known as circadian rhythm. A person who works nights, or starts their working day before 6am, runs counter to their circadian rhythm. This may risk health problems.

Metabolism at night
An important body function, which follows the circadian rhythm, is the internal body temperature. This temperature increases through the day. It reaches the lower level in the early hours of the morning and reaches the maximum level late in the afternoon.

The tendency to fall asleep and stay asleep occurs during the decreasing phase of the temperature circadian rhythm (between midnight and 4am). As the body temperature rises, it is more difficult to stay asleep. This is why night workers who try to fall asleep at 8am find it very difficult and also find it difficult to remain asleep through the day.

Increased risks
A person working the night shift is at greater risk of various disorders, accidents and misfortunes, including:
Increased likelihood of obesity
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Higher risk of mood changes
Increased risk of gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation and stomach discomfort
Higher risk of motor vehicle accidents and work-related accidents
Increased likelihood of family problems, including divorce
In addition:
The sleep deprivation, which can be caused by shiftwork, may increase the risk of epilepsy in pre-disposed people.
Shiftworkers with diabetes can experience difficulties in controlling their blood sugar levels.
Sleep problems
Shiftworkers get, on average, two to three hours less sleep than other workers, often sleep through the day in two split periods, a few hours in the morning and then an hour or so before going to work at night. Night workers can find it difficult sleeping during the day It’s difficult to keep the sleep environment dark as well as free of noise.

Unintended consequences
Hundreds of thousands of young Filipinos, fresh out of graduate school are working in an aggressive and expanding industry that aims to attain over a million workforce. This enormous segment of Pinoy society will have a huge impact on the economy in terms of consumer spending, and on Filipino mores and customs, some good, some bad. For starters, their spending habits, particularly in fast food and the traffic of their indispensable toys, the cell phone, will adjust to their nocturnal behavior. Sidewalk vendors will feel the reduction of customers while malls may enjoy a boost in weekend sales. The sociological ramifications are worth watching.

Food Art

2008-08-14T10:26:00.000+08:00

Veggie noodles

2008-08-03T10:03:00.000+08:00

Veggie noodles promoted by none less than the President of the Strong Republic of the Philippines is also known by its nickname VAT noodles owing the moniker to its alleged funding source, the Value Added Tax. The nutrition news, wheat noodles fortified by adding yellow squash, did not receive universal acclaim. The hoopla was mocked by the political opposition as hype, and well it might be.

First of all, Nature worked untold millenniums to produce squash and wheat and are nutritious foods in their unaltered form. Noodles is man’s puny attempt to improve on Nature, wasting some of the nutrients and adding costs in the process. Secondly, it is misleading to declare that VAT funded the development, as the product was one of the outputs of Department of Science and Technology/Food and Nutrition Research Institute in their thrust (funded by tax money) to develop better mouse traps or reinvent the wheel. The product and recipe, Canton Noodles with Squash, can be accessed at this site.

Caution is advised on the nutrition label. It fails to list the sodium content, and microbial plate counts are worthless after leaving the factory. Most of all, the wheat flour could be the white flour variety (stripped of its bran nutrients and therefore bad for diabetics).

The Philippine Daily Inquirer headlined Binay slams Arroyo’s VAT-sponsored veggie noodles

The yellowish veggie noodles may have been funded by the government's value added tax, but it would still be subject to the same tax when sold in the markets -- even to the poorest people, the intended beneficiaries. An opposition leader on Saturday pointed out that the poor who will buy the vegetable noodles will still have to pay for its VAT, and it won't really help the poor cope with rising prices of food and fuel.

“Even as the VAT was used to fund the production of the veggie noodles, the poor will still have to pay for the VAT on these same noodles,” said Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay,

president of the United Opposition, adding: “It’s like frying them in their own fat…”

The food crisis: is the world exceeding its carrying capacity?

2008-07-29T13:26:00.000+08:00

“The current food crisis is the result of an imbalance between food and people”, gambits a comment to the Lancet Editorial (April 26, 2008) 1, “you neglect to discuss the people component. This is because we human beings, with the exception of the Chinese, place a tight taboo (the Hardinian taboo 2) on controlling our population numbers. We apply the concept of “carrying capacity” to animals, but never to ourselves because we have grown accustomed to the fact that, if we do exceed the ability of our local ecosystem to feed us, we can usually rely on getting food from elsewhere. But what if that ecosystem is the whole world? Is it possible for the world to exceed its carrying capacity?3 Since the causes of the current food crisis seem unlikely to disappear, it probably is.

If there is not enough food, what about fewer mouths? The long-term solution to the current food crisis requires the lifting of the Hardinian taboo, followed by an urgent reduction in global population growth, and if possible in the total population, while hoping that nature does not do it for us first with a calamity such as a pandemic of avian influenza.4 …”.

References

1. The Lancet. Finding long-term solutions to the world food crisis. Lancet 2008; 371: 1389.

2. Hardin G. Living within limits. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993:.

3. Cohen JE. How many people can the earth support?. New York: WW Norton, 1995:.

4. Gambotto A, Barratt-Boyes SM, de Jong MD, Neumann G, Kawaok Y. Human infection with highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus. Lancet 2008; 371: 1464-1475.

So what is the relevance of the comment to Pinoy society? Something that surfaced from the Church opposition to the Reproductive Health Care Act, House Bill 812. President Arroyo maintains her “pro-life” stand is aligned with that of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. And this country is in the midst of a food crisis even if our President would not acknowledge it.

Flashback to my comments over a decade ago.

SOBER QUESTIONS

A freshly erupted Eraption (witticisms emanating from the proclivity of President “Erap” Estrada to offer one-liner opinions), which usually signals the onset of contentious debate, was about his posture on abortion. He said he opposed it.

This declaration rejuvenates the dormant issue of abortion with sonics raised to a higher decibel level. It will be boosted by the adrenalin induced by the death penalty furor. The death sentence will take center stage once again but this time the principal actor will be the unborn, in an entirely silent and passive mode, so to speak, and the mother in a supporting but vital role.

The abortion issue will split both the erudite and the unlearned into two contending camps: the pro-lifers who oppose abortion absolutely and the pro-choicers who support women’s rights and the mother’s right to decide.

Will the battle be in the field of morality, of right and wrong, sinner or saint? Or will it spill, as it probably will, into the legislative tussles and court litigation?

What are the legal reference points other than the constitutional provision that the state “shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception”?

The terse phrase “from conception” has a parallel in U.S. legislation. Five years before the 1987 Philippine constitution was promulgated, two U.S. legislators, one of them Representative Henry Hyde (yes, the chief inquisitor in the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton) introduced legislation that “for purposes of enforcing the obligation of the states… not to deprive persons of life without due process of law, human life shall be deemed to exist from conception”. By law, the fertilized egg, called the zygote, begins its human existence even if ironically it has no brain, nor brain activity, the consensual vital sign whose absence indicates human death.

Our own Congressman Jaraula, who says he opposes abortion, reveals that a bill on abortion is about to be filed in Congress by a certain Rep. Padilla. How will such a bill fare? The signs indicate stormy weather and very rough sailing.

The opponents are formidable. Aside from “Tinex” Jaraula, the most visible are the uncompromising Pope, the Catholic Church, and a hostile Senate. Most daunting of all would be the expected presidential vote.

What relevance does U.S. history and jurisprudence have on our impending melee about this issue? We can learn valuable lessons for avoiding the violence and bloodshed the Americans experienced and still suffer.

For instance, are our solons capable of shedding politics and using only calm reason in elaborating their stance? Will the medical community protect and honor the Hippocratic oath and shun

U.S.

doctors’ record of coercion in the passage of laws criminalizing abortion to stop incursion of midwives, homeopaths, and faith healers into their profession? Will the scientific community, having played God in their cloning and cell research, and thus be in the best position to define the biological event of when human life starts to exist, take a neutral position and suggest that science has no contribution to make to the contentious issue of when human life begins?

Resolution in 2008?

Media coverage of the issues:

In a statement, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, one of the author-proponents of the reproductive bill, said his group “does not intend to gatecrash” the July 25 prayer rally on the Filipino family, as they don’t want to be a party to “this vaudeville of misinformation.”

“It is, however, disheartening that those who claim to be purveyors of truth are, in fact, peddling misinformation,” which is contained in the “Manifesto of Filipino Families.”

a manifesto which the Catholic Church espouses, “will only mire the faithful in ignorance and shackle our women to a life of unremitting pregnancies because it contains deliberate falsehoods.”

“An inordinately huge population growth rate of 2.04 percent imperils family life as a ballooning population impacts adversely on health, education, food security, employment, shelter and the environment – the very essentials of sustainable family life,” he said.

Lagman said that among the “misrepresentations” in the manifesto is the claim that Congress is railroading the family planning bills. This is false, since these bills have been pending in Congress for the past four Congresses, a time period spanning over a decade which belies railroading.

Another is that the laws on reproductive health and family planning eventually lead to the legalization of abortion. This is completely untrue because, on the contrary, a rational and comprehensive national policy on family planning, which includes contraceptive use, reduces significantly the rate of abortion as documented by international studies. Consequently, there is no need to legalize abortion if there is an increased usage of modern and effective contraceptives.

But the battle lines are drawn as these events reported by media indicate:

Cabral backs bill on family planning

Even if it means she could lose her job for going against President Arroyo’s stand, Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral yesterday maintained her support for the proposed reproductive health bill, which she said would help solve the country’s population problem.

Church official: We stand by CBCP on RH bill

A Church official, reacting to Ozamiz Archbishop Jesus Dosado who earlier declared that supporters of the bill under his diocese will be refused communion, said an advocate of the controversial reproductive health bill pending in Congress may accept the Holy Communion or not on his own volition.

In a Pastoral Letter read in Catholic churches throughout Misamis Occidental, Archbishop Dosado said the debate created by his "no-communion" order was able to "expose the alien anti-life culture which some of them (in government) try to impose upon our unsuspecting people."

Letters to the Editor/No abortion involved in many birth regulation methods

07/28/2008 Nobody is taking away the right of Catholic priests to express their opposition to population management. By the same token, they should not deny others, particularly non-Catholics, the right to choose the method of regulating birth in their families. Making available the different methods of birth regulation is not the same as forcing them on the population… this approach respects the right of men and women to decide for themselves the method they think would work best for them.

Condoms a no-no even for couples with HIV, says CBCP exec

Philippine Daily Inquirer 07/18/2008

MANILA, Philippines—For the Catholic Church, condoms—even for married couples afflicted with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)—are still a big no-no.

An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Wednesday there was still no clear directive from the Vatican that married couples infected with HIV and those with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) could use condoms.

Bullying bishops

The debate about reproductive health has shifted to high gear. Last week, some well-known conservative clerics appear to have threatened to excommunicate progressive politicians who expressed support for abortion (the proposed reproductive health bill to be filed in the House of Representatives when it opens next week). The threat seems to be working - at least on some of the slimier, unprincipled politicians for which this country has become famous

Pillow Talk

Exercise self-discipline in bed, archbishop tells couples

Philippine Daily Inquirer 07/26/2008

-- Amid the raging debate on artificial methods of birth control, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales’s advice to all married couples is to exercise more “self-discipline” and “self-control” in bed.

In his message to the Catholic flock at Friday’s prayer rally marking the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical on the Regulation of Birth or Humanae Vitae, Rosales said the lack of discipline in the marital bed rebounds on other aspects of life.

Because life should be valued and its creation is a serious matter, “there should be discipline and self-control” between couples, the prelate said in Filipino.

Couples who have the discipline to practice the Church-sanctioned natural family planning methods are “in possession of true values of life” and tend to pass it on to their children. They also tend to be good citizens, he said.

The missing voices of poor women

Philippine Daily Inquirer 07/18/2008

In the increasingly shrill debate over reproductive health, the voices of poor Filipino women, those most affected by the problem, remain eerily missing. Why this silence?

A study done in 2000 by a Filipino and international research team found that thousands of Filipino women are in effect “practicing family planning” through induced abortion. Shrouded in secrecy, it is their method of preventing the birth of another child.

NGO community organizers report that women friends in Metro Manila’s informal settlements have related intensely disturbing accounts of abortion as the poor woman’s answer to population control. Barely able to feed, clothe and educate four or five young children, and worried about the older ones already living on the streets, a woman who learns that she is pregnant with her fourth or fifth child is likely to abort it. Effective family planning solutions not having been available to her, she sees no other solution.

Running out of arguments

Editorial: Tribune 07/23/2008

If stupidity marked the presidential spokesmen’s arguments in defense of Gloria Arroyo’s record-breaking drop in public satisfaction rating, so does stupidity mark the Catholic bishops’ argument against the reproductive health bill, which they call the anti-life measure. Talk about misleading “Catholic” statements!

Pampanga Archbishop Paciano Aniceto argued that it was unfair that Catholic taxpayers’ money is being used to fund contraceptives, saying this is the reason churchmen are concerned since they want to make sure that this money from the taxpaying Catholics will not be used against Catholic families.

Now that is really stupid and “unbiblical,” considering that even Jesus Christ did say, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s,” which could be translated today as the pronouncement on the separation principle between church and state.

But biblical sayings aside, tax payments, whether from Catholics, Protestants, atheists, agnostics and even cultists, have nothing to do with one’s religion or non-religion. These belong to the realm of the state, into which the Catholic church, or any church for that matter, has no business interfering.

QC mayor presses OK of reproductive health law

PhilStar July 29, 2008

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. cited yesterday the need for the enactment of a national reproductive health law to address the fast growing population of the country.

He said that although the family planning program of the government has been devolved to local government units, a national family planning policy is still needed to guide the people.

The mayor said the national policy may be patterned after the newly approved policy ordinance, which will establish the Quezon City Population and Reproductive Health Management Policy, to address the fast growing population in the city, and to speed up delivery of basic services to the people.

“The stand of the city government is that the final choice on how big their family will be is for couples, the government just provides guidance and provides the necessary support,” Belmonte told reporters during a press briefing.

The mayor said the new ordinance would effectively address the growing population of the city, which ballooned from 1.1 million in 1980 to 2 million this year…

GMA: We will survive crisis

PhilStar.com July 29, 2008

The “tough choices” made by the administration will help the country survive and emerge stronger from the global food and fuel crunch, President Arroyo said yesterday.

In her 58-minute State of the Nation Address, Mrs. Arroyo also stressed that there is no easy cure for the country’s economic ailment, which she said is global in nature…

Tribal mayor upstages Congress fashionistas

PhilStar July 29, 2008

While most female lawmakers wore Filipiniana dresses at the eighth State of the Nation Address of President Arroyo yesterday, a mayor of a fifth-class municipality in Quirino province stole the show, wearing a tribal attire that left little to the imagination.

A television report showed Nagtipunan Mayor Rosario Camma in tribal clothing as he arrived at the House of Representatives.

In her speech, Mrs. Arroyo cited Camma, a former chieftain of Bugkalot, for helping 15,000 members of the Bugkalot tribe develop irrigation, plant vegetables and corn and achieve food sufficiency following the distribution of 100,000 Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CIDT) for Bugkalots in Quirino, Aurora and Nueva Vizcaya.

Camma apparently proved to all and sundry – senators, congressmen, diplomatic corps, Supreme Court justices and Cabinet members - that it was not cold in the session hall after all, as he just wore his blue G-string during the entire duration of the event.

Not only did the G-string outdo the fashion of the ladies, it was done in style. (Fashion is described as “me too”; style is “only me”.) Moreover, it demonstrated energy conservation the native way – no need for air conditioning.

The SONA grudgingly admits a real food crisis exists. And the tempest rages on, swirling around the basic issue: “The current food crisis is the result of an imbalance between food and people.”?

UPDATE

BOOK: Fatal MisConception: the Struggle to Control World By Matthew Connelly accused the developed worl of conspiring to control populations developing countries

In the critical book review, Men gone wild? The politics of population control

by Duff Gillespie formerly head, United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) population programme, which is roundly criticized by book author Connelly, Gillespie lashed back:

Connelly considers his book the first “global history of population control”, which, at various times and places, encompasses eugenics, infanticide, pronatalist schemes, restrictive immigration policies, genocide, and family planning. His archival research exhaustively spans the late 1800s through to the mid-1980s, after which his research becomes a bit thin. He includes a numbing number of cameo appearances by the famous, the infamous, and the unknown. Although an occasional nugget of interest can be found in the first part of the book, most readers will find Connelly's attention to minutiae a powerful narcotic.

In his emotively titled chapters “Controlling Nations” and “A System Without a Brain”, Connelly describes how past quixotic attempts to control the world's population coalesced into a “population movement” by the early 1970s. Led by larger-than-life personalities, such as General William Draper and Robert McNamara, then head of the World Bank, the movement spent “lavish” amounts of money on the movement's chosen instrument of population control: family planning. Although the

led this movement, other western countries joined in the “population control” effort. The movement was driven by the notion that there were too many people in the South (meaning the developing nations), and that further rapid population growth not only hindered economic and social development in the South, but also posed a potential threat to the tranquility and wealth of the North( developed world). Political leaders in some of the countries in the South shared many of the North's concerns about rapid population growth: in China, leaders instituted the one-child family programme, and in India, Sanjay Gandhi was the mastermind behind the coercive sterilization programme. Read more…

by Duff Gillespie formerly head, United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) population programme, which is roundly criticized by book author Connelly, Gillespie lashed back:

Food for the Future

2008-07-17T20:53:00.000+08:00

That our agriculture cannot produce enough rice to feed our population is a grim fact. Unless we intend to use starvation as the primary policy to control population growth, Filipinos must act aggressively to reform its agriculture. Food, the fundamental determinant of health, is life.

The administration’s responses to the recent food crisis have consisted mostly of palliatives that offer temporary relief, like the massive emergency importation of rice, a heavy price subsidy to make rice affordable to the poor, and cash doles to lucky families.

Food for the Future

The Arroyo administration has talked about pouring P30 billion into a new program to accelerate rice production, but it has not put forward anything as bold and concrete as the food production project proposed by San Miguel Corp. and the Kuok Group. The government has identified three million hectares of idle lands that can be planted to various crops, particularly rice, corn, sugarcane, coconut and vegetables. SMC, together with the Malaysian food giant Kuok Group, wants to develop one-third of that, or one million hectares. They plan to invest as much as $1,000 per hectare for their project called “Feeding our Future.” Under this proposal the government will keep ownership of the land, while SMC and the Kuok Group will provide financial and technical expertise in developing the lands and then buy all of the produce. Since these are public lands, there will be no problem this time with the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law like SMC had in Sumilao town in Bukidnon, but the government must make sure that the farmers who will till the land get a fair return on their labors.

So far so good. Now the spoiler – the food is for animals and the rice for beer, and profitability, not exigency, dictates the pace of the project

San Miguel and the Kuok Group will split a 30-percent equity infusion in the project and the remaining 70 percent would be raised through long-term debt issues. “Our priority is always rice, corn, sugar, coconut and maybe later on other crops like palm,” SMC President Ang told reporters, adding San Miguel would convert most of the produce into animal feed.

Rice will be used for beer fermentation, Ang said.

The joint venture will issue debt locally and offshore, depending on market conditions, to fund certain phases of the project, Ang said. “We can go to the market and issue 25-year bonds,” he said.

Ang said the Philippine would benefit from the expertise of the Kuok Group, which owns Wilmar International, the world’s largest publicly listed palm oil trader.

Healthier Pizza

2008-06-30T09:57:00.000+08:00

Food Chemists Slice Up Healthier Pizza

Food chemists at the University of Maryland discovered how to boost the antioxidant content of pizza dough by optimizing baking and fermentation methods The chemists have shown that making a pizza crust with whole wheat flour and cooking it longer releases more antioxidants (chronic disease-fighting compounds that help prevent cancer and heart disease from forming). These compounds increased by 82 percent when baked at a higher temperature, by 60 percent when baked twice as long and doubled when the dough was left to rise an extra day.

The key important factor is that it's made with whole wheat flour. Diets rich in antioxidants are thought to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The researchers believe that the antioxidant boosting effect used in the study will be less obvious in pizza dough made with refined flour, because the bran and endosperm -- where the antioxidants are found -- have largely been removed

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are nutritional substances -- vitamins, minerals, and enzymes -- that can counteract the damaging, but normal, effects of oxidation in animal tissue. They block the oxidation process by neutralizing free radicals: chemically active atoms that grab electrons from the body, thereby damaging cells, proteins and DNA. The same process causes oils to go rancid and peeled apples to turn brown. Antioxidants may play a role in preventing diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, and rheumatoid arthritis. Caution: consuming mega-doses of antioxidants (those in pills) can be harmful, causing diarrhea, bleeding, and the risk of toxic reactions.

The recipe for healthier pizza crusts can be found here: http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/scitech/pizzarecipe.cfm

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients

1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)

1 cup warm water (100-110°F)

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

2 ¾ cups whole wheat flour

The day before...

• Combine yeast and warm water in a small bowl. Stir with whisk until yeast dissolves.

• Add honey, oil and salt. Stir with whisk until honey and salt dissolve.

• Measure flour into large mixing bowl. Add water mixture to flour.

• Mix with wooden spoon until dough forms.

• Transfer dough to floured surface and knead by hand for 2 minutes. Dough may be sticky.

• Divide dough into 3 sections and shape each section into a ball.

• Transfer dough balls to a lightly oiled pan, leaving a few inches for each ball to raise.

• Cover pan loosely with plastic wrap.

• Store pan overnight (~18 hours) in the refrigerator.

The day of...

• Allow dough to come to room temperature. (about 30 minutes)

• Preheat oven to 500°F.

• Roll each ball out to a 12 inch circle on a pizza screen.

• Top with tomato sauce, cheese and desired toppings.

• Put pizza in middle rack of preheated oven. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes, until crust gets browned.

• (A pizza pan or stone can also be used to bake the pizzas. Baking times may change.)

Salutary Pizza Spice: Oregano Helps Against Inflammations

Oregano doesn't only give a pizza its typical taste. Researchers at Bonn University and the ETH Zürich have discovered that this spice also contains a substance which appears to help cure inflammations amongst other qualities. The researchers administered its active ingredient, known as beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP), to mice with inflamed paws. In seven out of ten cases there was a subsequent improvement in the symptoms. E-BCP might possibly be of use against disorders such as osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis. The study has appeared on Monday, 23rd June in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

E-BCP is a typical ingredient of many spices and food plants. Hence it is also found in plants such as basil, rosemary, cinnamon, and black pepper. Every day, we consume up to 200 milligrams of this annular molecule.

It was not previously realized that E-BCP inhibits inflammation and is also effective against osteoporosis.

Oregano Oil May Protect Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Georgetown Researcher Finds (Oct. 11, 2001) — Oil from the common herb oregano may be an effective treatment against dangerous, and sometimes drug-resistant bacteria, a Georgetown researcher has found. Two studies have shown that oregano ... > read more

Spice Up Your Health In New Year With These Savory Tips (Jan. 4, 2007) — Many of us will make the resolution to eat healthier this year, adding more fruits and vegetables, and less salt and fat, to our diet. But if you really want to spice up health -- and those healthy ... > read more

Oregano Oil Works As Well As Synthetic Insecticides To Tackle Common Beetle Pest (May 23, 2008) — New research in the Society of Chemical Industry's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows that oregano oil works as well as synthetic insecticides to combat infestation by a common ... > read more

Popular Alternative Therapy For Psoriasis Performs No Better Than Placebo (Mar. 3, 2008) — Anecdotal evidence touting the healing power of the Indian spice turmeric for psoriasis received a setback in a prospective study published in a dermatology journal stating that the low response rate ... > read more

Food Bacteria-Spice Survey Shows Why Some Cultures Like It Hot (Mar. 5, 1998) — Fans of hot, spicy cuisine can thank nasty bacteria and other foodborne pathogens for the recipes that come -- not so coincidentally -- from countries with hot climates. Humans' use ... > read more

Lycopene in the topping

From the frequent ads of food firms, one of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its lycopene content, a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation and other kinds of diseases. Free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of lycopene, and the tomato is so amply loaded with this vital anti-oxidant that derives its rich redness from the nutrient. While other fruits and vegetables do contain this necessary health ingredient, no other fruit or vegetable has the high concentration of lycopene of the tomato.

Cancers such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and cancers of the stomach, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus have all been proven to be staved off by high levels of lycopene. Researchers introduced lycopene into pre-existing cancer cell cultures and the lycopene prevented the continued growth of these cultures. This is powerful evidence that the health benefits of eating a tomato are phenomenal.

Tomatoes are equally as nutritious fresh as they are in other variable forms. When tomato products are heat processed the bioavailablity of the lycopene actually increases.
Research indicates a high likelihood that the consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products actually may prevent serum lipid oxidation and reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease.

But that’s not all. The health benefits previously believed to come from the lycopene in tomatoes may actually come from different phytocompounds altogether, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and published in the journal Nutrition Research. Researchers fed male rats a diet containing tomato powder for 30 days, then analyzed which compounds accumulated in the animals' prostate glands and livers. They found that in addition to lycopene, phytoene (PE) and phytofluene (PF) also accumulated in both glands.

The FDA has approved claims that tomatoes reduce the risk of gastric, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate cancers. But the FDA has raised doubt as to the effectiveness of lycopene alone in protecting against cancers, saying that the evidence does not support this claim. Instead, the agency believes that tomatoes' protective effects come from either a different compound, such as PE or PF, or a synergy between various ingredients.

The topping which varies with your favorite recipe provides the other health benefits which can be detracted by items such as MSG and excess sodium from salt. A vegan recipe can be found here and in Google search for vegan pizza recipes.

PINAKBET

2008-06-18T10:37:00.000+08:00

Pinakbet

Type 2 diabetes, previously referred to as 'non-insulin dependent diabetes', was only found in middle-aged and elderly people. Recently, however, it has escalated in all age groups and is now being diagnosed in younger and younger people including predominantly obese and severely obese adolescents and children. This is true in both developed as well as developing countries. This increased incidence is of concern, because children should not have it and it might be avoided by preventive measures.

People with Type 2 diabetes have an impaired ability to convert the sugar in their blood into energy in their muscles. This is partly because they don't produce enough insulin, and partly because their fat and muscle cells don't use insulin effectively, a phenomenon known as 'insulin resistance'.

It has long been known that overweight and obesity are predictors of type 2 diabetes, and obesity is indeed an insulin resistant state. Particular people with central obesity, where fat collects around the waist, are most likely to become insulin resistant. It is no coincidence that cases of type 2 diabetes have escalated in line with the global rise in the scale of overweight and obesity so that type 2 diabetes is being nicknamed 'diabesity'.

Vital measures for both the prevention and cure of 'diabesity' are: weight reduction and taking regular exercise. Even moderate weight loss is linked to a marked reduction in insulin resistance and improves how the body deals with glucose and the overall metabolism. Physical activity also provides dual benefits - it plays a key role in weight control, and exercise also works to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose handling.

There is also convincing evidence that maternal diabetes, including gestational diabetes, which develops in the mother during pregnancy, increases the likelihood of the child developing type 2 diabetes later in life. As obesity is one important modifiable risk factors for gestational diabetes, prevention of obesity in women of child-bearing age is an important preventative measure.

Prevention the priority

Diabetes is a debilitating disease, which leaves sufferers at greater risk of heart disease, circulatory problems, and hypertension. Prevention, through healthy eating and lifestyle, must take the highest priority

So, where’s the pinakbet? Read on.

For the rare Pinoy who has not eaten the Iloko dish pinakbet, the recipe is a vegetarian delight, a stew that contains a mix of ampalaya (bitter melon), talong (eggplant), onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, okra, string beans, lima beans and bagoong (salty anchovies). That is the classic Iloko recipe, the healthy version. Some add Kamote as thickener to the stew. Others have corrupted the dish by adding pork, salt and MSG.

So, what is so great about pinakbet?

A Ton Of Bitter Melon Produces Sweet Results For Diabetes

Teams from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica pulped roughly a ton of fresh bitter melon (Botanical Name :: Monordica charantia) and extracted four very promising bioactive components. These four compounds all appear to activate the enzyme AMPK, a protein well known for regulating fuel metabolism and enabling glucose uptake.

"We can now understand at a molecular level why bitter melon works as a treatment for diabetes," said Professor David James, Director of the Diabetes and Obesity Program at Garvan. "By isolating the compounds we believe to be therapeutic, we can investigate how they work together in our cells."

Exercise activates AMPK in muscle, which in turn mediates the movement of glucose transporters to the cell surface, a very important step in the uptake of glucose from the circulation into tissues in the body. This is a major reason that exercise is recommended as part of the normal treatment program for someone with Type 2 diabetes.

The four compounds isolated in bitter melon perform a very similar action to that of exercise, in that they activate AMPK.

Garvan scientists involved in the project stress that while there are well known diabetes drugs on the market that also activate AMPK, they can have side effects.

"The advantage of bitter melon is that there are no known side effects, Practitioners of Chinese medicine have used it for hundreds of years to good effect." they said.

The results are published online March 27 in the international journal Chemistry & Biology.

(Note: The bitterness is reduced by steeping the peeled fruit in salt water before cooking. But the process may also reduce the health benefits, as excessive salt tends to raise blood pressure.)

Food Value Minerals and Vitamins of ampalaya:

Moisture - 92.4%, Calcium - 20 mg, Protein - 1.6%, Phosphorus - 70 mg, Fat - 0.2%,

Iron - 1.8 mg, Fibre - 0.8%, Vitamin C - 88 mg, Minerals - 0.8%, Carbohydrates - 4.2%

Small amount of Vitamin B Complex

The pinakbet goodies do not end there.

Eggplant

An annual plant, eggplant is native to India where it has been grown for thousands of years. The Chinese and Arabs grew eggplant as early as the ninth century. The early types of eggplant had small fruits of ovoid shape, which perhaps, accounts for its name. Eggplants belong to the nightshade family of vegetables, which also includes tomatoes, sweet peppers and potatoes.

Eggplant is among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating eggplant.

Benefits of Eggplant

Eggplant is low in calories and is a nonstarchy fruit that contains a large amount of water.

Nutrients in one pound

Calories	111	Iron	1.6 mg
Protein	4.3 g	Vitamin A	100 I.U.
Fat	0.8 g	Thiamine	0.27 mg
Carbohydrates	21.7 g	Riboflavin	0.22 mg
Calcium	59 mg	Niacin	3.2 mg
Phosphorus	146 mg	Ascorbic acid	19 mg

In addition to featuring a host of vitamins and minerals, eggplant also contains important phytonutrients, many which have antioxidant activity. Phytonutrients contained in eggplant include phenolic compounds, such caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids, such as nasunin.

Brain Food

Research on eggplant has focused on an anthocyanin phytonutrient found in eggplant skin called nasunin, a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. In animal studies, nasunin has been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes. Cell membranes are almost entirely composed of lipids and are responsible for protecting the cell from free radicals, letting nutrients in and wastes out, and receiving instructions from messenger molecules that tell the cell which activities it should perform. Learn more of nasunin benefits here.

Researchers have found that eggplants are rich sources of phenolic compounds that function as antioxidants. Plants form such compounds to protect themselves against oxidative stress from exposure to the elements, as well as from infection by bacteria and fungi. The good news concerning eggplant is that the predominant phenolic compound found in all varieties tested is chlorogenic acid, which is one of the most potent free radical scavengers found in plant tissues. Benefits attributed to chlorogenic acid include antimutagenic (anti-cancer), antimicrobial, anti-LDL (bad cholesterol) and antiviral activities.

Onions and Garlic

The onion plant produces a single bulb, unlike its cousin, the garlic, that produces many small bulbs. The name also describes the union of the many separate, concentrically arranged layers of the onion.

In general, the most pungent onions delivered many times the benefits of their milder cousins. For all varieties of onions, the more phenols and flavonoids they contained, the more antioxidant and anti-cancer activity they provided.

Onions, native to Asia and the Middle East, have been cultivated for over five thousand years and revered throughout time not only for their culinary use, but also for their therapeutic properties. As early as the 6th century, onions were used as a medicine in India. Today China, India, the United States, Russian, and Spain are among the leading producers of onions.

Health Benefits

Onions, like garlic, are members of the Allium family, and both are rich in powerful sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odors and for many of their health-promoting effects. Onions contain allyl propyl disulphide, while garlic is rich in allicin, diallyl disulphide, diallyl trisulfide and others. In addition, onions are very rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, plus vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids, most notably, quercitin.

The many health benefits include Blood Sugar-Lowering Effects, Cardiovascular Benefits, Gastrointestinal Health, Protective against Many Cancers, Boost Bone Health. Learn more about onions and garlic.

manganese0.22 mg, molybdenum8.00 µg, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)0.19 mg

tryptophan0.03 g, goodfolate30.40 mcg, potassium251.20 mg, phosphorus52.80 mg

copper0.10 mg

String Beans (sitaw)

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Dept of Science and Technology analysis of yard long beans or sitaw for a 100 gram sample:

Moisture 89%, edible portion 93% contains 36 calories

Protein 3.1gm, fat 0.2 gm, carbohydrates 5.8 gm, fiber 1.4 gm

Calcium 61 mg, phosphorus 47 mg, iron 0.9 mg, beta carotene 250 µg

Thiamine .12 mg, riboflavin .11 mg, niacin 1.0 mg, ascorbic 22mg

Okra

Okra is low in calories and is a good source of many nutrients including vitamin B6 and
C, fiber, calcium, and folic acid. It is effective for the prevention of neural tube defects
in developing fetuses mainly due to its high content of vitamin B6, calcium, fiber, and
folic acid. Learn more here

Tomato

From the frequent ads of food firms, one of the most well known tomato eating benefit is its' Lycopene content, a vital anti-oxidant that helps in the fight against cancerous cell formation and other kinds of diseases. Free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of Lycopene, and the tomato is so amply loaded with this vital anti-oxidant that derives its rich redness from the nutrient. While other fruits and vegetables do contain this necessary health ingredient, no other fruit or vegetable has the high concentration of Lycopene of the tomato.

Cancers such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and cancers of the stomach, mouth, pharynx, and esophagus have all been proven to be staved off by high levels of Lycopene. Researchers introduced Lycopene into pre-existing cancer cell cultures and the Lycopene prevented the continued growth of these cultures. This is powerful evidence that the health benefits of eating a tomato are phenomenal.

Tomatoes are equally as nutritious fresh as they are in other variable forms. When tomato products are heat processed the bioavailablity of the Lycopene actually increases.
Research indicates a high likelihood that the consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products actually may prevent serum lipid oxidation and reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease.

Lima beans

Lima beans' contributes to heart health not just in fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate, and magnesium these beans supply. When enough magnesium is around, veins and arteries relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

In addition to its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the heart, lima beans' soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Under conditions of insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, lima beans can help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fiber diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits provided by high fiber foods. Learn more about Lima beans.

Kamote (sweet potato)

This root vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals, chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer. Since these nutrients are also anti-inflammatory, they can be helpful in reducing the severity of conditions where inflammation plays a role, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

A smoker, or one frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, benefits from eating vitamin A-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, and may even be life saving, suggests research conducted by a professor of nutrition at Kansas State University. A common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency. Lab animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema, but a diet rich in vitamin A can help counter this effect, thus greatly reducing emphysema.

Ginger

Ginger has a long tradition of being effective in alleviating symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. It is regarded as an excellent carminative (a substance which promotes the elimination of intestinal gas) and intestinal spasmolytic (a substance which relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract). Modern research has revealed that ginger possesses numerous therapeutic properties including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory compounds, and direct anti-inflammatory effects.

Ginger was shown to be better than Dramamine, a common OTC drug for motion sickness, reducing all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating. It also is effective in relieving the severity of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Ginger contains very potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols, substances that may explain why so many people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience reductions in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger regularly. Gingerols, may also inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells. More on ginger here.

Bagoong

Bagoong, salted and fermented anchovies (dilis or monamon in Iloko), is added as flavoring agent.

All of these benefits from a simple vegetable stew is remarkable.

2008-04-12T20:29:00.000+08:00

Eat food or nutrients, your choice

In a November 2007 academic review, a University of Minnesota Public Health professor concluded that food as a whole, as opposed to specific nutrients, may be key to having a healthy diet. This idea is contrary to consumer belief and popular practice in food industry and government, where marketers and regulators tend to focus on total fat, carbohydrate and protein and on specific vitamins and added supplements in food products, not the food items as a whole. The review, which studied the concept of food synergy, argues that consumers focus should shift toward the benefits of entire food products and food patterns in order to better understand nutrition in regard to a healthy human body.

Most dietitians when they promote say, “food first, supplements second” for good reason. There are numerous studies that show the synergistic effects of foods. For example, when avocados are eaten as partof a salad, the absorption of beneficial carotenoids is increased dramatically or when herbs and spices are added to dishes, the total antioxidant capacity of the meal skyrockets by as much as 200%.

Not only are the nutrition recommendations now beginning to focus on promoting whole foods, researchers are now looking into food patterns and total diets to see which are associated with the best health outcomes.

There are still instances when enriched and fortified foods really help fill nutrient gaps, such as folic acid fortification of grains; calcium fortification of foods and beverages. These fortified foods play key roles in the diet and we are better off with them than without them.

The bottom line: Eat whole foods as much as possible and use healthful fortified options to make up for shortfall nutrients.

Sometime in 2009 a book titled "Food and Nutrients in Disease Management," a groundbreaking medical nutrition book to help doctors

treat disease will be published. It’s the first medical nutrition book to emphasize whole foods over isolated nutrients.

The 650-page reference guide, written by a doctor from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health draws on both traditional and alternative approaches, will address numerous medical conditions ranging from heart disease and diabetes to male infertility, kidney stones and autism.

The innovative concept is for your primary-care doctor to test your blood for nutritional deficiencies and then providing a prescription for a certain food, based on your genes, your pre-existing conditions and the prescription drugs you take. The book will also cover food and drug interactions, nutrient laboratory testing, how dietary patterns alter medication dosing, and adverse effects from certain herbs and supplements. The interaction between nutrients and prescription medications is significant but not well communicated by doctors says the author, who has practiced

nutritional medicine on every continent. The bad news is it is designed to treat sick people instead of helping healthy people stay healthy by eating healthy foods in the first place. But the book’s emphasis on whole foods is encouraging.

Natural, whole-foods, in season and as “locally-grown” as possible preferably free-range and organically fed for animals and organically-grown plant foods are the foundation of a healthy diet. The amount of variety is also crucial, and we should also take a look at the quality of food. The health of our food depends on the health of our soils. It has been documented that organic fruits and vegetables have a significantly higher nutrient content. Food grown in the same chemically fertilized soils year after year must reflect a continued depletion of quality and a huge lack of the diverse phytonutrients that are now shown to be necessary for good health. Here are links to two references showing the relationship between organically raised produce and higher nutrient content.
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=17#Health and http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/Arun/Organic%2 0foods%20in%20relation%20to%20nutrition%20and%20health% 20key%20fact%85.pdf
The point is that to the degree that soils contain the needed nutrients so will the plants grown in them. Organic farming methods enrich soil with a much broader life support system than non-organic farming.

New evidence confirms the nutritional superiority of planted organic foods. The new report provides strong evidence that organic foods are definitely more nutrient dense for the most important of 11 nutrients. Across the 11 nutrients, organic foods contained on average 25% higher concentrations of nutrients. The report points out that more than 40 new studies have been published since 2001.

The dramatic increase in high-quality studies in recent years has changed what the body of science shows on the nutrition of organic foods. Until a few years ago, scientists could say "We simply don't know" when asked if organic foods are, in general, more nutritious. Nutritionists and scientists who use that answer now are not current with the literature.

This holds true to harvests of aquatic foods. Salmon caught from the wild are nutritionally superior to those fish-farmed salmon. Similarly, difficult to catch wild bangus (milkfish) are nutritionally preferred to pond-raised bangus, and bangus capable of bottom feeding are still better than bangus raised in cages.

With healthy soil and organic farming to grow healthy productive plants we can expect harvests of foods packed with nutrition. But we still need help from nature’s pollinators, primarily honey bees, help that is threatened to diminish due to environmental pollution. The bees are vanishing, drowning in a sea of electromagnetic radiation

Consider breakfast cereals that claim to supply 100 percent RDA of a slew of vitamins and minerals (restored after super-processing stripped them out). In theory you need not eat anything else. Consider again the practice of putting nutrients in foods that don’t naturally have them, such as orange juice with added calcium. It’s like saying that infant formula can possibly be equal to breastmilk. There is no way to capture, in a vitamin capsule, what secrets there are in whole plant foods.

Natural whole foods is best and they should be locally grown, free range, and made affordable to the thousands of people who are low income. An excellent article written by Michael Pollan published in the NYT has a main message: eat food, not too much, mostly plants and veer away from a nutrient-focused diet.

Epigenetics is looking at how foods influence fetal development, an interesting topic attempting to reveal the interactions among the chemicals we ingest and our body, trying to understand the potential for altering the functions of genes with food biochemistry and therefore making us more likely to prevent or suffer a disease.

As adults we should understand what our individual body needs when we make food choices. That would eliminate excesses and the overfed yet undernourished condition of many people who reach for the bottle of pills.

But you need more than food. Walk, Laugh, don’t smoke – a holistic approach will keep you healthy

Certainly there is a place for supplements needed to fill specific nutrient gaps. But with a report basing the recommendation “Choose nutrient-rich foods and drinks instead of dietary supplements” on all available sound studies reviewed by a panel of 21 international experts, the idea that food is best is now more than just a hunch. Check out the report here . If you must take supplements also get the full range of nutrient forms (for example gamma-tocopherol instead of only the alpha-tocopherol in most vitamin-E supplements), and avoid the “if some is good, more is better” mistake that comes so easily.

Is there more to a carrot than beta carotene? Is lycopene the best we get from tomatoes? And when we heap our plates with salmon, are we serving up something other than omega-3s?

For years the scientific community has viewed individual vitamins and nutrients as the best that food has to offer. Nutrition studies have isolated beta carotene, calcium, vitamin E and lycopene, among other nutrients, in order to study their health benefits in the body.

But now, after several vitamin studies have produced disappointing results, there’s a growing belief that food is more than just a sum of its nutrient parts. Writing for the journal Nutrition Reviews, a University professor of epidemiology argues that nutrition researchers should focus on whole foods rather than only on single nutrients. He believes that nutrition science needs to consider the effects of “food synergy,'’ the notion that the health benefits of certain foods aren’t likely to come from a single nutrient but rather combinations of compounds that work better together than apart. Every food is much more complicated than any drug, extremely complicated.

The narrow focus on the health effects of single nutrients stems from the earliest days of nutrition research. In 1937, two scientists won a Nobel Prize for identifying vitamin C as the essential component in citrus fruit that prevents scurvy. The finding spurred interest by the scientific community to study other biologically active nutrients in foods.

For as long as observational studies have shown that diets rich in fruits and vegetables, unsaturated fat and fish, among other things, are associated with better health, nutrition researchers have been busily deconstructing these foods to identify the most potent nutrients. For example, vitamin E has been widely studied as a heart protector.

But attributing the broad health benefits of a diet to a single compound has proven to be misguided. Several studies have suggested an association between diets rich in beta carotene and vitamin A, for instance, and lower risk for many types of cancer. But in a well-known 1994 Finnish study, smokers who took beta carotene were found to have an 18 percent higher incidence of lung cancer. In 1996, researchers gave beta carotene and vitamin A to smokers and workers exposed to asbestos. But the trial had to be stopped because the people taking the combined therapy showed markedly higher risks for lung cancer and heart attacks.

Since then, studies of other vitamins, notably vitamins E and B, have also failed to show a benefit. Manufacturers say the problem is that vitamins are too often examined in sick people while the real benefit may be in preventing disease. The better explanation may simply be that food synergy, rather than the biological activity of a few key nutrients, is the real reason that certain diets, like those consumed in the parts of the Mediterranean and Japan, appear to lower the risks of heart disease and other health problems. Vitamins and minerals isolated in pill or capsule form do not contain phytochemicals, plant sterols and anti-oxidants that would naturally be present in whole foods

Important to note in the discussion of nutrition-from-foods is the impact of modern cultivation methods on nutrient content. Large-scale conventional growing methods deplete minerals and other nutrients from the soil, and antioxidants don’t form as readily. Conventional foods, both produce and animal products don’t contain enough vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fatty acids, and other synergistic unknowns to sustain health. So even if you do eat your veggies every day, you won’t be getting optimum nutrition. Organic, on the other hand, does contain the elements we need in sufficient quantities. Ideally, our nutrition should come from the foods we eat - after all, that’s how the human body is programmed to get its nutrition. If you eat a varied, fresh, organic diet, you won’t need to take supplements. But if that lifestyle is not available, or not feasible for you, supplements, while imperfect, are better than nothing.

Another important part of a healthy diet is to subtract harmful additives, especially petroleum-based chemicals like food dyes, artificial flavorings, aspartame, and many, many more. They have been found to trigger many health, behavior and learning problems. People who focus on healthy food choices generally eat fewer of them, but may overlook the fact that they are being exposed through things like toothpaste, mouthwash, vitamins, medicine, topical lotions and cosmetics. And since most fragrances today are derived from petroleum, that’s another source of exposure. The non-profit Feingold Association shares information on how to find the things you want while you steer clear of the worst of the additives.

The other thing to remember about organic foods is what is NOT in them.

There are reduced levels of organophosphates from fertilizers, and many other chemicals, in whole, fresh foods. And what we need to remember is that many toxins and carcinogens are fat soluble or stored in body fat stores. Therefore, reducing your body fat is like emptying a toxic waste dump. Less fat, less potential carcinogens stored thus reducing health risks. A great motivator for exercise!

The other thing to consider is the packaging. Whole natural foods are packaged in a fibrous outer coating or skin that is often loaded with phytochemicals and fiber that are excellent for your health. Fiber actually provides the vehicle, or transportation medium, that allows cholesterol to be removed from your body.

Processed foods stripped of these important nutrients, fill you, but don’t feed your body needs.

Plant foods that are non-organic have pesticides and non-nutritious waxy coatings sprayed on them, which most people will not want to deal with - removal takes knowledge, time and effort.

Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D who has been teaching and writing on whole foods for more than 30 years, through her books such as Food and Healing, says while the oversimplification approach has its merits, by itself it is not enough. Dr Jacobs’ “food synergy” concept, the view of the whole as more than the sum of its parts, is the missing piece. The new science of complexity totally supports that point of view.

Supplements are medicine, and have their role, but they are not food. Not even “whole food supplements” are food. They are not required for healthy living for everyone.

So, what to eat? Whole, fresh, natural, real food, grown with organic methods and natural husbandry, non-GMO. Michael Pollan (reference above) said it best in his January NY Times article, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Everyone should memorize that line.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

2008-04-10T20:09:00.000+08:00

In pursuit of health

Who says Filipinos are careless in matters of health? If the long queues to buy a few kilos of rice is any indicator, they are aggressive in asserting their right to survive, knowing that their staple food will keep them alive for a while longer. They know that there is no medicine to cure hunger. And this behavior is far from being panic, activity that our great leader Ate Glue has warned the public from a perception of a rice shortage.

Expect prices of rice to go up but the country will not experience a shortage of the staple despite shortfalls in global supply, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said. “Many are worried because there is a rice shortage around the world, that we will have a rice shortage. The price of rice would increase a bit but there would be no shortage. The supply is continuous,” Ms Arroyo said at the trial run of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway

Of course there was neither panic nor a rice shortage. The true cause? It was humdrum business as usual – a few slick operators conniving with dishonest employees of the National Foods Authority (NFA) re-bagging cheap subsidized rice for resale as higher-priced commercial rice. But the news of the scam and the rising global prices of grains and soy urged the Palace to issue a pre-emptive advisory on rising prices, which, issued in the midst of swirling corruption scams implicating the Palace, backfired. The suspicion was another cover-up (also known as executive privilege) for a lie similar to the Bolante fertilizer scam.

However, ignoring its own warning, officialdom went into panic mode. The frantic hustle and bustle to avert hunger pangs and to convince the public that there is no impending food shortage went from the fanciful to ridiculous:

Arroyo OKs P1.5B to boost rice production

LGUs urged to activate price monitors on rice

Arroyo convenes NAPC, NEDA to tackle rice problem

PGMA invites GOCC's to cabinet meeting and asks them to present initial plans to alleviate rice situation
Church asked to help sell NFA rice

Gov’t financial institutions present to PGMA their respective rice and other pro-poor plans

Proposed that government-owned and-controlled corporations (GOCCs) go into farming to help raise the country’s food production.

Threatens rice traders with hoarding raps Traders won’t buy more rice, fear hoarding raps

Tells LGUs to assist in food for school program

PGMA certified as urgent a bill seeking to extend the CARP Law, the charade of land reform that we all know simply does not work; it does not benefit the farmers and it definitely does not work to ensure national food security.
Threatened the public with an innovative crime, household hoarding

But Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said the problem was a lot worse than the Department of Agriculture was making it out to be. He suggested that the problem be treated as a calamity like a super typhoon or an earthquake and use funds intended for these disasters to prevent an acute shortage of the staple. “It’s better to be prepared early than to be sorry later on,” he said.

Roxas identified the three signs of an impending crisis—our traditional rice sources such as Thailand and Vietnam could not commit to any volume; the price of rice has jumped sharply in the world market, and the agriculture secretary has suggested that people cut their normal serving of rice from one cup to one half.

An email from Sweden:

The looming rice crisis must not be mistaken for a natural food shortage. It is a human disaster waiting to happen due to policy and institutional failures. … the International Rice Research Institute is in the Philippines. It is developing high-yielding rice varieties. Yet, the Philippines imports rice. …the looming crisis is a result of a policy failure that can be traced to the following: 1. The expansion of banana plantations, notably in Mindanao, at the expense of thousands of hectares of rice fields turned into banana plantations.

2. The focus of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on biofuels. The DA should focus more on helping farmers get more incentives from rice production. With the DA’s current thrust, it is either we eat bananas, or process and export tons of jatropha. The Vietnamese agriculture minister has pointed to massive industrialization in Vietnam as a threat to his country’s capability to feed its own population in the future. Meaning, our government’s plea with Vietnam for rice guarantees in the future does not hold water.

3. Naturally, farmers would prefer to produce more profitable crops.

Suggested solution: common sense. If we want to eat rice rather than eat bananas, we should plant more rice and search for other methods that are kind to the pocketbook as well as the environment such as organic farming and System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

To be sure, Filipinos are not careless on matters of health. They know that there is no medicine to cure hunger, and they know that food, particularly rice, is essential for their health. But there is a caveat – the rice must be affordable.

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Season's Greetings

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A new diet born on the Internet in Japan

Health of a Nations Food System (The Politics of Food)

Meals Ready To Eat

BPO Call Centers – bane or boon?

Food Art

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The food crisis: is the world exceeding its carrying capacity?

Food for the Future

Healthier Pizza

Food Chemists Slice Up Healthier Pizza

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Eat food or nutrients, your choice

Saturday, April 12, 2008